nto the
mighty-armed son of Radha that warrior of immeasurable energy, stationed
on his car for battle, Duryodhana said these words, "O son of Adhiratha,
O hero, do thou achieve that feat difficult of accomplishment which Drona
and Bhishma have not achieved in the very sight of all the bowmen. I had
always believed that those two mighty car-warriors, viz., Bhishma and
Drona, would without doubt slay Arjuna and Bhimasena in battle. Like a
second wielder of the thunderbolt, O son of Radha, do thou in great
battle achieve that feat worthy of a hero which was not achieved by those
two. Either seize king Yudhishthira the just or slay Dhananjaya and
Bhimasena, O son of Radha, and the twin sons of Madri. Blessed be thou,
let victory be thine. Set out for battle, O tiger among men. Reduce to
ashes all the troops of Pandu's son." Then thousands of trumpets and tens
of thousands of drums, sounded together, produced a noise like that of
the clouds in the welkin. Accepting those words (of Duryodhana), the
foremost of car-warriors stationed on his car, viz., the son of Radha,
addressed Shalya, that warrior accomplished in battle, saying, "Urge the
steeds, O mighty-armed one, so that I may slay Dhananjaya and Bhimasena
and both the twins and king Yudhishthira. O Shalya, let Dhananjaya behold
today the might of my arms, when I will be engaged in shooting shafts
winged with Kanka feathers in hundreds and thousands. Today, O Shalya, I
will shoot shafts with great energy for the destruction of the Pandavas
and the victory of Duryodhana."

"'Shalya said, "O Suta's son, why dost thou think so low of the sons of
Pandu, all of whom are endued with great might, all of whom are great
bowmen, and all of whom are acquainted with every weapon? They are
unretreating, of great good fortune, invincible, and of prowess incapable
of being baffled. They are capable of inspiring fear in the heart of
Indra himself. When, son of Radha thou wilt hear the twang of Gandiva in
battle, resembling the peal of the thunder itself, thou wilt not then
utter such speeches. When thou wilt behold Dharma's son and the twins
causing a canopy, like that of the clouds in the welkin, with their sharp
arrows, and the other invincible kings (of the Pandava army), endued with
great lightness of hands and shooting (showers of shafts) and weakening
their foes, then thou wilt not utter such words."'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Disregarding those words spoken by the ruler of the
Madr