Karna’s valiant son Prasena fought with Bhima for half a ghatika, but in the end, he fell on the ground wounded with a Chandramukha arrow shot by Bhima. He writhed in pain and died.
I fought a raging battle with Karna’s son Vrishasena. But within a short time, I shot a lethal arrow leaving Vrishasena unconscious. Dushasana came forward swiftly and carried the unconscious warrior out of the battlefield.
Yudhishthira grudgingly seeking vengeance for his defeat again stood in front of Karna along with the selected troops of Dravidas and Nishadhas. But the maharathi fuming with anger due to his son’s death immediately slaughtered Yudhishthira’s chariot wheel guards Dandadhara and Chandradeva! Yudhishthira also tenaciously collided against his chariot. He overcast Karna’s chariot with his arrows but in an instant Karna overthrew his arrows.
As Karna’s arrows got unbearable Yudhishthira, Yuyutsu and I got into one chariot and fled from the battlefield. Yudhishthira shot a Suchi arrow that precisely hit a vital point near the right ear of Radheya, and he fell down, unconscious.
Yudhishthira had fled from the battlefield and sat still in his pavilion. As Arjuna was extremely worried about his safety he started missing his targets. He was not going to regain his composure until he was convinced about Yudhishthira’s safety. Krishnadeva gradually reduced the speed of Nandighosha and snuck Arjuna out of the battlefield. He brought the chariot in front of Yudhishthira’s pavilion. Hearing the sound of the chariot wheels Yudhishthira darted outside.
But when Arjuna told him with his head hanging low that he hadn’t met Karna on the battlefield yet, that Bhumiputra who was honoured by everyone as a composed and a calm person, lost his temper.
In a fit of fury Yudhishthira said to Arjuna, “Arjuna, why don’t you throw your Gandiva bow in the Suryakund on Kurukshetra?” As Arjuna whose blood was already boiling due to fighting on the battlefield heard his words, he raised his Gandiva bow and stormed towards his beloved eldest brother whom he had regarded like a father throughout his life.
Sometimes some occasions test the limits of man’s self-control. Yudhishthira and Arjuna faced such an occasion today.
Krishnadeva intervened between the two sons of Kunti. Arjuna made a solemn vow, ‘I will not return to the campsite until I kill Karna!’
Along with Vrishasena who had regained consciousness, Dushasana entered the turbulent ocean of the Kaurava army again like a torrent of water gushing in. Seeing him Bhima screamed stretching his broad jaw, “Wait, you scoundrel!” Infuriated Bhima pushed Vishoka aside and took the reins of the chariot in his own hands.
Violent Bhimsena caught up with Dushasana in no time while indiscriminately crushing Kaurava soldiers as well as his own soldiers under his chariot. As he was overcome by the unbearable feeling of revenge the son of Vayu let out thunderous laughter. ‘Dushasanaa, you scoundrel!’ Letting out an explosive scream that would have left even Death itself trembling he directly crashed into Dushasana’s chariot.
For about half a ghatika they were oblivious to lakhs of other warriors on the battlefield. Finally, Bhima struck Dushasana down with a powerful blow. He threw the mace in his hand. Running forward swiftly, the son of Vayu seized Dushasana’s right arm which was holding a mace, in the tight grip of both his hands. He pressed his heavy right foot on Dushasana’s muscular right armpit. The mace had already slipped from Dushasana’s hands.
Screaming wildly, “I am tossing into the sky this sinful arm of yours that dared to touch Draupadi’s sacred vesture!”, that incredibly mighty mace fighter wrenched out Dushasana’s arm from the shoulder blade with one swift jerk! He looked skywards as if possessed and whirled the blood-stained arm decorated with various ornaments before tossing it far away.
That did not satisfy the enraged Bhima! He picked up Dushasana’s mace that had slipped from his hands. He raised it high above his head and striking a powerful blow on whimpering Dushasana’s insolent chest he shattered it along with the iron armour on his body.
Dushasana let out a sky-shattering final scream and lay dead. Fountains of blood spurted out!
Bhimsena flung the mace far away and knelt on the ground. “Come, I dare you to stop me!” He screamed dreadfully addressing the Kaurava warriors such as Duryodhana, Shakuni, Kripa, Ashwatthama, and Karna standing around him at a distance.
He thrust his round, tiger-like face in the blood flowing from Dushasana’s chest and gulped his hot blood hastily! Everyone was horrified by that sight, including me!
