estroyed. Placing
the kine securely, array the troops in order of battle. Place guards in
proper places so that we may fight the foe.'"

SECTION XLVIII

"Karna said, 'I behold all these blessed ones, looking as if alarmed and
panic-struck and unresolved and unwilling to fight. If he that is come is
the king of the Matsyas or Vibhatsu, even I will resist him as the banks
resist the swelling sea. Shot from my bow these straight and flying
arrows, like gliding snakes, are all sure of aim. Discharged by my light
hands, these keen-edged arrows furnished with golden wings shall cover
Partha all over, like locusts shrouding a tree. Strongly pressed by these
winged arrows, the bow-string will cause these my leathern fences to
produce sounds that will be heard to resemble those of a couple of
kettle-drums. Having been engaged in ascetic austerities for the (last)
eight and five years, Vibhatsu will strike me but mildly in this
conflict, and the son of Kunti having become a Brahmana endued with good
qualities, hath thus become a fit person to quietly receive shafts by
thousands shot by me. This mighty bowman is indeed, celebrated over the
three worlds. I, too, am, by no means, inferior to Arjuna, that foremost
of human beings. With golden arrows furnished with vulturine wings shot
on all sides, let the firmament seem today to swarm with fire-flies.
Slaying Arjuna in battle, I will discharge today that debt, difficult of
repayments, but promised of old by me unto Dhritarashtra's son. When man
is there, even amongst all the gods and the Asuras, that will endure to
stand in the teeth of the straight arrows shot from my bow? Let my flying
arrows, winged and depressed at the middle, present the spectacle of the
coursing of the fire-flies through the welkin. Hard though he be as
Indra's thunderbolt and possessed of the energy of the chief of the
celestials, I will surely grind Partha, even as one afflicts an elephant
by means of burning brands. A heroic and mighty car-warrior as he is, and
the foremost of all wielders of weapons I shall seize the unresisting
Partha, even like Garuda seizing a snake. Irresistible like fire, and fed
by the fuel of swords, darts, and arrows, the blazing Pandava-fire that
consumeth foes, will be extinguished even by myself who am like unto a
mighty cloud incessantly dropping an arrowy shower,--the multitude of
cars (I will lead) constituting its thunder, and the speed of my horses,
the wind in advance