Was Karna the greatest archer?

[tackleberry 1]

 

Quote: 1) Arjuna couldn't kill Karna fair and square

 

Where did that come from? Did not Arjuna defeat Karna fair and square in teh Virat war?

 

Not quite. Most of the warriors fainted, it's not like Arjuna could fight and defeat Karna face to face in the virat war. That never happened, except during the final battle, where Arjuna killed Karna in direct combat.

[Avinash 0]

Yes, it is true that most of the warriors fainted. But who made them faint? It was Arjuna. Why was Karna not able to make Arjuna faint?

[tackleberry 1]

 

Yes, it is true that most of the warriors fainted. But who made them faint? It was Arjuna. Why was Karna not able to make Arjuna faint?

 

How could he, when Karna didn't even know who or where Arjuna was? During the virat attack, there was no clue as to who was who (as far as pandavas were concerned, because they were in disguise), hence no direct combat was possible between Arjuna and Karna. But Arjuna could see the invading army, hence he was able to make them faint with his astra.

 

Hope you can see the logic behind this.

[Avinash 0]

I have read that Bhisma recognized Arjuna when the war started. Bhisma said it to others. This means Karna knew that it was Arjuna.

[JHCal 0]

As Mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam Purports by His Divine Grace, A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada that Bhishmadev was much more superior to Arjuna in strength and archery but Karna was his equal therefore Krsna had to device crooked means to win that battle. The ratio was 3:1 in favor of the Kauravas, that is to say if the match between Arjuna and Karana carried on any longer, The Kaurava Army would have overpowered the Pandava Army.

 

At the end of the war, Krsna did tell Arjuna that the Pandava victory was only due to Sri Krsna, Sri Krsna mentioned that Karna, Bishma, Drona, Kripa were all like sharks where as Arjuna was a fish in the great ocean of battle.

The Devotee is always victorious, Krsna wanted to broadcast that fact that no matter how powerful the person maybe, if he fights in the side of irreligion, he will lose.

 

A devotee is always surrendered to the Supreme Lord and executes his duties on the Lord's order. Karna, Drona, Bishma also derive power from the Supreme Lord too, as Krsna says "I am in the ability in man" in the Bhagavad Gita. But if they use that power in the wrong way, that power eludes them when they need it most.

[ananth 0]

Karna faced many limitations and unusual circumstances on his side and nobody to support him in his war against Arjuna.

1. On birth, was left by mother, in fear of society.

2. Raised as sootha putra and didnt had kshatriya credential as should have been.

3. Couldnt participate in Draupadi Swayamvara, otherwise Pandavas wouldnt have had Draupadi.

 

Before final war with Arjuna,

1. Arjuna had Lord Krishna as charioteer, but Karna had Shalya, who didnt like Karna.

2. Krishna requested Karna to join Pandavas as rightful elder of family and marry Draupadi as sixth husband only after declaration of war, otherwise, things might had been different.

3. During learning archery, was cursed by his Guru.Parashurama for being a kshatriya. He was stung by Indra as an insect.

4. Kunti asked him to not to use a weapon second time after Lord.Krashna informed Karna of his origin, only after declaration of war.

5. Karna would have killed Arjuna by sarpasthra on first use, if he followed Shalya's request to change the aim from neck to chest.

6. Arjuna had Lord Krishna, Kunti, Indra, Shiva, Hanuman and so on to support him in his war against Karna. Despite which Karna had chances to kill Arjuna.

7. Shalya left Karna and karna had to chariot himself at critical stage.

 

However, its Lord Krishna's blessings that helped Arjuna in his war with anybody and his reclamation as the greatest archer.

[suchandra 1]

From material point of view Karna was obviously a more powerful ksatriya than Arjuna.

 

"So Karṇa took the opportunity. Because during Draupadi’s svayamvara, Karṇa was insulted by Draupadi. The piercing of the eyes of the fish, Karṇa was greater, what is called, arrowman. So when Karṇa came to touch the arrow for piercing the eyes of the fish, Draupadi objected, objected because she wanted Arjuna to become her husband. But she knew that “If Karṇa comes to this combat, he will be victorious. Then I will have to go to Karṇa.” So she was also very intelligent daughter of kṣatriya king. So Karna, nobody knew that he is kṣatriya. He was supposed to be son of a carpenter. Karṇa was born before Kuntī’s marriage. Therefore she… Karṇa remained hidden, whose son. But he was kṣatriya. So it was unknown. So Draupadi took this opportunity that “This competition is meant for the kṣatriyas, not for the non-kṣatriyas.” Because he was supposed to be son of a carpenter, śūdra. So he was not given the opportunity to gain Draupadi. But if he was given the opportunity, he would have come out victorious. So now Karṇa took this opportunity. When Draupadi was lost in the game, so he immediately… Karṇa was Duryodhana’s friend. He immediately advised, “Now she is our property. We can do whatever we like with. Arjuna has lost his wife.” So he advised that “Make her naked in this assembly.” To become naked in the, so many people, that is a great insult for woman. So actually, they tried to insult. Not tried, it was fact. But Krsna saved. You know, Draupadi’s vastra-haraṇa. She was tried to become naked, but these people could not make her naked. The sārī was supplied by Kṛṣṇa, one after another, one after another, heaps of sārī. Then they become fed up, gave up that business, that “She cannot be made naked.”

 

Bhagavad-gītā 1.36

by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

London, July 26, 1973

[VampirerXX 0]

truth always wins sir....

[VampirerXX 0]

Eklavya was the best,

Karna was better than the best,&.......

Arjuna was BEST OF THE BEST!!!!

 

It is rightly said that human beings have an inborn tendency of displacing the best with the better & vice versa despite knowing the fact that better will remain better & the truth that best will remain the best!!!!They cant see the best to remain as the best...instead they do all possible efforts to bring up with all rubbish propagandas to proove that truth is not true & true is not truth!!What more pathetic is that they hippotise the entire scenario to create a mirage where false looks truth & truth looks wrong!!!

The same ineffective effort is being exercised here...All these budhha imposters r living in their own fool paradise by making Karna seems to be a better archer than Arjuna & that too by merely babbling their own artificial frustation!

