Sanjaya said, “Then when the blare of conchs and the peal of drums becamevery loud, those two foremost of men, both owning white steeds, thesuta’s son Vikartana and Arjuna, encountered each other in consequence, Oking, of thy son’s evil policy.
“Yudhishthira said, ‘After the Rishi had disappeared, what did the kingdo and what also did highly-blessed spouse do? Tell me this, O grandsire!’
“Bhishma said, ‘The king, having entered that large forest, came upon anasylum of ascetics.
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘How, indeed, did that battle take place when atdead of night Vikartana’s son, Karna, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkachaencountered each other?
“Vaisampayana said, ‘Rejected thus by the princess, Kichaka, afflictedwith maddening lust and forgetting all sense of propriety, addressedSudeshna saying, ‘Do thou, Kekaya’s daughter, so act that thy Sairindhrimay come into my arms.
“Yudhishthira said,–‘Desirous of the imperial dignity but acting fromselfish motives and relying upon courage alone, how, O Krishna, can Idespatch ye (unto Jarasandha)? Both Bhima and Arjuna, I regard as myeyes, and thee, O Janardana as my mind.
“Sanjaya said, ‘Meanwhile the welkin, filled with gods and Nagas andAsuras and Siddhas and Yakshas and with large bands of Gandharvas andRakshasas, and Asuras and regenerate Rishis and royal sages and birds ofexcellent feathers, assumed a wonderful aspect.
“Yudhishthira said, ‘O thou of great wisdom, a doubt I have that is verygreat and that is as vast as the ocean itself.
“Bhishma said, ‘Then that best of Rishis, viz., the regenerate Rishabha,sitting in the midst of all those Rishis, smiled a little and said thesewords:
“Sanjaya said, ‘During the progress of that battle between Karna and theRakshasa, the valiant Alayudha, that prince of Rakshasa, appeared (on thefield).
