while the latter was about to swallow him.  It was he who afflicted (the Daitya city of Hiranyapura) on the other side of the ocean, having vanquished in battle sixty thousands of Nivatakavachas.  It was this conqueror of hostile towns, this Arjuna of mighty arms, that gratified Agni, having vanquished the very gods with Indra at their head.  And Narayana also hath, in this world, destroyed in the same way numberless other Daityas and Danavas.  Even such are those two of mighty energy that are now seen united with each other.  It hath been heard by us that the two heroic and mighty car-warriors, Vasudeva and Arjuna, that are now united with each other, are those same ancient gods, the divine Nara and Narayana.  Amongst all on earth they are incapable of being vanquished by the Asuras and the gods headed by Indra himself.  That Narayana is Krishna, and that Nara is Falguna.  Indeed, they are one Soul born in twain.  These two, by their acts, enjoy numerous eternal and inexhaustible regions, and are repeatedly born in those worlds when destructive wars are necessary.  For this reason their mission is to fight.  Just this is what Narada, conversant with the Vedas, had said unto the Vrishnis.  When thou, O Duryodhana, wilt see Kesava with conch-shell and discus, and mace in hand, and that terrible wielder of the bow, Arjuna, armed with weapons, when thou wilt behold those eternal and illustrious ones, the two Krishnas seated on the same car, then wilt thou, O child, remember these my words.  Why should not such danger threaten the Kurus when thy intellect, O child, hath fallen off from both profit and virtue?  If thou heedest not my words, thou shalt then have to hear of the slaughter of many, for all the Kauravas accept thy opinion.  Thou art alone in holding as true the opinion, O bull of the Bharata race, only three persons, viz., Karna, a low-born Suta’s son cursed by Rama, Sakuni, the son of Suvala, and thy mean and sinful brother Dussasana.’

’Karna said.  ’It behoveth thee not, O blessed grandsire, to use such words towards me, for I have adopted the duties of the Kshatriya order without falling off from those of my own.  Besides, what wickedness is there in me?  I have no sin known to any one of Dhritarashtra’s people.  I have never done any injury to Dhritarashtra’s son; on the other hand, I will slay all the Pandavas in battle.  How can they that are wise make peace again with those that have before been injured?  It is always my duty to do all that is agreeable to king Dhritarashtra, and especially to Duryodhana, for he is in possession of the kingdom.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Having listened to these words of Karna, Bhishma the son of Santanu, addressing king Dhritarashtra, again said, ’Although this one often boasteth saying,—­I shall slay the Pandavas,—­yet he is not equal to even a sixteenth part of high-souled Pandavas.  Know that the great calamity that is about to overtake thy sons of wicked souls, is the act of this wretched