, and this body that is so
difficult of being cast away. This foremost of cars covered with
tigerskins, with axle producing no sound equipped with a golden seat
endued with trivenu made of silver, and unto which are yoked these
foremost of steeds, Rama gave unto me. Behold, also, O Shalya, these
beautiful bows, these standards, these maces, these shafts of fierce
forms, this blazing sword, this mighty weapon, this white conch of fierce
and loud blare. Riding upon this car decked with banners, its wheels
producing a rattle deep as that of the thunder, having white steeds yoked
unto it, and adorned with excellent quivers, I will, putting forth my
might, slay in battle that bull among car-warriors, Arjuna. If Death
himself, that universal consumer, were to protect with vigilance the son
of Pandu in battle, I would still encounter him in fight and either slay
him or myself go to Yama's presence following Bhishma. If Yama, Varuna,
Kuvera, and Vasava, with all their followers coming hither, unitedly
protect the son of Pandu in this great battle, what need of many words, I
will still vanquish him with them."'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of the bragging Karna who was
exceedingly delighted with the prospect of battle, the valiant king of
the Madras, deriding him, laughed aloud, and gave him the following reply
for checking him.

"'Shalya said, "Forbear, forbear, O Karna, from such bragging. Thou art
in transports of delight and sayest what thou shouldst never say. Where
is Dhananjaya, that foremost of men, and where again, art thou, O lowest
of men? Who else, save Arjuna, could take away the younger sister of
(Keshava) that foremost of all persons, having forcibly agitated the home
of the Yadus that was protected by the younger brother of Indra and that
resembled heaven itself that is guarded by the chief of celestials? What
man save Arjuna who is endued with prowess that is equal to the prowess
of the chief of the celestials, could on the occasion of the dispute
caused by the slaughter of an animal, summon Bhava the Lord of Lords, the
Creator of the worlds, to battle? For the sake of honouring Agni, Jaya
had vanquished Asuras and gods and great snakes and men and birds and
Pishacas and Yakshas and Rakshasas with his shafts and gave unto that god
the food he had desired. Dost thou remember, O Karna, the occasion when,
slaughtering those foes in large numbers with his excellent shafts endued
with the effulgence of