Then Partha, whose hand bore the calluses of the bowstring, drew the auspicious foot of Keshava from his lap and bade him speak. Sitting erect like the standard of Indra, adorned with every ornament and rivaling Indra himself in splendor, Krishna then addressed me. And the words spoken by that foremost of orators were sweet, charming, and gentle, though terrible and disquieting for the son of Dhritarashtra. Indeed, the words uttered by Krishna, who alone is capable of such speech, were rightly accented and full of meaning, though harrowing in the end. And Vasudeva said: ‘O Sanjaya, speak these words to the wise Dhritarashtra and, in the hearing of Bhishma, the greatest of the Kurus, and of Drona as well, first greet, at our request, O Suta, all the elders and ask after the welfare of the younger ones — is all well?’