. Discharged from my bow, my arrows like venomous
snakes will pierce Partha's body, like serpent penetrating through an
ant-hill. Pierced with well-tempered and straight shafts endued with
golden wings and great energy, behold ye today the son of Kunti decked
like a hill covered with Karnikara flowers. Having obtained weapons from
that best of ascetics--the son of Jamadagni, I would, relying on their
energy, fight with even the celestials. Struck with my javelin, the ape
stationed on his banner-top shall fall down today on the ground, uttering
terrible cries. The firmament will today be filled with the cries of the
(super-human) creatures stationed in the flagstaff of the foe, and
afflicted by me, they will fly away in all directions. I shall today
pluck up by the roots the long-existing dart in Duryodhana's heart by
throwing Arjuna down from his car. The Kauravas will today behold Partha
with his car broken, his horses killed, his valour gone, and himself
sighing like a snake. Let the Kauravas, following their own will go away
taking this wealth of kine, or, if they wish, let them stay on their cars
and witness my combat.'"

SECTION XLIX

"Kripa said, 'O Radheya, thy crooked heart always inclineth to war. Thou
knowest not the true nature of things; nor dost thou take into account
their after-consequences. There are various kinds of expedients
inferrable from the scriptures. Of these, a battle hath been regarded by
those acquainted with the past, as the most sinful. It is only when time
and place are favourable that military operations can lead to success. In
the present instance, however, the time being unfavourable, no good
results will be derived. A display of prowess in proper time and place
becometh beneficial. It is by the favourableness or otherwise (of time
and place) that the opportuneness of an act is determined. Learned men
can never act according to the ideas of a car-maker. Considering all
this, an encounter with Partha is not advisible for us. Alone he saved
the Kurus (from the Gandharvas), and alone he satiated Agni. Alone he led
the life of a Brahmacharin for five years (on the breast of Himavat).
Taking up Subhadra on his car, alone he challenged Krishna to single
combat. Alone he fought with Rudra who stood before him as a forester. It
was in this very forest that Partha rescued Krishna while she was being
taken away (by Jayadratha). It is he alone that hath, for five years,
studied the science of