y armour,
beautiful, made of gold, bright, and radiant with jewels and gems, be
donned; and my head-gear, of effulgence equal to that of the sun; and my
bows and arrows that resemble fire, poison, or snakes. Let also sixteen
quivers be tied (to my car) at the proper places, and let a number of
excellent bows be procured. Let also shafts, and darts and heavy maces,
and my conch, variegated with gold, be got ready. Bring also my
variegated, beautiful, and excellent standard, made of gold, possessed of
the effulgence of the lotus, and bearing the device of the elephant's
girth, cleaning it with a delicate cloth, and decking it with excellent
garlands and a network of wires.[6] O charioteer's son, bring me also,
with speed, some fleet steeds of the hue of tawny clouds, not lean, and
bathed in water sanctified with mantras, and furnished with trappings of
bright gold. Bring me also, with speed, an excellent car decked with
garlands of gold, adorned gems, bright as the sun or the moon, furnished
with every necessary, as also with weapons, and unto which are yoked
excellent animals. Bring me also a number of excellent bows of great
toughness, and a number of excellent bow-strings capable of smiting (the
foe), and some quivers, large and full of shafts and some coats of mail
for my body. Bring me also, with speed, O hero, every (auspicious)
article needed for occasions of setting out (for battle), such as vessels
of brass and gold, full of curds. Let garlands of flowers be brought, and
let them be put on the (proper) limbs of my body. Let drums also be
beaten for victory! Go, O charioteer, quickly to the spot where the
diadem-decked (Arjuna), and Vrikodara, and Dharma's son (Yudhishthira),
and the twins, are. Encountering them in battle, either I shall slay
them, or, being slain by them, my foes, I shall follow Bhishma. Arjuna,
and Vasudeva, and Satyaki, and the Srinjayas, that force, I think, is
incapable of being conquered by the kings. If all-destroying Death
himself with unremitting vigilance, were to protect Kiritin, still shall
I slay him, encountering him in battle, or repair myself to Yama's abode
by Bhishma's track. Verily, I say, that I will repair into the midst of
those heroes. Those (kings) that are my allies are not provokers of
intestine feuds, or of weak attachment to me, or of unrighteous souls."'

"Sanjaya continued, 'Riding on an excellent and costly car of great
strength, with an excellent pole, decked with g