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“These are not our words, O King. We have not said anything of the kind. All prosperity to you.”

“The path of sacrifice will not save me from the hell which now awaits me. As it is not possible to filter muddy water through mud or purify a wine-stained pot with wine, it is not possible to counteract the killing of men by sacrificing animals.”

“Fortunate is that eldest son of Kuntī that you desire his capture and not his death. Surely it is wonderful that not even you can feel malice toward him. Why, O monarch, do you not wish to kill him? Would not his death end this conflict and bring you victory?

Duryodhana’s words held a note of sarcasm that was not lost on Yudhiṣṭhira. Becoming impatient, Yudhiṣṭhira replied, “Do not rave so, O Duryodhana. I feel no pity for you. I will not accept this earth as a gift, for that is not my duty as a kṣatriya.

“O preceptor, why have you not fulfilled your vow? You did not capture Yudhiṣṭhira, and Arjuna ranges unchecked across the field.

Karṇa did not agree. “I do not think you should blame the preceptor. It is not his fault that he failed to prevent Arjuna, guided by Kṛṣṇa, from fulfilling his vow. Furthermore, the preceptor is old and not so agile or quick.

Aśvatthāmā went after Duryodhana and called out, “O son of Gāndhārī, as long as I am living, you need not Why did you not order me, who am always devoted to your welfare?”

Arjuna was mortified to see Kṛṣṇa breaking His promise not to fight. It was his fault. If he had exerted himself against Bhīṣma, this would not have been necessary. Of course, Kṛṣṇa’s promise had been that He would not wield weapons in the war, and a wheel was hardly

After describing the incident Karṇa said, “Still, I will not turn back. Even the angry words of my own preceptor will not stop me today.”

“O Bhibatsu, you will not be able to conquer Jayadratha without first defeating me.”

Duryodhana did not like hearing that he might be afraid. “I am not afraid even of the gods and Asuras united. O you of long arms, I tell you this truly. O best of men, with you fighting for me, I think kingship of the gods would not be hard to attain.”

Bhīma felt that the real reason his killing of Duryodhana with a low blow was not sinful was because Knowing that Gāndhārī’s faith in Kṛṣṇa was not the same as his own, Bhīma did not present her with this

Lifting his Gāṇḍīva bow he replied, “I will not abandon you, O leader of men. Although I could never stand to see Droṇa killed, I will not allow him to take you captive as long as The sky with all its stars may drop, the earth may shatter into fragments, but Droṇa will not capture Do not be afraid, therefore, of Droṇa.”

He did not heed you. Now it has come to pass, exactly as you said. Knowing all this, O auspicious queen, you should not grieve. Do not curse the Pāṇḍavas. Let not your heart be bent toward their destruction.

I explained to my mother all that had happened and made it clear that I would not now turn back. She then implored the sage not to fight with me.

Kṛṣṇa knew that Droṇa had not fully instructed his son on how to use the weapon, realizing that he would Now he had desperately released it, not caring that it could destroy the world even with himself in it

Shedding tears, Gāndhārī said to Vyāsadeva, “I do not entertain any ill feelings for the Pāṇḍavas, O I do not blame the Pāṇḍavas, but they have done something I cannot accept. Surely this was not consistent with virtue.”

“You should not fight with a Brahmin. Do not fight Jamadagni’s son.

Not knowing of Karṇa’s promise to Kuntī, he could not understand why he had been spared.

Should not the throne have been mine? Does not Duryodhana have the foremost claim to sovereignty, even over Yudhiṣṭhira?”