looked beautiful like hills overgrown with trees.  Many thousands of brave and unreturning warriors, armed with axes and swords, became the footguards of those elephants.  Gorgeously decked with horsemen and car-warriors and elephants, that foremost of arrays looked exceedingly beautiful like the array of the celestials or of the Asuras.  That great array, formed according to the scheme of Brihaspati by its commander, well-versed in ways of battle, seemed to dance (as it advanced) and struck terror into the hearts of foes.  Like ever-appearing clouds in the season of rains, foot-soldiers and horsemen and car-warriors and elephants, longing for battle began to issue from the wings and further wings of that array.  Then king Yudhishthira, beholding Karna at the head of the (hostile) army, addressed Dhananjaya, that slayer of foes, that one hero in the world, and said these words, “Behold, O Arjuna, the mighty array formed by Karna in battle.  The hostile force looks resplendent with its wings and further wings.  At sight of this vast hostile force, let such measures be adopted that it may not vanquish us.’  Thus addressed by the king, Arjuna replied with joined hands, ’Everything will be done as thou sayest.  Nothing will be otherwise.  I will, O Bharata, do that by which the destruction of the enemy may be compassed.  By slaying their foremost of warriors, I will achieve their destruction.”

“’Yudhishthira said, “With that view, do thou proceed against the son of Radha, and let Bhimasena proceed against Suyodhana, Nakula against Virshasena, Sahadeva against the son of Subala, Satanika against Duhshasana, that bull amongst the Sinis, viz., Satyaki, against the son of Hridika, and Pandya against the son of Drona.  I myself will fight with Kripa.  Let the sons of Draupadi with Shikhandi amongst them, proceed against the rest of the Dhartarashtras.  Let the other warriors of our army encounter our other foes.’”

“Sanjaya continued, ’Thus addressed by Yudhishthira the just, Dhananjaya saying, “So be it,” ordered his troops (to do the needful) and himself proceeded to the head of the army.  That car for which the Leader of the universe, viz., Agni, who derives his effulgence from Brahman, became the steeds, that car which was known amongst the gods as belonging to Brahman because it sprang first from Brahman himself, that car which in days of old had successively borne Brahman and Ishana and Indra and Varuna one after another, riding on that primeval car, Keshava and Arjuna now proceeded to battle.  Beholding that advancing car of wonderful aspect, Shalya once more said unto Adhiratha’s son, that warrior of great energy in battle, these words “Yonder comes that car having white steeds yoked unto it and owning Krishna for its driver, that vehicle incapable of being resisted by all the troops, like the inevitable fruit of work.  There comes the son of Kunti, slaughtering his foes along the way,—­he, that is, about whom thou hadst been enquiring.