surrounded on all sides by the Srinjayas, is fighting
with Karna, O Partha, afflicted by the latter with keen shafts! If
neglected, Karna will, O Bharata, exterminate the Pandavas, the
Srinjayas, and the Pancalas, like a neglected disease whose germ has
entered the body. Save thee I do not see another in Yudhishthira's army
that would come home safe and sound, having encountered the son of Radha
in battle. Slaying that Karna today with thy keen shafts, O bull among
men, act according to thy vow, O Partha, and win great fame. I tell thee
truly, thou only art able to vanquish in battle the Kaurava host with
Karna amongst them, and no one else, O foremost of warriors! Achieving
this great feat, viz., slaying the mighty car-warrior Karna, attain thy
object, O Partha, and crowned with success, be happy, O best of men!'"

74

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing these words of Keshava, O Bharata, Vibhatsu soon
cast off his anxiety and became cheerful. Rubbing then the string of
Gandiva and stretching it, he held his bow for the destruction of Karna,
and addressed Keshava, saying, "With thee for my protector, O Govinda,
and when thou that art acquainted with the past and the future art
gratified with me today, victory is sure to be mine. Aided by thee, O
Krishna, I can, in great battle, destroy the three worlds assembled
together, what need be said of Karna then? I see the Pancala host is
flying away, O Janardana. I see also Karna careering fearlessly in
battle. I see too the bhargava weapon careering in all directions, having
been invoked by Karna, O thou of Vrishni's race, like the puissant
thunder invoked by Shakra. This is that battle in which Karna will be
slain by me and of which all creatures will speak as long as the earth
will last. Today, O Krishna, unbarbed arrows, impelled by my arms and
sped from the Gandiva, mangling Karna, will take him to Yama. Today king
Dhritarashtra will curse that intelligence of his in consequence of which
he had installed Duryodhana, who was undeserving of sovereignty, on the
throne. Today, O mighty-armed one, Dhritarashtra will be divested of
sovereignty, happiness, prosperity, kingdom, city, and sons. I tell thee
truly, O Krishna, that today, Karna being slain, Duryodhana will become
hopeless of both life and kingdom. Today, beholding Karna cut in pieces
by me with my arrows, like Vritra in days of yore by Indra in the battle
between the gods and the Asuras, let king Duryodhana call to mind the