SECTION XLV
"Uttara said, 'O hero, mounting on this large car with myself as driver,
which division of the (hostile) army wouldst you penetrate? Commanded by
thee, I would drive you thither?'
"Arjuna said, 'I am pleased with thee, O tiger among men. Thou hast no
cause of fear. I will rout all your foes in battle, O great warrior, And,
O you of mighty arms, be at your ease. Accomplishing great and terrible
feats in the melee, I will fight with your foes. Tie quickly all those
quivers to my car, and take (from among those) a sword of polished blade
and adorned with gold.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, Uttara cast off
all inactivity. And he speedily alighted from the tree, bringing with him
Arjuna's weapons. Then Arjuna addressed him, saying, 'Yes, I will fight
with the Kurus and recover your kine. Protected by me, the top of this car
will be to you as a citadel. The passages and alleys and other divisions
of this car will be the streets and edifices of that fortified city.
These my arms will be its ramparts and gateways. This treble pole and my
quiver will constitute defensive works inaccessible to the foe. This my
banner--single and grand--will it not alone be equal unto those of thy
city? This my bow-string will constitute the catapults and cannons for
vomiting forth missiles on the besiezing ghost. My excited wrath will
make that fortress formidable, and the clatter of my car-wheels--will it
not resemble the kettle-drums of your capital? Ridden by myself wielding
the Gandiva, this car will be incapable of being vanquished by the
hostile host, O son of Virata, let your fear be dispelled.'
"Uttara said, 'I am no longer afraid of these. I know your steadiness in
battle, which is even like unto that of Kesava or Indra himself. But
reflecting on this, I am continually bewildered. Foolish as I am, I am
incapable of arriving at certain conclusion. By what distressful
circumstances could a person of such handsome limbs and auspicious signs
become deprived of manhood! Indeed, you seemest to me to be Mahadeva, or
Indra, or the chief of the Gandharvas, dwelling in the guise only of one
of the third sex.'
"Arjuna said, 'I tell you truly that I am only observing this vow for a
whole year agreeable to the behest of my elder brother. O you of mighty
arms, I am not truly one of the neuter sex, but I have adopted this vow
of eunuchism from subservience to another's will and from desire of
religious merit. O prince, know me now to have completed my vow.'
"Uttara said, 'Thou hast conferred a great favour on me today, for I now
find that my suspicion was not altogether unfounded. Indeed, such a
person as thou, O best of men, cannot be of the neuter sex. I have now an
ally in battle. I can now fight with the celestials themselves. My fears
have been dispelled. What shall I do? Command me now. Trained in driving
cars by a learned preceptor I will, O bull among men, hold the reins of
thy horses that are capable of breaking the ranks of hostile cars. Know
me, O bull among men, to be as competent a charioteer as Daruka of
Vasudeva, or Matali of Sakra. The horse that is yoked unto the right-hand
pole (of your car) and whose hoofs as they light on the ground are
scarcely visible when running, is like unto Sugriva of Krishna. This
other handsome horse, the foremost of his race, that is yoked unto the
left pole, is, I regard, equal in speed to Meghapushpa. This (third)
beautiful horse, clad in golden mail, yoked unto the rear-pole on the
left, is, I regard, Sivya equal in speed to but superior in strength. And
this (fourth) horse, yoked to the rear-pole on the right, is regarded as
superior to Valahaka in speed and strength. This car is worthy of bearing
on the field of battle a bowman like thee, and you also are worthy of
fighting on this car. This is what I think!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Arjuna, endued with great energy, took off
the bracelets from his arms and wore on his hands a pair of beautiful
gloves embroidered with gold. And he then tied his black and curling
locks with a piece of white cloth. And seated on that excellent car with
face turned to the east, the mighty-armed hero, purifying his body and
concentrating his soul, recalled to his mind all his weapons. And all the
weapons came, and addressing the royal son of Partha, said, 'We are here,
O illustrious one. We are your servants, O son of Indra.' And bowing unto
them, Partha received them unto his hands and replied unto them, saying,
'Dwell the all in my memory.' And obtaining all his weapons, the hero
looked cheerful. And quickly stringing his bow, the Gandiva, he twanged
it. And the twang of that bow was as loud as the collision of two mighty
bulls. And dreadful was the sound that filled the earth, and violent was
the wind that blew on all sides. And thick was the shower of fallen
meteors [50] and all sides were enveloped in gloom. And the birds began
to totter in the skies and large trees began to shake. [51] And loud as
the burst of the thunder, the Kurus knew from that sound that it was
Arjuna that drew with his hands the string of his best of bows from his
car. And Uttara said, 'Thou, O best of Pandavas, are alone. These mighty
car-warriors are many. How wilt you vanquish in battle all these that
are skilled in every kind of weapon? Thou, O son of Kunti, are without a
follower, while the Kauravas have many. It is for this, O you of mighty
arms, that I stay beside thee, stricken with fear.' Bursting out into
loud laughter, Partha said unto him, 'Be not afraid, O hero, what
friendly follower had I while fighting with the mighty Gandharvas on the
occasion of the Ghoshayatra? Who was my ally while engaged in the
terrific conflict at Khandava against so many celestials and Danavas? Who
was my ally when I fought, on behalf of the lord of the celestials
against the mighty Nivatakavachas and the Paulomas! And who was my ally,
O child, while I encountered in battle innumerable kings at the
Swayamvara to the princess of Panchala? Trained in arms by the preceptor
Drona, by Sakra, and Vaisravana, and Yama, and Varuna, and Agni, and
Kripa, and Krishna of Madhu's race, and by the wielder of the Pinaka
(Siva), why shall I not fight with these? Drive you my car speedily, and
let your heart's fever be dispelled.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 4 : UPA-PARVA 45 ---------------------
