dst the advantage of being protected by Drona and
Drona's son and Kripa and Bhishma and the other Kauravas? There where,
like a pack of jackals defeated by a lion, ye all were defeated with
great slaughter by the diadem-decked Arjuna, what became of your prowess?
Beholding also thy brother slain by Savyasaci, in the very sight of the
Kuru heroes, it was thou that didst fly away first. By the skirts also of
the dvaitya lake, O Karna, when thou wert assailed by the Gandharvas, it
was thou that, deserting all the Kurus, didst first run away. Having
vanquished in battle the Gandharvas headed by Citrasena, with great
slaughter, it was Partha, O Karna, that liberated Duryodhana with his
wife. Rama himself, O Karna, before the kings in the (Kuru) assembly
spake of the great prowess of both Partha and Keshava. Thou didst
frequently hear the words of Drona and Bhishma, speaking in the presence
of all the kings, that the two Krishnas are unslayable. I have told thee
a little only regarding those matters in which Dhananjaya is superior to
thee like the Brahmana who is superior to all created beings. Soon wilt
thou see, stationed on that foremost of cars, the son of Vasudeva and the
son of Kunti and Pandu. As the crow (in the story), acting with
intelligence, had sought the protection of the swan, so do thou seek the
protection of him of Vrishni's race, and of Pandu's son Dhananjaya. When
thou shalt in battle behold Vasudeva and Dhananjaya, those two endued
with great prowess, stationed together on the same car, thou shalt not
then, O Karna, utter such speeches. When Partha will, with hundreds of
arrows, quell thy pride, then wilt thou behold the difference between
thyself and Dhananjaya. Those two best of persons are celebrated among
the gods, the Asuras and human beings. Thou that art a firefly, do not,
from folly, think disrespectfully of those two resplendent luminaries.
Like the Sun and moon, Keshava and Arjuna are celebrated for their
resplendence. Thou, however, art like a fire-fly among men. O learned
one, O son of a Suta, do not think disrespectfully of Acyuta and Arjuna.
Those two high-souled persons are lions among men. Forbear indulging in
such boasts."'"

42

"Sanjaya said, 'The high-souled son of Adhiratha, having listened
unconvinced to these words of the ruler of the Madras, addressed Shalya,
saying, "That which Vasudeva and Arjuna are is well-known to me. The
skill of Saurin in the management of cars, and the