king proclaimed his feats, saying, ’What I have not received from either Bhishma, or Drona, or Kripa, or Vahlika, I have received from thee.  May good betide thee!  What need of speaking at length!  Hear my words, O Karna!  In thee, O chief of men, I have my refuge.  O mighty-armed one.  O tiger among men, without doubt all the Pandavas and the other kings crowned with prosperity, come not to a sixteenth part of thee.  Do thou, O mighty bowman, O Karna, see Dhritarashtra, and the illustrious Gandhari, as the bearer of the thunderbolt did Aditi.’

“Then, O king, there arose in the city of Hastinapura a clamour, and sounds of Oh! and Alas! and, O lord of men, some of the kings praised him (Karna), while others censured him, while others, again, remained silent.  Having thus, O foremost of monarchs, in a short time conquered this earth furnished with mountains and forests and skies, and with oceans, and fields, and filled with high and low tracts, and cities, and replete also with islands.  O lord of earth, and brought the monarchs under subjection,—­and having gained imperishable wealth, the Suta’s son appeared before the king.  Then, O represser of foes, entering into the interior of the palace that hero saw Dhritarashtra with Gandhari, O tiger among men, that one conversant with morality took hold of his feet even like a son.  And Dhritarashtra embraced him affectionately, and then dismissed him.  Ever since that time, O monarch, O Bharata, king Duryodhana and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, thought that Pritha’s sons had already been defeated in battle by Karna.”

SECTION CCLIII

Vaisampayana continued, “O king, O lord of men, that slayer of hostile heroes, the Suta’s son, said these words to Duryodhana, ’O Kaurava Duryodhana, do thou lay unto thy heart the words that I shall tell thee; and, O represser of foes, after having heard my words, it behoveth thee to act accordingly every way.  Now, O best of monarchs, O hero, hath the earth been rid of foes.  Do thou rule her even like the mighty-minded Sakra himself, having his foes destroyed.”

Vaisampayana continued, “Having been thus addressed by Karna, the king again spake unto him, saying, ’O bull among men, nothing whatever is unattainable to him who hath thee for refuge, and to whom thou art attached and on whose welfare thou art entirely intent.  Now, I have a purpose, which do thou truly listen to.  Having beheld that foremost of sacrifices, the mighty Rajasuya, performed by the Pandavas, a desire hath sprung up in me (to celebrate the same).  Do thou, O Suta’s son, fulfil this desire of mine.’  Thus addressed, Karna spake thus unto the king, ’Now that all the rulers of the earth have been brought under thy subjection, do thou summon the principal Brahmanas, and, O best of Kurus, duly procure the articles required for the sacrifice.  And, O represser of foes, let Ritwijas as prescribed, and versed in the Vedas, celebrate thy rites according to the ordinance, O king.  And, O bull of the Bharata race, let thy great sacrifice also, abounding in meats and drinks, and grand with parts, commence.’