ith destruction, and thou shalt also undergo ridicule!
Therefore, O Sakra, take my earrings and excellent mail in exchange for
something conferred by thee on me! Otherwise, I will not bestow them on
thee!' Thereupon Sakra replied, 'Even before I had come to thee, Surya
had known of my purpose and without doubt, it is he that hath unfolded
everything unto thee! O Karna, be it as thou wishest! O son, except the
thunder-bolt alone, tell me what it is that thou desirest to have!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing these words of Indra, Karna was filled
with delight and seeing that his purpose was about to be accomplished he
approached Vasava, and intent upon obtaining a dart incapable of being
baffled, he addressed Indra, saying, 'Do thou, O Vasava, in exchange for
my coat of mail and ear-rings, give me a dart incapable of being baffled,
and competent to destroy hosts of enemies when arrayed in order of
battle!' Thereupon, O ruler of earth, fixing his mind for a moment on the
dart (for bringing it there), Vasava thus spake unto Karna, 'Do thou give
me thy ear-rings, and the coat of mail born with thy body, and in return
take this dart on these terms! When I encounter the Daitya in battle,
this dart that is incapable of being baffled, hurled by my hand,
destroyeth enemies by hundreds, and cometh back to my hand after
achieving its purpose. In thy hand, however, this dart, O son of Suta,
will slay only one powerful enemy of thine. And having achieved that
feat, it will, roaring and blazing, return to me!' Thereat Karna said, 'I
desire to slay in fierce fight even one enemy of mine, who roareth
fiercely and is hot as fire, and of whom I am in fear!' At this, Indra
said, 'Thou shall slay such a roaring and powerful foe in battle. But
that one whom thou seekest to slay, is protected by an illustrious
personage. Even He whom persons versed in the Vedas call 'the invincible
Boar,' and 'the incomprehensible Narayana,' even that Krishna himself, is
protecting him!' Thereupon Karna replied, 'Even if this be so, do thou, O
illustrious one give me the weapon that will destroy only one powerful
foe! I shall, on my part, bestow on thee my mail and ear-rings, cutting
them off my person. Do thou, however, grant that my body, thus wounded,
may not be unsightly!' Hearing this, Indra said, 'As thou, O Karna, art
bent upon observing the truth, thy person shall not be unsightly, or
shall any scar remain on it. And, O thou best of those that are g