 

TO ALL THOSE NEGLIGIBLE NO. OF HYBRID SPECIES WHO R STILL DAY DREAMING THAT KARNA WAS BETTER ARCHER THAN ARJUNA:::::

 

1.)Karna unlike Arjuna,was born with a kavach & kundan blessed by his father Surya Deva due to which no enemy no matter how strong,mighty or powerful that opponent be,cant even think of killing karna & he will be invicible in battle!!!The point to be noted here is that KARNA DIDN'T DO ANY PENANCE OR TAPAS OR ANY OUTSTANDING ACT OF FEATS TO OBTAIN THAT KAVACH & KUNDAN....Surya gifted Karna with an armour ('Kavacha') and a pair of earrings ('Kundala') which dipped in Amrit, which were attached to him from BIRTH....Arjuna was not gifted any such kavach or kundan by birth..afterall he is quite capable of defending himself with his own arrows rather than a by birth gifted kavach...had this kavach with arjuna,he also would be invicible as karna!!This development was nothing less than a partionality!!

But as we have heard a famous saying in hindi"samay se balvan koi chizz nahi hai"....& "eshvar ke saamne sabhi jiv barabar hote hain".....Hence Karna was bound to give up his kavach & kundan as a 'dan' in order to keep the spirit of his 'dan dharm' alive to Indra who came as a beggar to take away that kavach & kundan...But instead Indra , shamed into generosity by Karna's gesture, reciprocates by giving Karna the boon to use Indra's most powerful weapon, the Vasavi shakti, but only once & that too he preserved it to kill Arjuna becoz he also knew that he cant kill Arjuna merely by his feats!!!In a nutshell karna retained his kavach & kundan in the form of vasava shakti!!Yet again karna was bound to use that shakti against Gatotkach & finally KARNA WAS LEFT WITH WHAT HE DESERVED TO BE LEFT WITH-NOTHING BUT HIS LAST HOPE-THE NAGASTRAM....!!AGAIN GOD & TIME MAKE SURE THAT JUSTICE IS GRANTED TO BOTH THE PARTIES-KAURVAS AS WELL AS PANDAVAS...AS A MATTER OF FACT THE DARING RAKSHAS GATAOKACH WAS KILLED FROM PANDAVAS SIDE WHICH RELIEVED KAURVAS & ARJUNA WAS SAVED IN ORDER TO NULLIFY THE DEATH OF GATOTKACH!!IN A NUTSHELL GOD & TIME GAVE JUSTICE TO BOTH-KAURVAS & PANDAVAS!!!

ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS WERE NOT AN INJUSTICE TO KARNA BUT A CIRCULAR NULLIFICATION OF SURPLUS GIFTS THAT KARNA GOT WITHOUT ANY PENANCE & THAT HE DIDN'T DESERVE TO POSSES-THE KAVACH & VASAVI SHAKTI!!!AFTERALL GOD & TIME DID JUST THE JUSTICE BY TAKING AWAY HIS KAVACH & VASAVI SHAKTI WHICH SOME ROTTEN DICK HEADED PEOPLE THINK AS AN ACT OF INJUSTICE!!THIS JUST PROOVE THE FACT THAT ALL SUCH PEOPLE R CHALLENGING THE MIGHT OF GOD & THE DUTY OF TIME!!

 

2.)Again pandav's mother 'KUNTI' didn't begg Karna to grant the life of his pandavas brothers..THE WORD 'BEGG' WHICH SOME SICK PEOPLE HERE WROTE WAS COMPLETELY NONSENSE!!NO MOTHER WILL LIKE TO SEE THAT UNFORTUNATE DAY WHEN HER SONS TO SPELL BLOOD OF EACH OTHER & KUNTI ALSO WAS NO DIFFERENT!!!SHE DIDN'T BEGG BUT SHE DID WHAT A NORMAL LOVING MOTHER WILL DO AT SUCH AN UNFORTUNATE EVENT!!SHE DID JUST HER DHARM TO STOP THIS WAR OF BLOOD!!& TIME & BHAGVAN THUS PROVIDED KUNTI A PLATFORM TO MAKE KUNTI DO HER DHARM & TESTED WHETHER KARNA ALSO RETAIN HIS DAN DHARM OR NOT!!!FORTUNATELY BOTH KUNTI & KARNA SUCCESSFULLY RETAINED THEIR RESPECTIVE DHARM OF A MOTHER & A DANVIIR!!!THEIR IS NO QUESTION OF BEGGING OR INJUSTICE INVOLVED!!!

THE POINT TO BE NOTED HERE IS THAT KARNA TOO KNOW THE VERY FACT THAT THAT UNTILL ARJUNA IS ALIVE KAURVAS CANT WIN THE KURUSHETRA WAR AT ANY COST...THUS HE ASSURED KUNTI THAT HE WILL NOT KILL ANY PANDAVA EXCEPT ARJUNA...THUS IN BATTLE WHETHER KARNA DIES OR ARUNA GET KILLED,KUNTI WILL ALWAYS HAVE 5 SONS-EITHER HE OR ARJUNA AS KUNTI HAD EARLIER REQUESTED & BY DOING THAT KARNA ALSO MADE SURE HIS LOYALITY TO HIS DEAR FRIEND DURYODHAN TO MAKE DURYODHAN THE WINNER IN KURUSHETRA WAR BY KILLING ARJUNA & KARNA ALSO OBEYED HIS DAN DHARM BOTH AT THE SAME TIME & AT THE SAME CRTICAL JUNCTURE!!!BUT AS A WOMAN & MOST IMPORTANTLY AS A MOTHER,KUNTI REQUESTED KARNA TO USE NAGASTRAM ONLY ONCE BECOZ BESIDES BEING A MOTHER OF KARNA SHE WAS A MOTHER OF ARJUNA TOO & SHE TOO HAD LOVE FOR ARJUNA!!!HENCE THIS DOES NOT SHOW THAT KUNTI WAS AFRAID THAT ARJUNA WILL BE KILLED BY KARNA...SHE DOES THE RIGHT THING WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AT THAT UNFORTUNATE SITUATION BY A MOTHER!!

 

IF U ALL PEOPLE HAD STILL SOME DOUBT LEFT ASK TO UR MOTHERS WHAT THEY WILL DO AT SUCH A CRITICAL & UNFORTUNATE JUNCTURE & U WILL GET TO KNOW ABOUT KUNTI'S MENTAL SITUATION AT THAT TIME!!!

3.)It is to be throughly noted that EVEN THOUGH IF karna WAS ABLE TO recall the mantras to unleash the BRAHMASTRA that he required the most(though he was not able to recall as karna was cursed by his guru Parshuram),Arjuna would have replied it with Pashupatastram that he got from lord Shiva....But then it would lead to distruction of the world as it earlier rumoured during the battle between ASHWATTHAMA & ARJUNA when ashwatthama took out his Brahmastra & Arjuna replied it with Pashupata but fortunately it didn't happen as Pashupata was withdrawn by Arjuna & Brahmastra was diverted from Arjuna to Uttari's womb!!!!

