Chapter 45
“‘Karna continued, “Thou shouldst know all this, O Shalya. I shallhowever, again speak unto thee. Listen with close attention to what Isay. Once on a time a brahmana came to our house as a guest.
“‘Karna continued, “Thou shouldst know all this, O Shalya. I shallhowever, again speak unto thee. Listen with close attention to what Isay. Once on a time a brahmana came to our house as a guest.
“‘Shalya said, “These, O Karna, are ravings that thou utterest regardingthe foe. As regards myself without a 1,000 Karnas I am able to vanquishthe foe in battle.'”
“Sanjaya said, ‘That chastiser of foes, viz., the son of Radha, thussilencing the ruler of the Madras, once more addressed him, O monarch,saying these words, “In answer to that which,
“Sanjaya said, ‘The high-souled son of Adhiratha, having listenedunconvinced to these words of the ruler of the Madras, addressed Shalya,saying, “That which Vasudeva and Arjuna are is well-known to me.
“Sanjaya said, ‘Hearing, O sire, these words of Radha’s son who delightedin battle, Shalya once more addressed Karna, citing an example, “I amborn in the race of men who performed great sacrifices, who neverretreated from battle, who were kings whose coronal locks underwent thesacred bath.
“Sanjaya said, ‘Thus rebuked by Shalya of immeasurable energy, the son ofRadha, feeling the propriety of his rebuker’s name in consequence of hiswordy darts, and becoming filled with rage, answered him thus:
“‘Shalya said, “Do not, O Suta’s son, give away to any man a golden carwith six bulls of elephantine proportions. Thou wilt obtain a sight ofDhananjaya today.
“Sanjaya said ‘After Karna, gladdening thy army, had set out for battle,he spoke unto every Pandava soldier that he met with, even these words:”
“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding the mighty Karna take up his station fromdesire of battle, the Kauravas, filled with delight, uttered loud shoutsfrom every side.
“‘Duryodhana said, “This one, O Karna, will act as thy driver, this rulerof the Madras, who is superior to Krishna, like Matali the driver of thechief of the celestials.