Sanjaya said Duryodhana, on beholding the vast army of the Pandavas-inflated with wrath and thinking it to be irresistible thus spoke to Karna.

The time is now, O you that are devoted to your friends (to seek your assistance). O Karna, save in battle all my soldiers and car warriors.

Who are not completely hemmed in by the wrathful Panchalas and the Keykeas and the Matsyas and by the mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas who are all listening like (angry) snakes.

These Pandavas, filled with ecstasy and desirous of victory and these numerous carwarriors of the Panchalas equal to Shakra in prowess, are (all) roaring.

Karna said Even if Purandara himself comes here in person in order to deliver the son of Pritha, I will soon vanquish him and then slay the son of Pandu (i.e. Arjuna).

I swear this truly. Reassure your-self O Bharata. I will destroy the sons of Pandu together with all the assembled Panchalas.

I will secure to you victory as the son of Pavaka (i.e., Kartikeya) did to Vasava himself. In this battle which is now going on, I will do good offices to you.

Among all the sons of Pritha. Phalguna is the most powerful. I will hurl at him the unfailing dart made by Shakra.

When the mighty-bowman will be slain, his brothers, O bestower of honours, will either come under your away or depart to the forest again.

O lord of the Kauravas, since I am alive you need not give way to sorrow. I will, in battle, destroy all the Pandavas joined together.

The Panchalas, the Keykayas and the assembled Vrishnis. (And) cutting (them) off into pieces with arrows I will give the earth to you.

Sanjaya said When Karna was saying all this the mightyarmed Kripa, the son of Saradvata smilingly said these words to the charioteer's son.

"Very well very well, O Karna. If words alone were to lead to success, then 0 son of Radha, with yourself as his supporter, this most exalted of the Kuru could be considered as sufficiently backed.

Frequently in the presence of the Kaurava (king) you boast (of your prowess). But neither your prowess nor the result of it has ever been witnessed.

You have been, on several occasions, seen to engage in battle with the sons of Pandu. But, charioteer's son, you have, on all those occasions, been defeated by the Pandavas.

On the son of Dhritarashtra being taken prisoner by the Gandharvas, you yourself were the first to take to your heels although all the troops were fighting (to rescue the Kuru king).

Again, in the city of Virata, all the assembled Kauravas as well as you, O Karna, together with your younger brother were (all) defeated by Part. a in battle.

You are, in battle, incapable of fighting with Phalguna alone. How can you, (therefore) hope to conquer all the Pandavas together with Krishna?

O Karna, O charioteer's son, you boast too much (of your prowess). Be engaged in fight. It is the duty of good (i.e. really brave) men to display their prowess without uttering (a single boastful word).

By roaring like the rainless autumnal clouds, O charioteer's son, O Karna, you show that you have no worth. But the king does not understand this.

Continue, O son Radha, to roar so long as you do not behold Partha; (for) you will cease roaring when you will see Partha near.

Continue to roar so long as you are out of the reach of Phalguna's arrows: (for) you will cease roaring when you will see Partha near.

It is by means of (the prowess of) their arms that the Kshyatras are heroes. The twice-born ones display their heroism by words. It is by means of this bow that Phalguna is a hero. But Karna is a hero by the wishes (he cherishes in his heart).

Who can resist Partha that has gratified even Rudra himself?” Thus reviled by the son of Saradvat.

Karna, the foremost of smiters, spoke these words to Kripa. Heroes always roar like clouds during the rainy season.

And they yield an early harvest like sceds sown into the soil (at the proper time). I do not find any fault with the warriors on the field of battle.

Boasting in several ways of themselves who bear a (great) burden in war. That person, who resolves in his mind to bear a burden.

Is surely helped by fate in carrying out his purposes, If resolving in my mind to bear a (great) burden.

That is (if wishing in my mind) to slay in battle the son of Pandu together with Krishna and Sattvata, I roar thus, what harm is there in it to you, O Brahmana?

Heroes do not roar in vain like the autumnal clouds. The wise, conscious of their ownstrength, indulge in roars.

I am, too, resolved in my mind to conquer in battle today the Pandavas and Krishna joined together, by exerting my best. O son of Goutama, it is on this account, that I indulge in roars.

O Brahmana, witness the result of these roars of mine. Having slain in battle the sons of Pandu together with Krishna. Sattvata and (all their) followers I will deliver the (entire) earth with its thorns weeded out, to Duryodhana.

Kripa said Your intentions being like the ravings (of a mad man) cannot be acceptable to me, inasmuch as you always tale to me, inasmuch as you always speak depreciatingly of Krishna, Arjuna and Dharmaraj, the son of Pandu.

O Karna, victory on the part of that person is certain who has on his side Krishna and the Pandava (Arjuna) both skilled in warfare and incapable of being vanquished in battle by the celestials, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the mortals the Uragas and the birds (even if all these fight) with their on). Yudhishthira the son of Dharma is devoted to the Brahmanas, (always) speaks truth, is selfrestrained, worships the Pitris and the celestials, is devoted to truth and righteousness, well skilled in weapons, is possessed of intelligence and is grateful.

