Karna Parva

After Dronacharya's exceedingly controversial, heart-rending end, deep grief and stunned disbelief spread through the entire Kaurava army; many warriors were not even willing to accept that the teacher who had cast aside his weapons and given up his life in meditation was no longer of this world.

Duryodhana, even amid this deep grief, understanding the inevitability of the coming battle, began quickly considering the choice of a new commander, and his gaze naturally fell upon Karna, who had long been waiting silently for this extraordinary responsibility.

Karna accepted his beloved friend Duryodhana's proposal with exceeding gravity and gratitude, and gave him firm assurance that, through his full valor, skill, and divine weapons, he would completely destroy the Pandava army and secure certain victory for him.

Throughout the Kaurava army, Karna's taking up of this command spread a fresh wave of enthusiasm and hope; many warriors believed that the moment had finally come when Karna would display his true, extraordinary valor before the entire world.

Thus, with Dronacharya's end, this terrible great war of the Mahabharata took a new, exceedingly decisive turn, in which the backdrop was now set for that long-awaited, fate-ordained duel between Karna and Arjuna.

Karna, in the midst of this new responsibility of his command, expressed before Duryodhana a special, exceedingly important wish — that just as Lord Krishna himself served as Arjuna's charioteer, so too should Shalya, king of Madra, serve as his own charioteer, for Shalya was uniquely skilled in the art of horsemanship.

Duryodhana, considering this wish of Karna's entirely proper, went to Shalya with the greatest humility and respect, and requested that he accept this weighty responsibility of being Karna's charioteer, saying that this would make Karna's power even more invincible.

Shalya, at first, feeling exceedingly insulted at being regarded as the charioteer of a suta's son, expressed great anger and objection to this proposal, reminding them that he was himself the emperor of a powerful kingdom, not fit to become anyone's charioteer.

Duryodhana, with great cleverness and patience, praising Shalya, explained to him that this task was not a matter of insult, but of supreme honor, and eventually Shalya agreed to accept this request — but with one special condition: that whatever words he spoke during the war, Karna would bear them without any objection.

Karna, understanding the gravity of this responsibility, gladly accepted even this unusual condition of Shalya's, without knowing how deep a mental anguish this condition would prove to be for him during the coming war.

While setting out toward the battlefield, and amid every stage of the war, Shalya, taking full advantage of that condition, began repeatedly reminding Karna of his caste, his being a suta's son, and his many past humiliations, saying that he could never stand before Arjuna.

Shalya, repeatedly extolling Arjuna's extraordinary valor, his divine weapons, and the glory of having Lord Krishna himself as his charioteer, tried continuously to strike a blow at Karna's confidence, hoping that this might perhaps turn Karna away from the war.

Karna, even while suppressing deep anger and pain within himself, continued to fully honor his given condition, and with great patience and restraint, enduring these harsh words of Shalya's, remained firm on his path of duty, believing that this too was an unavoidable part of his destiny.

Sometimes, exceedingly distressed, Karna would give Shalya a harsh reply in return, reminding him of his own extraordinary valor and his many past victories, but Shalya was not disturbed in the least by these words, and rather continued his mockery with even greater intensity.

Thus, Karna, enduring continuous mental anguish from his own charioteer, had to display his extraordinary valor on the battlefield — this was an extraordinary, solitary challenge that no other great warrior had to face.

With sunrise, the battlefield of Kurukshetra once again resounded with the sound of conches, the rumble of chariots, and the lion-roars of warriors; both armies stood arrayed facing each other, fully equipped for this seventeenth, exceedingly decisive day of the war.

Karna, on this first day of his new command, with great enthusiasm and confidence, leading the Kaurava army, launched a fierce, unprecedented attack on the Pandava army; his rain of arrows soon caused heavy destruction in many parts of the Pandava army.

