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.'"