hy steeds. Let thy anxiety be
dispelled, O Suta's son."'"

36

"'Duryodhana said, "This one, O Karna, will act as thy driver, this ruler
of the Madras, who is superior to Krishna, like Matali the driver of the
chief of the celestials. Indeed, as Matali taketh the management of the
car unto which the steeds of Indra are attached, even so will Shalya be
the driver of the steeds of thy car today. With thyself as warrior on
that vehicle and the ruler of the Madras as its driver, that foremost of
car will certainly vanquish the Parthas in battle."'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'When the morning came, O monarch, Duryodhana once
more addressed the ruler of the Madras endued with great activity,
saying, "O ruler of the Madras, hold the reins in battle of Karna's
foremost of steeds. Protected by thee, the son of Radha will vanquish
Dhananjaya." Thus addressed, Shalya, answering, "So be it" ascended the
car, O Bharata. When Shalya approached that car, Karna with a cheerful
heart addressed his driver, saying, "O charioteer, quickly equip the car
for me." Having duly equipped that triumphal car, the foremost of its
kind, which resembled the vapoury mansions in the sky, Shalya presented
it to Karna, saying, "Blessed be thou, victory to thee." Then Karna, that
foremost of car-warriors, duly worshipping that car which had in days of
old been sanctified by a priest conversant with Brahma, and
circumambulating it and carefully adoring the god Surya addressed the
ruler of the Madras standing near, saying, "Ascend the vehicle."
Thereupon Shalya of mighty energy ascended that large, invincible, and
foremost of cars, belonging to Karna like a lion ascending a mountain
summit. Beholding Shalya stationed, Karna ascended his excellent car like
the Sun riding on a mass of clouds charged with lightning. Mounted on the
same car, those two heroes endued with the splendour or the Sun of fire
looked resplendent like Surya and Agni sitting together on a cloud in the
firmament. Eulogised then (by bards and panegyrists), those two heroes of
great effulgence looked like Indra and Agni adored with hymns in a
sacrifice by Ritwiks and Sadasyas. Karna stood on that car, the reins of
whose steeds were held by Shalya, stretching his formidable bow, like the
Sun himself within a halo of circular light. Stationed on that foremost
of cars, that tiger among men, Karna, with his shafts constituting his
rays, looked beautiful like the Sun on the Mandara mountains. U