fight even if Indra himself comes
to his assistance. Therefore, O Karna, if thou wishest to vanquish
Arjuna in battle, these handsome ear-rings of thine should never be
parted with to Sakra.'"

SECTION CCC

"Karna said, 'As thou, O lord of splendour, knowest me for thy
worshipper, so also thou knowest that there is nothing which I cannot
give away in charity, O thou of fiery rays! Neither my wives, nor my
sons, nor my own self, nor my friends, are so dear to me as thou, on
account of the veneration I feel for thee, O lord of splendour! Thou
knowest, O maker of light, that high-souled persons bear a loving regard
for their dear worshippers. _Karna revereth me and is dear to me. He
knoweth no other deity in heaven_,--thinking this thou hast, O lord,
said unto me what is for my benefit. Yet, O thou of bright rays, again
do I beseech thee with bended head, again do I place myself in thy
hands. I will repeat the answer I have already given. It behoveth thee
to forgive me! Death itself is not fraught with such terrors for me as
untruth! As regards especially the Brahmanas, again, I do not hesitate
to yield up my life even for them! And, O divine one, respecting what
thou hast said unto me of Phalguna, the son of Pandu, let thy grief born
of thy anxiety of heart, O lord of splendour, be dispelled touching him
and myself; for I shall surely conquer Arjuna in battle! Thou knowest, O
deity, that I have great strength of weapons obtained from Jamadagnya
and the high-souled Drona. Permit me now, O foremost of celestials, to
observe my vow, so that unto him of the thunderbolt coming to beg of me,
I may give away even my life!'

"Surya said, 'If O son, thou givest away thy ear-rings to the wielder of
the thunder-bolt, O thou of mighty strength, thou shouldst also, for the
purpose of securing victory, speak unto him, saying,--_O thou of a
hundred sacrifices, I shall give thee ear-rings under a
condition_.--Furnished with the ear-rings, thou art certainly incapable
of being slain by any being. Therefore, it is, O son, that desirous of
beholding thee slain in battle by Arjuna, the destroyer of the Danavas
desireth to deprive thee of thy ear-rings. Repeatedly adoring with
truthful words that lord of the celestials, viz., Purandara armed with
weapons incapable of being frustrated, do thou also beseech him, saying,
"Give me an infallible dart capable of slaying all foes, and I will, O
thousand-eyed deity, give the ear-rings with the