f
Kuru's race, I will never fight! if thou, however, succeedest in slaying
the sons of Pandu in great battle, I shall, O Kaurava, with Duryodhana's
permission, retire into the woods. If, on the other hand, thou, O
Bhishma, slain by the Pandavas, attainest to heaven, I shall then, on a
single car, slay all of them, whom thou regardest as great car-warriors."
Having said this, mighty-armed Karna of great fame, with thy son's
approval, did not fight for the first ten days. Bhishma, of great prowess
in battle and of immeasurable might, slew, O Bharata, a very large number
of warriors belonging to Yudhishthira's army. When, however, that hero of
sure aim and great energy was slain, thy sons thought of Karna, like
persons desirous of crossing a river thinking of a boat. Thy warriors
and thy sons, together with all the kings, cried out, saying, Karna! And
they all said, "Even this is the time for the display of his prowess."
Our hearts are turned to that Karna who derived his knowledge of weapons
from Jamadagni's son, and whose prowess is incapable of being resisted!
He, indeed, O king, is competent to save us from great dangers, like
Govinda always saving the celestials from great dangers.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Unto Sanjaya who was thus repeatedly applauding
Karna, Dhritarashtra sighing like a snake, said those words."

"Dhritarashtra said, '[I understand] that the hearts of all of you are
turned towards Vikartana's son Karna, and that all of you, saw that son
of Radha, that hero of the Suta caste, ever prepared to lay down his life
in battle. I hope that hero of prowess incapable of being baffled, did
not falsify the expectations of Duryodhana and his brothers, all of whom
were then afflicted with grief and fear, and desirous of being relieved
from their danger. When Bhishma, that refuge of Kauravas, was slain,
could Karna, that foremost of bowmen, succeed in filling up the gap
caused? Filling up that gap, could Karna fill the foe with fear? Could he
also crown with fruit the hopes, entertained by my sons, of victory?'"

SECTION II

"Sanjaya said, 'Then Adhiratha's son of the Suta caste, knowing that
Bhishma had been slain, became desirous of rescuing, like a brother, thy
son's army from the distress into which it had fallen, and which then
resembled a boat sunk in the fathomless ocean. [Indeed], O king, having
heard that that mighty car-warrior and foremost of men, that hero of
unfading glory, viz., Santanu's s