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I am not aware of any other reading. The last verse is read variously. But the Bombay and the Bengal texts have faults of their own. Differently read in the Bengal texts, viz., Somadatta with the Saindhavas. The Bengal reading Rathas in the first line of 6 is a mistake; should be, as in the Bombay text, tatha. The last word of the first line of 36 is amitan in the Bengal texts.
The standard of Drona, the foremost of preceptors, bore the device of a golden altar decked with a water-pot and the figure of a bow. The standard of Duryodhana guiding many hundreds and thousands of divisions bore the device of an elephant worked in gems. Paurava and the ruler of the Kalingas, and Salya, these Rathas took up their position in Duryodhana's van.
The king of the Sindhus, O monarch, is in my judgment, equal to two Rathas. That best of car-warriors will fight in battle, displaying great prowess. Having practised after that, O king, the severest austerities, he obtained a boon, highly difficult of acquisition, for encountering the Pandavas in battle.
Without doubt, O sire, he will glide along the field of battle like a blazing fire; Bhimasena, O king, is regarded equal to eight Rathas. In an encounter with the mace or even with arrows, there is none equal to him. Endued with the strength of ten thousand elephants, and filled with pride, in energy he is superhuman. Those two bulls among men, the sons of Madri, are both Rathas.
Skilled in fight from the elephant's neck, this king will fight in battle, like Vasava among the celestials, fighting from his Airavata."" "'Bhishma said, "Both the brothers Achala and Vrisha are Rathas. Endued with great strength, those tigers among men, those foremost of Gandharvas, are firm in wrath. Young and handsome, they are possessed of great strength.
Endued with great energy, Jalasandha, O king, is one of thy foremost of Rathas. Born in Madhu's race, that slayer of hostile heroes, is prepared to cast away his very life in battle. Skilled in battle, that mighty-armed warrior, scattering the enemy's ranks before him, will fight in battle mounted on car or from the elephant's back. That best of kings, O monarch, is in my judgment, a Ratha.
When you two foremost of men, are addressed for battle on my side, victory, nay, the sovereignty of even the celestial cannot assuredly be unattainable by me! I desire, however, O Kaurava, to know who amongst all the warriors of the foe and my own are to be counted as Rathas and who Atirathas. I desire to hear this, with all these lords of earth!"
"'Bhishma said, "That subjugator of hostile cities, Sikhandin, the son of the king of the Panchalas, is, O king, in my judgment, one of the foremost of Yudhishthira's Rathas. Having divested himself on his former sex, he will fight in battle and earn great fame, O Bharata, among thy troops! He hath a large number of troops, Panchalas and Prabhadrakas, to support him.
Do not let me slay Keshava and Arjuna, having slain thee first."" "'Shalya said, "The abandonment of the afflicted and the sale of wives and children are, O Karna, prevalent amongst the Angas whose king thou art. Recollecting those faults of thine that Bhishma recited on the occasion of the tale of Rathas and Atirathas, drive away thy wrath. Do not be angry.
That best of men, worthy of praise, viz., Kasya, is endued with great lightness of hand in the use of weapons. Indeed, that subjugator of hostile cities is known to me as equal to one Ratha. Drupada's son, Satyajit, young in years and displaying great prowess in battle, should be regarded as equal to eight Rathas. Indeed being Dhrishtadyumna's equal, he is an Atiratha.
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