Chapter 173

“Bhishma said, ‘O great king, Rochamana is another Maharatha of thePandavas. He will, O Bharata, contend in battle against hostile warriors,like a second god. That subjugator of foes, the mighty bowman Kuntibhojaof great strength, the maternal uncle of Bhimasena, is, in my judgment,an Atiratha. This mighty and heroic bowman is well-versed and highlyskilled in fight. Acquainted with all modes of warfare, this bull amongcar-warriors is regarded by me as exceedingly competent. Displaying hisprowess he will fight, like a second Indra against the Danavas. Thosecelebrated soldiers that he owns are all accomplished in fight. Stationedon the side of the Pandavas and devoted to what is agreeable andbeneficial to them, that hero will, for the sake of his sister’s sonsachieve extra-ordinary feats. That prince of Rakshasas (Ghatotkacha), Oking, born of Bhima and Hidimva, and endued with ample powers ofillusion, is, in my judgment, a leader of the leaders of car-divisions.Fond of battle, and endued with powers of illusion, he will, O sire,fight earnestly in battle. Those heroic Rakshasas who are his counsellorsor dependents will also fight under him.

‘These and many other rulers of provinces, headed by Vasudeva, haveassembled for the sake of Pandu’s son. These, O king, are principally theRathas, Atirathas, and half Rathas of the high-souled Pandava, and these,O king, will lead in battle the terrible army of Yudhishthira which isprotected, again, by that hero, the diadem-decked (Arjuna), who is evenlike the great Indra himself. It is with them (thus) endued with powersof illusion and fired by the desire of success that I shall contend inbattle, expectant of victory or death. I shall advance against these twoforemost of car-warriors, Vasudeva and Arjuna, bearing (respectively)Gandiva and the discus, and resembling the sun and the moon as seentogether in the evening. I shall, on the field of battle, encounter alsothose other car-warriors of Yudhishthira (whom I have, mentioned) at thehead of their respective troops.

‘The Rathas and Atirathas, according to their precedence, have now beendeclared by me to thee, and they also that are half Rathas, belonging tothee or them, O chief of the Kauravas! Arjuna and Vasudeva and otherlords of earth that may be there, all of them, upon whom my eyes mayfall, I will withstand, O Bharata! But, thou of mighty arms, I will notstrike or slay Sikhandin the prince of Panchalas, even if I behold himrushing against me in battle with weapons upraised. The world knows howfrom a desire of doing what was agreeable to my father, that I gave upthe kingdom that had become mine and lived in the observance of theBrahmacharya vow. I then installed Chitrangada in the sovereignty of theKauravas, making at the same time the child Vichitravirya the Yuvaraja.Having notified my god-like vow among all the kings of the earth, I shallnever slay a woman or one that was formerly a woman. It may be known toyou, O king, that Sikhandin was formerly a woman. Having been born as adaughter, she afterwards became metamorphosed into the male sex. I shallnot, O Bharata, fight against him. I shall certainly smite all otherkings, O bull of Bharata’s race, whom I may encounter in battle. I willnot, however, O king, be able to slay the sons of Kunti!'”