sons of Pandu.’  Thus addressed by him, the high-souled son of Ganga, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, endued with great mental energy, understanding that Duryodhana was possessed by grief replied unto him, laughing the while though cheerless, saying,[408] ’Penetrating into (their) army with the utmost exertions and with my whole soul, O prince, I wish to give thee victory and joy.  For thy sake I do not at all dissemble.  They that have become the allies of the Pandavas in this battle are fierce and numerous.  Mighty car-warriors of great renown, they are exceedingly brave and accomplished in arms.  Incapable of being fatigued, they vomit forth their wrath.  Cherishing feelings of animosity towards thee, and swelling with prowess, they are not capable of being defeated easily.  I will, however, O king, contend against those heroes with my whole soul and throwing away my very life.  For thy sake, in battle, O thou of great glory, my life itself shall today be recklessly exposed.  For thy sake I would consume all the worlds with the celestials and the Daityas, let alone thy foes here.  I will, O king, fight with those Pandavas, and do all that is agreeable to thee.  Hearing these words, Duryodhana became inspired with great confidence and his heart was filled with delight.  And cheerfully he ordered all the troops, and all the kings, (in his army) saying, Advance.  And at that command, O king, his army consisting of cars, steeds, foot-soldiers, and elephants, began to advance.  And that large force.  O king, armed with diverse kinds of weapons, was exceedingly cheerful.  And that army of thine, O monarch, consisting of elephants, steeds, and foot-soldiers, on the field of battle, looked exceedingly beautiful.  And huge tuskers, stationed in large bodies, and skilfully urged, looked resplendent on the field all around.  And many royal combatants accomplished in diverse weapons were seen in the midst of thy troops.  And the dust, red as the morning sun, raised by those cars and foot-soldiers and elephants and steeds in large bodies as they were duly moved over the field, looked beautiful, shrouding the rays of the sun.  And the many-coloured banners stationed on cars and elephants, waving in the air and moving along the welkin, looked beautiful like flashes of lightning amid the clouds.  And loud and fierce was the uproar made by the twang of the bows stretched by the kings, resembling the roar of the ocean while churned in the Krita age by the gods and the great Asuras.  And that army of thy sons, looking so proud, consisting of (combatants of) diverse hues and shapes, shouting so fiercely, and capable of slaying hostile warriors, then looked like those masses of clouds that appear at the end of the Yuga.[409]’”

SECTION LXXXII