high-souled Phalguna.
And, O king, ever since they first saw each other, Karna always used to
challenge Arjuna, and Arjuna, on his part, used to challenge him. This,
O foremost of kings, was without doubt, the secret known to the Sun,
viz., begot by himself on Kunti, Karna was being reared in the race of
the _Sutas_. And beholding him decked with his ear-rings and mail,
Yudhishthira thought him to be unslayable in fight, and was exceedingly
pained at it. And when, O foremost of monarchs, Karna after rising from
the water, used at mid-day to worship the effulgent Surya with joined
hands, the Brahmanas used to solicit him for wealth. And at that time
there was nothing that he would not give away to the twice-born ones.
And Indra, assuming the guise of a Brahmana, appeared before him (at
such a time) and said, 'Give me!' And thereupon Radha's son replied unto
him, 'Thou art welcome!'"

SECTION CCCVIII

Vaisampayana said, "And when the king of the celestials presented
himself in the guise of a Brahmana, beholding him, Karna said,
'Welcome!' And not knowing his intention, Adhiratha's son addressed the
Brahmana, saying, 'Of a necklace of gold, and beauteous damsels, and
villages with plenty of kine, which shall I give thee?' Thereupon the
Brahmana replied, 'I ask thee not to give me either a necklace of gold,
or fair damsels, or any other agreeable object. To those do thou give
them that ask for them. If, O sinless one, thou art sincere in thy vow,
then wilt thou, cutting off (from thy person) this coat of mail born
with thy body, and these ear-rings also, bestow them on me! I desire, O
chastiser of foes, that thou mayst speedily give me these; for, this one
gain of mine will be considered as superior to every other gain!'
Hearing these words, Karna said, 'O Brahmana, I will give thee homestead
land, and fair damsels, and kine, and fields; but my mail and ear-rings
I am unable to give thee!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Although thus urged with various words by
Karna, still, O chief of the Bharata race, that Brahmana did not ask for
any other boon. And although Karna sought to pacify him to the best of
his power, and worshipped him duly, yet that best of Brahmanas did not
ask for any other boon. And when that foremost of Brahmanas did not ask
for any other boon, Radha's son again spake unto him with a smile, 'My
mail, O regenerate one, hath been born with my body, and this pair of
ear-rings hath arisen from _Amrita_. It is