all the beautiful and good attributes of creation.  Possessed of every auspicious mark, and clever in every act, he was an ocean of learning.  Ever vanquishing his foes with great speed, he was incapable of being forcibly vanquished by foes.  He knew, in all its details, the science of weapons consisting of four padas and ten angas.  He knew also the four Vedas with all their branches, and the Akhyanas as the fifth.  Possessed of great ascetic merit, Drona, himself not born of woman, having worshipped the Three-eyed deity with great attention and austere vows, begat him upon a wife not born of woman.  Approaching that personage of unrivalled feats, that one who is unrivalled in beauty on Earth, that one who has mastered all branches of learning, that ocean of accomplishments, that faultless Ashvatthama, thy son told him these words, “Thou, O preceptor’s son, art today our highest refuge.  Tell us, therefore, who is to be the generalissimo of my forces now, placing whom at our head, all of us, united together, may vanquish the Pandavas?”

“’(Thus addressed), the son of Drona answered, “Let Shalya become the leader of our army.  In descent, in prowess, in energy, in fame, in beauty of person, and in every other accomplishment, he is superior.  Mindful of the services rendered to him, he has taken up our side, having abandoned the sons of his own sister.  Owning a large force of his own, that mighty-armed one is like a second (Kartikeya, the) celestial generalissimo.  Making that king the commander of our forces, O best of monarchs, we will be able to gain victory, like the gods, after making the unvanquished Skanda their commander.”  After Drona’s son had said these words, all the kings stood, surrounding Shalya, and cried victory to him.  Having made up their minds for battle, they felt great joy.  Then Duryodhana, alighting from his car, joined his hands and addressing Shalya, that rival of Drona and Bhishma in battle, who was on his car, said these words, “O thou that art devoted to friends, that time has now come for thy friends when intelligent men examine persons in the guise of friends as to whether they are true friends or otherwise.  Brave as thou art, be thou our generalissimo at the van of our army.  When thou wilt proceed to battle, the Pandavas, with their friends, will become cheerless, and the Pancalas will be depressed.”

“’Shalya answered, “I will, O king of the Kurus, accomplish that which thou askest me to accomplish.  Everything I have—­my life breath, my kingdom, my wealth—­is at thy service.”

“’Duryodhana said, “I solicit thee with offer of the leadership of my army, O maternal uncle.  O foremost of warriors, protect us incomparably, even as Skanda protected the gods in battle.  O foremost of kings, thyself cause thy own self to be installed in the command as Pavaka’s son Kartikeya in the command of (the forces of) the celestials.  O hero, slay our foes in battle like Indra slaying the Danavas."’”