“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Having ascertained the opinion of his brothers,
and of the intelligent Narada, king Yudhishthira, addressing Dhaumya, who
was like unto the Grandsire himself, said, ‘I have for the acquisition of
arms, sent away that tiger among men, Jishnu, whose prowess is incapable
of being baffled, and who is possessed of long arms and immeasurable
intelligence. O thou of ascetic wealth, that hero is devoted to me,
endued with ability, and well-skilled in weapons, and like unto the
exalted Vasudeva himself. I know them both, Krishna and Arjuna, those
destroyers of enemies, O Brahmana, endued with prowess, even as the
puissant Vyasa knoweth them. I know Vasudeva and Dhananjaya to be none
else than Vishnu himself, possessed of the six attributes. And this is
also what Narada knoweth, for he hath always spoken so unto me. I also
know them to be Rishis, Nara and Narayana. Knowing him to possess the
ability, I have sent him (on the mission). Not inferior unto Indra and
fully competent (for the task), I have sent that son of a god to see the
lord of the celestials and obtain weapons from him. Bhishma and Drona are
Atirathas. Kripa and the son of Drona are invincible; these mighty
warriors have been installed by Dhritarashtra’s son in the command of his
army. All these are versed in the Vedas, are heroic, and possessed of the
knowledge of every weapon. Endued with great strength, these always
desire to encounter Arjuna in fight. And Karna also of the Suta caste is
a mighty warrior versed in celestial weapons. In respect of the impetus
of his weapons, he is endued with the strength of the Wind-god. Himself
like a flame of fire, the arrows (proceeding from him) constitute its
tongues. The slaps of his left hand cased in leathern fence constitute
the crackling of that flame. The dust of the battle-field is its smoke.
Urged by the sons of Dhritarashtra even as the wind urgeth the fire,
Karna like unto the all-consuming fire at the end of the Yuga that is
sent by Death himself, will, without doubt, consume my troops like unto a
heap of straw. Only that mighty mass of clouds called Arjuna, aided by
Krishna like unto a powerful wind, with celestial weapon representing its
fierce lightning, the white steeds, the rows of white cranes coursing
underneath and the unbearable Gandiva, the rainbow ahead, is capable of
extinguishing the blazing flame represented by Karna by means of its
arrowy showers let off with unflagging steadiness. That conqueror of
hostile cities, Vibhatsu, will, without doubt, succeed in obtaining from
Indra himself all the celestial weapons with their fullness and life.
Alone he is equal, I think, unto them all. Otherwise it is impossible
(for us) to vanquish in fight all those foes, who have attained to
eminent success in all their purposes. We shall behold Arjuna, that
repressor of foes, fully equipped with celestial weapons, for Vibhatsu
having once undertaken a task, never, droopeth under its weight. Without
that hero, however, that best of men, ourselves, with Krishna, cannot be
at rest in Kamyaka. Therefore, do thou mention some other wood that is
sacred and delightful, and abounds in food and fruits, and that is
inhabited by men of pious practices:--where we may pass some time,
expecting the warlike Arjuna of unbaffled prowess, like the Chataka in
expectation of gathering clouds. Do thou tell us of some asylums open to
the regenerate ones, and lakes and streams and beautiful mountains. O
Brahmana, deprived of Arjuna, I do not like to stay in this wood of
Kamyaka. We wish to go somewhere else.’”