equal to Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha!  Possessed of great energy. accomplished in weapons, of great prowess and great strength, celebrated in battle, ever wrathful, and of great energy, Arjuna is the foremost of men.  Youthful in years bull-necked, and of long arms, he is endued with great strength.  Treading like a lion or a bull, and exceedingly beautiful he will slay all thy foes.  As regards myself, I will do that by which Arjuna, the son of Kunti, may be able to consume the troops of Dhritarashtra’s son like a swelling conflagration.  This very day, Arjuna will, by his arrows despatch that vile wretch of sinful deeds, that slayer of Subhadra’s son, (viz., Jayadratha), to that road from which no traveller comes back.  Today vultures and hawks and furious jackals and other carnivorous creatures will feed on his flesh.  O Yudhishthira, if even all the gods with Indra become his protectors today, Jayadratha will still, slain in the thick of battle, repair to Yama’s capital.  Having slain the ruler of the Sindhus, Jishnu will come to thee (in the evening).  Dispel thy grief and the fever (of thy heart), O king, and be thou graced with prosperity.’”

SECTION LXXXIV

“Sanjaya said, ’While Yudhishthira, Vasudeva, and others were thus conversing, Dhananjaya came there, desirous of beholding that foremost one of Bharata’s race, viz., the king, as also his friends and well-wishers.  After he had entered that auspicious chamber and having saluted him duly, had taken its stand before the king, that bull among the Pandavas, (viz., king Yudhishthira), rising up from his seat, embraced Arjuna with great affection.  Smelling his head and embracing him with his arms, the king blessed him heartily.  And addressing him smilingly, he said, ’It is evident, O Arjuna, that complete victory certainly awaits thee in battle, judging from thy countenance (bright and cheerful as it is), and by the fact that Janardana is well-pleased with thee.  Then Jishnu related unto him that highly wonderful incident, saying, ’Blessed be thou, O monarch, I have, through Kesava’s grace, beheld something exceedingly wonderful.’  Then Dhananjaya related everything he had seen, about his meeting with the Three-eyed god, for assuring his friends.  Then all the hearers, filled with wonder, bent their heads to the ground.  And bowing unto the god having the bull for his mark, they said, ‘Excellent, Excellent!’ Then all the friends and well-wishers (of the Pandavas), commanded by the son of Dharma, quickly and carefully proceeded to battle, their hearts filled with rage (against the foe).  Saluting the king, Yuyudhana and Kesava and Arjuna, cheerfully set out from Yudhishthira’s abode.  And those two invincible warriors, those two heroes, viz., Yuyudhana, and Janardana, together proceeded on the same car to Arjuna’s pavilion.  Arrived there, Hrishikesa, like a charioteer (by profession), began to equip that car bearing the mark of the prince of