Yudhishthira, Bhima, Nakula, Sahadeva, and many other great warriors advanced in various directions to face this extraordinary attack of Karna's, while Arjuna, being occupied with other parts of the Kaurava army, had not yet come directly before Karna.

In the midst of this, a fierce duel also broke out between Bhima and Dushasana; Bhima, remembering that terrible humiliation of Draupadi's, in which Dushasana had seized her by the hair and dragged her before the assembly, blazing with intense anger, advanced to finally fulfill his long-standing vow.

On this day, across the entire battlefield, many fierce, decisive duels were being fought simultaneously, and each side knew well that the events of this day would prove to deeply influence the final outcome of this great war.

This duel that began between Bhima and Dushasana soon took an exceedingly fierce, bloody form; both great warriors, first with arrows, then with maces, and finally, disarmed, fell upon each other with their full strength.

Bhima, using his extraordinary strength, destroyed Dushasana's chariot, bow, and armor in an instant, and finally, throwing him to the ground, remembering that terrible, long-standing vow of his, tore open his chest to drink his blood.

All the warriors present on the entire battlefield stood stunned to see this unprecedented, terrible act of Bhima's, but Bhima, remembering that terrible humiliation of Draupadi's, fulfilling his vow, declared that he had just tasted the most delicious drink in this world.

After this, Bhima, touching his hair with that very blood of Dushasana's, declared that Draupadi could now bind her hair once more, which she had kept loose ever since that terrible humiliation — this vow too was thus fulfilled.

Duryodhana and the entire Kaurava army sank into deep grief and fear at this exceedingly terrible, humiliating death of their beloved brother Dushasana; this event proved an exceedingly deep, ruinous blow to the Kaurava side's morale.

When this news reached Draupadi that Bhima had finally slain Dushasana, fulfilling that terrible vow of his, the deep burden of pain, humiliation, and waiting that had accumulated in her heart for years welled up in the form of tears.

Draupadi, who had kept her hair loose ever since that terrible incident of the disrobing, taking the vow that she would remain in this state until it was bound again with Dushasana's blood, now became witness, with exceedingly deep emotion, to the fulfillment of this long-standing vow.

A strange, mixed atmosphere of emotions arose in the Pandava camp at this news — on one hand there was the gravity of Dushasana's exceedingly terrible end, and on the other, there was also the deep satisfaction of vengeance for that injustice accumulated over the years.

Yudhishthira, though somewhat disturbed by the ferocity of Bhima's act, was nevertheless forced to admit that Dushasana had received this unavoidable fruit of his own terrible crime, and that Draupadi was now freed from this long-standing humiliation.

Thus, thirteen years after that terrible incident of the assembly hall's game of dice, Draupadi's vow, which had become renowned throughout the whole of India, was finally fulfilled, and this event was forever remembered as a firm symbol of dharma's final victory.

In another part of this same battlefield, Karna confronted Nakula, and an exceedingly intense, skillful duel began between the two; Karna soon, through his extraordinary skill, destroyed Nakula's chariot, bow, and armor, leaving him completely helpless.

Karna, bringing his sword to Nakula's throat, having thrown him to the ground, had obtained the opportunity to end Nakula's life in an instant, but he suddenly stayed his hand, remembering that secret promise he had given his mother Kunti.

Karna, affectionately touching Nakula's head, advised him to further hone his skills before fighting more capable warriors in the future, and, granting him his life, ordered him to return from there.

Nakula, exceedingly astonished and ashamed at this unexpected act of mercy, returned toward his camp, unable to understand why Karna, despite having such a certain opportunity, had granted him his life.

This incident was the first, direct proof of that secret promise Karna had given Kunti, in which he had vowed that, apart from Arjuna, he would not end the life of any of the remaining four Pandavas, whatever the circumstances on the battlefield.

On this same day, Karna also confronted Yudhishthira himself, and an exceedingly intense duel began between the two; Karna, through his extraordinary skill, soon completely defeated Yudhishthira, throwing him down from his chariot.

