or like a fire of mild flames.  From that time, O mighty-armed one, when the high-souled Sakra gave that dart unto Karna in exchange for the latter’s ear-rings, and celestial armour, that dart, viz., which has slain Ghatotkacha, from that time, Vrisha, having obtained it, had always regarded thee as slain in battle!  But though deprived of that dart, O sinless one, I swear to thee that hero is still incapable of being slain by anybody else save thee.  Devoted to Brahmanas, truthful in speech, engaged in penances, observant of vows, kind even unto foes, for these reasons Karna is called Vrisha.  Heroic in battle, possessed of mighty arms and with bow always uplifted, like the lion in the forest depriving leaders of elephantine herds of their pride, Karna always deprives the greatest car-warriors of their pride on the field of battle, and resembles the mid-day sun at whom none can gaze.  Contending with all the illustrious and foremost of warriors of thy army, O tiger among men, Karna, while shooting his arrowy showers, looked like the autumnal sun with his thousand rays.  Indeed, incessantly shooting showers of shafts like the clouds pouring torrents of rain at the end of summer, Karna is like a pouring cloud charged with celestial weapons.  He is incapable of being vanquished in battle by the gods, he would mangle them in such a way that their flesh and blood would fall copiously on the field.  Deprived, however, of his armour as also of his car-rings, O son of Pandu, and divested also of the dart given him by Vasava, Karna is now like a man (and no longer like a god).  There win occur one opportunity for his slaughter.  When his car-wheels will sink in the earth, availing thyself of that opportunity, thou shouldst slay him in that distressful situation.  I will make thee a sign beforehand.  Warned by it, thou shouldst act.  The vanquisher of Vala himself, that foremost of heroes, wielding his thunder, is incapable of slaying the invincible Karna while the latter stands weapon in hand.  Indeed, O Arjuna, for thy good, with the aid of diverse contrivances I have slain, one after another, Jarasandha and the illustrious ruler of the Chedis and the mighty-armed Nishada of the name of Ekalavya.  Other great Rakshasas having Hidimva and Kirmira and Vaka for their foremost, as also Alayudha, that grinder of hostile troops, and Ghatotkacha, that crusher of foes and warrior of fierce deeds, have all been slain.’”

SECTION CLXXXI

“Arjuna said, ’How, O Janardana, for our good, and by what means, were those lords of the earth, viz., Jarasandha and the others, slain?’