before the sacrificial fire. Karna, thus addressed, with slightly quivering lips fetched a deep sigh and looked at the god of day in the skies. And even as a mad elephant riseth from an assemblage of lotuses, rose the mighty Duryodhana in wrath from among his brothers. And addressing that performer of dreadful deeds, Bhima-sena there present, the Kaurava said, 'O Vrikodara! it behoveth thee not to speak such words. Might is the cardinal virtue of a Kshatriya, and even a Kshatriya of inferior birth deserveth to be fought with. The lineage of heroes, like the sources of lordly rivers, is ever unknown. The fire that covereth the whole world riseth from the waters. The thunder that slayeth the Danavas was made of a bone of (a mortal named) Dadhichi. The illustrious deity Guha, who combines in his composition the portions of all the other deities, is of lineage unknown. Some call him the offspring of Agni; some, of Krittika; some, of Rudra; and some, of Gangā. It hath been heard by us that persons born in the Kshatriya order have before become Brahmanas. Viswamitra and others (born Kshatriyas) have obtained the eternal Brahma. The foremost of all wielders of weapons—the preceptor Drona—hath been born in a water-pot, and Kripa of the race of Gotama hath sprung from a clump of heath. Your own births, ye Pandava princes, are known to me. Can a she-deer bring forth a tiger (like Karna of the splendour of the Sun, and endued with every auspicious mark, and born also with a natural mail and ear-rings? This prince among men deserveth the sovereigaty of the world, not of Anga only, in consequence of the might of his arm and my disposition to obey him in everything. If there be anybody here to whom all that I have done unto Karna hath become intolerable, let him ascend his chariot and bend his bow with the help of his feet.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Then there arose a confused murmur amongst the spectators approving of Duryodhana's speech. The sun, however, went down, but prince Duryo-dhana taking Karna's hand led him out of the arena lighted with countless lamps. And, O king, the Pandavas also, accompanied by Drona and Kripa and Bhisma, returned to
