ON the morning of the ninth day, before the battle began, Duryodhana wascloseted with the grandsire. He gave vent to his bitter feelings of disappointment over the way the battle was going. He uttered words which were like the sharp spears and pained the grandsire greatly but the latter was patient, and said sadly:

"Like ghee on the sacrificial fire I am pouring my life out for you. Why do you seek to mortify me, who have been doing my very utmost for you? You speak like a man of no under standing, not knowing what is right and what is wrong. They say that, when a man is nearing his death, the tree appears to him to be made of gold.

You see things now, not as they are; your vision is clouded. You are now reaping the harvest of the hatred you deliberately sowed. The best course for you are to go on fighting, as well as you can. This is also the plain path of duty. It is not possible for me to fight Sikhandin, for I can never raise my hand against a woman.