h
grief and exceedingly afflicted, he enquired of Kunti's son Yudhishthira
as to whether his son (Aswatthaman) had been slain or not. Drona firmly
believed that Yudhishthira would never speak an untruth even for the sake
of the sovereignty of the three worlds. For this reason, that bull among
Brahmanas asked Yudhishthira and not any body else. He had hoped for
truth from Yudhishthira from the latter's infancy.

"'Meanwhile, O monarch, Govinda, knowing that Drona, that foremost of
warriors, was capable of sweeping all the Pandavas off the face of the
earth, became much distressed. Addressing Yudhishthira he said, "If Drona
fighteth, filled with rage, for even half-a-day, I tell thee truly, thy
army will then be annihilated. Save us, then, from Drona. Under such
circumstances, falsehood is better than truth. By telling an untruth for
saving a life, one is not touched by sin. There is no sin in untruth
spoken unto women, or in marriages, or for saving a king, or for rescuing a
Brahmana."[252] While Govinda and Yudhishthira were thus talking with
each other, Bhimasena (addressing the king) said, "As soon, O monarch, as
I heard of the means by which the high-souled Drona might be slain,
putting forth my prowess in battle, I immediately slew a mighty elephant,
like unto the elephant of Sakra himself, belonging to Indravarman, the
chief of the Malavas, who was standing within thy army. I then went to
Drona and told him, 'Aswatthaman has been slain, O Brahmana! Cease, then,
to fight.' Verily, O bull among men, the preceptor did not believe in the
truth of words. Desirous of victory as thou art, accept the advice of
Govinda. Tell Drona, O King, that the son of Saradwat's daughter is no
more. Told by thee, that bull among Brahmanas will never fight. Thou, O
ruler of men, art reputed to be truthful in the three worlds." Hearing
those words of Bhima and induced by the counsels of Krishna, and owing
also to the inevitability of destiny, O monarch, Yudhishthira made up his
mind to say what he desired. Fearing to utter an untruth, but earnestly
desirous of victory, Yudhishthira distinctly said that Aswatthaman was
dead, adding indistinctly the world elephant (after the name). Before
this, Yudhishthira's car had stayed at a height of four fingers' breadth
from the surface of the earth; after, however, he had said that untruth,
his (vehicle and) animals touched the earth. Hearing those words from
Yudhishthira, the mighty car-warrior Dron