time.  Similarly the Pandavas headed by Dhrishtadyumna, filled with joy, encompassed that high-souled Partha who was unrivalled in battle.  Karna became the stake, O monarch, of thy army in that battle, while Partha became the stake of the Pandavas.  The soldiers of both sides were as members of that assembly and became the spectators of that game.  Indeed, as regards the parties engaged in that game of battle, either victory or defeat was certain.  Those two then, Karna and Arjuna, for victory or the reverse, began the match between ourselves and the Pandavas both standing on the field of battle.  Skilled in fight, the two heroes, O monarch, in that encounter, became highly enraged with each other and wished to slay each other.  Desiring to take each other’s life, like Indra and Vritra, O lord, they faced each other like two mighty comets of terrible form.  Then in the sky, differences and disputes, accompanied with revilings, arose among the creatures there, O bull of Bharata’s race, on the subject of Karna and Arjuna.  All the inhabitants of the world, O sire, were heard to differ amongst themselves.  The gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Pishacas, the Snakes, the Rakshasas, adopted opposite sides in that encounter between Karna and Arjuna.  The welkin, O monarch, with all the stars, became anxious on Karna’s account, while the wide earth became so on Partha’s account, like the mother for her son.  The rivers, the seas, the mountains, O best of men, the trees, the deciduous plants and herbs, took the side of the diadem-decked Arjuna.  The Asuras, Yatudhanas, the Guhyakas, O scorcher of foes, and ravens and other rangers of the sky, sided with Karna.  All the gems and precious jewels, the four Vedas with the histories as the fifth, the Upavedas, the Upanishads, with all their mysteries, and the compilations, and Vasuki, and Citrasena, and Takshaka, and Upatakshaka, and all the mountains, and all the offspring of Kadru with their children, all the great snakes endued with poison, and the Nagas, took the side of Arjuna.  Airavata and his children, the offspring of Surabhi, the offspring of Vaisali, and the Bhogins sided with Arjuna.  The smaller snakes all sided with Karna.  Wolves and wild stags and all kinds of auspicious animals and birds were, O king, for victory to Partha.  The Vasus, the Maruts, the Sadhyas, the Rudras, the Vishvedevas and the Ashvinis, and Agni and Indra and Soma and Pavana, and the ten points of the compass, became the partisans of Dhananjaya, while all the Adityas sided with Karna.  The vaishyas, the shudras, the Sutas, and those castes that were of a mixed origin, all, O king, adopted the side of Radha’s son.  The celestials, however, with the pitris, and with all that were numbered with them as also with their followers, and Yama and Vaishravana and Varuna were on the side of Arjuna.  The brahmanas, the kshatriyas, the sacrifices, and those gifts called dakshinas, were for Arjuna.  The pretas, and pishacas, many carnivorous animals and birds, the rakshasas with all