mighty warrior who is reckoned as
the greatest of car-warriors on earth? Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma,
having prevailed over Bhishma and Drona, did not fear anybody else so
much as the bowman Karna. Indeed, thinking of the mighty car-warrior
Karna, he passeth his nights sleeplessly from fear. How, then, could
Bhima encounter that Suta's son in battle? Indeed, O Sanjaya, how could
Bhima fight with Karna, that foremost of warriors, that hero devoted to
the Brahmanas endued with energy and never retreating from battle? How,
indeed, did those two heroes, viz., the Suta's son and Vrikodara, fight
with each other in that encounter which took place in the vicinity of
Arjuna's car? Informed before of his brotherhood (with the Pandavas), the
Suta's son is again, compassionate. Remembering also his words to Kunti,
how could he fight with Bhima? As regards Bhima also, remembering all the
wrongs formerly inflicted on him by the Suta's son, how did that hero
fight with Karna in battle? My son Duryodhana, O Suta, hopeth that Karna
will vanquish all the Pandavas in battle. Upon whom my wretched son
resteth his hope of victory in battle, how did he fight with Bhimasena of
terrible deeds? That Suta's son, relying upon whom my sons chose
hostilities with those mighty car-warriors (viz., the sons of Pandu), how
did Bhima fight with him? Indeed, remembering the diverse wrongs and
injuries done by him, how did Bhima fight with that son of Suta? How
indeed, could Bhima fight with that son of a Suta, who, endued with great
valour, had formerly subjugated the whole earth on a single car? How did
Bhima fight with that son of a Suta, who was born with a (natural) pair
of ear-rings? Thou art skilled in narration, O Sanjaya! Tell me,
therefore, in detail how the battle took place between those two, and who
amongst them obtained the victory?'

"Sanjaya said, 'Leaving Radha's son, that foremost of car-warriors
Bhimasena, desired to proceed to the place where those two heroes, viz.,
Krishna and Dhananjaya were. The son of Radha, however, rushing towards
him as he proceeded, covered him, O king, with dense showers of arrows,
like a cloud pouring torrents of rain on a mountain. The mighty son of
Adhiratha, his face beautiful as a full-blown lotus, lighted up with a
smile, challenged Bhimasena to battle, as the latter was proceeding. And
Karna said, "O Bhima, I dreamt not that thou knowest how to fight. Why
then dost thou show me thy back from desire