Once again God & Time didn't allow this destruction of the world to take place!!!Thus neither Time nor the God did no injustice to karna or anybody else & just prevented the world from destruction from the collision of 2 irrestible astras-The Brahmastra & tha Pashupatastra!!!

 

4.)It is to be noted that arjuna was also called ‘Vibhatsu’ becoz once arjuna get angry,no body can get spared from his arrows…..now the same applies in kurushetra war as well……well let us start from the beginning the war between Karna & Arjuna… They both bring this terrible and personal rivalry to a climactic battle of terrifying proportions. For a long, long time, poweapons are discharged by the two warriors a terrifying pace without relent. The prowess and courage of both is marvelled by the millions of other soldiers. Karna knowing that he cannot kill Arjuna by any means he takes out his snake arrow to kill Arjuna. He uses this snake arrow against arjuna but snake aswasena whose mother was killed by arjuna enters that arrow and tries to kill Arjuna. But the Lord Krishna saves his friend and devotee Arjuna at this crucial juncture. Then ARJUNA BECOMES MAD WITH ANGER & TAKE HIS 'VIBHATSU' FORM & RAINS INNUMEROUS ARROWS AT KARNA & WOUNDS HIM BADLY.

NOW NOTICE THE FOLLOWING VERY CAREFULLY:

AFTER HAVING BEING INJURED BADLY BY ARJUN’S ARROWS,FRUSTATED KARNA ASKS HIS CHARIOTER SHALYA TO TAKE HIS CHARIOT MORE NEAR TO ARJUNA’S CHARIOT!!BUT AS A RESULT OF A CURSE KARNA’S CHARIOT WAS SWALLOWED BY EARTH….

Then Arjuna is urged by Lord Krishna to kill Karna when he is attempting to raise his chariot, reminding him of Karna's own apparent lack of mercy and regard for the rules of war in the killing of Arjuna's son Abhimanyu in a terrible and brutal fashion. Arjuna thus kills Karna. In the end Karna's sins doom him, marking another instance in the MahÄbhÄrata of how an individual's actions serve to mark his destiny, and the need to lead a virtuous life.

 

CONCLUSION-IN THE INTERVAL BETWEEN THE START OF THIS HIGH INTENSITY BATTLE TILL KARNA’S CHARIOT WAS SWALLOWED BY THE GROUND…..ARJUNA ALWAYS HAD AN UPPER HAND WHILE FIGHTING KARNA…KARNA WAS WOUNDED BADLY BY ARJUNA WHEN ARJUNA TOOK HIS FULL SLAUGHTERING FORM AS A ‘VIBHATSU’ & MAKE KARNA BLEED OFF BETWEEN THE SHEETS!!!!MOREVER ARJUNA HAD MUCH FAITH IN HIS ABILITIES & WAS CONFIDENT OF KILLING KARNA WITHOUT THE USE OF HIS DEADLY PASHUPATA ASTRA..SO NEVER EVER HE DIDN’T USE IT AGAINST KARNA…WHILE KARNA ON THE CONTRARY KNEWING THE FACT THAT HE CANT KILL ARJUNA BY ANY MEANS TAKES OUT HIS NAGASTRAMA WHICH CLEARLY IS A PROOF OF KARNA’S COMPLETE FAILURE AS A WARIOR….ARJUNA REMAINED UNMATCHED AS ALWAYS!!!

5.)MOREVER IT WAS ARJUNA ONLY WHO HAD CRIPPLED THE ENTIRE KAURVA ARMY SINGLE HANDEDLY…HE FOUGHT IN THE SIDE OF MERE 5 PANDAVAS AGAINST THE ODD 100 KAURVAS ALONGWITH GREAT WARIORS LIKE BHISHMA,DRONA,KARNA,KRIPACHARYA,ASHWATHAMA,

ETC…MOREEVER WHEN BOTH ARJUNA AS WELLAS DURYODHANA CAME TO KRISHNA TO PERSUADE WITH TO ALIGN WITH EITHER SIDE ,KRISHNA HAD ALREADY HANDED HALF OF HIS DWARKA SOLDIERS TO DURYODHAN & HIMSELF ALIGNED WITH PANDAVAS SO THAT BOTH PANDAVAS AS WELL AS KAURVAS GET EQUAL TREATMENT FROM LORD KRISHNA!!!!

6.)U FOOLS SAY KRISHNA MADE KUNTI LINEANT TOWARDS ARJUNA BY UNVEILING THE FACT THAT KARNA WAS ALSO KUNTI’S SON….BUT REMEMBER KARNA DIDN’T PAID HEED TO HER MOTHER TO NOT KILL ARJUNA…HE WAS FIRMED AS ALWAYS TO CHOP HEAD OF ARJUNA…& HIS HATE FOR ARJUNA WAS FURTHER ACCELERATED WHEN ARJUNA KILLED KARNA’S SON VRISHASENA IN FRONT OF KARNA’S EYES!!!

7.)KARNA’S CHARIOT WAS EVEN PROTECTED BY HIS SONS-Sushama, Satyasena and Vrishasena WHILE ARJUNA WAS ALONE IN THE BATTLE CRIPPING THE ENTIRE KAURVA ARMY SINGLE HANDEDLY!!!

8.)ALSO GET THIS BITTER FACT INTO UR ROTTEN BRAIN THAT FOLLOWING YUDHISTIR’S INSULT BY KARNA,KARNA HAD BEEN SMASHED BY BHIM TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT KARNA FAINTED DOWN!!

9.)ALSO NOTE ON THE 14TH DAY OF MAHABHARATA ,BHIM KILLED VIKARNA & CHITRASENA & DESTROYED KARNA’S CHARIOT..KARNA FOUGHT 21 TIMES & IN ALL THESE 21 TIMES KARNA WAS DEFEATED BY BHIM ALONE!!ON 22ND TIME WHEN KARNA CAME WITH HIS MIGHTY BOW VIJAYA & NEW KAVACH & KUNDAN,BHIM ALSO CUT IT HIS NEW KAVACH!!KARNA HAS BEEN DEFEATED BY BHIM ALONE 21 TIMES..FORGET ABOUT WINNING BATTLE WITH ARJUNA!!!

