“Sanjaya said, ‘Then king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, saluting
Devaki’s son Janardana, and cheerfully addressed him saying “Hast thou
passed the night happily, O slayer of Madhu? Are all thy perceptions
clear, O thou of unfading glory?” Vasudeva also made similar enquiries of
Yudhishthira. Then the orderly came and represented that the other
Kshatriya warriors were waiting to be introduced. Commanded by the king,
the man introduced that concourse of heroes, consisting of Virata and
Bhimasena and Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki, and Dhrishtaketu, the ruler of
the Chedis, and the mighty car-warriors, Drupada, and Sikhandin, and the
twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), and Chekitana, and the ruler of the
Kalikayas, and Yuyutsu, of Kuru’s race, and Uttamaujas of the Panchalas,
and Yudhamanyu, and Suvahu, and the (five) sons of Draupadi. These and
many other Kshatriyas, approaching that high-souled bull among the
Kshatriyas, sat down on excellent seats. Those mighty and high-souled
heroes of great splendour viz., Krishna and Yuyudhana, both sat on the
same seat. Then in the hearing of them all, Yudhishthira addressing the
lotus-eyed slayer of Madhu, and said unto him these sweet words: “Relying
on thee alone, we, like the celestial one, the deity of a thousand eyes,
seek victory in battle and eternal happiness. Thou art aware, O Krishna,
of the deprivation of our kingdom, our exile at the hands of the foe, and
all our diverse woes. O lord of all, O thou that art compassionate unto
those that are devoted to thee, upon thee wholly rests the happiness of
us all and our very existence, O slayer of Madhu! O thou of Vrishni’s
race, do that by which my heart may ever rest on thee! Do also that, O
Lord, by which the proposed vow of Arjuna may be realised. O, rescue us
today from this ocean of grief and rage. O Madhava, become thou today a
boat unto us that are desirous of crossing (that ocean). The car-warriors
desirous of slaying the foe cannot, in battle, do that (for the success
of his object) which, O Krishna, the car-driver can do, if he exerts
himself carefully. O Janardana, as thou always savest the Vrishnis in all
calamities, even so it behoveth thee to save us from this distress, O
mighty-armed one! O bearer of the conch, discus, and mace, rescue the
sons of Pandu sunk in the fathomless and boatless Kuru-ocean, by becoming
a boat unto them. I bow to thee, O God of the lord of the gods, O thou
that art eternal, O supreme Destroyer, O Vishnu, O Jishnu, O Hari, O
Krishna, O Vaikuntha, O best of male beings! Narada described thee as
that ancient and best of Rishis (called Narayana) that giveth boons, that
beareth the bow Saranga, and that is the foremost of all. O Madhava, make
those words true.” Thus addressed in the midst of that assembly by king
Yudhishthira the just, Kesava, that foremost of speakers, replied unto
Yudhishthira in a voice deep as that of clouds charged with rain, saying,
“In all the worlds including that of the celestials, there is no bowman
equal to Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha! Possessed of great energy.
accomplished in weapons, of great prowess and great strength, celebrated
in battle, ever wrathful, and of great energy, Arjuna is the foremost of
men. Youthful in years, bull-necked, and of long arms, he is endued with
great strength. Treading like a lion or a bull, and exceedingly beautiful
he will slay all thy foes. As regards myself, I will do that by which
Arjuna, the son of Kunti, may be able to consume the troops of
Dhritarashtra’s son like a swelling conflagration. This very day, Arjuna
will, by his arrows despatch that vile wretch of sinful deeds, that
slayer of Subhadra’s son, (viz., Jayadratha), to that road from which no
traveller comes back. Today vultures and hawks and furious jackals and
other carnivorous creatures will feed on his flesh. O Yudhishthira, if
even all the gods with Indra become his protectors today, Jayadratha will
still, slain in the thick of battle, repair to Yama’s capital. Having
slain the ruler of the Sindhus, Jishnu will come to thee (in the
evening). Dispel thy grief and the fever (of thy heart), O king, and be
thou graced with prosperity.”’”