y gods, cannot
prevail over him who is protected by my arms! I will form an array which
Partha will not succeed in piercing![127] Therefore contained thou in
battle, do not fear, observing the duties of thy own order! O mighty
car-warrior, tread in the track of thy sires and grandsires! Having duly
studied the Vedas, thou hast poured libations, according to the
ordinance, into fire! Thou hast also performed many sacrifices: Death
cannot, therefore, be an object of terror to thee! (For if thou diest),
attaining then to that great good fortune which is unattainable by vile
men, thou will acquire all those excellent regions in heaven that are
attainable by the might of one's arms! The Kauravas, the Pandavas, the
Vrishnis, and other men, as also myself with my son, are all mortal and
short-lived! Think of this. One after another, all of us, slain by Time
which is all powerful, shall go to the other world, carrying with us only
our respective deeds. Those regions that ascetics acquire by undergoing
severe penances, those regions are acquired by heroic Kshatriyas that are
observant of the duties of their order." Even thus was the ruler of the
Sindhus consoled by Bharadwaja's son. Banishing his fear of Partha, he
set his heart on battle. Then, O king thy troops also felt great delight,
and the loud sounds of musical instruments were heard, mingled with
leonine shouts.'"

SECTION LXXV

"Sanjaya said, 'After Partha had vowed the death of the ruler of the
Sindhus, the mighty-armed Vasudeva addressed Dhananjaya and said,--"With
the consent of thy brothers (alone, but without consulting me), thou hast
sworn, saying--'I will slay the ruler of the Sindhus!' This hath been an
act of great rashness (on thy part)! Without consulting me, thou hast
taken up a great weight (upon thy shoulders)! Alas, how shall we escape
the ridicule of all men? I had sent some spies into the camp of
Dhritarashtra's son. Those spies, quickly coming unto me, gave me this
information, viz., that after thou, O lord, hadst vowed to slay the ruler
of the Sindhus, loud leonine shouts, mingled with the sounds of (our)
musical instruments, were heard by the Dhritarashtras. In consequence of
that uproar, the Dhritarashtras, with their well-wishers, became
terrified,--'These leonine shouts are not causeless!'--thought they, and
waited (for what would ensue). O thou of mighty arms, an uproarious din
then arose amongst the Kauravas, of their elephants and steeds a