Everyone covered their eyes! Many fainted. Only Krishnadeva descended from the Nandighosha chariot and controlled him. Now I came to realize why Krishnadeva refrained from appointing him as the Pandava commander. Krishnadeva himself wiped his blood-stained face with his blue shawl and sent him towards Draupadidevi’s pavilion to make her open hair with his hands covered in Dushasana’s blood as per his vow.
Now the battlefield was divided into two parts. On the north side were Bhima, Dhrishtadyumna, Sahadeva, Yudhishthira and I, fighting with Duryodhana’s brothers, Kripa and Saindhava, and on the south side were Nakula, Uttamauja and Arjuna who were targeting only Vrishasena from among the circle of Vrishasena, Ashwatthama, Shakuni and Duryodhana.
Karna had barely reached the circle surrounding Vrishasena after much effort to protect his son from the showers of Arjuna’s arrows! Just then Arjuna who was throwing challenges at Shakuni, Ashwatthama and Duryodhana shouted loudly, addressing Karna standing in front of him, “Son of a charioteer! Here I am killing your son Vrishasena in front of all of you, just like all of you killed my dear ‘Abhi’” and shot a Chandramukha arrow in such a way that the head of Vrishasena who was already pinned behind the fence of arrows around his chariot, instantly fell to the ground with a thud!
Karna got down from the Jaitra chariot, cuddled Vrishasena’s head for some time and let out a sky-shattering war cry ‘Charge…!’
The Kuru soldiers terrified of Arjuna’s prowess, and running everywhere stopped at once in their places. Reuniting the survivors of the Kuru army Karna was now approaching Arjuna’s Nandighosha chariot like the sea wind. The third prahar of the day had begun now.
Krishnadeva positioned the Nandighosha chariot at a strategic place where Shalya couldn’t bring Karna’s chariot in front of Arjuna without entering the marshland on the south. Proficient Shalya circled the fringe of the marshland for a long time to check if he could find at least a few feet of dry patch in the mud. Finally, he stopped as there was no other choice and said to Karna, “Radheya, today is not a good day to fight with Arjuna! It is risky to put the chariot in this marsh!”
Without uttering a word Karna pointed his finger and commanded Shalya to steer the chariot into the middle of the bog!
Now Arjuna’s Nandighosha and his Jaitra chariot stood face to face. Krishnadeva quickly got down and applied a thick layer of lubricant to all the wheels of the Nandighosha chariot.
Maddened soldiers from both armies completely tore off the half-broken garlands on their chariots and showered the flowers on their commanders while hailing them.
Krishnadeva blew his Panchjanya conch with much passion!
Raising their strong muscular arms smeared with sandalwood paste Krishna-Arjuna blew their Panchjanya and Devadutta conches from the bottom of their cores. Karna also wholeheartedly blew his Hiranyagarbha conch in the Jaitra chariot.
Silence prevailed for a moment, then at once they began shouting ear-splitting war slogans and started shooting arrows at each other! Their arrows were going at such speed in the sky that both the armies felt as if the sky full of stars was crashing down on them. Even I had not seen such a gripping war of arrows during the last sixteen days! Their battle was much more catastrophic than the battles of Bhishma, Drona and Abhimanyu. It was a hair-raising experience for everyone.
They were shooting hundreds and thousands of Kapisha arrows in the sky making them shower on their rival like the downpour of Mriga. They shot white, lightning-like zigzag Jidma arrows targeting troop leaders of the rival army
, thus weakening their adversary. The soldiers were utterly bewildered as they couldn’t figure out where the arrows were coming from.
Now the bog around the chariot started to thicken. To inspire and encourage their respective commanders, soldiers nearby began hailing their names continuously. Their intensifying, victorious, sky-piercing peals overpowered other sounds. For one ghatika, they vehemently showered each other with arrows. Warm blood started trickling from the wounds on their open arms. They had no time to think about it! A much-agitated Karna had now just forgotten that their blood had delicate familial ties.
Both of them now prepared themselves to attack their rival with the divine astras that they had laboriously obtained by putting their lives on the line. Even if rajmata Kuntidevi, who had given them birth, would have been present on the battlefield, it would have been difficult for her to accept that they were brothers. Both of them were standing at the opposing poles of life now. Each yearned for only one objective – the lifeless body of his rival! Each was athirst only for that! They had forgotten themselves completely!
