Mahabharata Drona Parva Chapter 175

Mahabharata Drona Parva (Ghatotkacha-badha Parva) Chapter 175 Dhritarashtra said, 'How, indeed, did that battle take place when at dead of night Vikartana's son, Karna, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha encountered each other? What aspect did that fierce Rakshasa then present? What kind of car did he ride, and what was the nature of his steeds and what of his weapons? What was the size of his steeds, of the standard of his car, and of his bow? What was the kind of armour he wore, and what head-gear had he on? Asked by me, describe all this, for thou art skilled in narration, O Sanjaya! Sanjaya said, 'Of blood-red eyes, Ghatotkacha was of gigantic form. His face was of the hue of copper. His belly was low and sunken. The bristles on his body all pointed upwards. His head was green. His ears were like arrows. His cheek-bones were high. His mouth was large, extending from ear to ear. His teeth were keen, and four of these were high and pointed. His tongue and lips were very long and of a coppery hue. His brows were long-extending. His nose was thick. His body was blue, and neck red. Tall as a hill, he was terrible to behold. Of gigantic frame, gigantic arms, and gigantic head, he was endued with great might. Ugly and of hard limbs, the hair on his head was tied upwards in a frightful shape. His hips were large and his navel was deep. Of gigantic frame, the circumference of his body, however, was not great. The ornaments on his arms were proportionate. Possessed of great powers of illusion, he was decked also in Angadas. He wore a cuirass on his breast like a circle of fire on the breast of a mountain. On his head was a bright and beautiful diadem made of gold, with every part proportionate and beautiful, and looking like an arch. His ear-rings were bright as the morning sun, and his garlands were made of gold and exceedingly bright. He had on his body a gigantic armour of brass of great effulgence. His car was decked with a hundred tinkling bells, and on his standard waved numerous blood-red banners. Of prodigious proportions, and of the measure of a nalwa, that car was covered with bear-skins. Equipped with all kinds of mighty weapons, it possessed a tall standard and was adorned with garlands, having eight wheels, and its clatter resembled the roar of the clouds. His steeds were like infuriated elephants, and possessed of red eyes; of terrible aspect, they were variegated in hue, and endued with great speed and might. Above all fatigue, and adorned with long manes and neighing repeatedly, they bore that hero to battle. A Rakshasa of terrible eyes, fiery mouth, and blazing ear-rings, acted as his driver, holding the reins, bright as the rays of the sun, of his steeds in battle. With that driver he came to battle like Surya with his driver Aruna. Looking like a high mountain encircled with a mighty cloud, a very tall standard, that touched the heavens, was set up on his car.