ink, the Kauravas to be already slain, in
consequence of evil policy of my son. Karna will never succeed, O
Sanjaya, in vanquishing those mighty bowmen, viz., the sons of Pritha. In
all the battles that Karna has fought with the sons of Pandu, the latter
have invariably defeated him on the field. Indeed, O son, the Pandavas
are incapable of being vanquished by the very gods with Vasava at their
head. Alas, my wicked son Duryodhana knoweth it not. Having robbed
Pritha's son, who is like the Lord of the treasures himself, of his
wealth, my son of little intelligence seeth not the fall like a searcher
of honey (in the mountains). Conversant with deceit, he regardeth it to
be irrevocably his and always insulteth the Pandavas. Myself also, of
unrefined soul, overcome with affection for my children, scrupled not to
despise the high-souled sons of Pandu that are observant of morality.
Yudhishthira, the son of Pritha, of great foresight, always showed
himself desirous of peace. My sons, however, regarding him incapable,
despised him. Bearing in mind all those woes and all the wrongs
(sustained by the Pandavas), the mighty-armed Bhimasena battled with the
Suta's son. Tell me, therefore, O Sanjaya, how Bhima and Karna, those two
foremost of warriors, fought with each other, desirous of taking each
other's life!'

"Sanjaya said, 'Hear, O king, how the battle took place between Karna and
Bhima which resembled an encounter between two elephants in the forest,
desirous of slaying each other. The son of Vikartana, O king, excited
with rage and putting forth his prowess, pierced that chastiser of foes,
viz., the angry Bhima of great prowess with thirty shafts. Indeed, O
chief of Bharata's race, Vikartana's son struck Bhima with many arrows of
keen points, decked with gold, and endued with great impetuosity. Bhima,
however, with three sharp shafts cut off the bow of Karna, as the latter
was engaged in striking him. And with a broad-headed arrow, the son of
Pandu then felled on the earth Karna's charioteer from his niche in the
car. The son of Vikartana, then desirous of slaying Bhimasena, seized a
dart whose shaft was adorned with gold and stones of lapis lazuli.
Grasping that fierce dart, which resembled a second dart of death, and
uplifting and aiming it, the mighty son of Radha hurled it at Bhimasena
with a force sufficient to take away Bhima's life. Hurling that dart,
like Purandara hurling the thunderbolt, Radha's son of great stren