To worship, not to wed, Celestials bid me: I dreamt to mate in heaven, and wake in hell; For ever doom'd, Ixion-like, to reel On mine own passions' ever-burning wheel.

I swear unto thee by Truth, by my brothers, and by morality, that I will slay Kichaka even as the lord of the celestials slew Vritra.

I am incapable of battling with this countless host of the Kurus, abounding in the heroic warriors, that are extremely fierce and difficult of being vanquished even by the celestials.

As Indra is among the celestials, so Dhananjaya is among men.

Alone equal unto a hundred thousand weapons, and always capable of extending the confines of kingdoms, it is with this that Partha vanquisheth in battle both men and celestials.

I am known among human beings and celestials by the name of Jishnu, because I am unapproachable and incapable of being kept down, and a tamer of adversaries and son of the slayer of Paka.

I can now fight with the celestials themselves.

Who was my ally while engaged in the terrific conflict at Khandava against so many celestials and Danavas?

Who was my ally when I fought, on behalf of the lord of the celestials against the mighty Nivatakavachas and the Paulomas!

Hard though he be as Indra's thunderbolt and possessed of the energy of the chief of the celestials, I will surely grind Partha, even as one afflicts an elephant by means of burning brands.

Superior to thee in prowess, in bowmanship equal unto the lord himself of the celestials, and in battle equal unto Vasudeva himself, who is there that would not praise Partha?

And, O king, mounted on a beautiful car, Sakra came there accompanied by the celestials,the Viswas and Maruts.

And the celestials came there, each on his own car, desirous of beholding the efficacy of their weapons in human warfare, and for witnessing also the fierce and mighty combat that would take place when Bhishma and Arjuna would meet.

And seated on the car of the lord of the celestials, appeared the effulgent persons of kings, Vasumanas and Valakshas and Supratarddana, and Ashtaka and Sivi and Yayati and Nahusha and Gaya and Manu and Puru and Raghu and Bhanu and Krisaswa and Sagara and Nala.

And all the celestials and the Siddhas, and all the foremost of sages came there to behold that encounter between Arjuna and the Kurus.

And the firmament seemed ablaze and exceedingly beautiful, decked with already arrived and arriving cars of handsome and various make, all illumined with diverse sorts of jewels, and brought thither by the foremost of the celestials.

And a voice was heard in the sky applauding Drona, and saying, 'Difficult is the feat performed by Drona, inasmuch as he fighteth with Arjuna,that grinder of foes, that warrior endued with mighty energy, of firm grasp, and invincible in battle,that conqueror of both celestials and Daityas, that foremost of all car-warriors.'

And those illustrious warriors ranged on the field of battle, using the celestials weapons obtained from Prajapati and Indra, and Agni and the fierce Rudra, and Kuvera, and Varuna, and Yama, and Vayu.

And beholding that wonderful weapon of great beauty, the mighty Gandiva, Chitrasena, highly pleased, addressed the lord of celestials, saying, 'Behold these arrows shot by Partha coursing through the sky in one continuous line.

Both are equal in feats of heroism, and both are difficult of being vanquished in battle.' "Thus addressed by the Gandharva about that combat between Partha and Bhishma, the lord of the celestials, O Bharata, paid proper respect unto both by a shower of celestial flowers.

And Dhritarashtra's son, that foremost of heroes among the Kurus, recovering his senses, saw the son of Pritha standing like the lord of the celestials, alone on the battle-field.

And the celestials also, having witnessed that most wonderful encounter between Phalguna and the Kurus, were highly delighted, and went to their respective abodes, reflecting upon Partha's feats.

It is he who had vanquished the celestials and the Asuras and human beings fighting together.

And then, filled with wrath, the Matsya king spoke unto Kanka seated there like a celestial and looking like the lord of celestials surrounded by the Martus.

And, O king, the Kauravas and other lords of earth always waited upon him like slaves, as the celestials upon Kuvera.