A
black cloud poured a shower of flesh and blood over the troops all
around. All this seemed extraordinary. A wind rose there, bearing along
the earth myriads of stony nodules, and afflicting therewith the
combatants by hundreds and thousands. (For all that), O monarch, both
armies, filled with joy, stood addrest for battle, on Kurukshetra like
two agitated oceans. Indeed, that encounter of the two armies was highly
wonderful, like that of two oceans when the end of the Yuga is arrived.
The whole earth was empty, having only the children and the old left (at
home), in consequence of that large army mustered by the Kauravas.[6]
Then the Kurus, the Pandavas, and the Somakas made certain covenants, and
settled the rules, O bull of Bharata's race, regarding the different
kinds of combat. Persons equally circumstanced must encounter each other,
fighting fairly. And if having fought fairly the combatants withdraw
(without fear of molestation), even that would be gratifying to us. Those
who engaged in contests of words should be fought against with words.
Those that left the ranks should never be slain.[7] A car-warrior should
have a car-warrior for his antagonist; he on the neck of an elephant
should have a similar combatant for his foe; a horse should be met by a
horse, and a foot-soldier, O Bharata, should be met by a foot-soldier.
Guided by considerations of fitness, willingness, daring and might, one
should strike another, giving notice. No one should strike another that
is unprepared[8] or panic-struck. One engaged with another, one seeking
quarter, one retreating, one whose weapon is rendered unfit, uncased in
mail, should never be struck. Car-drivers, animals (yoked to cars or
carrying weapons), men engaged in the transport of weapons,[9] players on
drums and blowers of conches should never be struck. Having made these
covenants, the Kurus, and the Pandavas, and the Somakas wondered much,
gazing at each other. And having stationed (their forces thus), those
bulls among men, those high-souled ones, with their troops, became glad
at heart, their joy being reflected on their countenances."

SECTION II

Vaisampayana said,--"Seeing then the two armies (standing) on the east
and the west for the fierce battle that was impending, the holy Rishi
Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, that foremost of all persons acquainted with
the Vedas, that grandsire of the Bharatas, conversant with the past, the
present, and the future, and beh