O Shalya, it is even so as
thou hast said. But I have a certain purpose in view. Listen to it, O
ruler of men, Karna is not superior to thee, nor do I suspect thee, O
king. The royal chief of the Madras will never do that which is false.
Those foremost of men that were thy ancestors always told the truth. I
think it is for this that thou art called Artayani (the descendant of
those that had truth for their refuge). And since, O giver of honours,
thou art like a barbed arrow to thy foes, therefore art thou called by
the name of Shalya on earth. O thou that makest large presents (to
Brahmanas) at sacrifices, do thou accomplish all that which, O virtuous
one, thou hadst previously said thou wouldst accomplish. Neither the son
of Radha nor myself am superior to thee in valour that I would select
thee as the driver of those foremost of steeds (that are yoked unto
Karna's car). As, however, O sire, Karna is superior to Dhananjaya in
regard to many qualities, even so doth the world regard thee to be
superior to Vasudeva. Karna is certainly superior to Partha in the matter
of weapons, O bull among men. Thou too art superior to Krishna in
knowledge of steeds and might. Without doubt O ruler of the Madras, thy
knowledge of horse is double that which the high-souled Vasudeva hath."

"'Shalya said, "Since, O son of Gandhari, thou describest me, O thou of
Kuru's race, in the midst of all these troops, to be superior to Devaki's
son, I am gratified with thee. I will become the driver of Radha's son of
great fame while he will be engaged in battle with the foremost one of
Pandu's sons, as thou solicitest me. Let this, however, O hero, be my
understanding with Vikartana's son that I will in his presence utter
whatever speeches I desire."'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'O king, thy son, with Karna then, O Bharata,
answered the prince of the Madras, O best of Bharata's race, saying, "So
be it."'"

33

"'Duryodhana said, "Listen, once more, O ruler of the Madras, to what I
will say unto thee, about what happened, O lord, in the battle between
the gods and the Asuras in days of yore. The great rishi Markandeya
narrated it to my sire. I will now recite it without leaving out
anything, O best of royal sages. Listen to that account confidingly and
without mistrusting it at all. Between the gods and the Asuras, each
desirous of vanquishing the other, there happened a great battle, O king,
which had Taraka for its evil (root). It hath been hea