10.)U ILLITERATE FOOL PEOPLE TALK THAT SHALYA WAS NOT FULLY HELPING KARNA..HAHAHA..WELL IT WAS ONLY WHEN WHEN SHALYA DIVERTED KARNA BY PERSUADING KARNA TO HIT THAT NAGASTRAM AT ARJUN’S CHEST RATHER THAN HIS NECK & THAT TOO KARNA DIDN’T PAID HEED TO IT!!!& THE SECOND TIME HE DIDN’T HELP KARNA WAS WHEN KARNA’S RATH WAS SWALLOWED BY THE GROUND!!!KARNA WAS ALSO MANY TIMES SAVED FROM KARNA’S ARROWS INCLUDING HIS AGNIASTRA & VARUNAASTRA!!SHALYA WAS COMPLETELY TURNED IN FAVOUR OF KAURVA’S ARMY WHEN DURYODHAN CALLED SHALYA AS THE GREATEST CHARIOTEER & PERHABS EVEN BETTER THAN KRISHNA!!!!DURYODHAN ALSO REMIND SHALYA THAT HE IS PERHABS GREATEST CHARIOTEER BECOZ SHALYA HAD ALSO MASTERED THE ART OF HORSES- Ashwahridaya WHICH MADE SHALYA WHOOPING!!!SHALYA THUS TRIED HIS LEVEL BEST TO ASSIST KARNA AS SHALYA WAS ALSO IMPRESSED BY KARNA’S LOYALITY!!!HE EVEN WARNED & ASKED KARNA TO KILL ARJUNA WHO WAS KILLING THOUSANDS OF KAURVA ARMY MERCILLESSLY!!!ARJUNA KA AISE HI NAAM VISHVA MEIN PRASIDH NAHI HAI!!!THERE R REASONS BEHIND THEM!!!

11.)IT HAS BEEN CLEARLY MENTIONED IN THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF MAHABHARATA BY VED VYAS THAT ARJUNA WAS THE PEERLESS ARCHER OF DWAPAR YUG!!THIS HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY DRONACHARYA & BHISHMA JUST FROM THE HORSES’ MOUTH!!!PLEASE GO & READ MAHABHARATA U ILLITERATE FOOL MANDIR EDUCATED SICK SUDRA PEOPLE!!!!Arjuna was the undisputed archer of that time,skilled than bhishma,drona,kriuba or karna.This is amply demonstrated in many places.

Once such instance is arjuna's fight with gauravas at vrad desh.There arjuna(AS VRINHALA) charioted by uthrakumar faced drona,bhishma,karna,ashwathama and kriba.Further they had a huge army.But single handedly arjuna defeated them all.HAvent you read this?After this victory pandavas removed thier disguise and utharkumar became a valiant warrior seeing arjuna in action.Krishna wasnt there during that war with arjuna.when the Pandavas saved Duryodhana from beng killed by Gandharvas, Arjuna could have killed Karna then and there...so it works both ways...

& IF U FOOLS CLAIM THAT ARJUNA USED SAMMOHANASTRA TO BEAT KARNA THEN WHY CANT KARNA BEING A GREATEST ARCHER COULD NULLIFY THE SAME!!!INSTEAD HE RAN AWAY LIKE A COWARD!!!!HAD ARJUNA BE AT KARNA’S PLACE,ARJUNA WOULD BETTER GET KILL OR GET KILLED LIKE A BRAVE WARRIOR & WILL NEVER EVER RUN LIKE A COWARD LIKE KARNA!!!

It is beyond doubt that Arjuna was the best archer and more importantly the best warrior of all times....Arjuna had alone fought the Gandharvas, Danavas, Nivatakavachas and the Paulomas, with whom no one could even think of fighting with a huge army, forget fighting alone. While Karna, or for that matter, no other warrior has achieved such a feat single handedly!!

KARNA WAS ALSO DEFEATED BY CHITRASEN & ARJUNA IN TURN DEFEATED CHITRASEN & RESCUED KARNA & DURYODHAN!!!

NOW SEE THE QOUTE FROM BHAGVAT GITA:

 

*****Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever

there is Arjuna, the SUPREME ARCHER, there will also certainly be

OPULANCE, VICTORY, EXTRAORDINARY power, and morality. That is my

opinion. [bg. 18:78]

NOW DON’T TELL THAT BHAGVATA GITA IS ALSO WRONG!!!

 

12.) Arjuna was called Dhanajaya when he conquered all the kings at the time of RÄjsooya Yajna and collected wealth from all of them.

In another memorable battle, it was Arjuna who annihilated a whole akshouhini, or hundreds of thousands (109,350) of Kaurava soldiers in one day to avenge the terrible murder of his son Abhimanyu.Such a destruction of enemy & that too in 1 day has never been seen in history!!!

13.) Arjuna also conqured kingdoms of Pragjyotisha, Uluka, Modapura,Vamadeva, Sudaman, Susankula, Northern Uluka, Puru kingdom of Viswagaswa, Utsava-Sanketa, Lohita, Trigarta, Darava, Abhisara, Kokonada, Ursa, Simhapura, Suhma, Sumala, Balhika, Darada, Kamboja,the Lohas, Parama Kambojas, Northern Rishikas (or Parama Rishikas), Limpurushas, Haratakas,Gandharvas and the Uttarakurus etc

14.)Kaurva fear for Arjuna is time & agaim reflected in Mahabharata itself….Drona feared Arjuna so much that he kept telling that the kaurvas must stop Arjuna any how or else they will not be able to capture Yudhistir in their dreams also!!!When Bhishma agreed that he would obey his Pratigya of making Earth Nis Pandav,Duryodhan kept warning as Duryidhan was quite aware of the fact that Arjuna will save the lifes of his brothers & is the only person capable of killing Bhishma!!Hence he ordered

kripacharya,dushasena,drona to never let Arjuna to come in front of Bhishma but Arjuna as a peerless archer single handedly beat all of them & saved Bhim from being killed by Bhishma!!Arjuna always had an upperhand while fighting Bhishma & when on another occasion Kripacharya,Dronacharya,Shakuni,Dushasena all simultaneously attacked Arjuna in order to save injured Bhishma from further injury by Arjuna’s arrows,Arjuna defeated all of them single handedly!!!This is clearly mentioned in Mahabharat!!!Go & read Mahabharat first!!!

 

15.)Now as far as skills r concerned,Arjuna clearly surpassed Karna….

Remember Arjuna & Drona were the only archers on planet who were expert in engaging multiple targets simultaneously!!Karna & others didn’t posses such capability!!Arjuna was also ahead of Karna in Blind eye archery!!Arjuna was also miles ahead of Karna in nullifying illusionary targets!!!Drona as a teacher had clearly accepted that Arjuna had surpassed his own guru also!!!It was only karna & no body else who considered himself to be the supreme archer & better than Arjuna!!

16.)Arjuna also defeated The King Of Gods-Indra in a battle where he fights a duel with his father Indra in khandava forest which last several days & nights & finally a voice from the sky proclaims Arjuna as the winner!!!

