This is not the time to nurse enmity or sow dissension. Drona, Kripa and Aswatthama should forget and forgive. Where can the Kauravas find in the whole world, heroes superior to Drona, the preceptor, and his son Aswatthama, who combine in them- selves Vedic scholarship and kshatriya heroism?

We know of none other than Parasurama who can equal Drona. We can conquer Arjuna only if we all join together and fight him. Let us address ourselves to the task before us. If we quarrel amongstourselves we cannot fight Arjuna."

Thus spoke the grandsire. Soothed by his noble words, angry feelings subsided. Bhishma turned to Duryodhana and continued:

"Best of kings, Arjuna has come. The stipulated period of thirteen years terminated yesterday. Your calculation is wrong, as men learned in the science of planetary movements will tell you.