ignty, unto thy sons. The consequence of that indifference
of thine hath now overtaken thee. O sinless one, the ancestral
sovereignty is now in danger. (If it is not so), obtain now the whole
earth subjugated by the sons of Pritha.[134] The kingdom that the Kurus
enjoy, as also their fame had been acquired by the Pandus. The virtuous
sons of Pandu added to that kingdom and that fame. Those achievements,
however, of theirs became (to them) barren of fruit as they came in
contact with thee, since they were deprived of even their ancestral
kingdom by thy covetous self. Now, O king, when the battle has begun,
thou censurest thy sons indicating diverse faults of theirs. This is
scarcely becoming. The Kshatriyas, while fighting, do not take care of
their very lives. Indeed, those bulls among Kshatriyas fight, penetrating
into the array of the Parthas. Who else, indeed, save the Kauravas, would
venture to fight with that force which is protected by Krishna and
Arjuna, by Satyaki and Vrikodara? Them that have Arjuna for their
warrior, them that have Janardana for their counsellor, them that have
Satyaki and Vrikodara for their protectors, what mortal bowman is there
that would dare fight with, save the Kauravas and those that are
following their lead? All that is capable of being achieved by friendly
kings endued with heroism and observant of the duties of Kshatriyas, all
that is being done by the warriors on the Kauravas side. Listen now,
therefore, to everything that hath taken place in the terrible battle
between those tigers among men viz., the Kurus and the Pandavas.'"

SECTION LXXXVII

"Sanjaya said, 'After that night had passed away, Drona, that foremost of
all wielders of weapons, began to array all his divisions for battle.
Diverse sounds were heard, O monarch of angry heroes shouting in wrath
and desirous of slaying one another. And some stretched their bows, and
some rubbed with their hands their bow-strings. And drawing deep breaths,
many of them shouted, saying, "Where is that Dhananjaya?" And some began to
throw upwards (and again seize) their naked swords, unyielding,
well-tempered, of the colour of the sky, possessed of great sharpness,
and furnished with beautiful hilts. And brave warriors, desirous of
battle, by thousands, were seen to perform the evolutions of swordmen and
of bowmen, with skill acquired by practice. Some whirling their maces
decked with bells, smeared with sandal paste, and adorned with g