17. Those eighteen days – Karna dies – Destiny determines situations – not decisions – Mahabharata wisdom

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This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Hare Krishna. Welcome back to the narration of those 18 days. Today we are on the penultimate day, day 17 and today we discuss about the traumatic as well as puzzling fall of Karna.
Karna was the arch rival of Arjuna and Karna was the person in whom Duryodhana’s confidence lay the most because he believed that Karna shared his animosity toward the Pandavas and from the 11th day onward when Karna entered into the battlefield, everybody knew that practically the decisive battle in the war would be between Karna and Arjuna and although they confronted each other on many occasions, they somehow were not like in a head-to-head confrontation for very long, brief skirmishes. On the 16th day while Arjuna was engaged elsewhere, Karna wrecked havoc. On the 17th day, he also defeated and humiliated Yudhishthira and then finally the confrontation of Karna with Arjuna came about.
So as both of them approached each other, Karna turned toward his charioteer Shalya and asked him. Now Shalya was himself a powerful warrior. He was a maharathi and he was also the elder relative of the Pandavas.
On Karna’s special request to Duryodhana, Shalya had been designated as Karna’s charioteer and Karna turned to Shalya and asked him, what if Karna, what if I am killed today? He said, I will march against the Kauravas and the Pandavas and try to destroy them or I will meet him with the most death. Arjuna turned to Krishna on the other side and asked Krishna, O Keshava, if today Karna kills me, what will you do? Krishna replied in a thunderous voice, O Partha, the sun may fall down, the earth may shatter into a thousand pieces, water may stop flowing, but Karna will never be able to kill me. If somehow Karna does kill you, then the world’s destruction will be at hand.
Karna, Shalya and the entire Kshatriya army will be destroyed by me. Hearing Krishna’s words, Arjuna felt enlivened. O Krishna, there is no doubt that I will be able to defeat Karna today.
My greatest strength is that I have you by my side. With your guidance, I can defeat anyone. As the two warriors started contending against each other, they had a long history that flashed back in front of their eyes as they remembered the many occasions when they had contended or partially contended with each other.
This was the battle that Karna had been waiting for. The first time Karna had seen Arjuna being lauded, praised, cheered in the martial exhibition in Dronacharya’s Gurukul at the end of their education. Karna’s heart had burnt with envy.
Why is Arjuna getting all this praise? I am as good if not a better archer. He had barged into that martial exhibition which was meant for Drona’s students. He said, can I exhibit my skills? I can exceed everything that Partha has done.
Hearing that proclamation, angered Arjuna grabbed his bow in long for an opportunity to crush the arrogance of this stranger. At that time, Karna exhibited his full archery skills and he equalled everything that Arjuna did, but he couldn’t exceed it. Then he asked, can I have a duel with him? At that time, because he was not a Kshatriya, he was not allowed to duel.
Then Duryodhana gave him a kingdom, the Anga kingdom. He felt very indebted and that became the start of a friendship that would eventually be extremely costly for him. It would cost him his morals, it would cost him his family and ultimately cost him his life.
But at that time, he didn’t see the cost, he saw the gains and he gratefully accepted Duryodhana’s offering of the kingdom and of his friendship. And then again, they were going to fight, but the sun set at that time, so the duel didn’t happen. So that was like an engagement that was a draw between them.
Then again, Karna and Karna, they never really fought one-to-one for a long time. But another encounter was in Drupada’s daughter, Draupadi Swayamvar. Arjuna was dressed as a Brahmin and the Kshatriyas attacked Arjuna thinking that this Brahmana is stealing the princess who is meant for us.
At that time, Karna attacked Arjuna and both of them fought, but Karna was not able to get an upper hand. So again, it was a draw at that time. If you had to score, it was 0-0.
It was on both occasions. Now, prior to that, the Drupadas are, after Drona’s Gurukul education got over, Drona asked that Krishna, Drona asked his students to defeat Drupada and bring him as a prisoner in front of So, the Kauravas rushed forward with Karna by their side and they were all defeated by Drupada. And then the Pandavas went and the Pandavas defeated Drupada.
So, we could say this indirectly, Arjuna proved his superiority over Karna. Arjuna defeated the one who had defeated Karna. That was 1-0.
Then again, in the battlefield, when the Pandavas were in exile at that time, Duryodhana and Karna and others were attacked by the Gandharvas. So, the Gandharvas defeated Karna and Karna fled to save his life. Duryodhana was arrested and at Yudhishthira’s request, Arjuna and Bheema came to help release Duryodhana.
So, Arjuna defeated the same Gandharva who had defeated Karna. That was 2-0. Then again, we could say this was not a direct battle.
