Kamvojas, O ruler of men, accompanied by the
Yavanas and Sakas, came to the Kuru chief with an Akshauhini of troops.
And the body of his troops that looked like a flight of locusts, meeting
with the Kuru force, was absorbed and disappeared in it. And similarly
came king Nila, the resident of the city of the Mahishmati, with mighty
soldiers from the southern country who carried weapons of pretty make.
And the two kings of Avanti, accompanied by a mighty force, brought to
Duryodhana, each a separate Akshauhini of troops. And those tigers among
men, the five royal brothers, the princes of Kekaya, hastened to
Duryodhana with an Akshauhini of troops, and gladdened his heart. And
from the illustrious king of other quarters there came, O best of
Bharata's race, three large divisions of troops. And thus Duryodhana had
a force which numbered eleven Akshauhinis all eager to fight with the
sons of Kunti, and bristling with banners of various forms. And, O
descendant of Bharata, there was no space in the city of Hastinapura even
for the principal leaders of Duryodhana's army. And for this reason the
land of the five rivers, and the whole of the region called Kurujangala,
and the forest of Rohitaka which was uniformly wild, and Ahichatra and
Kalakuta, and the banks of the Ganga, and Varana, and Vatadhana, and the
hill tracts on the border of the Yamuna--the whole of this extensive
tract--full of abundant corn and wealth, was entirely overspread with the
army of the Kauravas. And that army, so arranged, was beheld by the
priest who had been sent by the king of the Panchalas to the Kurus."

SECTION XX

Vaisampayana said, "Then Drupada's priest, having approached the Kaurava
chief, was honoured by Dhritarashtra as also by Bhishma and Vidura. And
having first told the news of the welfare of the Pandavas, he enquired
about the welfare of the Kauravas. And he spoke the following words in
the midst of all the leaders of Duryodhana's army, 'The eternal duties of
kings are known to you all. But though known, I shall yet recite them as
an introduction to what I am going to say. Both Dhritarashtra and Pandu
are known to be sons of the same father. There is no doubt that the share
of each to the paternal wealth should be equal. The sons of Dhritarashtra
obtained the paternal wealth. Why did not the sons of Pandu at all
receive their paternal portion? Ye are aware how formerly the sons of
Pandu did not receive their paternal property which