Chapter 178

“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding Hidimva’s son slain and lying like a rivenmountain, all the Pandavas became filled with grief and began to shedcopious tears. Only Vasudeva filled with transports of delight, began toutter leonine shouts, grieving the Pandavas. Indeed, uttering loud shoutshe embraced Arjuna. Tying the steeds and uttering loud roars, he began todance in a transport of joy, like a tree shaken by a tempest. Thenembracing Arjuna once more, and repeatedly slapping his own armpits,Achyuta endued with great intelligence once more began to shout, standingon the terrace of the car. Beholding those tokens of delight that Kesavamanifested, Dhananjaya, O king, with heart in grief, addressed him,saying, ‘O slayer of Madhu, thou showest great joy at a time scarcely fitfor it, indeed on an occasion for sorrow caused by the death of Hidimva’sson. Our troops are flying away, beholding Ghatotkacha slain. We also arefilled with anxiety in consequence of the fall of Hidimva’s son. OJanardana, the cause must be very grave when at such a time thou feelestsuch joy. Therefore, O foremost of truthful men, asked by me, tell metruly (what that cause is). Indeed, if it be not a secret, it behoveththee, O chastiser of foes, to say it unto me. O slayer of Madhu, tell mewhat has removed thy gravity today. This act of thine, O Janardana, thislightness of heart, seems to me like the drying up of the ocean or thelocomotion of Meru.’

“Vasudeva said, Great is the joy I feel. Listen to me, Dhananjaya! Thisthat I will tell thee will immediately dispel thy sorrow and infusedelight into thy heart. O thou of great splendour, know, O Dhananjaya,that Karna, his dart being baffled through Ghatotkacha, is already slainin battle. The man does not exist in this world that could not staybefore Karna armed with that dart and looking like Kartikeya in battle.By good luck, his (natural) armour had been taken away. By good luck, hisearrings also had been taken away. By good luck, his infallible dart alsois now baffled, through Ghatotkacha. Clad in (natural) coat of mail anddecked with his (natural) ear-rings, Karna, who had his senses undercontrol, could singly vanquish the three worlds with the very gods.Neither Vasava, nor Varuna the lord of the waters, nor Yama, couldventure to approach him. Indeed, if that bull among men had his armourand ear-rings, neither thyself, bending the Gandiva, nor myself,uplifting my discus, called Sudarsana, could vanquish him in battle. Forthy good, Karna was divested of his ear-rings by Sakra with the help ofan illusion. Similarly was that subjugator of hostile towns deprived ofhis (natural) armour. Indeed, because Karna, cutting off his (natural)armour and his brilliant car-rings, gave them unto Sakra, it is for thathe came to be called Vaikartana. Karna now seems to me to be like anangry snake of virulent poison stupefied by power of incantation, or likea fire of mild flames. From that time, O mighty-armed one, when thehigh-souled Sakra gave that dart unto Karna in exchange for the latter’sear-rings, and celestial armour, that dart, viz., which has slainGhatotkacha, from that time, Vrisha, having obtained it, had alwaysregarded thee as slain in battle! But though deprived of that dart, Osinless one, I swear to thee that hero is still incapable of being slainby anybody else save thee. Devoted to Brahmanas, truthful in speech,engaged in penances, observant of vows, kind even unto foes, for thesereasons Karna is called Vrisha. Heroic in battle, possessed of mightyarms and with bow always uplifted, like the lion in the forest deprivingleaders of elephantine herds of their pride, Karna always deprives thegreatest car-warriors of their pride on the field of battle, andresembles the mid-day sun at whom none can gaze. Contending with all theillustrious and foremost of warriors of thy army, O tiger among men,Karna, while shooting his arrowy showers, looked like the autumnal sunwith his thousand rays. Indeed, incessantly shooting showers of shaftslike the clouds pouring torrents of rain at the end of summer, Karna islike a pouring cloud charged with celestial weapons. He is incapable ofbeing vanquished in battle by the gods, he would mangle them in such away that their flesh and blood would fall copiously on the field.Deprived, however, of his armour as also of his car-rings, O son ofPandu, and divested also of the dart given him by Vasava, Karna is nowlike a man (and no longer like a god). There win occur one opportunityfor his slaughter. When his car-wheels will sink in the earth, availingthyself of that opportunity, thou shouldst slay him in that distressfulsituation. I will make thee a sign beforehand. Warned by it, thoushouldst act. The vanquisher of Vala himself, that foremost of heroes,wielding his thunder, is incapable of slaying the invincible Karna whilethe latter stands weapon in hand. Indeed, O Arjuna, for thy good, withthe aid of diverse contrivances I have slain, one after another,Jarasandha and the illustrious ruler of the Chedis and the mighty-armedNishada of the name of Ekalavya. Other great Rakshasas having Hidimva andKirmira and Vaka for their foremost, as also Alayudha, that grinder ofhostile troops, and Ghatotkacha, that crusher of foes and warrior offierce deeds, have all been slain.'”