ed
on the bow-string, the Regents of the world, including Sakra, set up loud
wails. The Suta's son did not know that the snake Aswasena had entered
his arrow by the aid of his Yoga powers. Beholding Vaikartana aim that
arrow, the high-souled ruler of the Madras, addressing Karna, said, "This
arrow, O Karna, will not succeed in striking off Arjuna's head. Searching
carefully, fix another arrow that may succeed in striking off thy enemy's
head." Endued with great activity, the Suta's son, with eyes burning in
wrath, then said unto the ruler of the Madras, "O Shalya, Karna never
aimeth an arrow twice. Persons like us never become crooked warriors."
Having said these words, Karna, with great care, let off that shaft which
he had worshipped for many long years. Bent upon winning the victory, O
king, he quickly said unto his rival, "Thou art slain, O Phalguna!" Sped
from Karna's arms, that shaft of awful whizz, resembling fire or the sun
in splendour, as it left the bow-string, blazed up in the welkin and
seemed to divide it by a line such as is visible on the crown of a woman
dividing her tresses. Beholding that shaft blazing in the welkin, the
slayer of Kamsa, Madhava, with great speed and the greatest ease, pressed
down with his feet that excellent car, causing it to sink about a cubit
deep. At this, the steeds, white as the rays of the moon and decked in
trappings of gold, bending their knees, laid themselves down on the
ground. Indeed, seeing that snake (in the form of an arrow) aimed by
Karna, Madhava, that foremost of all persons endued with might, put forth
his strength and thus pressed down with his feet that car into the earth,
whereat the steeds, (as already said) bending down their knees, laid
themselves down upon the earth when the car itself had sank into it. Then
loud sounds arose in the welkin in applause of Vasudeva. Many celestial
voices were heard, and celestial flowers were showered upon Krishna, and
leonine shouts also were uttered. When the car had thus been pressed down
into the earth through the exertions of the slayer of Madhu, the
excellent ornament of Arjuna's head, celebrated throughout the earth, the
welkin, heaven, and the waters, the Suta's son swept off from the crown
of his rival, with that arrow, in consequence of the very nature of that
snaky weapon and the great care and wrath with which it had been shot.
That diadem, endued with the splendour of the sun or the moon or fire or
a planet, and a