Karna drew a divine Sarpamukha arrow from his quiver to shoot it at Arjuna! Unbeknownst to him it was charged by a Shakti of a serpent! Targeting Arjuna’s throat Karna intoned a mantra and shot the lethal arrow! Arjuna had no clue at all that an arrow was coming at his throat at the speed of wind. Krishnadeva quickly jerked the reins, making all five horses fold their legs and sit down. The deadly arrow barely missed Arjuna’s throat! As the chariot tilted forward that swiftly moving lethal arrow hit his crown, flinging it away. The headgear under the crown also rolled away and fell in the chariot. Arjuna heaved a big sigh of relief! His black, curly hair were set free. Krishnadeva smiled at him.
Arjuna untied the white shawl around his waist and promptly wrapped it around his thick hair. The challenge of destiny was now getting more and more aggressive.
Arjuna showered arrows and confined Karna’s charioteer Shalya in one place like a caged hawk! The dexterous charioteer could no longer make a move! The Jaitra chariot was grounded in one place now.
Karna’s arrows were flying over Krishnadeva’s crown. During the course of the fierce battle he did not shoot a single arrow at Krishnadeva even by mistake.
Agitated Arjuna determinedly began intoning the mantras of Aagneyastra – Astra of Fire. An incredibly divine glow emanated from his face. Countless fire-spitting Agnibana arrows shot from Arjuna’s Gandiva bow whizzed across over Krishnadeva’s head. Fearing that the entire firmament had transformed into a yajna pit Kaurava soldiers fled everywhere. Arjuna’s arrows rained fire.
To render Arjuna’s fire-spitting arrows ineffective Karna knelt down, closed his eyes and intoned the divine mantras of Varunastra – Astra of Rain. All the water of the oblations he had offered through his cupped hands all his life came to his assistance now in the form of rain accompanied by black clouds and the unrestrained Tandava dance of lightning. By that water the munificent Karna unknowingly had given the gift of life to the half-dead soldiers.
But he was unaware that due to his own Varunastra the marsh around the wheels of his chariot was thickening!
To blow away the clouds of Karna’s Varunastra Arjuna skilfully invoked his Vayavyastra – Astra of Wind. Blustery winds blowing with blinding speed dissipated the cluttering clouds. Kurukshetra basked in the glow of the sunrays again. Rapturous Arjuna let out victorious cries and intoning the mantras of the Vajrastra he hurled the Astra at Karna who shot many sharp weapons at the same time. Karna who was not at all disturbed by that, countered it with the Bhargavastra that he had obtained on Mount Mahendra. He also tenaciously countered the celestial, all-consuming Brahmastra that Arjuna launched. Both of them hurled all kinds of weapons at each other – Pinaka, Paasha, Tomara, Bhindipala, Chakra, Trishula and many more. Neither of them seemed tired. No conclusion of the battle was in sight. The third prahar of the day had ended now and the sun had begun its descent in the west.
Nishita, Naracha, Jidma, Sannatparva, Kankapunkha, Bastika, Rukmapunkha, Kshura and countless such arrows were lying scattered in heaps all over the battlefield. Countless warriors had died as the result of the fusillade of their celestial weapons though they had never wished that to happen. Neither one retreated. Even the land of Kurukshetra couldn’t bear to watch this battle that was even more gruesome than the battle of the last sixteen days.
Ultimately, Karna shot the Atharvana Astra at Arjun that he had laboriously obtained from Parashurama on Mount Mahendra. Krishnadeva swiftly turned the horses in a full circle to evade the Astra. The Atharvana Astra missed its target.
As Shalya saw the Nandighosha chariot approaching his chariot backwards, biting his lips he tried to steer the chariot. He tried to motivate his horses shouting loudly and swiftly flicking the reins on their backs. The horses dug their hooves in and with all their might tried to turn the chariot around. But the Jaitra chariot did not move – even an iota of an inch. It was stuck now.
The chariot that had remained in the bog for about one ghatika was rooted in the ground as the heat of the sun had thickened the bog around its wheels. The left wheel of his chariot was stuck in the ground.
Arjuna’s Nandighosha chariot started circling his chariot. Karna was still hurling arrows.
“Oh, king of Anga, the chariot is not moving. The left wheel is stuck in the ground!” Shalya shouted in fear.
“King of Madra, don’t worry! I will pull the chariot wheel out!” He descended from his chariot in one leap, with the quiver on his back and the Vijaya bow in his hands, with which he was continuously shooting the arrows.