Yes, there had been a direct battle also. That was at Virat. It was not just a direct battle between Karna and Arjuna.
It was Arjuna fighting against the entire galaxy of Kaurava heroes. And Arjuna defeated all of them. Karna tried to attack Arjuna twice and both occasions he was defeated.
So, some people say that Karna was much stronger than Arjuna and Arjuna had to resort to unfair means to defeat him. Well, that doesn’t match with the history of the Mahabharata. Thrice Arjuna defeated Karna and never had Karna defeated Arjuna.
So, now they fought fiercely. As they approached each other from both sides, warriors came to support them. So, Duryodhana tried to bring as many warriors to intervene in Arjuna’s path so that Arjuna would get distracted and exhausted.
And then by the time he faced Karna, his energy would be lowered. Arjuna fiercely and forcefully shot such arrows at all the people assisting, people obstructing him and assisting Karna that they all fell back. And soon it became a battle between these two great archers.
They matched each arrow and the other person sent. And as the battle went on and on and on, that time as Arjuna had been approaching Vishyasena, one of the sons of Karna was attacking Bhima. Bhima had been defending the Pandava army and trying to attack the Kaurava army.
And then Vishyasena turned towards Arjuna. Nakula came to assist Arjuna. So, Vishyasena attacked Nakula.
And Nakula got wounded and Vishyasena started roaring in joy. And Bhima said, I can kill Vishyasena right now but I will leave him for you. As Karna was fighting with other warriors and also watching right in front of Karna’s eyes, Arjuna remembered how Karna had killed Arjuna.
Arjuna shot arrows at Vishyasena. Vishyasena fought fiercely but it was just no match for Arjuna. And right in front of Karna’s eyes, his son was killed.
Karna cried in lamentation and then with fury he attacked Arjuna. As the fight became more and more in dead earnest, sometimes it seemed that Arjuna had the upper hand, sometimes it seemed that Karna was on the ascendant. But the battle went on and on.
Such was the force of the battle that all the other warriors fell back. The Kaurava army had been depleted to a very small fragment of what it had started with. Of course, the Pandava army had been also killed.
There were warriors still fighting but as both of them started using celestial weapons, those warriors fell back. Initially, Karna used his Bharga Vastra and the Astra came with such force. It destroyed hundreds and thousands of warriors and soldiers on the Pandava side.
And seeing this destruction, Bhima yelled, Bhima called out to Arjuna and said, Oh Partha, how have you allowed such destruction to happen? Remember Abhimanyu’s death, remember Draupadi’s incident and crush this son of a soldier. Arjuna was also chided by Krishna. He said, why are you letting Karna get the upper hand? This is not the time for weakness.
You summon all the strength that you acquired by your archery expertise, by your austerities, by your acquisition of celestial weapons and use it all to defeat Karna. Arjuna at that time invoked the Brahmastra and it destroyed vast amounts of forces supporting Karna and they called out to Karna, those who survived, please save us from Kunti’s son. In a sense, seeing the destruction of the Kaurava forces, Karna shot fiercely at it and as they started fighting forcefully, soon everybody fell back and started watching.
So, whereas celestials had always been watching from overhead, now others also started watching on the battlefield itself. Niteshthira had been wounded earlier by Karna, but he returned and seeing him return, everybody cheered on the Pandava side that he was healthy and recovered. So, he also gathered and started watching.
Everybody was astounded to see the skill of these two warriors. As they kept fighting, Karna realized that with simply a skill of archery, he would not win. He started thinking of the various celestial weapons that he had, which one could he use? He thought that if he could shoot a series of arrows at Arjuna and stun him, and then use a celestial weapon, then Arjuna would be too overwhelmed to counter that weapon and he might kill him.
So, thinking thus, he shot a series of arrows at Arjuna so fast and so forceful that they pierced into Arjuna’s armor and Arjuna fell back, stunned. At that time, Karna thought of the Naga-astra. Actually, there was a Naga named Ashwasen, the son of Takshak, that is the snake bird who eventually bites and kills Parichit Maharaj.
So, this Ashwasen, he remembered how some of his family members, his mother and brother had been killed by Arjuna while the Khandava forest had been burned. With that enmity in mind, he had been looking for an opportunity to kill Arjuna. So, he entered into the Naga-astra, which Karna was about to shoot and as Karna thought about the Naga-astra and looked behind, it seemed as if the Naga-astra seemed to leap out of his quiver and come into his hands and he shot it.
As that sped through the sky, it seemed to rip the whole firmament apart. It was like a blazing bolt of death. The on-going warrior, the observing warriors and the observing celestials gasped in amazement and fear.
