Chapter 56

“Vaisampayana said, ‘And the ranks of those fierce bowmen, the Kurus,looked like masses of clouds in the rainy season drifting before a gentlewind. And close (to those ranks of foot-soldiers) stood the enemy’shorses ridden by terrible warriors. And there were also elephants ofterrible mien, looking resplendent in beautiful armour, ridden by skilledcombatants and urged on with iron crows and hooks. And, O king, mountedon a beautiful car, Sakra came there accompanied by the celestials,–theViswas and Maruts. And crowded with gods, Yakshas, Gandharvas and Nagas,the firmament looked as resplendent as it does when bespangled with theplanetary constellation in a cloudless night. And the celestials camethere, each on his own car, desirous of beholding the efficacy of theirweapons in human warfare, and for witnessing also the fierce and mightycombat that would take place when Bhishma and Arjuna would meet. Andembellished with gems of every kind and capable of going everywhere atthe will of the rider, the heavenly car of the lord of the celestials,whose roof was upheld by a hundred thousand pillars of gold with (acentral) one made entirely of jewels and gems, was conspicuous in theclear sky. And there appeared on the scene three and thirty gods withVasava (at their head), and (many) Gandharvas and Rakshasas and Nagas andPitris, together with the great Rishis. And seated on the car of the lordof the celestials, appeared the effulgent persons of king, Vasumanas andValakshas and Supratarddana, and Ashtaka and Sivi and Yayati and Nahushaand Gaya and Manu and Puru and Raghu and Bhanu and Krisaswa and Sagaraand Nala. And there shone in a splendid array, each in its proper placethe cars of Agni and Isa and Soma and Varuna and Prajapati and Dhatri andVidhatri and Kuvera and Yama, and Alamvusha and Ugrasena and others, andof the Gandharva Tumburu. And all the celestials and the Siddhas, and allthe foremost of sages came there to behold that encounter between Arjunaand the Kurus. And the sacred fragrance of celestial garlands filled theair like that of blossoming woods at the advent of spring. And the redand reddish umbrellas and robes and garlands and chamaras of the gods, asthey were stationed there, looked exceedingly beautiful. And the dust ofthe earth soon disappeared and (celestial) effulgence lit up everything.And redolent of divine perfumes, the breeze began to soothe thecombatants. And the firmament seemed ablaze and exceedingly beautiful,decked with already arrived and arriving cars of handsome and variousmake, all illumined with diverse sorts of jewels, and brought thither bythe foremost of the celestials. And surrounded by the celestials, andwearing a garland of lotuses and lilies the powerful wielder of thethunderbolt looked exceedingly beautiful on his car. And the slayer ofVala, although he steadfastly gazed at his son on the field of battle,was not satiated with such gazing,'”