Karna, seeing Yudhishthira in this helpless state, mocked him in exceedingly harsh words, saying that though he was Dharmaraja, he was exceedingly weak in skill at war, and advised him to leave the battlefield and confine himself only to the reading of scriptures.

But after this, Karna too, remembering that same secret vow of his, restrained himself from ending Yudhishthira's life, and, merely touching him with the back of his bow, granted him his life, ordering him to leave from there.

Yudhishthira, experiencing deep shock and shame at this exceedingly humiliating defeat and Karna's harsh words, returned to his camp in an exceedingly distressed, wounded state of mind; his confidence had been shaken to its depths by this incident.

This incident, though it proved exceedingly humiliating for Yudhishthira, went on to give rise to a chain of events that would put even the relationship between Arjuna and Yudhishthira themselves to a deep test.

When Arjuna received news that Yudhishthira had returned to the camp, defeated and humiliated by Karna, he went hastily toward the camp, exceedingly worried, to learn of his elder brother's welfare, where Yudhishthira was resting.

Yudhishthira, in the excess of his pain and anger over this deep humiliation, upon seeing Arjuna, began leveling exceedingly harsh accusations at him, saying that if he possessed that unique Gandiva bow and Krishna himself as charioteer, why had Karna's end not yet come.

Arjuna, experiencing deep shock at this unexpected, exceedingly harsh accusation from his elder brother, recalled that old vow of his, in which he had promised that whoever doubted the capability of his Gandiva bow, he would slay at once.

Caught in this terrible, inner conflict, Arjuna raised his sword, and advanced to take the life of his own most revered, elder brother Yudhishthira — seeing this, everyone present in the entire camp stood stunned and terrified.

This was that exceedingly critical, heart-rending moment in which, on one hand, brotherly love, and on the other, the dignity of a given vow, were both clashing against each other — and to resolve this situation, Krishna himself had to intervene at once.

Krishna, at once understanding this exceedingly critical situation, came before Arjuna, and in an exceedingly calm but firm voice, reminded him that killing his elder brother would prove a far graver, unforgivable sin than any vow.

Krishna gave Arjuna this wondrous, subtle wisdom — that insulting someone in the harshest words is also considered equivalent to taking his life, and so Arjuna could fulfill his vow by speaking harsh words to Yudhishthira as well, without taking his life.

Arjuna, following this counsel of Krishna's, addressed Yudhishthira by his name, saying that if a younger person addresses an elder by his name, this too is considered an insult equivalent to killing him — thus he technically fulfilled his vow.

But immediately after this, Arjuna remembered his second vow, in which he had promised that whoever insulted him, he would slay — and so, as retribution for this insult, he took up his sword to take his own life.

Krishna, once again employing his exceedingly swift wisdom, explained to Arjuna that praising oneself is also considered equivalent to insulting oneself — and so Arjuna, praising his own qualities with an open voice, found a peaceful solution to this exceedingly critical crisis.

After this exceedingly critical crisis was resolved, Arjuna experienced deep remorse and shame over his momentary anger and the weapon he had raised against his elder brother; he presented himself before Yudhishthira with great humility to beg his forgiveness.

Yudhishthira, who himself was experiencing deep remorse over his own momentary anger and the improper, harsh words spoken to Arjuna, embraced Arjuna to his heart, affectionately forgave him, and assured him that his anger had been only the result of momentary despair.

Arjuna, after this, gave his elder brother the firm promise that he would now certainly confront Karna, and, defeating him at last, would bring a decisive end to this long-standing enmity, whatever the cost he might have to pay for it.

Krishna, seeing this affectionate, heartwarming reunion between these two brothers, was exceedingly pleased, and advised Arjuna to now focus his entire attention and strength on that final, decisive duel to come with Karna.

Thus, with this peaceful resolution of this exceedingly critical family crisis, Arjuna, with renewed firm resolve and clear purpose, set out once more toward the battlefield in search of Karna.

