SECTION LI
"Dhritarashtra said, 'All these named by you are, indeed, endued with
great courage, but all of them together are equal to Bhima singly. My
fear, O child, from the wrathful Bhima is, indeed, very great, like that
of fat deer from an enraged tiger. I pass all my nights in sleeplessness,
breathing deep and hot sighs afraid of Vrikodara, O child, like an animal
of any other species afraid of the lion. Of mighty arms, and in energy
equal unto Sakra himself, I see not in this whole army even one that can
withstand him in battle. Exceedingly wrathful and determined in
animosity, that son of Kunti and Pandu smileth not even in jest, is mad
with rage, casteth his glances obliquely, and speaketh in a voice of
thunder. Of great impetuosity and great courage, of long arms and great
might, he will not, in battle, leave even one of my foolish sons alive.
Indeed, Vrikodara, that bull among the Kurus, whirling his mace in
battle, will, like a second Yama mace in hand slay all my sons who are
afflicted by a heavy calamity. Even now I see that terrible mace of his,
with eight sides made of steel, and adorned with gold, uplifted like a
Brahmana's curse. As a lion of mighty strength among a flock of deer,
Bhima will range among my troops. He only (amongst his brothers) always
displayed his strength cruelly towards my sons. Eating voraciously, and
endued with great impetuosity, from his very childhood he hath been
behaving inimically towards my children. My heart trembleth (to remember)
that even in their childhood, Duryodhana and other sons of mine, while
fighting with him (sportively) were always ground down by the
elephant-like Bhima. Alas, my sons have always been oppressed by his
might, and it is that Bhima of terrible prowess that hath been the cause
of this rupture. Even now I behold Bhima, mad with rage, fighting in the
very van, and devouring the whole of my host consisting of men,
elephants, and steeds. Equal unto Drona and Arjuna in weapons, his speed
equal unto the velocity of the wind, and in wrath like unto Maheswara
himself, who is there, O Sanjaya, that would slay that wrathful and
terrible hero in battle? I think it to be a great gain that my sons were
not even then slain by that slayer of enemies who is endued with such
energy. How can a human being withstand the impetuosity of that warrior
in battle who slew Yakshas and Rakshasas of terrible might before? O
Sanjaya, even in his childhood he was never completely under my control.
Injured by my wicked sons, how can that son of Pandu come under my
control now? Cruel and extremely wrathful, he would break but not bend.
Of oblique glances and contracted eye-brows, how can he be induced to
remain quiet? Endued with heroism, of incomparable might and fair
complexion, tall like a palmyra tree, and in height taller than Arjuna by
the span of the thumb, the second son of Pandu surpasseth the very steeds
in swiftness, and elephants in strength, speaketh in indistinct accents,
and possesseth eyes having the hue of honey. As regards form and might,
even such was he in his very boyhood, as I truly heard long before from
the lips of Vyasa! Terrible and possessed of cruel might, when angry he
will destroy in battle with his iron-mace cars and elephants and men and
horses. By acting against his wishes, that foremost of smiters who is
ever wrathful and furious, hath before been, O child, insulted by me.
