SECTION 6
"Sanjaya said, 'On that table land at the foot of Himavat, those
warriors, O monarch, delighting at the prospect of battle and assembled
together, passed the night. Indeed, Shalya and Chitrasena and the mighty
car-warrior Shakuni and Ashvatthama and Kripa and Kritavarma of the
Satwata race, and Sushena and Arishtasena and Dhritasena of great energy
and Jayatsena and all these kings passed the night there. After the
heroic Karna had been slain in battle, your sons, inspired with fright by
the Pandavas desirous of victory, failed to obtain peace anywhere else
than on the mountains of Himavat. All of them then, O king, who were
resolved on battle, duly worshipped the king and said unto him, in the
presence of Shalya, these words, "It behoveth you to fight with the
enemy, after having made some one the generalissimo of your army,
protected by whom in battle we will vanquish our foes." Then Duryodhana,
without alighting from his car (proceeded towards) that foremost of
car-warriors, that hero conversant with all the rules of battle
(Ashvatthama), who resembled the Destroyer himself in battle. Possessed
of beautiful limbs, of head well covered, of a neck adorned with three
lines like those in a conch shell, of sweet speech, of eyes resembling
the petals of a full blown lotus, and of a face like that of the dignity
of Meru, resembling the bull of Mahadeva as regards neck, eyes, tread,
and voice, endued with arms that were large, massive, and well-joined,
having a chest that was broad and well-formed, equal unto Garuda or the
wind in speed and might, gifted with a splendour like that of the rays of
the Sun, rivalling Usanas himself in intelligence and the Moon in beauty
and form and charms of face, with a body that seemed to be made of a
number of golden lotuses, with well-made joints, of well-formed thighs
and waist and hips, of beautiful fingers, and beautiful nails, he seemed
to have been made by the Creator with care after collecting one after
another all the beautiful and good attributes of creation. Possessed of
every auspicious mark, and clever in every act, he was an ocean of
learning. Ever vanquishing his foes with great speed, he was incapable of
being forcibly vanquished by foes. He knew, in all its details, the
science of weapons consisting of four padas and ten angas. He knew also
the four Vedas with all their branches, and the Akhyanas as the fifth.
Possessed of great ascetic merit, Drona, himself not born of woman,
having worshipped the Three-eyed deity with great attention and austere
vows, begat him upon a wife not born of woman. Approaching that personage
of unrivalled feats, that one who is unrivalled in beauty on Earth, that
one who has mastered all branches of learning, that ocean of
accomplishments, that faultless Ashvatthama, your son told him these
words, "Thou, O preceptor's son, are today our highest refuge. Tell us,
therefore, who is to be the generalissimo of my forces now, placing whom
at our head, all of us, united together, may vanquish the Pandavas?"
"'(Thus addressed), the son of Drona answered, "Let Shalya become the
leader of our army. In descent, in prowess, in energy, in fame, in beauty
of person, and in every other accomplishment, he is superior. Mindful of
the services rendered to him, he has taken up our side, having abandoned
the sons of his own sister. Owning a large force of his own, that
mighty-armed one is like a second (Kartikeya, the) celestial
generalissimo. Making that king the commander of our forces, O best of
monarchs, we will be able to gain victory, like the gods, after making
the unvanquished Skanda their commander." After Drona's son had said
these words, all the kings stood, surrounding Shalya, and cried victory
to him. Having made up their minds for battle, they felt great joy. Then
Duryodhana, alighting from his car, joined his hands and addressing
Shalya, that rival of Drona and Bhishma in battle, who was on his car,
said these words, "O you that are devoted to friends, that time has now
come for your friends when intelligent men examine persons in the guise of
friends as to whether they are true friends or otherwise. Brave as thou
art, be you our generalissimo at the van of our army. When you wilt
proceed to battle, the Pandavas, with their friends, will become
cheerless, and the Pancalas will be depressed."
"'Shalya answered, "I will, O king of the Kurus, accomplish that which
thou askest me to accomplish. Everything I have--my life breath, my
kingdom, my wealth--is at your service."
"'Duryodhana said, "I solicit you with offer of the leadership of my
army, O maternal uncle. O foremost of warriors, protect us incomparably,
even as Skanda protected the gods in battle. O foremost of kings, thyself
cause your own self to be installed in the command as Pavaka's son
Kartikeya in the command of (the forces of) the celestials. O hero, slay
our foes in battle like Indra slaying the Danavas."'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 9 : UPA-PARVA 6 ---------------------