 

17.)Some people with their rotten brain here made their own story that Arjuna was saved from defeat by lord Krishna when he used his Sudarshan chakra to cover the sun faking a sunset…I literary have no words for such foooools….Arjuna was never defeated by any1 in his entire life….Krishna had to use Sudarshan chakra becoz the coward Jayadratha-the main culprit in Abhimanyu’s death was hiding deep inside his Kaurva cover as Arjuna took the oath to kill the Sindhu King-Jayadratha or die by entering into the fire!!Jayadratha is then exposed in a crucial moment,where upon the Lord's urging, Arjuna sets loose his powerful Pashupati astra that decapitates Jayadratha. This note of the act of protection of Krishna of his righteous friend and disciple will be incomplete without adding that Jayadratha's father, the old and sinful king Vridhakshtra had blessed his Son that anyone who caused his head to fall to the ground would cause his own head to burst.& ARJUNA BEHEADS jayadratha's head SO SKILLFULLY THAT THE HEAD WAS carried by the arrow to his own father's hands, who was meditating near the battlefield; who in his shock drops the head and himself dies of his own blessing.I doubt whether Karna could also perform such a feat!!

IF THE COWARD JAYADRATHA COULD USE HIS OWN KAURAV WARRIORS AS A COVER TO HIDE HIMSELF WHY CANT ARJUNA USE THE COVER OF KRISHNA’S SUDARSHAN CHAKRA TO AVENGE THE TRAGIC DEATH OF HIS SON ABHIMANYU!!!TIT FOR TAT….AS SIMPLE AS THAT!!

THIS IS COMPLETE FARE & SQUARE!!!

 

 

18.)AS FAR AS BHISHMA’S DEATH IS CONCERNED, Like Karna, who had the advantage of Kavacha Kundala, so also Bheeshma had an advantage. He had the boon of ending his life as per his wish...so no one could take his life, except that he/she can force him to take a decision by inflicting deep and unhealable wounds....Only Amba (reborn as Sikhandin) had received that boon from Shiva to slay Bheeshma& and Bheeshma had taken the vow not to use weapons against a person who was born female....Thus only Sikhandin (who was born female and later attained the male form from (Yaksha), could have forced this to happen...not even the very Gods. Sikhandin was Amba in previous birth, who was forcefully, but mistakenly, taken by Bheeshma for marriage (not for himself though) even though she liked another person and her life was destroyed.If Bheesma was really better, he could have defeated Arjuna, but it never happened, infact it was Arjuna who was always having an upperhand in the battle against him, except for slaying him, which was only to be SikhandiN..SO NO BODY ELSE COULD KILL BHISHMA EXCEPT SHIKHANDNI NOT EVEN THE GODS…THE BOON OF SHIVA CANT BE TREATED AS A JOKE!!!!!

Morever it is to be noted that the Person who was the most reluctant to go for a war was no other than Arjuna himself due to which Lord Krishna had to give him "Gitaopdesh"to make him realize his karm & dharm!!I hope u now What is Gitaopdesh…Even after the Gitaopdesh Arjuna was reluctant to fight battle with his loving Grandfather Bhishma & his own guru Dronacharya!!Hence as a last option Lord Krishna had to take out his Sudarshan Chakra to slay Bhishma..but fortunately Arjuna stopped Krishna from undertaking such a step & break his Pratigya of not entering into a battle!!!& after this development Arjuna fought with all his prowess & skills & always Arjuna had an upperhand on both of them!!Im quotting this just from the Mahabharata..Thus It is completely rubbish to say that Arjuna was afraid of fighting with Drona & Bhishma…Nowhere in Mhabharata it has been mentioned…so better u all Don’t make ur own stories & make fun out of urself!!!

 

19.)The death of Drona was though from unfair means but let me remind u all that Drona had used the Brahmadanda on the 15th day of the Mahabharata. This spiritual divine weapon contained the power of the 7 greatest sages of Hinduism. Drona had neither imparted the knowledge of this divine weapon to either Ashwattama or Arjuna. Thus, he proves unconquerable on the 15th day of war. Krishna asks Yudhisthira to proclaim that Drona's son Ashwathama has died, so that the invincible and destructive Kuru commander would give up his arms and thus could be killed & this what exactly what happened!!!So if u have to blame somebody for Drone’s death,then collect the guts to blame none other than the mastermind-Lord Krishna!!

 

& last but not the least,Arjuna was unable to kill Ashwathhama & Kripacharya becoz both of them were 2 of the 7 "CHIRANJEEVIS"..so they cant be killed by any means!!!Arjuna had however,many times defeated both these chiranjeevis in the duel but cant kill them becoz of the reason already explained!!!!

20.)Arjuna was also better than Eklavya….as unlike Eklavya,Arjuna can use both his hands including his left hand to shoot his arrows, & that is why Arjuna was also called Savyashachee!!!!Eklavya unfortunately was unable to use his left hand when he gave his right thumb as a guru dakshina to Dronacharya!!!

 

*****Im neither against karna nor eklavya…!!!I express my sympathy for what they had suffered….neither I favour Arjuna just for the sake of favouring!!Im a neutral analyzer!!!& This is also an integral part of my effort to expose the truth to all those people who find difficult to digest the fact!!!Arjuna was a peerless archer..this statement is beyond any doubt!!!I have already proved it with my unmatched 20 points!!!The world know that Arjuna was a supreme archer…no body on planet could match him!!!It is clearly mentioned in both the mahabharatas as well as Bhagvat gita!!!Though karna & eklavya also suffered a lot but don’t forget that pandavas also suffered 14 years Van Vaas,the Cheer Haran of their wife-Draupadi,whom karna called a ‘whore’ in front of the entire sabha….Karna also insulted Yudhistir & Bhim!!!Nowhere in Mahabharata,pandavas won by treachery….I have already proved the same in the context of Time & God whom nobody can even think of defeating!!

& by calling a karna superior archer than arjuna just becoz karna was elder is completely rubbish!!!!

Sometimes a student also being of much lower in age surpasses his own guru who is much elder than the student..remember how Arjuna surpassed his Guru Dronacharya….Was Arjuna elder than Drona????I guess not!!!

IN A NUTSHELL:

Eklavya was the best,

Karna was better than the best,&.......

Arjuna was BEST OF THE BEST!!!!

[Amlesh 1]

No one is better than his friends. Winning and losing is preplanned by the Sweet Lord. Skills come and go according to his plans and will.

 

Arjuna won because it was decided; even though Karna was more powerful and Eklavya a better Archer.

 

Now if someone is asking me why Eklavya is a better Archer then I would say, for Arjuna to win, Dronacharya would not have asked his thumb as Guru Dakshana.

