'"
SECTION CCC
"Karna said, 'As thou, O lord of splendour, knowest me for thy
worshipper, so also thou knowest that there is nothing which I cannot
give away in charity, O thou of fiery rays! Neither my wives, nor my
sons, nor my own self, nor my friends, are so dear to me as thou, on
account of the veneration I feel for thee, O lord of splendour! Thou
knowest, O maker of light, that high-souled persons bear a loving regard
for their dear worshippers. _Karna revereth me and is dear to me. He
knoweth no other deity in heaven_,--thinking this thou hast, O lord,
said unto me what is for my benefit. Yet, O thou of bright rays, again
do I beseech thee with bended head, again do I place myself in thy
hands. I will repeat the answer I have already given. It behoveth thee
to forgive me! Death itself is not fraught with such terrors for me as
untruth! As regards especially the Brahmanas, again, I do not hesitate
to yield up my life even for them! And, O divine one, respecting what
thou hast said unto me of Phalguna, the son of Pandu, let thy grief born
of thy anxiety of heart, O lord of splendour, be dispelled touching him
and myself; for I shall surely conquer Arjuna in battle! Thou knowest, O
deity, that I have great strength of weapons obtained from Jamadagnya
and the high-souled Drona. Permit me now, O foremost of celestials, to
observe my vow, so that unto him of the thunderbolt coming to beg of me,
I may give away even my life!'
"Surya said, 'If O son, thou givest away thy ear-rings to the wielder of
the thunder-bolt, O thou of mighty strength, thou shouldst also, for the
purpose of securing victory, speak unto him, saying,--_O thou of a
hundred sacrifices, I shall give thee ear-rings under a
condition_.
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