By then, the Brahmins who were present there had also joined the fight to help Arjuna and Bhima. "We are with you," they yelled and hurled whatever they could lay their hands on at the Kshatriya princes.
In the ruckus, Karna also jumped in to protect his friends and challenged Arjuna, who was still in disguise. The latter picked up his bow and drew an arrow from his quiver. Armed with tridents, the remaining Brahmins stepped forward to defend Arjuna. But Arjuna reassured them that they needn't worry about him. He said he could single-handedly deal with the Kshatriyas and showered them with arrows.
He then turned toward Karna and shot an arrow at him. With some difficulty, Karna managed to escape. He realized that his opponent was no ordinary fighter. "Who are you?" he asked in astonishment. "No one but Arjuna possesses the ability to withstand my arrows. You have defeated me. By any chance, are you Indra or Lord Vishnu?"
"I am an ordinary Brahmin," replied Arjuna. "My archery skills are the result of my guru's blessings."
The bravery of the two men clad in Brahmin clothing forced the Kshatriya princes to change their opinion about them. "Defeating Karna and Shalya is not a routine occurrence," they thought.
As Arjuna and Bhima moved forward, the crowd of princes made way for them. Krishna stood up and addressed them: "This fight is futile because Draupadi's swayamvara has already been won."
A state of confusion arose among the princes. The Pandavas seized the opportunity and left the stadium along with Draupadi. The six of them then went to the potter's house.