He thrust his right hand and held a strong spoke of the left wheel and used all his strength to pull it out. The wheel did not budge.
Seeing the bow in Karna’s hands Arjuna was still shooting arrows. Those arrows pierced his bare arms. He sat down and thrust his bow in the ground as far as he could and made it stand firmly. Now he assumed the shooting posture in a sitting position.
Due to one scathing arrow shot by him with one hand Arjuna became unconscious. Seeing that, he determinedly put down his Vijaya bow for a moment. Using both his hands he was now struggling with all his might to pull the wheel out. The wheel did not give way at all.
Krishnadeva held the wooden tube with medicinal herbs near Arjuna’s nose. He revived in an instant and stood up.
But seeing Karna unarmed Arjuna also lowered his Gandiva bow!
Krishnadeva pointed his right forefinger towards the volcano that was struggling to release the chariot wheel and said to Arjuna, “Arjuna, pick up a crescent moon-shaped Anjalika arrow!”
“But – he is unarmed, and standing on the ground! I am in my chariot!” Arjuna hesitated. He was confused again!
“Arjuna, this is an order.” Krishnadeva’s voice was harsh and sharp.
Obedient Arjuna swiftly pulled an Anjalika arrow from the quiver and twanged the bow string once to test its tautness.
Hearing even that faint sound Karna turned his eyes, focused on the chariot wheel, towards Nandighosha. Seeing Arjuna prepare his bow to shoot he shouted –
“Wait Arjuna! I am unarmed, standing on the ground! It is against the rules of engagement to attack an unarmed opponent on foot. You are valiant, a Kshatriya!” Meanwhile he must have tried his best to recall the mantras of the Brahmastra that he had obtained on Mount Mahendra. No matter how hard he tried he was unable to do so.
“Dharma, Radheya, do you even know what Dharma is? Son of a charioteer, where was this sacred Dharma of yours when you called Panchali a prostitute in the crowded ancient hall of Kurus? Why didn’t your Dharma object to hearing the news of the Pandavas being burnt to ashes in the lacquer house? Son of a charioteer, when the six of you besieged the sixteen-year-old boy Abhimanyu, why didn’t you recall the same Dharma then that you mention now? Son of Radha, where was your Dharma then? Arjuna, take aim!” Krishnadeva pointed his forefinger straight at Karna’s throat!
The Anjalika arrow zoomed from Arjuna’s bow, sliced through the
iron armour covering his thick neck and embedded itself in his throat piercing it half way! That maharathi slid in the mud besides the chariot wheel!
As soon as Karna collapsed Krishnadeva blew his conch to indicate the end of the day’s battle. The sun set witnessing Karna and his divine conch Hiranyagarbha lying in the slush of flesh and blood. The battle ended.
While I was getting out of my war costume Krishnadeva’s attendant came. He had immediately summoned me. Dressed in plain clothing I presented myself in his service. He had just returned after meeting munificent Karna who had fallen on the battlefield a short while ago. Just as grandsire Bhishma had told Krishnadeva why he was waiting for the sun to begin its journey towards the summer solstice in front of all of us, Karna, the king of Anga also told something in Krishnadeva’s ears in a low voice. Only both of them knew what it was.
As I approached Krishnadeva he said, “Sakha Satyaki, come with me.” I followed him silently. We came to the place where Karna’s lifeless body lying on the holy land of Kurukshetra was being guarded by armed soldiers of the Anga kingdom. His most favourite horse of his Jaitra chariot – white-coloured Vayujita stood nearby looking at his master’s body. The circle of soldiers around him moved away on Krishnadeva’s signal. As Krishnadeva gestured I moved forward. Both of us picked up Karna’s tall golden complexioned body that looked as if it was in a state of slumber and put it horizontally on Vayujita’s back.
Krishnadeva said to me, “It was the final wish of the generous king of Anga, Karna, that I should be the one to light his funeral pyre on a virgin piece of land! I am going to light his funeral pyre on the huge boulder on the summit of this hill – with my own hands, only me! You wait here at the base till I return!” He had already made arrangements to send sandalwood logs on the hill through his attendants.
For the first time, today Krishnadeva himself was going to perform the final rites of a fallen warrior, a son of a charioteer, that too, on a virgin piece of land? I just couldn’t fathom what was happening.
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 91
