he owneth again those steeds fleet as the wind; his coat of mail is impenetrable and of celestial make; his two large quivers are inexhaustible; his arms have been obtained from the great Indra, Rudra, Kuvera, Yama and Varuna; and upon his car, again, are those maces of frightful mien, and diverse other great weapons having the thunderbolt amongst them!  What car-warrior can be regarded as his equal, who, stationed on a single car’ slew in battle a thousand Danavas, having their abode in Hiranyapura?  Inflamed with wrath, possessed of great might and prowess, incapable of being baffled, that mighty-armed warrior, while protecting his own army, will certainly exterminate thy troops!  Myself and preceptor (Drona) among the two armies, and no third car-warrior, O great king, can advance against Dhananjaya, that scatterer of arrowy showers!  Pouring his shafts, like the very clouds during the rainy season when propelled by mighty winds, that son of Kunti when Vasudeva as his second, steppeth for battle!  He is skilful and young, while both of us are old and worn out!’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Hearing these words of Bhishma, and recollecting with trembling heart, the well-known valour of the sons of Pandu and thinking of it, as if it were present before their eyes, the massive arms of kings, decked with bracelets and smeared with sandal-paste, seemed to hang down divested of might.’”

SECTION CLXXI

“Bhishma said, ’All the five sons of Draupadi, O monarch, are Maharathas.  Virata’s son Uttara is, in my judgment, one of the foremost of Rathas.  The mighty-armed Abhimanyu is a leader of leaders of car-divisions.  Indeed, that slayer of foes is equal in battle to Partha himself or Vasudeva.  Endued with great lightness of hand in shooting weapons, and acquainted with all the modes of warfare, he is possessed of great energy and is steady in the observance of vows.  Remembering the sufferings of his own father, he will put forth his prowess.  The brave Satyaki of Madhu’s race is a leader of leaders of car-divisions.  Foremost among the heroes of the Vrishni race, he is endued with great wrath, and is perfectly dauntless.  Uttamaujas also, O king, is an excellent car-warrior in my judgment.  And Yudhamanyu, too, of great prowess, is, in my judgment, an excellent car-warrior.  All those chiefs own many thousands of cars and elephants and horses, and they will fight, reckless of their very lives, from desire of doing what is agreeable to Kunti’s sons.  Uniting with the Pandavas, they will, O great king, sweep through thy ranks like fire or the wind, challenging thy warriors.  Invincible in battle, those bulls among men, old Virata and old Drupada, both endued with great prowess, are, in my judgment, both Maharathas.  Though old in years yet both of them are devoted to the observance of Kshatriya virtues.  Treading along the path that is trod by heroes, both of them will exert to the best of