eedingly delicate and inexperienced in
battle, Partha addressed him, saying, 'Enjoined by me, O Uttara, quickly
take down (from this tree) some bows that are there. For these bows of
thine are unable to bear my strength, my heavy weight when I shall grind
down horses and elephants, and the stretch of my arms when I seek to
vanquish the foe. Therefore, O Bhuminjaya, climb thou up this tree of
thick foliage, for in this tree are tied the bows and arrows and banners
and excellent coats of mail of the heroic sons of Pandu, viz.,
Yudhishthira and Bhima and Vibhatsu and the twins. There also is that
bow of great energy, the _Gandiva_ of Arjuna, which singly is equal to
many thousands of other bows and which is capable of extending the
limits of a kingdom. Large like a palmyra tree, able to bear the
greatest stress, the largest of all weapons, capable of obstructing the
foe, handsome, and smooth, and broad, without a knot, and adorned with
gold, it is stiff and beautiful in make and beareth the heaviest weight.
And the other bows also that are there, of Yudhishthira and Bhima and
Vibhatsu and the twins, are equally mighty and tough.'"

SECTION XLI

"Uttara said, 'It hath been heard by us that a corpse is tied in this
tree. How can I, therefore, being a prince by birth, touch it with my
hands? Born in the _Kshatriya_ order, and the son of a great king, and
always observant of _mantras_ and vows, it is not becoming of me to
touch it. Why shouldst thou, O Vrihannala, make me a polluted and
unclean bearer of corpses, by compelling me to come in contact with a
corpse?'

"Vrihannala said, 'Thou shalt, O king of kings, remain clean and
unpolluted. Do not fear, there are only bows in this tree and not
corpses. Heir to the king of the Matsyas, and born in a noble family,
why should I, O prince, make thee do such a reproachable deed?'"

Vaisampayana said, "Thus addressed by Partha, Virata's son, decked in
ear-rings, alighted from the car, and climbed up that _Sami_ tree
reluctantly. And staying on the car, Dhananjaya, that slayer of enemies,
said unto him, 'Speedily bring thou down those bows from the top of the
tree.' And cutting off their wrappings first and then the ropes with
which they were tied, the prince beheld the _Gandiva_ there along with
four other bows. And as they were untied, the splendour of those bows
radiant as the sun, began to shine with great effulgence like unto that
of the planets about the time of their ris