Finally, that long-awaited, fate-ordained moment arrived, when Arjuna and Karna, both great warriors, mounted on their respective chariots, came to stand facing each other at the center of the entire battlefield; the armies of both sides stood stunned, watching this unprecedented sight.

This duel that began between Karna and Arjuna proved one of the most magnificent, thrilling battles of this terrible great war of the Mahabharata; both great warriors began fully displaying their divine weapons and extraordinary skill.

Such a dense rain of arrows began that the entire sky seemed covered with arrows; both warriors continued to respond appropriately to each other's every weapon with unique skill, and for a long time, neither side could clearly gain the upper hand.

Krishna, as Arjuna's charioteer, exceedingly skillfully maneuvering the chariot, continued to make every effort to keep Arjuna alert and safe every moment, knowing well that Karna was an exceedingly extraordinary, powerful opponent.

In the midst of this, Shalya too continued to constantly encourage Karna, urging him to display his full valor, though his words still retained some of that old mockery.

In the midst of this fierce duel, Karna placed a very special, terrible arrow on his bow, in which a serpent named Ashwasena secretly resided — this was the very serpent whose mother Arjuna had burned to death during the burning of the Khandava forest, and who had long been waiting for an opportunity to avenge his mother's death.

Ashwasena, taking advantage of this opportunity, secretly suggested to Karna that this arrow would certainly bring about Arjuna's end, and Karna, unaware of this serpent's true identity, released this terrible arrow toward Arjuna with his full strength.

Krishna, through his divine sight, at once recognized the deep danger hidden within this arrow, and, employing exceedingly swift wisdom, pressed the chariot down into the ground somewhat with his foot, causing Arjuna's entire chariot to sink down for a moment.

Because of this unexpected event, that terrible arrow, instead of touching Arjuna's vital parts, only blew away his crown; thus Krishna's wondrous vigilance protected Arjuna's life.

Ashwasena, exceedingly disappointed by this failure, began begging Karna for one more opportunity, but Karna, believing that a true warrior does not use the same arrow twice, refused this serpent's request, and Ashwasena returned from there in disappointment.

As this fierce battle reached its peak, all the curses accumulated in Karna's life, which he had received unknowingly or by destiny, now began to bear fruit together — this was the moment whose shadow had always hung over Karna's entire life.

That curse of Guru Parashurama's, in which he had cursed Karna that at his most necessary moment he would completely forget his supreme knowledge of weapons, now began to reveal itself in this very final, decisive battle.

Along with this, that curse over the unintentional death of the innocent Brahmin's cow was also recalled, in which Karna had received the curse that, at the most decisive moment of battle, his chariot's wheel would sink into the earth, and he would find himself completely helpless.

Karna, though unaware of the effect of all these curses, began to deeply feel that in this war, through the influence of some unseen, unavoidable power, his entire skill and valor too were gradually abandoning him.

This was that exceedingly tragic moment, in which an extraordinary, great warrior, because of unknowing mistakes of his own past, was facing, at the hands of destiny, a helplessness from which no path of escape now remained.

At this very peak, exceedingly decisive moment of the war, that dreadful event finally occurred whose shadow had hung over Karna's life for years — one wheel of his chariot, suddenly, sank deep into the earth, and the chariot came to a complete, helpless standstill.

Karna, without panicking at this unexpected, critical situation, got down from his chariot, and, using his full strength, made every effort to pull that sunken wheel out of the earth, knowing well that this moment was exceedingly risky for him.

Arjuna, taking advantage of this opportunity, placed an arrow on his bow, ready to attack Karna, but Karna, in an exceedingly loud voice, reminded Arjuna of those ancient, established rules of war, according to which attacking an unarmed, helpless warrior is considered unrighteous.