Alas, how will my sons bear that mace of his which is straight, made of
steel, thick, of beautiful sides, adorned with gold, capable of slaying a
hundred, and producing a terrible sound when hurled at the foe? Alas, O
child, my foolish sons are desirous of crossing that inaccessible ocean
constituted by Bhima, which is really shoreless, without a raft on it,
immeasurable in depth, and full of currents impetuous as the course of
arrows. Fools in reality though boasting of their wisdom, alas, my
children do not listen to me even though I cry out. Beholding only the
honey they do not see the terrible fall that is before them. They that
will rush to battle with Death himself in that human shape, are certainly
doomed to destruction by the Supreme Ordainer, like animals within the
lion's view. Full four cubits in length, endued with six sides and great
might, and having also a deadly touch, when he will hurl his mace from'
the sting, how shall my sons, O child, bear its impetus? Whirling his
mace and breaking therewith the heads of (hostile) elephants, licking
with his tongue the corners of his mouth and drawing long breaths, when
he will rush with loud roars against mighty elephants, returning the
yells of those infuriated beasts that might rush against him, and when
entering the close array of cars he will slay, after taking proper aim,
the chief warriors before him, what mortal of my party will escape from
him looking like a blazing flame? Crushing my forces and cutting a
passage through them, that mighty armed hero, dancing with mace in hand,
will exhibit the scene, witnessed during the universal Dissolution at the
end of a Yuga. Like an infuriated elephant crushing trees adorned with
flowers, Vrikodara, in battle will, furiously penetrate the ranks of my
sons. Depriving my warriors of their cars, drivers, steeds, and
flag-staff, and afflicting all warriors fighting from cars and the backs
of elephants, that tiger among men will, O Sanjaya, like the impetuous
current of Ganga throwing down diverse trees standing on its banks, crush
in battle the troops of my sons. Without doubt, O Sanjaya, afflicted by
the fear of Bhimasena, my sons and their dependents and all the allied
kings will fly in different directions. It was this Bhima who, having
entered of old, with Vasudeva's aid, the innermost apartments of
Jarasandha, overthrew that king endued with great energy; that lord of
Magadha, the mighty Jarasandha, having fully brought under his subjection
the goddess Earth, oppressed her by his energy. That the Kauravas in
consequence of Bhishma's prowess, and the Andhakas and the Vrishnis in
consequence of their policy, could not be subjugated by him was due only
to their good fortune. What could be more wonderful than that the heroic
son of Pandu, of mighty arms and without any weapons, having approached
that king, slew him in a trice? Like a venomous snake, whose poison hath
accumulated for years, Bhima will, O Sanjaya, vomit in battle the poison
of his wrath upon my sons! Like the foremost of the celestials, the great
Indra, smiting the Danavas with his thunderbolt, Bhimasena will, mace in
hand, slay all my sons! Incapable of being withstood or resisted, of
fierce impetus and powers, and with eyes of a coppery hue, I behold even
now that Vrikodara failing upon my sons. Without mace or bow, without car
or coat of mail, fighting with his bare arms only, what man is there that
can stand before him? Bhishma, that regenerate Drona, and Kripa the son
of Saradwat,--these are as much acquainted as I myself with the energy of
the intelligent Bhima. Acquainted with the practice of those that are
noble, and desirous of death in battle, these bulls among men will take
their stand in the van of our army. Destiny is everywhere powerful,
especially in the case of a male person, for beholding the victory of the
Pandavas in battle, I do not yet restrain my sons. These mighty bowmen of
mine, desirous of treading in that ancient track leading up to heaven,
will lay down their lives in battle, taking care, however, of earthly
fame. O child, my sons are the same to these mighty bowmen as the
Pandavas are to them, for all of them are grandsons of Bhishma and
disciples of Drona and Kripa. O Sanjaya, the little acceptable services
that we have been able to do unto these three venerable ones, will
certainly be repaid by them owing to their own noble dispositions. It is
said that death in battle of a Kshatriya, who hath taken up arms and
desireth to observe Kshatriya practices is, indeed, both good and
meritorious. I weep, however, for all those that will fight against the
Pandavas. That very danger hath now come which was foreseen by Vidura at
the outset. It seems, O Sanjaya, that wisdom is incapable of dispelling
woe; on the other hand, it is overwhelming woe that dispelleth wisdom.
When the very sages, that are emancipated from all worldly concerns and
that behold, standing aloof, all the affairs of the universe, are
affected by prosperity and adversity, what wonder is there that I should
grieve, I who have my affections fixed on a thousand things such as sons,
kingdom, wives, grandsons, and relatives? What good can possibly be in
store for me on the accession of such a frightful danger? Reflecting on
every circumstance, I see the certain destruction of the Kurus. That
match at dice seems to be the cause of this great danger of the Kurus.
Alas, this sin was committed from temptation by foolish Duryodhana,
desirous of wealth; I believe all this to be the untoward effect of
ever-fleeting Time that bringeth on everything. Tied to the wheel of
Time, like its periphery, I am not capable of flying away from it. Tell
me, O Sanjaya, where shall I go? What shall I do, and, how shall I do it?
These foolish Kauravas will all be destroyed, their Time having come.
Helplessly I shall have to hear the wailing of women when my hundred sons
will all be slain. Oh, how may death come upon me? As a blazing fire in
the summer season., when urged by the wind, consumeth dry grass, so will
Bhima, mace in hand, and united with Arjuna, slay all on my side!'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 51 ---------------------
