Chapter 40

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Having reached that Sami tree, and havingascertained Virata’s son to be exceedingly delicate and inexperienced inbattle, Partha addressed him, saying, ‘Enjoined by me, O Uttara, quicklytake down (from this tree) some bows that are there. For these bows ofthine are unable to bear my strength, my heavy weight when I shall grinddown horses and elephants, and the stretch of my arms when I seek tovanquish the foe. Therefore, O Bhuminjaya, climb thou up this tree ofthick foliage, for in this tree are tied the bows and arrows and bannersand excellent coats of mail of the heroic sons of Pandu, viz.,Yudhishthira and Bhima and Vibhatsu and the twins. There also is that bowof great energy, the Gandiva of Arjuna, which singly is equal to manythousands of other bows and which is capable of extending the limits of akingdom. Large like a palmyra tree, able to bear the greatest stress, thelargest of all weapons, capable of obstructing the foe, handsome, andsmooth, and broad, without a knot, and adorned with gold, it is stiff andbeautiful in make and beareth the heaviest weight. And the other bowsalso that are there, of Yudhishthira and Bhima and Vibhatsu and thetwins, are equally mighty and tough.'”