[Amlesh 1]

Arjuna was above vice and virtue, nirguna; therefore the question of fair and not fair does not arise.

[BharatS 0]

There can be no comparision between Karna and Arjuna when it comes to who was more skillful archer. Karna was a hands down winner over Arjuna. In Mahabarat there are many instances which are pointers in the direction of Karna's superiority. Apart from other reasons mentioned by forum members here, I would like to add few more. Infact it wouldnt be wrong in saying that Karna was as equal to if not more great than Krishna.

 

Skill Testing Venue:

1) Why did Drona, Bheeshma, Kripacharya, Krishna and other Kshatriyas deny Karna an oppurtunity to display his skill after the Pandavas returned back to Hastinapur after completing their education ? Coz the reason was simple. For Drona, ego was the problem as he could not accept any other archer better than his fav student Arjuna. The treatment meted out to Eklavya is well known. Bheeshma, Krishna along with Kunti recognized Karna at the very same venue and knew all about his birth lineage and he being a Kshatriya. They all knew that he was far superior than Arjuna and could easily surpass him in skills. Yet they choose to remain silent for various personal reasons and Krishna being biased to her Bua's sibblings Pandavas denied Karna his rightful due. It proves that all these Maharathis, Arthirathis incl Krishna were fearful of Karna.

 

Draupadi Swayamvar :

2) When all of the Kings and Kshatriyas incl Duryodhana and Kaurvas failed to even move the Shiv Dhanush. Karna stepped up and easily lifted the Shiv Dhanush and tied the string to it. As he was about to aim for the fish eye, Krishna winked at Draupadi asking her to stop him and she insulted Karna as being a low birth and "Sutputra". The arrogance and rudeness of Draupadi and manipulation of Krishna sowed the seeds of Mahabharat war at the Swayamvar. Once again Karna's superiority over Arjuna is proven.

 

After Mahabharat War :

 

After the Mahabharat war was over, Krishna asked Arjuna to take the Chariot far away from battlefield. As usual Arjuna was boasting about his superiority and his Archery skills. In his over confidence and arrogance, he laughed at Krishna and said that Karna was just a ordinary man in front of him and there was no comparision between them and he was more powerful. Arjuna claimed that when he shot the arrows at Karna's chariot, it would move 10 steps back. However, when Karna shot arrows at their chariot it would only move 2 steps back. Krishna decided to teach Arjuna a lesson and break his arrogance. He requested Arjuna to remove the Hanuman flag atop the chariot and move as far back away from it. After following Krishna's instructions, Arjuna was surprised that the Celestial Chariot on which he and Lord Krishna rode the Mahabharat war was blown to small peices. Arjuna asked Krishna what was all this. Lord Krishna replied, O' Arjuna realise this, It is I who control the entire universe and carry the entire burden of 'Trilok" on my shoulders was sitting with you and Bajrang Bali protecting the chariot from total destruction, absorbed all the force of arrows fired on you and your rath. So just imagine if I 'Trilokinath" carrying the entire burden of entire universe were not sitting on your chariot. You and your chariot would have been blown away like a dead leaf caught in storm. So imagine the force with which Karna and Bheeshma shot their arrows and how powerful they were that you moved only 2 steps behind. Arjuna was ashamed of himself and his cowardice and apologised to Lord Krishna for his arrogance. This proves the superiority of Karna over Arjuna.

[Akshadh008 0]

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

Virata Parva......

Chapter-4th.....

Section LX.....

HERE IS THE DETAILED & A COMPLETE & THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE TRANSLATION OF THAT CONFLICT BETWEEN KARNA & ARJUNA IN VIRATA...WHERE KARNA LIKE A COWARD OF THE HIGHEST ORDER AS ALWAYS RAN LIKE A COWARD.... THIS WAS THE 3RD STRAIGHT SET DEFEAT OF KARNA BY ARJUNA...BEFORE THIS BATTLE,KARNA HAD ALREADY DEFEATED BY ARJUNA IN DVAITAVANA FOREST...WHILE THE SECOND TIME WHEN CHITRASEN DEFEATED THE KAURVAS, KARNA AS ALWAYS AGAIN RAN LIKE A COWARD!!!THEN ARJUNA RESCUED BOTH DURYODHAN AS WELL AS KARNA!!!ARJUNA COULD HAVE KILLED THIS COWARD- KARNA IN ALL THESE OCCASIONS....& U SHUDRA JOKERS STILL CALL KARNA A BETTER ARCHER!!!BAHAHAHAHAHA.......PATHETIC....SO U ALL SHAMELESS JAAHILS FIRST BETTER LEARN HOW TO READ & WRITE!!!& THEN U SHOULD FIRST GO & READ MAHABHARATA IN DETAIL INSTEAD OF REPEATING THE SAME CRAP AGAIN & AGAIN!!!

"Arjuna said, 'The time, O Karna, hath now come for making good thy loquacious boast in the midst of the assembly, viz., that there is none equal to thee in fight. Today, O Karna, contending with me in terrible conflict, thou shalt know thy own strength, and shalt no longer disregard others. Abandoning good breeding, thou hadst uttered many harsh words, but this that thou endeavourest to do, is, I think, exceedingly difficult. Do thou now, O Radha's son, contending with me in the sight of the Kurus, make good what thou hadst said before in disregard of myself. Thou who hadst witnessed Panchala's princess outraged by villains in the midst of the court, do thou now reap the fruit of that act of thine. Fettered by the bonds of morality before, I desisted from vengeance then. Behold now, O son of Radha, the fruit of that wrath in conflict at hand. O wicked wight, we have suffered much misery in that forest for full twelve; years. Reap thou today the fruits of our concentrated vengeance. Come, O Karna, cope with me in battle. Let these thy Kaurava warriors witness the conflict. Hearing these words, Karna replied, 'Do thou, O Partha, accomplish in deed what thou sayst in words. The world knows that thy words verily exceed thy deed. That thou hadst foreborne formerly was owing to thy inability to do anything. If we witness thy prowess even now, we may acknowledge its truth. If thy past forbearance was due to thy having been bound by the bonds of morality, truly thou art equally bound now although thou regardest thyself free. Having as thou sayst, passed thy exile in the woods in strict accordance with thy pledge and being therefore weakened by practising an ascetic course of life, how canst thou desire a combat with me now! O Pritha's son, if Sakra himself fight on thy side, still I would feel no anxiety in putting forth my prowess. Thy wish, O son of Kunti, is about to be gratified. Do thou fight with me now, and behold my strength.' Hearing this, Arjuna said, 'Even now, O Radha's son, thou hadst fled from battle with me, and it is for this that thou livest although thy younger brother hath been slain. What other person, save thee, having beheld his younger brother slain in battle would himself fly from the field, and boast as thou dost, amid good and true men?'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said these words unto Karna, the invincible Vibhatsu rushed at him and charged a volley, of shafts capable of penetrating through a coat of mail. But that mighty car-warrior, Karna, received with great alacrity that discharge with an arrowy shower of his own, heavy as the downpour of the clouds. And that fierce volley of arrows covered all sides and severally pierced the steeds and arms and leathern fences of the combatants. And incapable of putting up with that assault, Arjuna cut off the strings of Karna's quiver by means of a straight and sharp arrow. Thereupon, taking out from his quiver another arrow, Karna pierced the Pandava in the hand at which the latter's hold of the bow was loosened. And then the mighty-armed Partha cut off Karna's bow into fragments. And Karna replied by hurling a dart at his adversary, but Arjuna cut it off by means of his arrows. And then the warriors that followed the son of Radha rushed in crowds at Arjuna, but Partha sent them all to the abode of Yama by means of arrows shot from the Gandiva. And Vibhatsu slew the steeds of Karna by means of sharp and tough arrows shot from the bow-string drawn to the ear, and deprived of life they dropped down on the ground. And taking another sharp and blazing arrow endued with great energy, the mighty son of Kunti pierced the breast of Kama. And that arrow, cleaving through his mail, penetrated into his body.

