o Vasava himself, and who tore and mangled that monarch. O
Bhishma, praise Drona and Aswatthaman, who both father and son, are
mighty warriors, worthy of praise, and the best of Brahmanas, and either
of whom, O Bhishma, if enraged could annihilate this earth with its
mobile and immobile creatures, as I believe. I do not behold, O Bhishma,
the king that is equal in battle unto Drona or Aswatthaman. Why wishest
thou not to praise them? Passing over Duryyodhana, that mighty-armed king
of kings, who is unequalled in whole earth girt with her seas and king
Jayadratha accomplished in weapons and endued with great prowess, and
Druma the preceptor of the Kimpurushas and celebrated over the world for
prowess, and Saradwata's son, old Kripa, the preceptor of the Bharata
princes and endued with great energy, why dost thou praise Kesava?
Passing over that foremost of bowmen--that excellent of kings, Rukmin of
great energy, why praisest thou Kesava? Passing over Bhishmaka of
abundant energy, and king Dantavakra, and Bhagadatta known for his
innumerable sacrificial stakes, and Jayatsena the king of the Magadha,
and Virata and Drupada, and Sakuni and Vrihadvala, and Vinda and Anuvinda
of Avant Pandya, Sweta Uttama Sankhya of great prosperity, the proud
Vrishasena, the powerful Ekalavya, and the great charioteer Kalinga of
abundant energy, why dost thou praise Kesava? And, O Bhishma, if thy mind
is always inclined to sing the praises of others, why dost thou not
praise Salya and other rulers of the earth? O king, what can be done by
me when (it seemeth) thou hast not heard anything before from virtuous
old men giving lessons in morality? Hast thou never heard, O Bhishma,
that reproach and glorification, both of self and others, are not
practices of those that are respectable? There is no one that approveth
thy conduct, O Bhishma, in unceasingly praising with devotion, from
ignorance alone, Kesava so unworthy of praise. How dost thou, from thy
wish alone, establish the whole universe in the servitor and cowherd of
Bhoja (Kansa)? Perhaps, O Bharata, this thy inclination is not
conformable to thy true nature, like to what may be in the bird Bhulinga,
as hath already been said by me. There is a bird called Bhulinga living
on the other side of the Himavat. O Bhishma, that bird ever uttereth
words of adverse import. Never do anything rash,--this is what she always
sayeth, but never understandeth that she herself always acteth very
rashly. Poss