The prowess that we then saw of thy son was exceedingly wonderful, since
all the Pandavas together were unable to transgress him. At this time
Duryodhana beheld, staying at a little distance from him, his troops,
exceedingly mangled with shafts, and prepared to fly away. Rallying them
then, O monarch, thy son, resolved on battle and desirous of gladdening
them, addressed those warriors, saying, "I do not see that spot on plain
or mountain whither, if you fly, the Pandavas will not slay you. What is
the use then in flight? The Pandava army hath now been reduced to a small
remnant. The two Krishnas have been exceedingly mangled. If all of us
make a stand here, we are certain to have victory. If, however, you fly
away, breaking your array, the Pandavas, pursuing your sinful selves,
will slay all of you. Death in battle, therefore, is for our good. Death
in the field of battle while engaged in fight according to Kshatriya
practices is pleasant. Such death produces no kind of grief. By
encountering such a death, a person enjoys eternal happiness in the other
world. Let all the Kshatriyas assembled here listen to me. It were better
that they should even submit to the power of the angry Bhimasena than
that they should abandon the duties practised by them from the days of
their ancestors. There is no act more sinful for a Kshatriya than flight
from battle. You Kauravas, there is not a better path to heaven than the
duty of battle. The warrior acquires in a day regions of bliss (in the
other world) that take many long years for others to acquire.
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