ho, O
ruler of men, could not be vanquished by any man! Staying within the
waters of that lake, king Duryodhana heard that tumultuous noise (of the
Pandava army) which resembled the very roar of the clouds. Yudhishthira
then, O king, with his brothers repaired to that lake from desire of
slaying Duryodhana. Raising a thick dust, the son of Pandu caused the
earth to tremble with the sound of his car-wheels and the loud blare of
his conch. Hearing the noise made by the army of Yudhishthira, those
great car-warriors, Kritavarma and Kripa and the son of Drona, said these
words unto the Kuru king, "Filled with joy and longing for victory, the
Pandavas are coming hither! We will, therefore, leave this place. Let it
be known to thee!" Hearing those words of these heroes endued with great
activity, he answered them, saying, "So be it," and remained (as before)
within the waters, having, O lord, solidified them by his powers of
illusion. Those car-warriors headed by Kripa, filled with grief, took
leave of the king, O monarch, and went away to a place far removed from
that spot. Having proceeded far, they beheld a banyan, O sire, under
whose shade they stopped, greatly tired, and exceedingly anxious about
the king and indulging in such thoughts as these, "The mighty son of
Dhritarashtra, having solidified the waters of the lake, lay stretched at
the bottom. The Pandavas have reached that spot, from desire of battle.
How will the battle take place? What will become of the king?" Thinking
of these things, O king, those heroes, Kripa and the others, liberated
their horses from their cars and prepared to rest there for some time.'"

31

"Sanjaya said, 'After those three car-warriors had left that spot, the
Pandavas arrived at that lake within which Duryodhana was resting
himself. Having reached the banks of the Dvaipayana lake, O chief of
Kuru's race, they beheld that receptacle of waters enchanted by thy son.
Then Yudhishthira, addressing Vasudeva, said, "Behold, the son of
Dhritarashtra hath applied his power of illusion to these waters! Having
enchanted the waters, he lieth within them. He can have now no fear (of
injury) from man! Having invoked a celestial illusion, he is now within
the waters! By an act of deception, that wight conversant with every
deception hath sought this refuge! He shall not, however, escape me with
life! Even if the wielder of the thunderbolt himself aid him in battle,
people, O Madhava, shall yet be