akened by Maheswara himself
possessed of eight forms? Thy sons, having dragged Draupadi, and thereby
incensed the sons of Pandu, have brought this frightful and horrifying
calamity upon themselves. Beholding Duryodhana showing both his thighs
unto Draupadi, Bhima said with quivering lips, _wretch! those thighs of
thine will I smash with my fierce descending mace, on the expiration of
thirteen years_. All the sons of Pandu are the foremost of smiters; all
of them are of immeasurable energy; all of them are well-versed in every
kind of weapons. For these, they are incapable of being vanquished even
by the gods. Incensed at the insult offered to their wedded wife,
Pritha's sons, urged by wrath, will, I ween, slay all thy sons in
battle.'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'O charioteer, what mischief hath been done by
Karna uttering those cruel words, to the sons of Pandu! Was not the
enmity sufficient that was provoked by bringing Krishna into the
assembly? How can my wicked sons live, whose eldest brother and
preceptor walketh not in the path of righteousness? Seeing me void of
eye-sight, and incapable of exerting myself actively, my wretched son, O
charioteer, believeth me to be a fool, and listeneth not to my words.
Those wretches also that are his counsellors, _viz_., Karna and Suvala,
and others, always pander to his vices, as he is incapable of
understanding things rightly. The shafts that Arjuna of immeasurable
prowess may lightly shoot, are capable of consuming all my sons, leave
alone those shafts that he will shoot, impelled by anger. The arrows
urged by the might of Arjuna's arms and shot from his large bow, and
inspired with _mantras_ capable of converting them into celestial
weapons can chastise the celestials themselves. He who hath for his
counsellor and protector and friend that smiter of sinful men--the lord
of the three worlds--Hari himself--encountereth nothing that he cannot
conquer. This, O Sanjaya, is most marvellous in Arjuna that, as we have
heard, he hath been clasped by Mahadeva in his arms. That also which
Phalguna, assisted by Damodara did of old towards helping Agni in the
conflagration of _Khandava_, hath been witnessed by all the world. When,
therefore, Bhima and Partha and Vasudeva of the Satwata race become
enraged, surely my sons along with their friends and the Suvalas are all
unequal to fight with them.'"

SECTION L

Janamejaya said, "Having sent the heroic sons of Pandu into exile, these
lame