Dhritarashtra said Our army is endued with many excellent attributes and composed of various kinds of troops and its efficiency is great. O Sanjaya it is disposed of in perfect accordance to the rules of the military science; so it should to be ever crowned with success.

The warriors therein are very much devoted to our interest, and are ever attached to us. They are disciplined and free from the vices of lust and anger. Their prowess has been tested before.

Thus are neither very old nor very young; they are neither lean nor very corpulent. They are of active habits, well-built, strong bodied, and free from any disease.

They are clad in coats of mail and well furnished with offensive weapons they are accomplished in the use of all kinds of weapons and are masters in fighting with swords, with maces and even with bare arms.

They are well practiced in the use of lances, sabers, darts, iron bludgeons, short shafts, javelins and mallets.

They are well disciplined in the exercise of all kinds of weapons, and are experts in mounting on and descending from vehicles, in moving forward and in falling back,

In striking down effectually, in marching forward, and in retreating back; they have been examined in the management of steeds, elephants, and chariots.

Being duly tested, they have been employed on pay and not for the sake of fainily relationship.

Nor for the sake of friendship, nor for connections through marriage and birth. They are all honorable and prosperous and all their relatives have been honoured and well treated by ourselves. We have done many good services to them; they are also all illustrious men, possessed of great intelligence. They are again defended, O son, by many best of men endued with great lightness, of great achievements, of world-wide renown and resembling the protectors of the worlds themselves they are protected by numerous Kshatriya esteemed throughout the earth who have, out of their own accord, taken our side with their followers and force. Truly our army is like the vast ocean swelling with the waters of various streams flowing into it from all sides.

Our army teems with chariots which though destitute of wings are capable of moving like the winged rangers of the sky; it abounds also in elephants. Myriads of fierce warriors constitute the waters of that ocean and the various vehicles constitute its numerous waves.

Innumerable maces, dares, arrows and lances form the oars plied on it. It abounds in standards and ornaments and is full of cloths of gold embossed with gems.

The running vehicles constitute the wind that lashes that ocean into fury. It really resembles the extensive and scoreless sea roaring (in fury).

That army of ours is again protected by Drona and Bhishma; so also it is defended by Kritavarma, Kripa and Dushasana and by others headed by Jayadratha.

By Bhagadatta and Vikarna, by the son of Drona, by Subala and by the ruler of the Balhikas. Thus protected by many foremost of men, all endued with strength and possessed of generous souls.

If that army be still slaughtered in battle, it is indeed due to predestined Fate. Neither man, nor illustrious and ancient sages, O Sanjaya, ever saw on earth such extensive preparations for battle. That such a large army well-supplied with the implements and sinews of war.

Should be slain in battle, alas, what can it be due to but Destiny? All this appears to be unnatural, O Sanjaya.

This all appears me reverse to listen that so vast army could not face and defeat Pandavas in battle. O Sanjaya! The gods come in support of Pandavas definitely and battle against my army. This is the reason, it is being slaughtered in uncountable numbers day-to-day.

Vidura had often advised what would have been beneficial and profitable; but my wicked son Duryodhana would not accept his counsel.

I think the prophetic and high-souled Vidura had foreseen all that is happening at present; and hence his thought was so.

Or it may be, O Sanjaya, that all this had been predestined by the Creator; and what is pre-ordained by him must happen as ordained and can not be other wise.