arata, to liberate Duryodhana by the
arts of conciliation. If, however, the king of the Gandharvas cannot be
managed by the arts of conciliation, then must thou try to rescue
Suyodhana by lightly skirmishing with the foe. But if the chief of the
Gandharvas do not let the Kurus off even then, they must be rescued by
crushing the foe by all means. O Vrikodara, this is all I can tell thee
now, for my vow hath been begun and is not ended yet!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Ajatasatru, Dhananjaya
pledged himself, from respect for these commands of his superior, to
liberate the Kauravas. And Arjuna said, 'If the Gandharvas do not set
the Dhartarashtras free peacefully, the Earth shall this day drink the
blood of the king of the Gandharvas!' And hearing that pledge of the
truth-speaking Arjuna, the Kauravas then, O king, regained (the lost)
tenor of their minds."

SECTION CCXLII

Vaisampayana said, "Hearing the words of Yudhishthira, those bulls among
men, headed by Bhimasena, rose up with faces beaming in joy. And those
mighty warriors, O Bharata, then began to case themselves in
impenetrable mail that were besides variegated with pure gold, and armed
themselves with celestial weapons of various kinds. And the Pandavas
thus cased in mail, and mounted on those chariots furnished with
flagstaffs and armed with bows and arrows, looked like blazing fires.
And those tigers among warriors, riding upon those well furnished cars
drawn by fleet horses, proceeded to that spot without losing a moment.
And beholding those mighty warriors--the sons of Pandu--thus proceeding
together (for the liberation of Duryodhana), the Kuru army sent forth a
loud shout. And soon did those rangers of the sky flushed with victory,
and those impetuous warriors, the sons of Pandu, fearlessly encounter
each other in that forest. The Gandharvas were flushed with success, and
beholding the four brave sons of Pandu coming to battle seated on their
cars, they all turned back towards the advancing combatants. And, the
dwellers of the Gandhamadana, beholding the Pandavas looking like
blazing guardians of the world provoked to ire, stood arrayed in order
of battle. And, O Bharata, in accordance with words of king Yudhishthira
of great wisdom, the encounter that took place was a skirmish. But when
Arjuna--that persecutor of foes--saw that the foolish soldiers of the
king of Gandharvas could not be made to understand what was good for
them b