around him. The mighty Bhishma then, taking
the strong hand of Yudhishthira, addressed him in a voice deep as that of
the clouds. That thorough master of words said, "By good luck, O son of
Kunti, thou hast come here with all thy counsellors, O Yudhishthira! The
thousand-rayed maker of day, the holy Surya has begun his northward
course. I have been lying on my bed here for eight and fifty nights.
Stretched on these sharp-pointed arrows I have felt this period to be as
long as if it was a century. O Yudhishthira, the lunar month of Magha has
come. This is, again, the lighted fortnight and a fourth part of it ought
by this (according to my calculations) be over." Having said so unto
Yudhishthira the son of Dharma, Ganga's son Bhishma then saluted
Dhritarashtra and said unto him as follows.'

"'Bhishma said, "O king, thou art well-conversant with duties. All thy
doubts, again, relating to the science of wealth have been well-solved.
Thou hast waited upon many Brahmanas of great learning. The subtle
sciences connected with the Vedas, all the duties of religion, O king,
and the whole of the four Vedas, are well-known to thee! Thou shouldst
not grieve, therefore, O son of Kuru! That which was pre-ordained has
happened. It could not be otherwise. Thou hast heard the mysteries
relating to the deities from the lips of the island-born Rishi himself.
Yudhishthira and his brothers are morally as much thy sons as they are
the sons of Pandu. Observant of the duties of religion, do thou cherish
and protect them. In their turn, they are always devoted to the service
of their seniors. King Yudhishthira the just is pure-souled. He will
always prove obedient to thee! I know that he is devoted to the virtue of
compassion or abstention from injury. He is devoted to his seniors and
preceptors. Thy sons were all wicked-souled. They were wedded to wrath
and cupidity. Overwhelmed by envy, they were all of wicked behavior. It
behoveth thee not to grieve for them!"'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said this much unto Dhritarashtra of
great wisdom, the Kuru hero then addressed Vasudeva of mighty arms.'

"'Bhishma said, "O holy one, O god of all gods, O thou that art worshipped
by all the deities and Asuras, O thou that didst cover the three worlds
with three steps of thine, salutations to thee, O wielder of the conch,
the discus, and the mace! Thou art Vasudeva, thou art of golden body,
thou art the one Purusha (or active agent), thou art the