ingly addressed the son
of Devaki and said, "Yonder cometh the son of Adhiratha against the car
of Satyaki. Without doubt, he is unable to bear the slaughter of
Bhurisravas in battle. Urge my steeds, O Janardana, towards the spot
whither Karna cometh. Let not Vrisha (Karna) cause the Satwata hero to
follow in the wake of Bhurisravas." Thus addressed by Savyasachin, the
mighty-armed Kesava, endued with great energy, replied in these opportune
words, "The mighty-armed Satyaki is singly a match for Karna, O son of
Pandu! How much superior then will this bull among the Satwatas be when
he is united with the two sons of Drupada! For the present, O Partha, it
is not proper for thee to fight with Karna. The latter hath with him the
blazing dart, like a fierce meteor, that Vasava gave him. O slayer of
hostile heroes, he hath kept it for thy sake, worshipping it with
reverence. Let Karna then freely proceed against the Satwata hero. I
know, O son of Kunti, this wicked wight's hour, when, indeed, thou wilt,
with keen shafts, throw him down from his car."'

"Dhritarashtra said, 'Tell me, O Sanjaya, how the battle took place
between the heroic Karna and Satyaki of the Vrishni race, after the fall
of Bhurisravas and of the ruler of the Sindhus. Satyaki had been carless,
upon what car then was he mounted? And how also did the two protectors of
the wheels (of Arjuna's car), viz., the two Panchala princes, fight?'

"Sanjaya said, 'I will describe to thee all that happened in that
dreadful battle. Listen patiently to (the consequences of) thy own evil
conduct. Before even the encounter, Krishna knew it in his heart that the
heroic Satyaki would be vanquished by the stake-bannered (Bhurisravas).
Janardana, O king, knoweth both the past and the future. For this,
summoning his charioteer, Daruka, he had commanded him, saying, "Let my
car be kept equipped tomorrow." Even this had been the command of that
mighty one. Neither the gods, nor the Gandharvas, nor the Yakshas, nor
the Uragas, nor the Rakshasas, nor human beings, are capable of
conquering the two Krishnas. The gods with the Grandsire at their head,
as also the Siddhas, know the incomparable prowess of those two. Listen,
however, now to the battle as it happened. Beholding Satyaki carless and
Karna ready for battle Madhava blew his conch of loud blare in the
Rishabha note.[176] Daruka, hearing the blare of (Kesava's) conch,
understood the meaning, and soon took that car, equipped wi