"Sanjaya said, 'Having reached the Pandava camp, the gambler's son
(Uluka) presented himself before the Pandavas, and addressing
Yudhishthira said, 'Thou art fully conversant with what envoys say! It
behoveth thee not, therefore, to be angry with me if I repeat those words
only which Duryodhana hath instructed me to tell!'

"Hearing this, Yudhishthira said, 'Thou hast no fear., O Uluka! Tell us,
without any anxiety what are the views of the covetous Duryodhana of
limited sight!' Then in the midst and presence of the illustrious and
high-souled Pandavas, of the Srinjayas, and Krishna possessed of great
fame, of Drupada with his sons, of Virata, and of all monarchs, Uluka
said these words.'

"Uluka said, 'Even this is what the high-souled king Duryodhana hath in
the presence of all the Kuru heroes, said unto thee! Listen to those
words, O Yudhishthira! Thou wert defeated at dice, and Krishna was
brought into the assembly! At this, a person who regardeth himself a man
would be justified in giving way to wrath! For twelve years wert thou
banished from home into the woods! For one whole year didst thou live in
Virata's service. Remembering the reason there is for wrath, thy exile,
and the persecution of Krishna, be a man, O son of Pandu! Though weak,
Bhima yet, O Pandava, made a vow! Let him, if able, drink the blood of
Dussasana! Thy weapons have been properly worshipped and their presiding
deities have been invoked! The field of Kurukshetra also is without mire.
The roads are even. Thy steeds are well-fed. Engage in battle, therefore,
on the morrow, with Kesava as thy ally! Without having yet approached
Bhishma in battle, why dost thou indulge in boasts? Like a fool that
boasteth of his intention to ascend the mountains of Gandhamadana, thou,
O son of Kunti, art indulging in a vain boast. Without having vanquished
in battle the Suta's son (Karna) who is invincible, and Salya, that
foremost of mighty persons, and that first of all warriors and equal unto
Sachi's lord himself in combat, why, O son of Pritha, dost thou wish for
sovereignty? A preceptor in both the Vedas and the bow, he hath reached
the end of both these branches of learning. Thou desirest in vain, O son
of Pritha, to vanquish that leader of troops, the illustrious Drona, who
fightest in the van, is incapable of being agitated, and whose strength
knows no diminution. Never have we heard that the mountains of Sumeru
have been crushed by the wind! But the wind will bear away Sumeru, heaven
itself will fall down on the earth, the very Yugas will be reversed if
what thou hast said unto me really taketh place! Who is there fond of
life, fighting from the back of an elephant or of a horse or from a car,
that would return home (safe and sound), after having encountered that
grinder of foes? What creature treading the earth with his feet, would
escape with life from battle, having been attacked by Drona and Bhishma,
or pierced with their terrible shafts? Like a frog within a well, why
dost thou not realise the strength of this assembled host of monarchs,
which resembleth the very celestial host, and which is protected by these
kings like the gods protecting theirs in heaven, and which, swarming with
the kings of the East, West, South, and North, with Kamvojas, Sakas,
Khasas, Salwas, Matsyas, Kurus of the middle country, Mlechchhas,
Pulindas, Dravidas, Andhras, and Kanchis, indeed, with many nations, all
addressed for battle, is uncrossable like the swollen tide of Ganga? O
fool of little understanding, how wilt thou fight with me while I am
stationed in the midst of my elephant force?'

'Having said these words unto king Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma,
Uluka, turning his face then towards Jishnu, said unto him these words,
'Fight without bragging, O Arjuna! Why dost thou brag so much? Success
resulteth from the application of method. A battle is never won by
bragging. If acts in this world, O Dhananjaya, succeeded in consequence
only of boasts, then all men would have succeeded in their objects, for
who is there that is not competent to brag? I know that thou hast
Vasudeva for thy ally. I know that thy Gandiva is full six cubits long. I
know that there is no warrior equal to thee. Knowing all this, I retain
thy kingdom yet! A man never winneth success in consequence of the
attribute of lineage. It is the Supreme Ordainer alone who by his fiat
maketh (things hostile) friendly and subservient. For these thirteen
years have I enjoyed sovereignty, while ye were weeping! I shall continue
to rule in the same way, slaying thee with thy kinsmen! Where was thy
Gandiva then when thou wert made a slave won at dice? Where, O Falguni,
was Bhimasena's might then? Your deliverance then came neither from
Bhimasena armed with mace, nor from you armed with Gandiva, but from
faultless Krishna. It was she, the daughter of Prishata's house, that
delivered you all, sunk in slavery, engaged in occupations worthy only of
the low, and working as servitors! I characterised ye as sesame seeds
without kernel. That is very true, for, did not Partha bear a braid while
living in Virata's city? In the cooking apartments of Virata, Bhimasena
was fatigued with doing the work of a cook. Even this, O son of Kunti, is
(evidence of) thy manliness! Flying from an encounter with braids and
waist-bands thyself binding thy hair into a braid, thou wert employed in
teaching the girls to dance! It is thus that Kshatriyas always inflict
punishment on a Kshatriya! From fear of Vasudeva, or from fear of
thyself, O Falguni, I will not give up the kingdom. Fight, with Kesava as
thy ally! Neither deception, nor conjuror's tricks, nor jugglery can
terrify an armed man ready for fight. On the other hand, all this
provokes only his wrath! A thousand Vasudevas, a hundred Falgunis,
approaching me whose aim and weapons never go for nothing, will fly away
in all directions, Encounter Bhishma in combat, or pierce the hills with
thy head, or cross with the aid of thy two arms the vast and deep main!
As regards my army, it is a veritable ocean with Saradwat's son as its
large fish; Vivingsati, its smaller fish; Vrihadvala its waves;
Somadatta's son its whale; Bhishma its mighty force; Drona its
unconquerable alligator; Karna and Salya, its fishes and whirlpools;
Kamvoja its equine head vomiting fire, Jayadratha its (submarine) rock,
Purumitra its depth, Durmarshana its waters, and Sakuni its shores! When
having plunged into this swelling ocean with its inexhaustible waves of
weapons thou wilt from fatigue be deprived of thy senses, and have all
thy relatives and friends slain, then will repentance possess thy heart!
Then will thy heart turn away, O Partha, from the thought of ruling the
earth like the heart of a person of impure deeds turning away from (hope
of) heaven. Indeed, for thee to win a kingdom to rule is as impossible as
for one not possessed of ascetic merit to obtain heaven!'"