' If, indeed, O Yudhishthira,
Duryodhana select thee for battle, or Arjuna, or Nakula, or Sahadeva
(what will be the consequence)? From desire of slaying Bhimasena, O king,
for these thirteen years hath Duryodhana practised with the mace upon a
statue of iron! How then, O bull of Bharata's race, will our purpose be
achieved? From compassion, O best of kings, thou hast acted with great
rashness! I do not at this moment behold a match (for Duryodhana) except
Pritha's son Vrikodara! His practice, again, with the mace, is not so
great! Thou hast, therefore, once more allowed a wretched game of chance
to commence as that one in former days between thyself and Shakuni, O
monarch! Bhima is possessed of might and prowess. King Suyodhana,
however, is possessed of skill! In a contest between might and skill, he
that is possessed of skill, O king, always prevails! Such a foe, O king,
thou hast, by thy words, placed in a position of ease and comfort! Thou
hast placed thine own self, however, in a position of difficulty. We
have, in consequence of this, been placed in great danger! Who is there
that would abandon sovereignty within grasp, after having vanquished all
his foes and when he hath only one foe to dispose of and that one plunged
in difficulties? I do not see that man in the world today, be he a god,
who is competent to vanquish the mace-armed Duryodhana in battle! Neither
thou nor Bhima, nor Nakula nor Sahadeva, nor Phalguna, is capable of
vanquishing Duryodhana in fair fight! King Duryodhana is possessed of
great skill! How then, O Bharata, canst thou say unto such a foe words
such as these, 'Fight, selecting the mace as thy weapon, and if thou
canst slay one amongst us, thou shalt then be king?' If Duryodhana
encounters Vrikodara amongst us wishing to fight fairly with him, even
then our victory would be doubtful.
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