“’Karna said, “The merits of meritorious men, O Shalya, are known to them that are themselves meritorious but not to them that are destitute of merit.  Thou, however, art destitute of every merit.  How then canst thou judge of merit and demerit?  The mighty weapons of Arjuna, his wrath, his energy, his bow, his shafts and the prowess also of that high-souled hero are, O Shalya, well known to me.  So also, O Shalya, thou dost not know, so as well as I myself, the greatness of Krishna, that bull among the lords of Earth.  But knowing my own energy as also that of Pandu’s son, I challenge him to battle, O Shalya, I do not act like an insect in respect of a blazing fire.  I have this shaft, O Shalya, of keen mouth, blood-drinking, lying alone within one quiver, equipped with wings, well-steeped in oil and well-adorned.  It lieth amid sandal dust, worshipped by me for long years.  Partaking of the nature and form of a snake, it is poisonous and fierce and capable of killing large numbers of men and steeds and elephants of terrible form, and exceedingly awful, it is capable of piercing coats of mail and bones.  Inspired with wrath, I may pierce even the mighty mountains of Meru with it.  That shaft I will never shoot at any other person save Phalguna or Krishna, the son of Devaki.  In this I tell thee the truth.  Listen to it.  With that shaft, O Shalya, I will, inspired with rage, fight with Vasudeva and Dhananjaya.  That would be a feat worthy of me.  Of all the heroes in the Vrishni race, it is Krishna in whom Prosperity is always established.  Among all the sons of Pandu, it is Partha in whom Victory is always established.  Those two tigers among men, stationed together on the same car, will advance against my single self for battle.  Thou shalt, O Shalya, behold today the nobility of my lineage.  Those two cousins, one of whom is the son of the aunt and the other the son of the maternal uncle, those two invincible warriors, thou shalt see, will be slain by me (with one shaft) and will look like two pearls strung together in the same string.  Arjuna’s gandiva and the ape-bearing banner, and Krishna’s discus and the Garuda-bearing banner, inspire with fear only those that are timid.  To me, however, O Shalya, they are causes of delight.  Thou art a fool, of evil disposition, and unskilled in the ways of great battle.  Overcome with terror, thou utterest these ravings.  Or, thou art praising them for some reason not known to me.  Having slain those two first, I shall then slay thee today with all thy kinsmen.  Born in a sinful country thou art wicked-souled and mean, and a wretch amongst kshatriyas.  Being a friend, why dost thou, like an enemy, frighten me with these praises of the two Krishnas?  Either they two will slay me today or I will slay them two.  Knowing as I do my own might, I do not cherish any fear of the two Krishnas.  A 1,000 Vasudevas and hundreds of Phalgunas, I shall, single-handed, slay.  Hold thy tongue, O thou that art born in a sinful country.  Hear from me,