l his brothers, said unto
them these words in private.

"Yudhishthira said, 'The spies I had placed in the army of
Dhritarashtra's son, brought me this news in the morning. Duryodhana
asked Ganga's son of great vows, saying, "O lord, in what time canst thou
annihilate the troops of Pandu's sons?" Indeed, the wicked Duryodhana was
answered by him in these words, viz.,--In a month! Drona also declared
that he could do the same feat in about the same time. Gautama (Kripa)
indicated twice that period, as hath been heard by us. Drona's son
acquainted with weapons of high efficacy declared the period (in his
case) to be ten nights. Karna also, acquainted with weapons of high
efficacy, asked in the midst of the Kurus, declared that thy could
complete the slaughter in five days. Therefore, I also, O Arjuna, am
desirous of hearing thy words. In what time canst thou, O Falguni,
exterminate the foe?' Thus addressed by the king, Dhananjaya of curly
hair, casting a look upon Vasudeva, said these words, 'All these (Bhishma
and others) are high-souled (warriors), accomplished in arms and
acquainted with all modes of warfare. Without doubt, O king, they can
exterminate (our forces) even thus! Let thy heart's anguish, however, be
dispelled. I tell thee truly that with Vasudeva as my ally, I can, on a
single car, exterminate the three worlds with even the immortals, indeed,
all mobile creatures that were, are, will be, in the twinkling of the
eye. This is what I think. That terrible and mighty weapon which the Lord
of all creatures (Mahadeva) gave me on the occasion of my hand-to-hand
encounter with him (in the guise of) a hunter, still existeth with me.
Indeed, O tiger among men, that weapon which the Lord of all creatures
useth at the end of Yuga for destroying created things, existeth with me.
Ganga's son knoweth not that weapon; nor Drona nor Gautama (Kripa); nor
Drona's son, O king! How, therefore, can the Suta's son know it? It is
not, however, proper to slay ordinary men in battle by means of celestial
weapons. We shall (on the other band) vanquish our foes in a fair fight.
Then, these tigers among men, O king, are thy allies! All of them are
well-versed in celestial weapons, and all of them are eager for battle.
All of them after their initiation in the Vedas, have undergone the final
bath in sacrifices. All of them are unvanquished. They are competent, O
son of Pandu, to slay in battle the army of even the celestials. Thou
hast