da, conversant with the Vedas, had said unto the Vrishnis. When
thou, O Duryodhana, wilt see Kesava with conch-shell and discus, and mace
in hand, and that terrible wielder of the bow, Arjuna, armed with
weapons, when thou wilt behold those eternal and illustrious ones, the
two Krishnas seated on the same car, then wilt thou, O child, remember
these my words. Why should not such danger threaten the Kurus when thy
intellect, O child, hath fallen off from both profit and virtue? If thou
heedest not my words, thou shalt then have to hear of the slaughter of
many, for all the Kauravas accept thy opinion. Thou art alone in holding
as true the opinion, O bull of the Bharata race, only three persons,
viz., Karna, a low-born Suta's son cursed by Rama, Sakuni, the son of
Suvala, and thy mean and sinful brother Dussasana.'

"Karna said, 'It behoveth thee not, O blessed grandsire, to use such
words towards me, for I have adopted the duties of the Kshatriya order
without falling off from those of my own. Besides, what wickedness is
there in me? I have no sin known to any one of Dhritarashtra's people. I
have never done any injury to Dhritarashtra's son; on the other hand, I
will slay all the Pandavas in battle. How can they that are wise make
peace again with those that have before been injured? It is always my
duty to do all that is agreeable to king Dhritarashtra, and especially to
Duryodhana, for he is in possession of the kingdom.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Having listened to these words of Karna,
Bhishma the son of Santanu, addressing king Dhritarashtra, again said,
'Although this one often boasteth saying,--"I shall slay the
Pandavas,"--yet he is not equal to even a sixteenth part of the high-souled
Pandavas. Know that the great calamity that is about to overtake thy sons
of wicked souls, is the act of this wretched son of a Suta! Relying upon
him, thy foolish son Suyodhana hath insulted those heroes of celestial
descent, those chastisers of all foes. What, however, is that difficult
feat achieved by this wretch before that is equal to any of those
achieved of old by every one of the Pandavas? Beholding in the city of
Virata his beloved brother slain by Dhananjaya who displayed such
prowess, what did this one then do? When Dhananjaya, rushing against all
the assembled Kurus, crushed them and took away their robes, was this one
not there then? When thy son was being led away as a captive by the
Gandharvas on the occasion of t