An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s7.296.5

c5.s7.296.5

staying in the welkin, and Cakra and Sūrya with their hands gently brushed their faces. Karṇa aimed that arrow, born in Airāvata's race (i.e. the snake in the shape of an arrow), which he had long kept for Arjuna's destruction, and which lay singly in a golden quiver amid sandal dust; omens appeared, and the Lokapālas with Cakra raised loud wails. Karṇa did not know that the snake Aṣvasena had entered his arrow by the aid of his yoga powers. Śalya in vain exhorted Karṇa to take another arrow; Karṇa said: "Karṇa never aims an arrow twice; persons like us never become crooked warriors." Kṛṣṇa with his feet pressed Arjuna's chariot about a cubit into the earth, and the snake-arrow, failing to strike off Arjuna's head, broke his diadem (made by Svayambhū for Indra > Arjuna), incapable of being crushed by Rudra, etc. (ai'). Celestial flowers were showered upon Kṛṣṇa, etc. Aṣvasena appeared to Karṇa and asked him to shoot the same weapon again; Karṇa refused to avail himself of another's help or shoot the same shaft twice. Aṣvasena then, of his own accord, rushed on Arjuna in the shape of an arrow; Kṛṣṇa informed Arjuna that it was Aṣvasena, who, as an unborn child, was saved with his mother at Khāṇḍava. Arjuna cut the snake into pieces, and Kṛṣṇa with his arms raised the chariot from the earth.