to these agreeable words of ours, promising
great good to thee. King Matsya's commander, Kichaka of wicked soul, by
whom the Trigartas, O monarch, were repeatedly vanquished and slain with
mighty force, now lieth low on the ground with all his brothers, slain,
O monarch, by invisible Gandharvas during the hours of darkness, O thou
of unfading glory. Having heard this delightful news about the
discomfiture of our enemies, we have been exceedingly gratified, O
Kauravya. Do thou now ordain what should next be done.'"

[20] _Krita-krita_--Nilakantha explains this to mean 'imagining
themselves to have achieved success in their mission' for having
learnt of Kichaka's death, they could readily guess the presence
of the Pandavas there. This is too far-fetched and does not at
all agree with the spirit of their report to Duryodhana below.
And then the same word occurs in the very last line of the
Section. I take it that in both places the word has been used in
the same sense.

SECTION XXVI

(_Go-harana Parva_)

Vaisampayana said, "Having listened to these words of his spies, king
Duryodhana reflected inwardly for some time and then addressed his
courtiers, saying, 'It is difficult to ascertain the course of events
definitely. Discern ye all, therefore, whither the sons of Pandu have
gone, of this thirteenth year which they are to pass undiscovered by us
all, the greater part hath already expired. What remains is by much the
smaller. If, indeed, the sons of Pandu can pass undiscovered what
remains of this year, devoted to the vow of truth as they are, they will
then have fulfilled their pledge. They will then return like mighty
elephants with temporal juice trickling down, or like snakes of virulent
poison. Filled with wrath, they will, without doubt, be inflicters of
terrible chastisement on the Kurus. It behoveth ye, therefore, to make
such efforts without loss of time as may induce the sons of Pandu,
acquainted as they are with the proprieties of time, and staying as they
now are in painful disguise, to re-enter the woods suppressing their
rage. Indeed, adopt ye such means as may remove all causes of quarrel
and anxiety from the kingdom, making it tranquil and foeless and
incapable of sustaining a diminution of territory.' Hearing these words
of Duryodhana, Karna said, 'Let other spies, abler and more cunning, and
capable of accomplishing their object, quickly go hence, O Bharata. Let
the