Then the illustrious Arjuna beholding Karna,
the son of Vikartana (Surya), advancing towards him, drew his tough bow
and pieced him with his sharp arrows. And the impetus of those whetted
arrows furnished with fierce energy made Radheya (Karna) faint.
Recovering consciousness Karna attacked Arjuna with greater care than
before. Then Karna and Arjuna, both foremost of victorious warriors,
desirous of vanquishing each other, fought madly on. And such was the
lightness of hand they both displayed that (each enveloped by the other's
shower of arrows) they both became invisible (unto the spectators of their
encounter). 'Behold the strength of my arms.'--'Mark, how I have
counteracted that feat,'--those were the words--intelligible to heroes
alone--in which they addressed each other. And incensed at finding the
strength and energy of Arjuna's arms unequalled on the earth, Karna, the
son of Surya, fought with greater vigour. And parrying all those impetuous
arrows shot at him by Arjuna, Karna sent up a loud shout. And this feat of
his was applauded by all the warriors. Then addressing his antagonist,
Karna said, 'O thou foremost of Brahmanas, I am gratified to observe the
energy of thy arms that knoweth no relaxation in battle and thy weapons
themselves fit for achieving victory. Art thou the embodiment of the
science of weapons, or art thou Rama that best of Brahmanas, or Indra
himself, or Indra's younger brother Vishnu called also Achyuta, who for
disguising himself hath assumed the form of a Brahmana and mustering such
energy of arms fighteth with me? No other person except the husband
himself of Sachi or Kiriti, the son of Pandu, is capable of fighting with
me when I am angry on the field of battle.
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