Functions of the Gods. 81 



wild boar which was mine?" and he began to 

 quarrel and to threaten to slay him. Said the hunter : 

 "If you wish to fight, fight"; at that, Arjuna 

 showered his arrows on the hunter but they all fell 

 off from him. The hunter, laughing, said : "Ex- 

 cellent ! Excellent ! go on ! go on ! " ; and Arjuna 

 hurled at him weapon after weapon, but everything 

 failed. Arrows fell off him, everything broke 

 against him trees, rocks, everything ; he remained 

 untouched and uninjured, until at last He showed 

 Himself as Mahadeva, and praised the man who 

 had held his own against the God. Thus He tried 

 Arj una's strength ; could he be sent to Kurukshetra 

 with celestial weapons if his strength were too 

 little for the fight? Try him against the Divine 

 potency, limited in order to be faced and fought ; 

 when his courage is found to be dauntless and his 

 strength sufficient, then send him to Kurukshetra,, 

 tried and proved, able to lead his men to victory. 



Take another case, more difficult. Yudhishthira 

 is sad at heart ; he is struggling, has failed, and is in 

 danger. Drona is there, leading the hosts of his. 

 enemies, and he has been driven by him from the 

 battle-field. No one is able to stand against Drona ; 

 every one flies before the face of that mighty warrior ; 

 he turns back every attack. What can be done ? 

 Yudhishthira is in despair. Is he to be conquered ? 



