After this, Arjuna again said to his eldest brother of unfading glory, king Yudhishthira of cheerless heart :

'O you who are conversant with every kind of duty, having by the practise of Kshatriya duties acquired sovereignty that is so very difficult of acquisition, and having defeated all your foes, why do you grieve.

O king, as regards Kshatriyas, death in battle is regarded more meritorious for them than the celebration of various sacrifices. it is so laid down in the ordinance that describes the duties of Kshatriyas.

Penances and Renunciation constitute the duties of Brahmanas. Such is also the ordinance about the next world, Indeed, O powerful one, death in battle is laid down for Kshatriyas.

The duties of Kshatriyas are highly dreadful and are always connected with the use of weapons, and it has been ordained, O chief of the Bharatas, that they should, when the time comes, die by weapons on the field of battle.

The life of even a Brahmana, O king, who follows the observances of a Kshatriya, is not blameable, for Kshatriyas also have originated from Brahman.

Neither Renunciation, nor Sacrifice, nor Penances, nor dependence on the wealth of others, O king, has been laid down for Kshatriyas.

You know full well all duties, and you are of righteous soul, O foremost of Bharata's race. You are a wise king, of skilful deeds, You can discriminate what is right in this world from what is wrong. Shaking off this cheerlessness begotten by repentance engage in action vigorously. The heart of a Kshatriya is hard as adamant.

Having by the performance of Kshatriya duties defeated your foes and acquired empire without a throne in its side, control your soul, O king, and be engaged in the performance of sacrifices and the practice of charity.

Indra himself, though a Brahmana, become a Kshatriya in his deeds, and fought with his sinful kinsmen for eight hundred and ten times.

Those acts of his, o king, deserve every commendation. Through them, as we have heard, he became the king of the gods.

Do you, therefore, O monarch, celebrate sacrifices with profuse presents even as Indra did, Cking, and thereby free yourself from your fever.

Do not, O foremost of Kshatriyas grieve th... for what is gone. They that have been killed have attained to the highest end, purified by weapons and agreeably to the ordinances of the Kshatriyas religion.

That which has taken place was ordained to take place. Destiny, O foremost of kings, is incapable of being resisted.