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."’”

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“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 might and the high weapons of Arjuna, the son of Pandu are well known to me at this hour.  Thou however, O Shalya, hast no ocular proof of those matters.  I shall fearlessly fight with the two Krishnas, those two foremost of all wielders of weapons.  The curse, however, of Rama that best of regenerate persons, paineth me greatly today.  I dwelt, in the disguise of a brahmana, with Rama in former days, desirous of obtaining celestial weapons from him.  On that occasion, O Shalya, the chief of the gods, wishing to benefit Phalguna, caused an obstacle, by approaching my thigh and piercing it, having assumed the dire form of a worm.  When my preceptor slept, having laid his head thereon, that worm, approaching my thigh, began to pierce it through.  In consequence of the piercing of my thigh, a pool of thick blood