of limbs he is superior to all.  While leading a life of concealment in the city of Virata, relying then on the might of his bare arms, for doing what was agreeable to Draupadi, he secretly slew Kichaka with all his relatives.  Even he stands today at the head of battle clad in mail and insensate with wrath.  He is ready to engage in battle with the Destroyer armed with uplifted mace.  This desire, however, hath been cherished through all my days, viz., that either I shall slay Arjuna or Arjuna will slay me.  That desire of mine may be fulfilled today in consequence of my encounter with Bhima.  If I slay Bhima or make him carless, Partha may come against me.  That will be well for me.  Settle that without delay which thou thinkest to be suitable to the hour.”  Hearing these words of Radha’s son of immeasurable energy Shalya replied, saying, “O thou of mighty arms, proceed against Bhimasena of great might.  Having checked Bhimasena, thou mayst then obtain Phalguna.  That which is thy purpose, that desire which for many long years thou hast cherished in thy heart, will be accomplished, O Karna.  I tell the truth.”  Thus addressed, Karna once more said unto Shalya, “Either I shall slay Arjuna in battle, or he will slay me.  Setting thy heart on battle proceed to the spot where Vrikodara is.’”

“Sanjaya continued, ’Then, O king, Shalya speedily proceeded on that car to the spot where that great bowman, viz., Bhima, was engaged in routing thy army.  There rose then the blare of trumpets and the peal of drums, O monarch, when Bhima and Karna met.  The mighty Bhimasena, filled with rage, began to scatter thy troops difficult of defeat, with his sharp and polished shafts, to all sides.  That collision in battle, O monarch, between Karna and the son of Pandu became, O king, fierce and awful, and the noise that arose was tremendous.  Beholding Bhima coming towards him, Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana or Vrisha, filled with rage, struck him with shafts in the centre of the chest.  And once more, Karna of immeasurable soul, covered him with a shower of arrows.  Thus pierced by the Suta’s son, Bhima covered the former with winged arrows.  And he once more pierced Karna with nine straight and keen shafts.  Then Karna, with a number of arrows, cut in twain Bhima’s bow at the handle.  And after cutting off his bow, he pierced him once again in the centre of the chest with a shaft of great keenness and capable of penetrating every kind of armour.  Then Vrikodara, taking up another bow, O king, and knowing full well what the vital parts of the body are, pierced the Suta’s son with many keen arrows.  Then Karna pierced him with five and twenty arrows, like a hunter striking a proud and infuriate elephant in the forest with a number of blazing brands.  His limbs mangled with those shafts, his eyes red with rage and the desire of revenge, the son of Pandu, insensate with wrath, and impelled by the desire of slaying the Suta’s son, fixed on his bow an excellent shaft of great impetuosity,