tras endued with great might, uniting together in proper order,
and all clad in mail, took up their position at the other end of
Kurukshetra, and, O Bharata, Duryodhana caused his encampment to be so
adorned as to make it look like a second Hastinapura. Indeed, O king,
even those that were clever among the citizens of Hastinapura could not
distinguish their city from the encampment. And the Kuru king caused
inaccessible pavilions, similar to his own, to be erected by hundreds and
thousands for the (other) kings (in his army). And those tents, O king,
for the accommodation of the troops were well-planted on an area
measuring full five yojanas of that field of battle. And into those tents
by thousands that were full of provisions, the rulers of the earth
entered, each according to his courage according to the strength he
possessed. And king Duryodhana ordered excellent provisions to be
supplied for all those high-souled kings with their troops consisting of
infantry, elephants, and horses, and with all their followers. And as
regards all those that subsisted upon mechanical arts and all the bards,
singers, and panegyrists devoted to his cause, and vendors and traders,
and prostitutes, and spies, and persons who had come to witness the
battle, the Kuru king made due provision for all of them."
SECTION CXCIX
Vaisampayana said, "Like Duryodhana, king Yudhishthira also, the son of
Kunti and Dharma, ordered out, O Bharata, his heroic warriors headed by
Dhrishtadyumna. Indeed, he ordered that slayer of foes and commander of
force, that leader, steady in prowess, of the Chedis, the Kasis, and the
Karushas, viz., Dhrishtaketu, as also Virata, and Drupada, and Yuyudhana,
and Sikhandin, and those two mighty bowmen, those two princes of
Panchala, viz., Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, to set out. Those brave
warriors, cased in handsome coats of mail and decked with golden
ear-rings, blazed forth like fires on the sacrificial altar when fed with
clarified butter. Indeed, those mighty bowmen looked resplendent like the
planets in the firmament. Then that bull among men king Yudhishthira,
having duly honoured all his combatants, ordered them to march. And king
Yudhishthira ordered excellent provisions of food for those high-souled
kings with their troops consisting of infantry, and elephants and horses,
and with all their followers, as also for all those that subsisted on
mechanical arts. And the son of Pandu first ordered Abhimanyu, a
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