oops! I desire, O Keshava to see king
Ajatasatru!"'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Just as he was on the point of urging the steeds,
Keshava, that foremost one of the Dasharhas, addressed Bhima, saying,
"This feat is not at all wonderful for thee, O Bhima! I am about to go
(hence). Slay these assembled foes of Partha!" Then Hrishikesha proceeded
with very great speed to the spot where king Yudhishthira was, O king,
borne by those steeds that resembled Garuda, having stationed Bhima, that
chastiser of foes, at the head of the army and having commanded him, O
monarch, to fight (with the samsaptakas). Then those two foremost of men,
(Krishna and Arjuna), proceeding on their car, approached the king who
was lying alone on his bed. Both of them, alighting from that car,
worshipped the feet of king Yudhishthira the just. Beholding that bull of
tigers among men safe and sound, the two Krishnas became filled with joy,
like the twin Ashvinis on seeing Vasava. The king then congratulated them
both like Vivasvat congratulating the twin Ashvinis, or like Brihaspati
congratulating Sankara and Vishnu after the slaughter of the mighty asura
Jambha. King Yudhishthira the just, thinking that Karna had been slain,
became filled with joy, and that scorcher of foes thereupon addressed
them in these words in a voice choked with delight.'"

66

"'Yudhishthira said, "Welcome, O thou that hast Devaki for thy mother,
and welcome to thee, O Dhananjaya! The sight of both of you, O Acyuta and
Arjuna, is exceedingly agreeable! I see that without being wounded
yourselves, you two, his foes, have slain the mighty car-warrior Karna!
He was in battle like unto a snake of virulent poison. He was
accomplished in all weapons. The leader of all the Dhartarashtras, he was
their armour and protector! While fighting he was always protected by
Vrishasena and by Sushena, both of whom are great bowmen! Of great
energy, he had received lessons from Rama in weapons! He was invincible
in battle! The foremost one in all the world, as a car-warrior he was
celebrated throughout all the worlds. He was the saviour of the
Dhartarashtras, and the proceeder in their van! A slayer of hostile
troops, he was the crusher of large bands of foes. Ever engaged in
Duryodhana's good, he was always prepared to inflict woe on us! He was
invincible in battle by the very gods with Vasava at their head. In
energy and might he was equal unto the god of fire and the god of wind.
In gravity