Karna requested Arjuna to wait a few moments, until he had repaired this wheel of his chariot, reminding him that Kshatriya dharma always commands that, in such a helpless situation, a proper opportunity be given to the enemy.

Arjuna, torn for a moment by this request of Karna's, lowered his bow for a few moments, wondering whether it would be proper to follow these ancient rules of dharma even in this situation.

Krishna, seeing Arjuna's momentary hesitation, stepped forward to answer Karna in an exceedingly grave, intense voice, and asked Karna where this dharma and this rule of his had been when Draupadi was subjected to the attempt to strip her before the full assembly.

Krishna went on to remind him that when Abhimanyu, a lone, disarmed, teenage warrior surrounded within the Chakravyuha, was killed by six great warriors joining together, where had this rule of Kshatriya dharma vanished then — this question was exceedingly sharp and poignant.

Krishna also reminded him that when Yudhishthira's entire kingdom was seized through Shakuni's deceitful dice, and when the conspiracy was hatched to burn the Pandavas alive in the House of Lac, where were this very dharma and this very rule then — each of these questions pierced Karna's soul to its depths.

Krishna finally declared that when the path of dharma had been broken again and again, there now remained no justification for strictly following those same rules against this very extraordinary enemy, at this final, decisive moment, and he gave Arjuna the clear order to attack Karna.

Karna, unable to give any proper answer to these exceedingly sharp, truth-laden questions of Krishna's, fell silent, and once again engaged himself in the effort to free that sunken wheel of his chariot, knowing that no other path to protecting his life now remained.

After this clear order of Krishna's, Arjuna, in an exceedingly grave, resolute posture, placed his exceedingly powerful Anjalika weapon on his Gandiva bow — this was that very supreme, decisive arrow that was to determine the final, unalterable outcome of this war.

Karna, in the midst of this, was completely absorbed in his effort to free that wheel of his chariot from the earth, and, through the effect of Guru Parashurama's curse, at that moment had completely forgotten even his supreme Brahmastra knowledge, leaving him feeling extraordinarily helpless.

Arjuna, with exceeding firmness, released that Anjalika weapon toward Karna, and that exceedingly swift, terrible arrow, in an instant severing Karna's head from his body, announced the final, unalterable verdict of this long-standing, fate-ordained duel.

Karna's vast, valiant body fell to the earth, right beside his chariot, and this extraordinary son of the Sun-god's exceedingly tragic life-cycle, filled with deprivation, insult, and struggle from birth to end, finally came to an end on this very battlefield.

Throughout the entire Kaurava army, with this exceedingly unexpected, heart-rending end of Karna's, a wave of deep grief and fear swept through, which gave a clear sign that the direction of this great war had now turned irrevocably toward the Pandavas.

After this extraordinary, heart-rending end of Karna's, Shalya, amid exceedingly deep grief and fear, engaged himself in the effort to somehow safely withdraw the remaining Kaurava army from the battlefield; a deep despair spread throughout the entire Kaurava side.

Duryodhana, experiencing exceedingly deep grief and mental shock at the death of his most beloved friend and most trusted warrior Karna, began to feel that his chances of victory had now grown exceedingly slim, yet he decided to continue the war nonetheless.

In the Pandava camp, with this extraordinary victory, a deep satisfaction and new hope spread, though Yudhishthira was still unaware of Karna's final, tragic identity, which only Kunti, Krishna, and Karna himself knew.

Arjuna, even after this extraordinary, long-awaited victory, continued to experience, somewhere deep within, a strange, unclear pain, not knowing that the great warrior whose end he had just brought about was in truth his own eldest brother.

Thus the Karna Parva, beginning with the glory of his command, reaches its conclusion with Shalya's continuous mockery, the slaying of Dushasana, the fulfillment of Draupadi's vow, the peaceful resolution of a brotherly crisis, and finally Karna's exceedingly tragic, fate-ordained end. In the next parva, the Shalya Parva, the story of the final, decisive phase of this great war will be told.