When Arjuna had restrung his bow, he rose up like to a stricken and angry tiger held at bay, and cast a screen of arrows against his foe. But Karna feared him not, nor could Arjuna bear him down. The issue hung in the balance.... Then suddenly a wheel of Karna's chariot sank in the soft ground, nor could Salya urge the horses to advance. Karna cried out: “Pause now, O Arjuna, nor wage unequal war. It is not manly to attack a helpless enemy.” Arjuna paused; but Krishna spake quickly, saying: “O Karna, thou speakest truly; but was it manly to shoot arrows at Arjuna whilst he engaged himself restringing his bow? Was it manly to scoff at Draupadi when she was put to shame before elders and princes in the gambling hall? Was it manly of thee and six warriors to surround Abhimanyu so as to murder him without compassion?” When Arjuna heard his son's name, his heart burned with consuming wrath. Snatching from his quiver a crescent-bladed arrow, he drew his bow and shot it at Karna, whose head was immediately struck off. So fell in that dread combat a brother by a brother's hand. The Kauravas fled in terror when Karna was slain, and Kripa said unto Duryodhana: “Now that our greatest warriors are dead, it would be well to sue for peace.” Said Duryodhana: “After the wrongs I have done the Pandavas, how can I ask or expect mercy at their hands? Let the war go on till the end comes.” Salya was then chosen as the leader of the Kaurava army, which had greatly shrunken in numbers, and on the morning of the eighteenth day of the war the battle was waged with fury. But the Pandavas were irresistible, and when Duryodhana perceived that they were sweeping all before them, he fled away secretly, carrying his mace. He had power to hide under water as long as he desired, by reason of a mighty charm which had been conferred upon him by the demons; so he plunged into a lake and lay concealed below the waters. Salya was slain by Yudhishthira, and he fell like to a thunder-splintered rock. Sahadeva overthrew false Shakuni, the gambler, who had played against Yudhishthira with loaded dice, and Bhima cut down all Duryodhana's brethren who had survived until that last fateful day. Of all the Kaurava heroes there then remained alive only Aswa-thaman, son of Drona, Kripa, and Kritavarman, and the hidden Duryodhana. At length Bhima discovered where Duryodhana was concealed. Yudhishthira went to the lake side and urged him to come forth and fight. Said Duryodhana: “Take my kingdom now and have pleasure in it. Depart and leave me, for I must retire to the jungle and engage in meditation.” Yudhishthira said: “I cannot accept aught from thee except what is won in battle.” Said Duryodhana: “If you promise to fight one by one, I will come out of the water and slay you all.” Yudhishthira said: “Come forth, and the battle will be fought as thou dost desire. Now thou hast spoken as becomes a Kshatriya.”