for their leader.  Indeed, Krishna is their central support even as the moon is of the constellations.  Therefore, O Suta’s son, avoiding the leaves and branches and trunk, slay that Krishna who is everywhere and always the root of the Pandavas.  Indeed, if Karna had slain him of Dasarha’s race, viz., that delighter of the Yadavas, the whole earth, O king, would, without doubt, have come under thy control.  Truly, O monarch, if that illustrious one, that delighter of both the Yadavas and the Pandavas, could be made to lie down on the earth, deprived of life, then certainly, O monarch, the entire earth with the mountains and forests would have owned thy supremacy.  We rose every morning, having formed such a resolution in respect of that Lord of the very gods, viz., Hrishikesa of immeasurable energy.  At the time of battle, however, we forget our resolution.  Kesava always protected Arjuna, the son of Kunti.  He never placed Arjuna before the Suta’s son in battle.  Indeed, Achyuta always placed other foremost of car-warriors before Karna, thinking how that fatal dart of ours might be made fruitless by ourselves.  O lord!  When, again, the high-souled Krishna protected Partha in this manner from Karna, why, O monarch, would not that foremost of beings protect his own self?  Reflecting well, I see that there is no person in the three worlds who is able to vanquish that chastiser of foes, viz., Janardana, that hero bearing the discus in hand.’

“Sanjaya continued, ’That tiger among car-warriors, viz., Satyaki of prowess incapable of being baffled, asked the mighty-armed Krishna about the great car-warrior, Karna, saving, ’O Janardana, even this had been Karna’s firm resolution, viz., that he would hurl that dart of immeasurable energy at Phalguna.  Why, however, did not the Suta’s son actually hurt it then at him?’

“Vasudeva said, ’Duhsasana and Karna and Sakuni and the ruler of the Sindhus, with Duryodhana at their head, had frequently debated on this subject.  Addressing Karna, they used to say, ’O Karna.  O great bowman, O thou of immeasurable prowess in battle, O foremost of all victors, this dart should not be hurled at any one else than that great car-warrior, viz., Kunti’s son, Partha or Dhananjaya.  He is the most celebrated amongst them, like Vasava amongst the gods.  He being slain, all the other Pandavas with the Srinjayas will be heartless like fireless celestials![239]’ Karna having assented to this, saying ‘So be it’ (the desire of) slaughtering the wielder of Gandiva, O bull amongst the Sinis, was ever present in Karna’s heart.  I, however, O foremost of warriors, always used to stupefy the son of Radha.  It was for this that he did not hurl the dart at Pandu’s son, owning white steeds.  As long as I could not baffle that means of Phalguna’s death, I had neither sleep, nor joy in my heart, O foremost of warriors!  Beholding that dart, therefore, rendered futile through Ghatotkacha, O bull amongst the Sinis, I regarded