His brother (also) are powerful, well-skilled in all the weapons, devoted to the ministrations of their elders, wise, renowned and (they) always practice righteousness.

His relations and kinsmen too are powerful as Indra himself, are devotedly attached (to him) and (efficient) smiters. Dhristadyumna, Sikhandi and Janamejaya, the son of Durmuksha. armoirs are

And Chandrasena, Bhadrasena, Kirtivarma, Dhruva, Dhara, Vasuchandra, Damachandra, Singha-Chandra, sutejana.

And the sons of Drupada and Drupada himself skilled in great weapons and the king of Matsya together with his younger brothers are exerting their utmost on their behalf.

And Gajaneeka, Srutaneeka, Veerabhadra, Sudrasana, Srutadhvaja, Valaneeka, Jayaneeka, Jarapreya and Vijaya, Labdhalaksha, Jayasva, Rathavahana, Chandradaya, Kamaratha, the auspicious brothers of Virata,

And the twins, the (five) sons of Draupadi and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha are fighting for their sake. They (therefore) cannot meet with destruction.

These and innumerable numbers of other kinsmen and relations) are on the side of the son of Pandu. Indeed, Bhima and Phalguna, by ineans of the prowess of their weapons, can easily destroy the whole universe together with all the celestials, the Asuras, the human beings and the Rakshasas, (other) created beings, the serpents and the elephants.

Yudhishthira, also by means of his angry looks, can consume the (whole). O Karna, how can you hope to vanquish these enemies in battle, for whose sake Souri of unrivaled prowess has armed himself? It is indeed a great impudence on your part, OCharioteer's son, as you always dare confronting Souri in battle.

Sanjaya said Thus spoken to (by Kripa), Karna the son of Radha then replied smilingly to the preceptor Kripa, the son of Saradvat.

“O Brahmana, the words that you have (just) spoken about the Pandavas are true. Indeed the sons of Pandu are gifted with these and many other noble qualities.

The sons of Pritha are unconquerable in battle by the celestials together with Vasava (at their head), by the Yakshas, the Daityas and the Gandharvas (all) united together and by the Pishachas, the Urages and the Rakshasas.

Still I will vanquish the Parthas by means of the dart granted to me by Vasava. This unfailing dart was given to me, O twice-born one, by Shakra.

By means of this dart I will slay Savyasachi in battle. When this son of Pandu will be slain, Krishna, as will as his uterine brothers (i.e., Yudhishthira and Bhima).

Will not able to enjoy the earth without Arjuna. At the destruction of all these, this, earth together with her seas.

Will come under the sway of the lord the Kurus without any trouble (on his part), O son of Goutama. There is no doubt that in this world, a sound policy leads to success in everything.

Well aware of this (to be certain) I give forth (these) roar. O Goutama, you are much advanced in years, a Brahmana and unskillful in battle.

It is on account of your affection towards the sons of Pritha that you insult me (thus). If, O twice-born one, you speak such disagreeable words to me, as these again.

Then taking up my scimitar I will cut-off your tongue, O wretch. O Brahmana, you are desirous of praising the Pandavas, in battle.

In order to strike terror into the hearts of) all the troops and the Kauravas, O evil-minded one, O son of Goutama, hear what I say on this point.

Where Duryodhana, Drona, Shakuni, Durmukha, Jaya, Dusasana, Vrishasena, the king Madra and yourself.

And Somadatta, Bhuri, the son of Drona and Vivingsati-all well-skilled in warfare, remain (prepared for battle) with their armours on.

Can any foe, be he as powerful as Shakra himself, vanquish all these (heroes) in battle? All these warriors that are heroes, efficient in weapons, endued with strength, desirous of attaining the hcaven.

Conversant with religion and well skilled in battle, would slay the very gods in battle. These will remain on the field of battle for the purpose of destroying the Pandavas.

With their armours on, for the Kaurava king, solicitous of victory I deem victory even with regard to those endued with great prowess to be dependent on fate.

Since the mighty-armed Bhisma lies (on the field) struck by a hundred arrows, (and since) Vikarna, Chitrasena, Valhika, Jayadratha.

And Bhurisrava, Jaya, Jalasandha, Sudakshina, Sala, the foremost of car-warriors, the puissant Bhagadatta.

These and numerous other heroes difficult of be being vanquished by the very gods and more powerful than the Pandavas themselveslie slain in battle.

To what do you, that are the basest of men, attribute all this except the hand of fate? O twice-born one, as to the enemies, Duryodhana whom you always extol.

Hundreds and thousands of warriors on their side also have been destroyed. The troops of both the Kurus and the Pandavas are diminishing.

I do not see in it any prowess on the part of the Pandavas. Those whom you, you that are the basest of men, always deem powerful.

I will confront in battle putting forth my utmost prowess for the welfare of Duryodhana. As regards success, it is dependent on fate.