Sanjaya said Thus reviled by Shalya of incomparable energy the son of Radha understanding the meaning of the word Shalya by his words said to him in areat anger.

Karna said O Shalya, the meritorious only appreciate the merits of those who possess them and not one who has none. You are destitute of all merits. How can you understand what is merit and what is demerit.

O Shalya, I know that powerful weapons of Arjuna, his anger, energy, bow, arrows and as well as the prowess of that high-souled one.

O Shalya, you do not know, so well as I do, the greatness of Krishna, the foremost of kings.

Knowing my own strength as well as that of Pandava I have challenged him in battle, O Shalya, I shall not fall into fire like an insect.

I have this arrow, O Shalya, keen edged, blood-drinking, occupying alone one quiver, furnished with wings, well-steeped in oil and well-adorned.

It lies in sandal dust and is being adored by me from a long time. Having the shape and nature of a serpent it is poisonous and dreadful and capable of killing a great many men, horses and elephants.

Highly dreadful in form it can go through coats of mail and bones. When worked up with anger I can perforate with it even the huge Meru mountain.

I will not discharge this arrow at any other person excepting Arjuna or Krishna, the son of Devaki. Listen, I tell you the truth.

Worked up with anger, I shall with that arrow, O Shalya, fight Vasudeva and Dhananjaya. That will be a deed becoming me.

Of all the heroes of the Vrishni race in Krishna only prosperity exists eternally. Of all the sons of Pandu, Partha is the one who comes off invariable victorious.

Those two foremost of men, seated on the same car, will encounter me single in battle, you will, O Shalya, witness today the nobility of my birth.

You will seen that (With one shaft) I will kill those two cousins, one of whom is the son of the aunt and the other the son of the maternal uncle-those two invincible warriors. They will took like two pearls strung together in the same string

The Gandiva of Arjuna, the discus of Krishna and their two banners having the emblems of a monkey and Garuda strike terror into the timid. But they are sources of delight to me.

You are a fool, a bad character and do not know the mode of a true war-fare. Possessed by fear you are giving vent to these ravings.

Born in a sinful country you are wicked, mean and a wrath of a Kshatriya or you are praising them for something which is not known to me. Having killed those two first I shall kill you today with all your relatives.

Being a friend why do you frighten me with (the praises of) those two Krishnas? Either they will kill me today or I will kill them both.

I know my strength well and I do not fear the two Krishnas. I will kill single handed a thousand Vasudevas and hundreds of Phalgunas. Hold your tongue. O you born in a sinful country.

Hear from me, O Shalya, the sayings that have already passed into proverbs, that men young and old and women, persons while sporting utter as if they are their studies about the wicked Madrakas. the Brahmanas also recounted them formerly in the courts of kings. Hearing them, O fool, you may forgive or give a reply.

Madraka is always a hater of friends. He who hates us is a Madraka. There is no good feeling in a Madraka who is the vilest of men and gives vent to mean words.

The Madraka is always wicked, untruthful and crooked. We have heard that the Madrakas are wicked till the hour of their death.

Amongst them the father, the son, the mother, the mother-in-law, the father-in-law, the maternal uncle, the son-in-law, the daughter-in-law, the brother, the grandson, other relations and guests, slaves, male and female mingle together. Thus women freely mix with men, known and unknown, Dishonest as they are they live upon friend and powered corn and fish in their homes and laugh and cry being drunk; they also eat beef. They sing unconnected songs and move about lustfully. They indulge in free speeches amongst themselves. How can virtue find a room among them?

No one should inake friends with a Madraka or enter into hostilities with him. There is no feeling of friendship in him. The Madraka is always impure.

Friendship is lost on a Madraka as purity in Gandharakas and as oblation offered in a sacrifice where the king is both the sacrificer and the priest. As a Brahmana performing the initiation ceremony of a Sudra meets with deterioration as one who hates a Brahmana, meets with deterioration so a person, forming alliance with a Madraka, is deteriorated. As there is no friendship in a Madraka, so is your poison is powerless, O Scorpion; with this Mantra of Atharvan I have duly performed the ceremony of peace.

It is seen that with these words the wise treat a person bitten by a scorpion and affected by its poison.

Thinking of this, O learned one, either hold your tongue or hear something more that I will say. (The Madraka) women, influenced by liquor, throw off their robes and dance; they do not observe control in intercourse and do whatever they like. Being the son of one of those women, how can you, O Madraka, dictate duties unto a man?

Being the son of one of those women who live and answer calls of nature like camels and asses, sinful and shameless as they are, how can you wish to dictate the duties of men?

When a Madraka woman is requested to give a little bit of vinegar she scratches her hips and reluctant to give it gives vent to harsh words-“Let no one ask of me vinegar which is so dear to me. I would give him my son, I would give him my husband but I would not part with my vinegar.

The Madraka maidens, I am informed, are generally shameless, have profuse hairs, are gluttonous and impure.

These and such like many other things of their evil acts beginning with the tip of their hair to that of their nails I can recount.

The Madrakas and Sindhu Souviras are born in a sinful country, are Melechas and innocent of duties. How can they know them?

We have heard that this is the prime duty of the Kshatriyas that when slain in battle he would lie down on earth being spoken highly of by the pious.

This is my first resolution, desirous of heaven after my death as I am that I will lay down my life in this clash of arms.

I am the dear friend of the intelligent son of Dhritarashtra. For him are my vital airs and the wealth that I possess. As for you, born as you are in a sinful country it is clear that you have been bribed by the Pandavas as because you behave towards us in everything like an enemy.

As a pious man is not to be easily pursuaded by atheists so I am not to be dissuaded from this battle by hundreds of persons like you.

Like a deer perspiring, you may either bewail or pant; observant of the duties of a Kshatriya I am incapable of being frightened by you.

I remember the end, described to me formerly by my preceptor Rama, which befell those foremost of men who laid down their lives and did not return from the field of battle.

I am bent upon rescuing the Kauravas and killing my enemies; know that I am determined upon imitating the excellent conduct of Pururavas.

I do not, O king of Madraka, see a man in the three worlds who can shake this resolution of mine.

Do not speak more. Knowing this Why do you rove in such a way from fear? O wretch of a Madraka, I shall not kill you now and offer your dead body to the carnivorous animals,

Out of regard for a friend, O Shalya, for the sake of Dhritarashtra's son and for avoiding blame-for these three reasons, you will live.

O king of Madras, if you speak again in this strain I will crush down your head with my mace, as hard as the thunder.

O you born in a sinful country, people will either see or hear today that either the two Krishnas have slain Karna or Karna has killed the two Krishnas."

Saying this the son of Radha, O king, once more addressed the king of Madras, saying-"go on! go on."

O you born in a sinful country, people will either see or hear today that either the two Krishnas have slain Karna or Karna has killed the two Krishnas."

Saying this the son of Radha, O king, once more addressed the king of Madras, saying-"go on! go on."