words, and daggers, and arrows of various kinds, all of
the best temper. And the army, beautified by those weapons, and
resembling in colour the cloudy sky, assumed an appearance like to amass
of clouds with lightning-flashes in its midst. And the army counted an
Akshauhini of troops. And when absorbed in the troops of Yudhishthira it
entirely disappeared, as doth a small river when it enters the sea. And
similarly, the powerful chief of the Chedis, Dhrishtaketu, accompanied by
an Akshauhini, came to the sons of Pandu of immeasurable strength. And
the king of Magadha, Jayatsena of great strength, brought with him for
Yudhishthira an Akshauhini of troops. And similarly, Pandya, who dwelt on
the coast-land near the sea, came accompanied by troops of various kinds
to Yudhishthira, the king of kings. And, O king, when all these troops
had assembled, his army, finely dressed and exceedingly strong, assumed
an appearance pleasant to the eye. And the army of Drupada, also was
beautified by valiant soldiers who had come from various lands, and also
by his mighty sons. And similarly, Virata, the king of the Matsyas, a
leader of troops, accompanied by the king of the hilly regions, came to
Pandu's sons. And for the high-souled sons of Pandu there were thus
assembled from various directions, seven Akshauhini of troops, bristling
with banners of various forms. And eager to fight with the Kurus, they
gladdened the hearts of the Pandavas. And in the same way king
Bhagadatta, gladdening the heart of Dhritarashtra's son, gave an
Akshauhini of troops to him. And the unassailable mass of his troops,
crowded with Chins and Kiratas, all looking like figures of gold, assumed
a beauty like to that of a forest of Karnikara trees. And so the valiant
Bhurisravas, and Salya, O son of Kuru, came to Duryodhana, with an
Akshauhini of troops each. And Kritavarman, the son of Hridika,
accompanied by the Bhojas, the Andhas, and the Kukuras, came to
Duryodhana with an Akshauhini of troops. And the body of his troops
composed of those mighty soldiers, who wore on their persons garlands of
many-coloured flowers, looked as graceful as a number of sportive
elephants that have passed through a wood. And others led by Jayadratha,
the dwellers of the land of Sindhusauvira, came in such force that the
hills seemed to tremble under their tread. And their force, counting an
Akshauhini, looked like a mass of clouds moved by the wind. And
Sudakshina, the king of the