Arjuna, meanwhile, was too stunned to do anything and Shalya, knowing Karna’s intention, told him to shoot the arrow at Arjuna’s chest. The idea is that if you shoot at the chest, if the arrow goes slightly off target, still it can hit the neck. If it goes above off target and if it goes below off target, it can hit the belly and both can still be fatal.
But Karna didn’t just want to win, he wanted to win with class. There is a certain class in, say, knocking off the head and having the head fly away and it is like a smashing victory. It’s like a batsman who wants to win a match but he doesn’t want to win the match by simply taking a single, but he wants to hit a smashing sixer.
So Karna shot an arrow at Arjuna’s neck, disregarding Shalya’s advice and Krishna recognized the danger that his devotee was and Krishna suddenly put his foot forcefully down on the chariot and on the chariot side, the foot rest and he put his foot down so forcefully that chariot sank into the ground and along with that Arjuna’s level lowered and the arrow that was meant to take off his head took off his diet at this ground and everybody celebrated and lauded knowing that Krishna had saved Arjuna’s life. Arjuna recovered and at that time Ashwasen went back to Karna and said, use me and you will be able to destroy Karna. You will be able to destroy Arjuna.
I am Ashwasen. So Karna said, no, I will never use the same arrow again nor will I depend on anyone else’s power for killing Karna. Go wherever you want for killing Arjuna.
Go wherever you want. So Ashwasen decided to himself charge towards Arjuna but Krishna had alerted Arjuna now about the particular weapon and also Arjuna had recovered from the wounds inflicted by Karna and he shot several forceful arrows in succession and ripped the snake weapon apart as Karna kept fighting again and again shooting arrows. Arjuna slowly but surely seemed to be getting the upper hand.
Karna started feeling, he started despairing. What to do? He started thinking that maybe I should summon the Bhargavastra. Just some time ago he had invoked it and it would make havoc.
Now it could annihilate the Pandavas army and as he tried to remember the mantras for the Bhargavastra, those mantras wouldn’t come to his mind. He tried again and again but those mantras just didn’t come and he remembered how he had been cursed by his preceptor Parshuram. Karna had pretended to be a Brahmana while taking instruction from Parshuram and when Parshuram had come to know that he was actually a Kshatriya, he said whatever you have learned at the time when you need it the most, you will forget it.
He realized that his preceptor’s words were coming true. In despair and anger, he started cursing destiny for thwarting him. At that time he saw a ghostly looking dark form hovering near him.
He recognized it to be called a time personified and that form said to Karna, see your chariot is sinking into the ground. He looked and saw that, looked down and saw the wheel was going deep into the ground. Kshalya was moving his chariot desperately but he just couldn’t get it out.
As he observed, he tried to, he tried to keep fighting but a immobile chariot was a disadvantage. So he got off his chariot and he tried to pull it out. Now before that also, why was Karna despairing? Because Karna had been fighting but Arjuna shot arrows with such force and fury that Karna was overcome.
He was wounded and he was shaken. At that time, with his armor pierced, his body bleeding, with his bow broken, with he not in his proper senses, seeing him like that, Arjuna lowered his bow, waiting for Karna to recover. Krishna told Arjuna, why are you making such a mistake? He is a brutal enemy.
He did not wait earlier while shooting the snake weapon toward you. Do not lose this opportunity to end the life of this wicked son of Suta. Hearing Arjuna’s, hearing those words, Arjuna started shooting his arrows and Karna realizing the danger he was in somehow kept fighting back but that’s how he was despairing and now his despair started increasing or he felt that fate was conspiring against him.
He got off his chariot and he tried to pull, pull the, pull the chariot wheel out. He couldn’t. Then he quickly jumped back on his chariot and started shooting again.
He shot the Agni Astra and it started wreaking havoc in the Kaurava Pandava camp. Arjuna shot the Varunastra and countered that. Karna wanting to gain some time, he shot arrows in such succession that they stunned Arjuna and then he broke Arjuna’s bow but with lightning speed Arjuna strung another bow.
Now this takes time. You take a bow and then string it and be ready to fight. Arjuna strung the bow.
Karna broke it again. Arjuna strung another bow. Karna broke it again and this happened 12 times.
Karna was stunned to see the speed with which Arjuna was stringing his bow and getting himself to fight. Nothing that he was doing seemed to be working. Again he tried to shoot a series of arrows to stun Arjuna and then he left off his chariot.
Again as he tried to pull his chariot up, it couldn’t come up. So Arjuna lowered his bow. At that time Karna turned toward Arjuna and he said, oh Arjuna, do not entertain the thoughts cherished by cowards.