#######And at this, Karna's vision was obscured and his senses left him. And regaining consciousness, he felt a great pain, and leaving the combat FLED IN NORTH DIRECTION. And at this, the mighty car-warrior Arjuna and Uttara, both began to address him contumely.'"

der.txt

[Akshadh008 0]

Now here this fact that Arjuna was the best & Karna was nothing but a coward who always used to run away from the battlefield!!!just from the Kaurvas Generals itself:

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

(Extracted from Virata Parva-Chapter 4)

#############"O Karna," Kripacharya said, "your heart is crooked and always inclined towards war. Do you not remember that Arjuna alone stopped the onslaught of theGandharvas in the Dvaitavana forest while you ran from the battlefield. Do younot remember that Arjuna alone killed the Nivatakavachas which were incapable of being slain by the demigods. Even Indra himself is unfit to fight withArjuna. Therefore, he, who would fight with Arjuna, should take sleeping pills. You are like a fool that wants to enter blazing fire. You want to tie a stonearound your neck and enter the deepest part of a river. Although he is undefeatable, still we should stand and array our troops in battle formation. Do not, out of foolishness, fight with Arjuna alone. If all six of the great warriors fight with him at one time, then maybe we can defeat him."

################"O Karna," Ashvatthama advised, "you cannot win battles with words. Why then do you boast? What kshatriya is there that expresses delight at winning a kingdom with dice like the wicked son of Dhritarastra? In single combat did you defeat the Pandavas for their kingdom? What act of prowess caused you to order Draupadi to be brought into the assembly of Kings, and by what act of prowess did you endeavor to see her stripped naked? Take out your dice now and throw them at Arjuna. Let the sinful Shakuni come and fight with Arjuna. The Gandiva does not throw dice, but arrows as deadly as virulent poison. Let this battle be lead by Shakuni, if he chooses to fight. I shall, however, not fight with one who is greater than all the demigods combined."

Beholding that person of the third sex seated on the chariot, the Kurus headed by Bhishma and Drona became frightened at the thought that it might be Arjuna.

They then noticed evil omens in all directions. Violent and hot winds began to blow. The sky became overcast with a dark gloom. The clouds presented a strange sight, and Jackals began howling from all directions. Seeing this, Drona ordered the troops into battle formation.

############Drona ordered his army, "Stand your ground, and do not flee out of fear. Protect yourselves and expect a terrible slaughter. This person on the chariot dressed like a eunuch is definitely Arjuna. There is no doubt about this. After defeating our forces, he will take away the cows. I do not see any hero amongst us who can withstand him. He has even defeated the demigods including Lord Shiva and Indra."

##########Bhishma, the great grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, then gave his counsel & consoled others,"Drona's son has spoken well as well as Kripa. As for Karna, he fights only out of duty trying to enliven the troops. I am of the opinion that we should fight.When the son of Kunti has come, it is not a time for quarrel. Let us arrange our troops in battle array and protect Duryodhana from Arjuna's onslaught. He should take the cows and return to Hastinapura. Arjuna has not come out of hiding unless the time period of exile has expired. The wheel of time revolves with it divisions. At certain times there are excesses which add up to two months every five years. Thus being the case, there would be an excess of five months in thirteen years. Arjuna has not come out of hiding unless he knew this fact. Therefore, O King, you can make the decision on whether to battle is proper. Arrange the forces quickly for Dhananjaya is at hand."I will not, O grandsire, give back the Pandavas their kingdom," Duryodhana said. "Let all preparations for the battle be made without delay."

##########"Listen to what I regard as good advice," Bhishma said. "Take one fourth of the army and proceed to Hastinapura. Another fourth of the army will escort the cows to our city. With half of the troops will will fight with Arjuna. Myself,Drona, Karna, Ashvatthaman, and Kripa will fight with Vibhatsu when he approaches. We will try to withstand him like the bank withstanding the surging sea."

[Akshadh008 0]

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

 

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

 

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

 

Virata Parva......

Chapter-4th.....

Section LX.....

 

HERE IS THE DETAILED & A COMPLETE & THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE TRANSLATION OF THAT CONFLICT BETWEEN KARNA & ARJUNA IN VIRATA...WHERE KARNA LIKE A COWARD OF THE HIGHEST ORDER AS ALWAYS RAN LIKE A COWARD.... THIS WAS THE 3RD STRAIGHT SET DEFEAT OF KARNA BY ARJUNA...BEFORE THIS BATTLE,KARNA HAD ALREADY DEFEATED BY ARJUNA IN DVAITAVANA FOREST...WHILE THE SECOND TIME WHEN CHITRASEN DEFEATED THE KAURVAS, KARNA AS ALWAYS AGAIN RAN LIKE A COWARD!!!THEN ARJUNA RESCUED BOTH DURYODHAN AS WELL AS KARNA!!!ARJUNA COULD HAVE KILLED THIS COWARD- KARNA IN ALL THESE OCCASIONS....& U SHUDRA JOKERS STILL CALL KARNA A BETTER ARCHER!!!BAHAHAHAHAHA.......PATHETIC....SO U ALL SHAMELESS JAAHILS FIRST BETTER LEARN HOW TO READ & WRITE!!!& THEN U SHOULD FIRST GO & READ MAHABHARATA IN DETAIL INSTEAD OF REPEATING THE SAME CRAP AGAIN & AGAIN!!!

