and elephants and horses, and they will fight, reckless of their
very lives, from desire of doing what is agreeable to Kunti's sons.
Uniting with the Pandavas, they will, O great king, sweep through thy
ranks like fire or the wind, challenging thy warriors. Invincible in
battle, those bulls among men, old Virata and old Drupada, both endued
with great prowess, are, in my judgment, both Maharathas. Though old in
years yet both of them are devoted to the observance of Kshatriya
virtues. Treading along the path that is trod by heroes, both of them
will exert to the best of their might. In consequence of their
relationship (to the Pandavas) and owing also, O king, to their being
endued with strength and prowess, those great bowmen devoted to pure
vows, have both derived additional strength from the strength of their
affection. According as the cause is, all strong-armed men become, O bull
of Kuru's race, heroes or cowards. Actuated by a singleness of purpose,
both these kings, who are powerful bowmen, will lay down their very lives
in causing a great massacre of thy troops to the best of their might, O
slayer of foes! Fierce in battle, these distinguished heroes, these
mighty bowmen, regardless, O Bharata, of their lives, will, at the head
of their respective Akshauhinis, achieve great feats, justifying their
relationship and the confidence that is reposed on them (by the
Pandavas)."'"

SECTION CLXXII

"'Bhishma said, "That subjugator of hostile cities, Sikhandin, the son of
the king of the Panchalas, is, O king, in my judgment, one of the
foremost of Yudhishthira's Rathas. Having divested himself on his former
sex, he will fight in battle and earn great fame, O Bharata, among thy
troops! He hath a large number of troops,--Panchalas and
Prabhadrakas,--to support him. With those hosts of cars he will achieve
great feats. Dhrishtadyumna also, O Bharata, the leader of all
Yudhishthira's army, that mighty car-warrior who is also a disciple of
Drona, is, O king, in my judgment, an Atiratha. Afflicting all foes in
battle, he will singly sweep the field, like Pinaka,--bearing God himself
in rage on the occasion of the universal dissolution. Even great warriors
will speak of his car-divisions, so multitudinous are they, as resembling
the very ocean or that of the gods, in battle! Kshattradharman, the son
of Dhrishtadyumna, owing to his immature years, as also in consequence of
his want of exercise in arms, is, in my judgment,