. And taking up the
king back to the nether regions, and having brought him thus in a moment,
she apprised the Danavas of it. And the Danavas beholding the king
brought into their midst in the night, united together, and all of them
with well-pleased hearts and eyes expanded in delight addressed these
flattering words to Duryodhana."

SECTION CCL

"The Danavas said, 'O Suyodhana, O great king? O perpetuator of the race
of Bharata, thou art ever surrounded by heroes and illustrious men. Why
hast thou, then, undertaken to do such a rash act as the vow of
starvation? The suicide ever sinketh into hell and becometh the subject
of calumnious speech. Nor do intelligent persons like thee ever set their
hands to acts that are sinful and opposed to their best interests and
striking at the very root of their purposes. Restrain this resolve of
thine, therefore, O king, which is destructive of morality, profit, and
happiness, of fame, prowess, and energy, and which enhanceth the joy of
foes O exalted king, know the truth, the celestial origin of thy soul,
and the maker of thy body, and then summon thou patience to thy aid. In
days of old. O king, we have obtained thee, by ascetic austerities from
Maheswara. The upper part of thy body is wholly made of an assemblage of
Vajras, and is, therefore, invulnerable to weapons of every description,
O sinless one. The lower part of thy body, capable of captivating the
female heart by its comeliness was made of flowers by the goddess
herself--the wife of Mahadeva. Thy body is thus, O best of kings, the
creation of Maheswara himself and his goddess. Therefore, O tiger among
kings, thou art of celestial origin, not human. Other brave Kshatriyas of
mighty energy headed by Bhagadatta, and all acquainted with celestial
weapons, will slay thy foes. Therefore, let this grief of thine cease.
Thou hast no cause for fear. For aiding thee, many heroic Danavas have
been born on the earth. Other Asuras will also possess Bhishma and Drona
and Kama and others. Possessed by those Asuras, these heroes will cast
away their kindness and fight with thy foes. Indeed, when the Danavas
will enter their heart and possess them completely, flinging all
affections to a distance, becoming hard-hearted, these warriors will
strike every body opposed to them in battle without sparing sons,
brothers, fathers, friends, disciples, relatives, even children and old
men. Blinded by ignorance and wrath, and impelled by that