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324 CRADLE TALES OF HINDUISM


The combat began. The various divisions fought hand to hand in a series of melees, A chieftain in one army would single out some standard in the other which he particularly desired to capture, and he and his contingent would make a rush upon it, and fight for its possession till all his opponents were dead, or he repulsed. So the battle surged to and fro on the broad fields of Kurukshetra, for nine whole days. Then it became evident to the Pandava brothers that they could never hope to win the victory while Bhishma the Grandsire remained alive.

That night, when darkness had descended, and the soldiers of both hosts lay chatting round the tiny fires on which they had cooked their evening meal, the old Protector was startled to see the curtain of his tent door lifted noiselessly, and the five brothers steal noiselessly into his presence. The heart of Bhishma was glad at the sight of these men, whom he loved as his own sons, and he motioned them to a seat before him. Arjuna was perhaps his favourite, but for Yudisthira he felt a special responsibility, inasmuch as in his hands would always lie supreme authority over men and kingdoms.

He waited for them to speak, and at last the eldest broke the silence. '• Grandfather," he said, " it is impossible for us to achieve victory so long as thou remainest leader of the Kuru hosts, and

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