ascetic austerities).  And all hearts turned to him, as the heart of a man in distress turneth to a friend capable of relieving that distress.  And, O Bharata, the kings then cried out saying, Karna!  Karna!  The son of Radha, our friend, the son of a Suta, that one who is ever prepared to lay down his life in battle!  Endued with great fame, Karna, with his followers and friends, did not fight for these ten days.  O, summon him soon!’ The mighty-armed hero, in the presence of all the Kshatriyas, during the mention of valiant and mighty car-warriors, was by Bhishma classed as an Ardha-ratha, although that bull among men is equal to two Maharathas!  Even thus was he classed during the counting of Rathas and Atirathas, he that is the foremost (of all Rathas and Atirathas), he that is respected by all heroes, he that would venture to fight even with Yama, Kuvera, Varuna, and Indra.  Through anger caused by this, O king, he had said unto Ganga’s son these words:  ’As long as thou livest, O thou of Kuru’s race, I will never fight! if thou, however, succeedest in slaying the sons of Pandu in great battle, I shall, O Kaurava, with Duryodhana’s permission, retire into the woods.  If, on the other hand, thou, O Bhishma, slain by the Pandavas, attainest to heaven, I shall then, on a single car, slay all of them, whom thou regardest as great car-warriors.’  Having said this, mighty-armed Karna of great fame, with thy son’s approval, did not fight for the first ten days.  Bhishma, of great prowess in battle and of immeasurable might, slew, O Bharata, a very large number of warriors belonging to Yudhishthira’s army.  When, however, that hero of sure aim and great energy was slain, thy sons thought of Karna, like persons desirous of crossing a river thinking, of a boat.  Thy warriors and thy sons, together with all the kings, cried out, saying, Karna!  And they all said, ‘Even this is the time for the display of his prowess.’  Our hearts are turned to that Karna who derived his knowledge of weapons from Jamadagni’s son, and whose prowess is incapable of being resisted!  He, indeed, O king, is competent to save us from great dangers, like Govinda always saving the celestials from great dangers.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Unto Sanjaya who was thus repeatedly applauding Karna, Dhritarashtra sighing like a snake, said those words.’

“Dhritarashtra said, ’[I understand] that the hearts of all of you are turned towards Vikartana’s son Karna, and that all of you, saw that son of Radha, that hero of the Suta caste, ever prepared to lay down his life in battle.  I hope that hero of prowess incapable of being baffled, did not falsify the expectations of Duryodhana and his brothers, all of whom were then afflicted with grief and fear, and desirous of being relieved from their danger.  When Bhishma, that refuge of Kauravas, was slain, could Karna, that foremost of bowmen, succeed in filling up the gap caused?  Filling up that gap, could Karna fill the foe with fear?  Could he also crown with fruit the hopes, entertained by my sons, of victory?’”