eld to Yudhishthira his due share before the
war,--to him whose steps are followed by Arjuna and Krishna and Bhima and
Satyaki and the two sons of Madri and the warriors of the Srinjaya race.
That wielder of the Gandiva, Savyasachin, seated on his car, would alone
be able to devastate the whole world. And likewise the victorious and
high-souled Krishna, the lord of the three worlds, incapable of defeat is
able to do the same. What mortal would stand before him who is the one
worthiest person in all the worlds and who discharges his multitude of
arrows that roar like the clouds, covering all sides, like flights of
swiftly-coursing locusts? Alone on his car, holding the Gandiva, he had
conquered the northern regions as also the Kurus of the north and brought
away with him all their wealth. He converted the people of the Dravida
land to be a portion of his own army. It was Falguna, the wielder of the
Gandiva, who defeating in the Khandava woods all the gods together with
Indra, made offerings to Agni, enhancing the honour and fame of the
Pandavas. Of all wielders again of the mace, there is none equal to
Bhima; and there is none also who is so skilful a rider of elephants. On
car, they say, he yields not to even Arjuna; and as to might of arms, he
is equal to ten thousand elephants. Well-trained and active, he who hath
again been rendered bitterly hostile, would in anger consume the
Dhartarashtras in no time. Always wrathful, and strong of arms, he is not
capable of being subdued in battle by even Indra himself. Of great heart,
and strong, and endued with great lightness of hand, the two (twin)
brothers, sons of Madri, carefully trained by Arjuna, would leave not a
foe alive, like to a pair of hawks preying upon large flocks of birds.
This our army, so full, to tell thee the truth, will be nowhere when it
will encounter them. In their side will be Dhrishtadyumna, endued with
great activity,--one who is regarded as one of the Pandavas themselves.
The chief of the Somaka tribe, with his followers, is, I have heard, so
devoted to the cause of the Pandavas that he is ready to lay down his
very life for them. Who would be able to withstand Yudhishthira who hath
the best of the Vrishni tribe (Krishna) for his leader? I have heard that
Virata, the chief of the Matsyas, with whom the Pandavas had lived for
some time and whose wishes were fulfilled by them, old in years, is
devoted, along with his sons to the Pandava cause, and hath b