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47. PROMISE FULFILLED
We can conquer Arjuna only if we
all join together and fight him. Let us
address ourselves to the task before us. If
we quarrel amongst ourselves we cannot
fight Arjuna."
Thus spoke the grandsire. Soothed by his
noble words, angry feelings subsided.
Bhishma turned to Duryodhana and
continued:
"Best of kings, Arjuna has come. The
stipulated period of thirteen years
terminated yesterday. Your calculation is
wrong, as men learned in the science of
planetary movements will tell you. I knew
that the period had ended when Arjuna
blew his conch. Reflect a little before
deciding on war. If you wish to make
peace with the Pandavas, now is the time
for it. What do you seek, a just and
honorable peace or a mutually destructive
war? Ponder well and make your choice."
Duryodhana replied: "Revered sire, I have
no wish for peace. I shall not give even a
village to the Pandavas. Let us get ready
for war."
Then Drona said: "Let prince Duryodhana
take away a fourth of the army to guard
him and return to Hastinapura. Let another
surround the cows and seize them. If we
return without seizing the cows it would
amount to an acknowledgment of defeat.
With the rest of the army, the five of us
will give battle to Arjuna."
The Kaurava forces ranged themselves
accordingly in battle array. Arjuna said:
"O Uttara, I do not see Duryodhana's
chariot or Duryodhana. I see Bhishma
standing, clad in armor. I think
Duryodhana is driving away the cows to
Hastinapura. Let us pursue him and
recover the cows." With these words
Arjuna moved away from the Kaurava
army and went after Duryodhana and the
cows.
And as he was going, he respect fully
greeted his teachers and the old grandsire,
by drawing his Gandiva bow and sending
arrows so as to fall near their feet.
Reverently saluting them in this heroic
fashion, he left them and pursued
Duryodhana. Arjuna reached the place
where the cows were gathered and put to
rout the marauding forces.
He then turned to the cowherds and asked
them to take the cows to the barns, which
they did with great rejoicing. Arjuna then
pursued Duryodhana. Seeing this,
Bhishma and the other Kaurava warriors
rushed to the rescue and, surrounding
Arjuna, sent forth arrows against him.
Arjuna carried on a wonderful fight. First,
he made at Karna and drove him from the
battlefield.
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