t Jayadratha may not
be slain by Arjuna! O foremost of men, the day is about to expire, strike
now the foe with clouds of shafts! If the day expire, O foremost of men,
victory, O Karna, will certainly be ours! If the ruler of the Sindhus can
be protected till the setting of the sun, then Partha, his vow being
falsified, will enter into blazing fire. O giver of honours, the
brothers, then, of Arjuna, with all their followers, will not be able to
live for even a moment in a world that is destitute of Arjuna! Upon the
death of the sons of Pandu, the whole of the earth, O Karna, with her
mountains and waters and forests, we will enjoy without a thorn on our
side! O giver of honours, it seems that Partha, who without ascertaining
what is practicable and what is impracticable, made this vow in battle,
was afflicted by destiny itself, his judgment having taken a misdirected
course! Without doubt, O Karna, the diadem-decked son of Pandu must have
made this vow about the slaughter of Jayadratha for his own destruction!
How, O son of Radha, when thou art alive will Phalguna succeed in slaying
the ruler of the Sindhus before the sun goes to the Asta hills? How will
Dhananjaya slay Jayadratha in battle when the latter is protected by the
king of the Madras and by the illustrious Kripa? How will Vibhatsu, who
seems to have been urged on by Fate, get at the ruler of the Sindhus when
the latter is protected by Drona's son, by myself, and Duhsasana? Many
are the heroes engaged in fight. The sun is hanging low in the sky.
Partha will not even get at Jayadratha in battle, O giver of honours. Do
thou therefore, O Karna, with myself and other brave and mighty
car-warriors, with Drona's son and the ruler of the Madras and Kripa
fight with Partha in battle, exerting thyself with the greatest firmness
and resolution." Thus addressed by thy son, O sire, the son of Radha
replied unto Duryodhana, that foremost one among the Kurus, in these
words, "Deeply hath my body been pierced in battle by the brave bowman
Bhimasena, capable of striking vigorously with repeated showers of
arrows. O giver of honours, that I am yet present in battle is because
that one like me should be present here. Scorched with the powerful
shafts of Bhimasena, every limb of mine is suffering from torturing pain.
I shall, however, for all that, fight to the best of my powers. My life
itself is for thee. I shall strive my best so that this foremost one of
the sons of Pandu may