air to those regions whither
those allies of mine have gone. I shall certainly proceed thither whither
those bulls among men, slain, while engaged in battle for my sake, by
Arjuna have gone! Our allies, seeing that they are not well-protected by
us, no longer desire to stand by us. O thou of mighty arms, they now
regard the Pandavas to be preferable to ourselves. Thyself, of sure aim,
hast ordained our extermination in battle, for thou treatest Arjuna
leniently, since he is thy disciple. It is for this that all those have
been slain who had endeavoured to secure victory to us. It seems that
only Karna now wishes us victory. The man of weak understanding who
without duly examining another, accepteth him for a friend and engageth
him in concerns that require friends for their accomplishment, is certain
to suffer injury, even so hath this affair of mine been managed by my best
friend![185] I am exceedingly covetous, sinful, crooked-hearted, and
characterised by avarice! Alas, king Jayadratha hath been slain, and
Somadatta's son also of great energy, and the Abhishahas, the Surasenas,
the Sivis, and the Vasatis! I shall go thither today whither those bulls
among men, slain, while engaged in battle for my sake, by Arjuna, have
gone. In the absence of those bulls among men, I have no need for life. O
preceptor of the sons of Pandu, let me have thy permission in this."'"

SECTION CL

"Dhritarashtra said, 'After the ruler of the Sindhus had been slain in
battle by Savyasachin and after the fall of Bhurisravas, what became the
state of your mind? After Drona also had been thus addressed by
Duryodhana in the midst of the Kurus, what did the preceptor say unto him
then? Tell me all this, O Sanjaya!'

"Sanjaya said, 'Loud wails arose among thy coops, O Bharata, after the
slaughter of Bhurisravas and the ruler of the Sindhus. All of them
disregarded the counsels of thy son, those counsels in consequence of
which leaders of men, by hundreds, were slain. As regards Drona, hearing
those words of thy son, he became filled with grief. Reflecting for a
short while, O monarch, he said these words in great affliction.

"'Drona said, "O Duryodhana, why dost thou pierce me thus with wordy
shafts? I told thee before that Arjuna is incapable of defeat in battle.
Protected by the diadem-decked Arjuna, Sikhandin slew Bhishma. By that
feat, O thou of Kuru's race, the prowess of Arjuna in battle hath been
well-tested. Beholding Bhishma who w