“Sanjaya continued—­’Having heard these beneficial and peaceful words fraught with both virtue and profit, thy son, however, accepted them not, like a dying man refusing medicine.”

SECTION CXXIV

“Sanjaya said,—­’After Santanu’s son Bhishma, O monarch, had become silent, all those rulers of earth, there present, then returned to their respective quarters.  Hearing of Bhishma’s slaughter that bull among men, viz., Radha’s son (Karna), partially inspired with fear quickly came there.  He beheld that illustrious hero lying on his bed of reeds.  Then Vrisha (Karna) endued with great glory, with voice choked in tears, approaching that hero lying with eyes closed, fell at his feet.  And he said,—­O chief of the Kurus, I am Radha’s son, who while before thy eyes, was everywhere looked upon by thee with hate!—­Hearing these words, the aged chief of the Kurus, the son of Ganga, whose eyes were covered with film slowly raising his eyelids, and causing the guards to be removed, and seeing the place deserted by all, embraced Karna with one arm, like a sire embracing his son, and said these words with great affection:—­Come, come!  Thou art an opponent of mine who always challengest comparison with me!  If thou hadst not come to me, without doubt, it would not have been well with thee!  Thou art Kunti’s son, not Radha’s!  Nor is Adhiratha thy father!  O thou of mighty arms, I heard all this about thee from Narada as also from Krishna-Dwaipayana!  Without doubt, all this is true!  I tell thee truly, O son, that I bear thee no malice!  It was only for abating thy energy that I used to say such harsh words to thee!  O thou of excellent vows without any reason thou speakest ill of all the Pandavas!  Sinfully didst thou come into the world.  It is for this that thy heart hath been such.  Through pride, and owning also to thy companionship with the low, thy heart hateth even persons of merit!  It is for this that I spoke such harsh words about thee in the Kuru camp!  I know thy prowess in battle, which can with difficulty be borne on earth by foes!  I know also thy regard for Brahmanas. thy courage, and thy great attachment to alms-giving!  O thou that resemblest a very god, amongst men there is none like thee!  For fear of intestine dissensions I always spoke harsh words about thee.  In bowmanship, in aiming weapon, in lightness of hand and in strength of weapons, thou art equal to Phalguni himself, or the high-souled Krishna!  O Karna, proceeding to the city of Kasi, alone with thy bow, thou hadst crushed the kings in battle for procuring a bride for the Kuru king!  The mighty and invincible king Jarasandha also, ever boastful of his prowess in battle, could not become thy match in fight!  Thou art devoted to Brahmanas; thou always fightest fairly!  In energy and strength, thou art equal to a child of the celestials and certainly much superior to men.  The wrath I cherished against thee is gone.  Destiny is incapable of being avoided by exertion.  O slayer of foes, the heroic sons of Pandu are thy uterine brothers!  If thou wishest to do what is agreeable to me, unite with them, O thou of mighty arms!  O son of Surya, let these hostilities end with me!  Let all the kings of Earth be to-day freed from danger!—­