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Not a single Brahmana then adhereth to the duties of his order. And the Kshatriyas and the Vaisyas also, O monarch, follow practices contrary to those that are proper for their own orders. And men become short-lived, weak in strength, energy, and prowess; and endued with small might and diminutive bodies, they become scarcely truthful in speech.
And the valiant Chekitana and Dhrishtaketu, the ruler of the Chedis, and Drupada and the king of Kasi and that mighty car-warrior Sikhandin, and Dhrishtadyumna, and Virata with his sons, and the princes of Kekaya also, all these Kshatriyas followed that bull of the Kshatriya race to honour him.
Innumerable other illustrious monarchs all bulls among Kshatriyas have also come for thee. Sakuni, Sauvala, Vrisaka, and Vrihadvala, these sons of the king Gandhara have also come. Foremost of all wielders of weapons the illustrious Aswatthaman and Bhoja, adorned with every ornament have also come for thee. Endued with prowess, these will shoot the mark.
If, O Madhava, we are, in the observance of the practices of our order, cut off with weapons in battle, when our end comes, even that will lead us to heaven. Even this, O Janardana, is our highest duty as Kshatriyas, viz., that we should lay ourselves down on the field of battle on a bed of arrows.
Innumerable Kshatriyas, respected throughout the world, and who have of their own will sided us with their forces and followers also protect them. Indeed, our army is like the vast ocean filled with the water of innumerable rivers running from all directions. It abounds with elephants, and with cars which though destitute of wings, yet resemble the winged tenants of the air.
That is very true, for, did not Partha wear a braid while living in Virata's city? In the cooking apartments of Virata, Bhimasena was fatigued with doing the work of a cook. Flying from an encounter with braids and waist-bands thyself binding thy hair into a braid, thou wert employed in teaching the girls to dance! It is thus that Kshatriyas always inflict punishment on a Kshatriya!
Thus, O Yudhishthira, the energy and might, howsoever great and irresistible, of Kshatriyas become quelled as soon as they are directed against the Brahmanas.
Beholding that vast concourse all the Kshatriyas, the Muni Narada, O king of men, became thoughtful. And, O bull amongst men, the Rishi began to recollect the words he had heard of old in the mansion of Brahma regarding the incarnation on earth of portions of every deity.
Encompassed on all sides by the troops of Drupada's son, Drona began to career in battle, consuming large numbers of Kshatriyas. That grinder of foes, having slain four and twenty thousand Kshatriyas, then despatched to Yama's abode ten times ten thousand, by means of his shafts of keen points. Exerting himself with care, he seemed to stand in that battle like a smokeless fire.
They that are conversant with the scriptures know that when the Lord of all creatures set himself to create the worlds, some creatures sprang from his mouth, some from his arms, some from his thighs, and some from his feet. They that thus sprang from his mouth, O child, came to be called Brahmanas. They that sprang from his arms were named Kshatriyas.
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