two.  Either seize king Yudhishthira the just or slay Dhananjaya and Bhimasena, O son of Radha, and the twin sons of Madri.  Blessed be thou, let victory be thine.  Set out for battle, O tiger among men.  Reduce to ashes all the troops of Pandu’s son.”  Then thousands of trumpets and tens of thousands of drums, sounded together, produced a noise like that of the clouds in the welkin.  Accepting those words (of Duryodhana), the foremost of car-warriors stationed on his car, viz., the son of Radha, addressed Shalya, that warrior accomplished in battle, saying, “Urge the steeds, O mighty-armed one, so that I may slay Dhananjaya and Bhimasena and both the twins and king Yudhishthira.  O Shalya, let Dhananjaya behold today the might of my arms, when I will be engaged in shooting shafts winged with Kanka feathers in hundreds and thousands.  Today, O Shalya, I will shoot shafts with great energy for the destruction of the Pandavas and the victory of Duryodhana.”

“’"Shalya said, “O Suta’s son, why dost thou think so low of the sons of Pandu, all of whom are endued with great might, all of whom are great bowmen, and all of whom are acquainted with every weapon?  They are unretreating, of great good fortune, invincible, and of prowess incapable of being baffled.  They are capable of inspiring fear in the heart of Indra himself.  When, son of Radha thou wilt hear the twang of Gandiva in battle, resembling the peal of the thunder itself, thou wilt not then utter such speeches.  When thou wilt behold Dharma’s son and the twins causing a canopy, like that of the clouds in the welkin, with their sharp arrows, and the other invincible kings (of the Pandava army), endued with great lightness of hands and shooting (showers of shafts) and weakening their foes, then thou wilt not utter such words.’”

“Sanjaya continued, ’Disregarding those words spoken by the ruler of the Madras, Karna addressing him endued with great activity, saying, “Proceed."’”

37

“Sanjaya said, ’Beholding the mighty Karna take up his station from desire of battle, the Kauravas, filled with delight, uttered loud shouts from every side.  With the beat of cymbals and the sound of drums, with the whizz of diverse kinds of arrows and the roars of combatants endued with great activity, all thy troops proceeded to battle, making death only the point at which to stop.  When Karna set out and the warriors of the Kuru army were filled with joy, the Earth, O king, trembled and made a loud noise.  The seven great planets including the Sun seemed to proceed against one another (for combat).  Meteoric showers became noticeable and all the quarters seemed ablaze.  Thunders fell from a cloudless sky, and fierce winds began to blow.  Animals and birds in larger numbers kept thy army to their right, foreboding great calamities.  After Karna had set out, his steeds tumbled down on the Earth.  A frightful shower of bones fell from the sky.  The weapons (of the Kuru warriors) seemed to be ablaze; their