Mahabharata Condensed in the Poet's Own Words /303

UThen, DYOGA PARVA
 
287
 
Then, Duryodhana, standing in reverential
all the
attitude, spokings,
 
attitude, spoe, along with all the ke, along with
ings,
these words to Bhishma: "May you lead

us, as god Skanda led the gods."
 
-
 

 
भीष्मः-

'यथैव हि भवन्तो मे तथैव मम पाण्डवाः ।

न त्वेवोत्सादनीया मे पाण्डोः पुत्रा जनाधिप ।

तस्माद् योधान्हनिष्यामि प्रयोगेणायुतं सदा ।

सेनापतिस्त्वहं राजन् समयेनापरेण ते ।

कर्णो वा युध्यतां पूर्वमहं वा पृथिवीपते ॥ '
 

Bhishma—
 
""
 

' As you are to me, so are the Pandavas.

The sons of Pandu ought not to be

destroyed by me. Therefore, I shall kill

a ten thousand warriors (on their side) by

discharging my missiles every time I fight.

King, I will be your generalissimo on

one other condition : Let Karna fight
 

first or myself.' "
 

 
कर्ण:-

'नाहं जीवति गाङ्गेये राजन् योत्स्ये कथञ्चन ।

हते भीष्मे तु योत्स्यामि सह गाण्डीवधन्वना ॥'