through him communicated this message (to us), viz.,--Hear, O king,
I am prepared for either war or peace! Know, O monarch, that the hour
hath come for battle. O Yudhishthira, I have made all these preparations
in view of that. What doth a Kshatriya regard as a more estimable
accession (of good fortune) than battle? Born thou hast been in the
Kshatriya order. Known also thou art in the world. Having obtained
weapons again from Drona and Kripa, why, O bull of the Bharata race, dost
thou rely on Vasudeva who belongeth to the same order of life as thyself
and who is, not superior to thee in might.'

"'"Thou must also say unto Vasudeva in the presence of the Pandavas these
words,--For thy own sake, as also for the sake of the Pandavas, withstand
me in battle to the best of thy power! Assuming once more that form which
thou hadst assumed before in the Kuru court, rush thou with Arjuna
against me (on the field)! A conjuror's tricks or illusions may
(sometimes) inspire fright. But as regards the person that stands armed
for fight, such deceptions (instead of inspiring fight) only provoke
anger! We also are competent, by our powers of illusion, to ascend to
heaven or the firmament, or penetrate into the nether region, or the city
of Indra! We also can display various forms in our own body! The great
Ordainer bringeth all creatures to subjection by a fiat of His will (and
never by such conjuror's tricks)! Thou always sayest, O thou of Vrishni's
race, these words, viz.,--Causing the sons of Dhritarashtra to be slain
in battle, I will confer undisputed sovereignty on the sons of
Pritha!--These words of thine were brought to me by Sanjaya. Thou hadst
also said, 'Know, ye Kauravas that it is with Arjuna, having me for his
second, ye have provoked hostilities!' Truthfully adhering to that
pledge, put forth thy energy for the Pandavas and fight now in battle to
the best of thy power! Show us that thou canst be a man! He is said to be
truly alive, who, having ascertained (the might of his) foes inspireth
grief in them by resorting to true manliness! Without any reason, O
Krishna, great hath been thy fame spread in the world! It will, however,
presently be known that there are many persons in the world that are
really eunuchs though possessed of the signs of manhood. A slave of
Kansa, especially as thou art, a monarch like me should not cover himself
in mail against thee!

"'"Say (next) repeatedly, from me, O Uluka, unto that stupid, i