great hero cheerfully.  Let us bend our heads there, for that is the eternal virtue.  If Drona strikes my body first, then I shall strike him, for then he will not be able to resent it.  There, close to Drona, that warrior whose flag beareth the device of a bow, is the preceptor’s son, the great car-warrior Aswatthaman, who is always an object of regard with me as also with every bearer of arms.  Do thou, therefore, stop again and again, while thou comest by his car.  There, that warrior who stayeth on his car, cased in golden mail and surrounded by a third part of the army consisting of the most efficient troops, and whose flag beareth the device of an elephant in a ground of gold, is the illustrious king Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra.  O hero, take before him this thy car that is capable of grinding hostile cars.  This king is difficult of being vanquished in battle and is capable of grinding all foes.  He is regarded as the first of all Drona’s disciples in lightness of hand.  I shall, in battle, show him my superior swiftness in archery.  There, that warrior whose flag beareth the device of a stout chord for binding elephants, is Karna, the son of Vikartana, already known to thee.  When thou comest before that wicked son of Radha, be thou very careful, for he always challengeth me to an encounter.  And that warrior whose flag is blue and beareth the device of five stars with a sun (in the centre), and who endued with great energy stayeth on his car holding a huge bow in hand and wearing excellent fences, and over whose head is an umbrella of pure white, who standeth at the head of a multitudinous array of cars with various flags and banners like the sun in advance of masses of black clouds, and whose mail of gold looks bright as the sun or the moon, and who with his helmet of gold striketh terror into my heart, is Bhishma, the son of Santanu and the grandsire of us all.  Entertained with regal splendour by Duryodhana, he is very partial and well-affected towards that prince.  Let him be approached last of all, for he may, even now, be an obstacle to me.  While fighting with me, do thou carefully guide the steeds.’  Thus addressed by him, Virata’s son, O king, guided Savyasachin’s car with great alacrity towards the spot where Kripa stood anxious to fight.”

SECTION LVI

Vaisampayana said, “And the ranks of those fierce bowmen, the Kurus, looked like masses of clouds in the rainy season drifting before a gentle wind.  And close (to those ranks of foot-soldiers) stood the enemy’s horses ridden by terrible warriors.  And there were also elephants of terrible mien, looking resplendent in beautiful armour, ridden by skilled combatants and urged on with iron crows and hooks.  And, O king, mounted on a beautiful car, Sakra came there accompanied by the celestials,—­the Viswas and Maruts.  And crowded with gods, Yakshas, Gandharvas and Nagas, the firmament looked as resplendent as it does when