Mbh 5.182.1a

“‘Bhishma said, “I then smilingly addressed Rama stationed for battle, saying,--‘Myself on my car, I do not wish to fight with thee that art on the earth! Mount on a car, O hero, and case thy body in mail, O mighty-armed one, if indeed, O Rama, thou wishest to fight me in battle!’--Then Rama smilingly replied unto me on that field of battle, saying, ‘The Earth, O Bhishma, is my car, and the Vedas, like good steeds, are the animals that carry me! The wind is my car-driver, and my coat of mail is constituted by those mothers in the Vedas (viz., Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati). Well-covered by these in battle, O son of Kuru’s race, I will fight!’ Having said this, O Gandhari’s son, Rama of prowess incapable of being baffled, covered me on all sides with a thick shower of arrows. I then beheld Jamadagni’s son stationed on a car equipped with every kind of excellent weapons! And the car he rode was exceedingly handsome and was of wonderful appearance. And it had been created by a fiat of his will, and it was beautiful like a town. And celestial steeds were yoked unto it, and it was well-protected by the necessary defences. And it was decked all over with ornaments of gold. And it was well-covered with tough skins all around, and bore the device of the sun and the moon. Rama was armed with bow and equipped with a quiver, and with fingers cased in leathern fences! Akritavrana, the dear friend of Bhargava, well-versed in the Vedas, did the duties of a car-driver for that warrior. And he, of Bhrigu’s race, repeatedly summoning me to battle, saying,--Come, come,--gladden my heart. And I then, myself, singly obtained for my adversary that invincible and mighty exterminator of the Kshatriya race, viz., Rama risen like the sun himself in splendour, desirous (on his part) of fighting singly! And after he had poured three showers of arrows on me curbing my steeds, I came down from my car and placing my bow aside I proceeded on foot to that best of Rishis.