The soldiers of both sides
were as members of that assembly and became the spectators of that game.
Indeed, as regards the parties engaged in that game of battle, either
victory or defeat was certain. Those two then, Karna and Arjuna, for
victory or the reverse, began the match between ourselves and the
Pandavas both standing on the field of battle. Skilled in fight, the two
heroes, O monarch, in that encounter, became highly enraged with each
other and wished to slay each other. Desiring to take each other's life,
like Indra and Vritra, O lord, they faced each other like two mighty
comets of terrible form. Then in the sky, differences and disputes,
accompanied with revilings, arose among the creatures there, O bull of
Bharata's race, on the subject of Karna and Arjuna. All the inhabitants
of the world, O sire, were heard to differ amongst themselves. The gods,
the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Pishacas, the Snakes, the Rakshasas,
adopted opposite sides in that encounter between Karna and Arjuna. The
welkin, O monarch, with all the stars, became anxious on Karna's account,
while the wide earth became so on Partha's account, like the mother for
her son. The rivers, the seas, the mountains, O best of men, the trees,
the deciduous plants and herbs, took the side of the diadem-decked
Arjuna. The Asuras, Yatudhanas, the Guhyakas, O scorcher of foes, and
ravens and other rangers of the sky, sided with Karna. All the gems and
precious jewels, the four Vedas with the histories as the fifth, the
Upavedas, the Upanishads, with all their mysteries, and the compilations,
and Vasuki, and Citrasena, and Takshaka, and Upatakshaka, and all the
mountains, and all the offspring of Kadru with their children, all the
great snakes endued with poison, and the Nagas, took the side of Arjuna.
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