th, O monarch, without a rival. Do not yield to despondency. Conduct
such as this does not suit thee. O thou of the Kuru race, if thou diest,
our party becometh weak. Go thou, O hero, and let not thy mind be
directed to any other course of action. Thou art ever our refuge as,
indeed, the Pandavas are the refuge of the gods.'"

[43] Lit, Soldiers that have sworn to conquer or die. A full
Akshauhini of these soldiers was owned by Krishna, who gave them
to Duryodhana to fight for him. The story of Krishna's offering
to Duryodhana the choice between these soldiers on the one side,
and himself sworn not to fight but only to aid with his counsels
on the other, is given in full in the Udyoga Parva. Duryodhana,
from folly, accepted the former, who were all slain by Arjuna.

Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed him thus, those _Daityas_
embraced that elephant among kings, and those bulls among the _Danavas_
cheered that irrepressible one like a son. And, O Bharata, pacifying his
mind by soft speech, they permitted him to depart, saying, 'Go and
attain victory!' And when they had given leave to the mighty-armed one,
that very goddess carried him back to the spot where he had sat down,
intent upon putting an end to his life. And having set that hero down
and paid him homage, the goddess vanished, taking the king's permission.
O Bharata, when she had gone, king Duryodhana considered all (that had
happened) as a dream. He then thought within himself, 'I shall defeat
the Pandavas in battle.' And Suyodhana thought that Karna and the
Samsaptaka army were both able (to destroy) and intent upon destroying
that slayer of foes, Partha. Thus, O bull of the Bharata race, the hope
was strengthened of the wicked minded son of Dhritarashtra, of
conquering the Pandavas. And Karna also, his soul and faculties
possessed by the inmost soul of Naraka, had at that time cruelly
determined to slay Arjuna. And those heroes--the Samsaptakas
also--having their sense possessed by the _Rakshasas_, and influenced by
the qualities of emotion and darkness, were desirous of slaying
Phalguna. And, O king, others with Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa at their
head, having their faculties influenced by the Danavas, were not so
affectionate towards the sons of Pandu as they had been. But king
Suyodhana did not tell any one of this.

"When the night passed away, Karna, that offspring of the Sun, with
joined hands, smilingly addressed thes