destiny which
hath been ordained by the Creator, these tigers among men, with hearts
steeped in sin, will, O thou foremost of the Kurus, depopulate the earth
by hurling and shooting all kinds of weapons, with great manliness and
strength and always addressing one another boastfully with words such as
these, 'Thou shall not escape from me today with life.' And these
illustrious sons of Pandu also, five in number, will fight with these.
And, endued with mighty strength and favoured by Fate, they will compass
the destruction of these. And, O king, many Daityas and Rakshasas also
that have been born in the Kshatriya order, will fight with great prowess
in the battle with thy foes, using maces and clubs and lances and various
weapons of a superior kind. And, O hero, with respect to the fear that is
in thy heart rising from Arjuna, we have already settled the means for
slaying Arjuna. The soul of the slain Naraka hath assumed the form of
Karna. Recollecting his former hostility he will encounter both Kesava
and Arjuna. And that mighty warrior and foremost of smiters, proud of his
prowess will vanquish Arjuna in battle as also all thy enemies. The
wielder of the thunder-bolt, knowing all this, and desirous of saving
Arjuna, will in disguise take away from Karna his ear-rings and coat of
mail. We also have for that reason appointed hundreds upon hundreds and
thousands upon thousands of Daityas and Rakshasas, viz., those that are
known by the name of Samsaptakas.[83] These celebrated warriors will slay
the heroic Arjuna. Therefore, grieve not, O king. Thou wilt rule the
whole earth, O monarch, without a rival. Do not yield to despondency.
Conduct such as this does not suit thee. O thou of the Kuru race, if thou
diest, our party becometh weak. Go thou, O hero, and let not thy mind be
directed to any other course of action. Thou art ever our refuge as,
indeed, the Pandavas are the refuge of the gods.'

Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed him thus, those Daityas
embraced that elephant among kings, and those bulls among the Danavas
cheered that irrepressible one like a son. And, O Bharata, pacifying his
mind by soft speech, they permitted him to depart, saying, 'Go and attain
victory!' And when they had given leave to the mighty-armed one, that
very goddess carried him back to the spot where he had sat down, intent
upon putting an end to his life. And having set that hero down and paid
him homage, the goddess vanished, taking t