and possessed with folly and pride, he said, ’Ye Daityas that are fierce in battle, give me battle.  I have been sent by the God of gods to vanquish you.’  Thus addressed by the descendant of Bhrigu, the Daityas began to fight.  The delighter of the Bhargavas, however, slaying the Daityas in battle, with strokes whose touch resembled that of Indra’s thunder, came back to Mahadeva.  Jamadagni’s son, that foremost of brahmanas returned with many wounds on his person inflicted by the Danavas.  Touched, however by Sthanu, his wounds were immediately healed.  Gratified also with that feat of his, the illustrious god gave diverse kinds of boons unto the high-souled son of Bhrigu.  With satisfaction in his heart, the trident-wielding God of gods said, ’The pain thou hast suffered in consequence of the fall of weapons upon thy body evidences the super-human feat that thou hast achieved, O delighter of the Bhrigus.  As desired by thee, accept from me these celestial weapons.’”

“’Duryodhana continued, “Having obtained all the celestial weapons and the boons that had been desired by him, Rama bowed unto Siva with his head.  Obtaining the leave also of the gods that great ascetic went away.  This is the old story that the rishi had recited.  The descendant of Bhrigu gave the whole science of weapons unto the high-souled Karna, O tiger among kings with delighted heart.  If Karna had any fault, O lord of Earth, the delighter of Bhrigu’s race would never have given him his celestial weapons.  I do not think that Karna could have been born in the Suta order.  I think him to be the son of a god, born in the kshatriya order.  I think that he was abandoned (in infancy) in order that the race in which he was born might be ascertained (by his features and feats).  By no means, O Shalya, could this Karna have been born in the Suta order.  With his (natural) earring and (natural) coat of mail, this mighty car-warrior of long arms, resembling Surya himself, could not be borne by a common woman even as a she-deer can never bear a tiger.  His arms are massive, each resembling the trunk of a prince of elephants.  Behold his chest that is so broad and capable of resisting every foe.  Karna otherwise called Vaikartana, O king, cannot be an ordinary person.  Endued with great valour, this disciple of Rama, O king of kings, is a high-souled personage.’”

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“’Duryodhana said, “Even thus did that illustrious Deity, that Grandsire of all the worlds, viz., Brahman, act as driver on that occasion and even thus did Rudra become the warrior.  The driver of the car, O hero, should be superior to the warrior on it.  Therefore, O tiger among men, do thou hold the reins of the steeds in this battle.  As on that occasion the Grandsire had been selected with care by all the celestials, indeed, O great king, as one greater than Sankara, so thou that art superior to Karna art now selected by us with care.  Like the Grandsire holding the reins of Rudra’s steeds, do thou hold, without delay, the reins of Karna’s steeds in battle, O thou of great splendour.”