mangling Karna, will take him to Yama.  Today king Dhritarashtra will curse that intelligence of his in consequence of which he had installed Duryodhana, who was undeserving of sovereignty, on the throne.  Today, O mighty-armed one, Dhritarashtra will be divested of sovereignty, happiness, prosperity, kingdom, city, and sons.  I tell thee truly, O Krishna, that today, Karna being slain, Duryodhana will become hopeless of both life and kingdom.  Today, beholding Karna cut in pieces by me with my arrows, like Vritra in days of yore by Indra in the battle between the gods and the asuras, let king Duryodhana call to mind the words thou hast spoken for bringing about peace.  Today let the son of Subala, O Krishna, know that my shafts are dice, my gandiva the box for throwing them, and my car, the chequered cloth.  O Govinda, slaying Karna with keen shafts I will dispel the long sleeplessness of Kunti’s son.  Today the royal son of Kunti, upon the slaughter of the Suta’s son by me, shall be gratified and be of cheerful heart and obtain happiness for ever.  Today, O Keshava, I will shoot an irresistible and unrivalled arrow that will deprive Karna of life.  Even this, O Krishna, was the vow of that wicked-souled one about my slaughter, viz., ’I will not wash my feet till I slay Phalguna.’  Falsifying this vow of that wretch, O slayer of Madhu, I will, with straight shafts, throw down his body today from his car.  Today the earth will drink the blood of that Suta’s son who in battle condemns all other men on earth!  With Dhritarashtra’s approbation, the Suta’s son Karna, boasting of his own merits, had said, ’Thou hast no husband now, O Krishna!’ My keen shafts will falsify that speech of his.  Like angry snakes of virulent poison, they will drink his life-blood.  Cloth-yard shafts, of the effulgence of the lightning, shot by myself possessed of mighty arms, sped from Gandiva, will send Karna on his last journey.  Today the son of Radha will repent for those cruel words that he said unto the princess of Pancala in the midst of the assembly, in disparagement of the Pandavas!  They that were on that occasion sesame seeds without kernel, will today become seeds with kernel after the fall of the Suta’s son Karna of wicked soul, otherwise called Vaikartana!  ’I will save ye from the sons of Pandu!’—­even these were the words that Karna, bragging of his own merits, said unto the sons of Dhritarashtra!  My keen shafts will falsify that speech of his!  Today, in the very sight of all the bowmen, I will slay that Karna who said, ’I will slay all the Pancalas with their sons.’  Today, O slayer of Madhu, I will slay that Karna, that son of Radha, relying on whose prowess the proud son of Dhritarashtra, of wicked understanding, always disregarded us.  Today, O Krishna, after Karna’s fall, the Dhartarashtras with their king, struck with panic, will fly away in all directions, like deer afraid of the lion.  Today let king Duryodhana repent upon the slaughter of Karna, with his sons and relatives, by me in battle.