Battle, therefore, is not bootless. No doubt, Indra will contrive for
them regions capable of granting every wish. These, O bull among men,
become the guests of Indra. Men cannot, by sacrifices with profuse gifts,
by ascetic penances and by learning, go so speedily to heaven as heroes
slain in battle. On the bodies of hostile heroes constituting the
sacrificial fire, they poured their arrowy libations. Possessed of great
energy, they had in return to endure the arrowy libations (poured upon
them by their enemies). I tell thee, O king, that for a Kshatriya in this
world there is not a better road to heaven than battle! They were all
high-souled Kshatriyas; possessed of bravery, they were ornaments of
assemblies. They have attained to a high state of blessedness. They are
not persons for whom we should grieve. Comforting thyself by thy own self
cease to grieve, O bull among men! It behoveth thee not to suffer thyself
to be overwhelmed with sorrow and to abandon all actions. There are
thousands of mothers and fathers and sons and wives in this world. Whose
are they, and whose are we? From day to day thousands of causes spring up
for sorrow and thousands of causes for fear. These, however, affect the
ignorant but are nothing to him that is wise. There is none dear or
hateful to Time, O best of the Kurus! Time is indifferent to none. All
are equally dragged by Time. Time causeth all creatures to grow, and it
is Time that destroyeth everything. When all else is asleep, Time is
awake.
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