Remember the codes of virtue and wait till I am ready to fight. At that time Krishna replied, oh Karna, fortunate indeed it is that today you remember the codes of virtue. Was it virtue that impelled you to kill Abhimanyu along single-handed and defenseless, chariotless and weaponless, armorless and friendless while you attacked him together with five other warriors? Did virtue not enter your mind when you saw Draupadi being dragged into the assembly? Was it virtue that made you suggest that let Draupadi be disrobed? Was it with virtue in mind that you told Draupadi, now find another husband? Where was your virtue when you conspired to have the Pandavas burned in the house of Lakh at Varanagar? Was it virtue by which you joined with Shakuni laughing as you cheated Yudhishthira of his kingdom? Did you never consider virtue when Yudhishthira and the Pandavas after living dutifully in exile for 13 years asked for their rightful share of the kingdom and you scornfully rejected? If it was virtue at all those times then Arjuna will summon that same virtue today.
Karna had also in his earlier speech blamed destiny. He said it is my misfortune that because of destiny I am put in this helpless situation. Wait till I’m ready to fight.
Krishna replied addressing that point he said that people often blame fate for their difficulties without remembering the wrongs that they have done themselves. So this is a critical point. Often Karna is seen as a greatly wronged hero.
He he was subjected to unfairness in life right from the beginning. He was born in a Kshatriya family but he was not given the honor of a Kshatriya because his mother sent him away and then throughout his life he never really got the honor that he wanted. He faced so many unfair difficulties and the Pandavas also suffered unfair difficulties.
Although they were born in Kshatriya family their father died when they were young and they were persecuted by their own cousin while their uncle who was supposed to be like the surrogate father watched on passively while his own son tried to kill the Pandavas. So what was what wrong had the Pandavas done to deserve it? Bad things happen to everyone in the world. But the point is not that destiny gives us bad situations is that happens to everyone.
Some people more some people less but it is that only bad decisions also. So Karna was brought to this situation not by by an evil destiny but by his own evil decisions. His decision to not only side with Duryodhana but to stick with Duryodhana even when that person started doing horrendously evil things.
Even if Karna had some virtue he lost it because of his attachment to Duryodhana. He not only participated with but instigated Duryodhana to some of his most heinous actions. The idea of disrobing Draupadi was suggested by Karna just to please Duryodhana.
Thus while he is a wrong hero in some ways he is also a wrong hero. There is something heroic about him but there is also something villainous about him. He supported a villain and he himself became villainous in some ways in that association.
So there are there are categorical ethics and there are contextual ethics. Categorical ethics is that this is a this category is right this category is wrong that’s how it is. Contextual ethics is yes there are there are categories but you also have to look at the context look at the intent look at the consequence and then decide what is right and what is wrong.
So Karna was calling for categorical ethics and he was saying that a warrior should not shoot somebody who is not on a chariot somebody who’s not prepared and that’s true that’s the categorical code of war but right at the start of the war Dhristadyumna had told the Kauravas that if you break the codes of war then we will not hold ourselves back. So here it was the Pandavas had broken the code of war earlier. Abhimanyu had been chariotless and Karna had not hesitated in shooting with Abhimanyu.
Just a few moments earlier when Krishna’s saving Arjuna had caused Arjuna’s chariot to go into the earth and be immobilized at that time Arjuna had not asked Karna stop stop my chariot is immobilized. No, it kept fighting. So Arjuna was repaying Karna in his own coin what Karna had done to Abhimanyu what Karna had done to Arjuna now Arjuna did to Karna.
While Karna was on the ground trying to pull the chariot up Arjuna had picked up a powerful arrow Anjali Kastra and shot it straight aiming at Karna’s head. As Arjuna shot that arrow all the warriors in the battlefield froze. It seemed like the universe itself was stopping to watch this momentous occurrence.
Arjuna’s arrow sped through the air and lopped off Karna’s head. His body headless torso fell to the ground as his head fell far away. Duryodhana’s greatest ally was dead.
The war was nearly over. Arjuna had emerged triumphant. The Pandavas celebrated Krishna and Arjuna embraced each other and thus they attained great victory.
Arjuna could have defeated Karna Vidha in a straight and fair fight as he had done earlier at Virat. But here Arjuna wanted to act as Krishna wanted him to and Krishna wanted to demonstrate a principle. With the cunning sometimes you need to be cunning and here Karna was not doomed because life was unfair to him or Arjuna was unfair with him.
Karna was doomed because he was unfair to himself. He sacrificed his virtue for the sake of a person who was villainous and thus he brought his death upon