Chapter 166

“Dhritarashtra said, After Falguni had vowed the slaughter of Bhishma inbattle, what did my wicked sons headed by Duryodhana do? Alas, I alreadybehold my father, Ganga’s son, slain in battle, by that bowman of firmgrasp, viz., Partha, having Vasudeva for his ally! And what also did thatmighty bowman, that foremost of smiters, Bhishma, endued withimmeasurable wisdom, say on hearing the words of Partha. Having acceptedalso the command of the Kauravas, what did that foremost of warriors,Ganga’s son, of exceeding intelligence and prowess, do?’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Thus questioned, Sanjaya told him everythingabout what that eldest one of the Kurus, Bhishma of immeasurable energy,had said.’

“Sanjaya said, ‘O monarch, obtaining the command, Bhishma, the son ofSantanu said these words unto Duryodhana, gladdening him greatly,’Worshipping the leader of celestial forces, viz., Kumara, armed with thelance, I shall, without doubt, be the commander of thy army today! I amwell-versed in all mighty affairs, as also in various kinds of array. Iknow also how to make regular soldiers and volunteers act their parts. Inthe matter of marching the troops and arraying them, in encounters andwithdrawing, I am as well-versed, O great king, as Vrihaspati (thepreceptor of the celestials), is! I am acquainted with all the methods ofmilitary array prevalent amongst the celestials, Gandharvas, and humanbeings. With these I will confound the Pandavas. Let thy (heart’s) feverbe dispelled. I will fight (the foe), duly protecting thy army andaccording to the rules of (military) science! O king, let thy heart’sfever be dispelled!’

Hearing these words, Duryodhana said, ‘O Ganga’s son of mighty arms, Itell thee truly, I have no fear from even all the gods and Asuras unitedtogether! How much less, therefore, is my fear when thy invincible selfhath become the leader of my forces and when that tiger among men, Drona,also waiteth willingly for battle! When you two foremost of men, areaddressed for battle on my side, victory, nay, the sovereignty of eventhe celestial cannot assuredly be unattainable by me! I desire, however,O Kaurava, to know who amongst all the warriors of the foe and my own areto be counted as Rathas and who Atirathas. Thou, O grandsire, artwell-acquainted with the (prowess of the) combatants of the foe, also ofourselves! I desire to hear this, with all these lords of earth!’

“Bhishma said, ‘Listen, O son of Gandhari, O king of kings, to the taleof Rathas in thy own army! Hear, O king, as to who are Rathas and whoAtirathas! They are in thy army, many thousands, many millions, and manyhundreds of millions of Rathas. Listen, however, to me as I name only theprincipal ones. Firstly, with thy country of brothers including Dussasanaand others, thou art of the foremost of Rathas! All of you are skilled instriking, and proficient in cutting chariots and piercing. All of you areaccomplished drivers of chariots while seated in the driver’s box, andaccomplished managers of elephants while seated on the necks of thoseanimals. All of you are clever smiters with maces and bearded darts andswords and bucklers. You are accomplished in weapons and competent inbearing burthens of responsibility. Ye all are disciples of Drona and ofKripa, the son of Saradwat, in arrows and other arms. Wronged by the sonsof Pandu, these Dhartarashtras, endued with energy, will assuredly slayin the encounter the Panchalas irresistible in combat. Then, O foremostof the Bharatas, come I, the leader of all thy troops, who willexterminate thy foes, vanquishing the Pandavas! It behoveth me not tospeak of my own merits. I am known to thee. The foremost of all wieldersof weapons, Bhoja (chief) Kritavarman is Atiratha. Without doubt, he willaccomplish thy purpose in battle. Incapable of being humiliated bypersons accomplished in arms, shooting or hurling his weapons to a greatdistance, and a severe smiter, he will destroy the ranks of the foe, asthe great Indra destroying the Danavas. The ruler of the Madras, themighty bowman Salya, is, as I think, an Atiratha. That warrior boastethhimself as Vasudeva’s equal, in every battle (that he fighteth). Havingabandoned his own sister’s sons, that best of kings, Salya, hath becomethine. He will encounter in battle the Maharathas of the Pandava party,flooding the enemy with his arrows resembling the very surges of the sea.The mighty bowman Bhurisravas, the son of Somadatta, who is accomplishedin arms and is one of thy well-meaning friends, is a leader of leaders ofcar-divisions. He will, certainly, make a great havoc among thecombatants of thy enemies. The king of the Sindhus, O monarch, is in myjudgment, equal to two Rathas. That best of car-warriors will fight inbattle, displaying great prowess. Humiliated, O king, by the Pandavas onthe occasion of his, abducting Draupadi, and bearing that humiliation inmind, that slayer of hostile heroes will fight (for thee). Havingpractised after that, O king, the severest austerities, he obtained aboon, highly difficult of acquisition, for encountering the Pandavas inbattle. That tiger among car-warriors, therefore, remembering his oldhostility, will, O sire, fight with the Pandavas in battle, reckless ofhis very life which is so difficult to lay down.'”