For this, thou livest a moment. Before this, I made a
compact with thee that any disagreeable speeches thou mightest utter
would be pardoned by me. That compact should be observed. It is for this
that thou livest, O Madraka. Without a 1,000 Salyas I would vanquish my
foes. He that injureth a friend is sinful. It is for this that thou
livest for the present.'"
44
"'Shalya said, "These, O Karna, are ravings that thou utterest regarding
the foe. As regards myself without a 1,000 Karnas I am able to vanquish
the foe in battle.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Unto the ruler of Madras, of harsh features, who was
saying such disagreeable things unto Karna, the latter once more said
words that were twice bitter.
"'Karna said, "Listen with devoted attention to this, O ruler of the
Madras, that was heard by me while it was recited in the presence of
Dhritarashtra. In Dhritarashtra's abode the brahmanas used to narrate the
accounts of diverse delightful regions and many kings of ancient times. A
foremost one among brahmanas, venerable in years while reciting old
histories, said these words, blaming the Vahikas and Madrakas, 'One
should always avoid the Vahikas, those impure people that are out of the
pale of virtue, and that live away from the Himavat and the Ganga and
Sarasvati and Yamuna and Kurukshetra and the Sindhu and its five
tributary rivers. I remember from the days of my youth that a
slaughter-ground for kine and a space for storing intoxicating spirits
always distinguish the entrances of the abodes of the (Vahika) kings.
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