214 CRADLE TALES OF HINDUISM
instance, that Bhishma must die by the hand of Arjuna himself; and many similar dooms hung over the heads of different houses. Yet what would be even the empire of Hastinapura, without Bhishma, without Drona, without the hundred sons of Dritarashtra, whose friendship and energy had hitherto made its Hfe and spirit?
Arjuna had ordered Krishna to drive him into the space between the two armies, that he might survey the field, and there, as he looked for the last time upon all that was splendid and briUiant and still unfiawed in the hosts of the enemy, these thoughts of despair came upon him with a rush ; his great bow Gandiva dropped from his hand ; and he sank down spiritless on the floor of his chariot.
Then came an instant which stands alone in history. It lasted only a few minutes. Two armies faced each other, in the second between the sounding of the trumpets and the shooting of the first arrows ; but in that one moment of expectancy the Lord Krishna revealed Himself to the soul of His worshipper, in such a way that he saw his duty clearly ; all hesitation dropped away from him, and springing to his feet fearlessly he sounded the war-cry of the Pandavas, and flung himself upon the fortunes of battle. For to see God is the only thing that can make a man strong to face the world and do his duty.
Even as of old, when the Babe Krishna had