 

 

"Arjuna said, 'The time, O Karna, hath now come for making good thy loquacious boast in the midst of the assembly, viz., that there is none equal to thee in fight. Today, O Karna, contending with me in terrible conflict, thou shalt know thy own strength, and shalt no longer disregard others. Abandoning good breeding, thou hadst uttered many harsh words, but this that thou endeavourest to do, is, I think, exceedingly difficult. Do thou now, O Radha's son, contending with me in the sight of the Kurus, make good what thou hadst said before in disregard of myself. Thou who hadst witnessed Panchala's princess outraged by villains in the midst of the court, do thou now reap the fruit of that act of thine. Fettered by the bonds of morality before, I desisted from vengeance then. Behold now, O son of Radha, the fruit of that wrath in conflict at hand. O wicked wight, we have suffered much misery in that forest for full twelve; years. Reap thou today the fruits of our concentrated vengeance. Come, O Karna, cope with me in battle. Let these thy Kaurava warriors witness the conflict. Hearing these words, Karna replied, 'Do thou, O Partha, accomplish in deed what thou sayst in words. The world knows that thy words verily exceed thy deed. That thou hadst foreborne formerly was owing to thy inability to do anything. If we witness thy prowess even now, we may acknowledge its truth. If thy past forbearance was due to thy having been bound by the bonds of morality, truly thou art equally bound now although thou regardest thyself free. Having as thou sayst, passed thy exile in the woods in strict accordance with thy pledge and being therefore weakened by practising an ascetic course of life, how canst thou desire a combat with me now! O Pritha's son, if Sakra himself fight on thy side, still I would feel no anxiety in putting forth my prowess. Thy wish, O son of Kunti, is about to be gratified. Do thou fight with me now, and behold my strength.' Hearing this, Arjuna said, 'Even now, O Radha's son, thou hadst fled from battle with me, and it is for this that thou livest although thy younger brother hath been slain. What other person, save thee, having beheld his younger brother slain in battle would himself fly from the field, and boast as thou dost, amid good and true men?'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said these words unto Karna, the invincible Vibhatsu rushed at him and charged a volley, of shafts capable of penetrating through a coat of mail. But that mighty car-warrior, Karna, received with great alacrity that discharge with an arrowy shower of his own, heavy as the downpour of the clouds. And that fierce volley of arrows covered all sides and severally pierced the steeds and arms and leathern fences of the combatants. And incapable of putting up with that assault, Arjuna cut off the strings of Karna's quiver by means of a straight and sharp arrow. Thereupon, taking out from his quiver another arrow, Karna pierced the Pandava in the hand at which the latter's hold of the bow was loosened. And then the mighty-armed Partha cut off Karna's bow into fragments. And Karna replied by hurling a dart at his adversary, but Arjuna cut it off by means of his arrows. And then the warriors that followed the son of Radha rushed in crowds at Arjuna, but Partha sent them all to the abode of Yama by means of arrows shot from the Gandiva. And Vibhatsu slew the steeds of Karna by means of sharp and tough arrows shot from the bow-string drawn to the ear, and deprived of life they dropped down on the ground. And taking another sharp and blazing arrow endued with great energy, the mighty son of Kunti pierced the breast of Kama. And that arrow, cleaving through his mail, penetrated into his body.

 

#######And at this, Karna's vision was obscured and his senses left him. And regaining consciousness, he felt a great pain, and leaving the combat FLED IN NORTH DIRECTION. And at this, the mighty car-warrior Arjuna and Uttara, both began to address him contumely.'"

[Akshadh008 0]

Now here this fact that Arjuna was the best & Karna was nothing but a coward who always used to run away from the battlefield!!!just from the Kaurvas Generals itself:

 

 

 

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

 

 

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

 

 

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

 

 

(Extracted from Virata Parva-Chapter 4)

 

 

 

After Hearing the cautious words of Drona, Karna boasted, "You always speak of the glories of Arjuna, but he is not even equal to a sixteenth part of myself or Duryodhana.Everything is in confusion because Drona has come under the sway of fear,"

 

 

Karna further spoke condescendingly. "He is affectionate towards Arjuna, and he doesn't want to fight. I see that all our generals are seized with fear. I don't care if it is Indra himself that we have to encounter, I will fight with all my weapons and kill this Arjuna. I am in no way inferior to Arjuna, and today, I will slay him as promised in the gambling match to my friend Duryodhana. I will grind this Arjuna into the ground, and with my javelin, I will kill this monkey that rides on the banner. You will behold today Arjuna's chariot broken, his horses killed, his prowess gone and himself lying on the ground sighing like a snake."

 

 

 

 

#############After hearing all these daring words from Karna,Kripacharya said, "O Karna,your heart is crooked and always inclined towards war. Do you not remember that Arjuna alone stopped the onslaught of theGandharvas in the Dvaitavana forest while you ran from the battlefield. Do younot remember that Arjuna alone killed the Nivatakavachas which were incapable of being slain by the demigods. Even Indra himself is unfit to fight withArjuna. Therefore, he, who would fight with Arjuna, should take sleeping pills. You are like a fool that wants to enter blazing fire. You want to tie a stonearound your neck and enter the deepest part of a river. Although he is undefeatable, still we should stand and array our troops in battle formation. Do not, out of foolishness, fight with Arjuna alone. If all six of the great warriors fight with him at one time, then maybe we can defeat him."

 

 

 

 

 

################"O Karna," Ashvatthama advised, "you cannot win battles with words. Why then do you boast? What kshatriya is there that expresses delight at winning a kingdom with dice like the wicked son of Dhritarastra? In single combat did you defeat the Pandavas for their kingdom? What act of prowess caused you to order Draupadi to be brought into the assembly of Kings, and by what act of prowess did you endeavor to see her stripped naked? Take out your dice now and throw them at Arjuna. Let the sinful Shakuni come and fight with Arjuna. The Gandiva does not throw dice, but arrows as deadly as virulent poison. Let this battle be lead by Shakuni, if he chooses to fight. I shall, however, not fight with one who is greater than all the demigods combined."

 

 

 

 

Beholding that person of the third sex seated on the chariot, the Kurus headed by Bhishma and Drona became frightened at the thought that it might be Arjuna.

They then noticed evil omens in all directions. Violent and hot winds began to blow. The sky became overcast with a dark gloom. The clouds presented a strange sight, and Jackals began howling from all directions. Seeing this, Drona ordered the troops into battle formation.

 

 

############Drona ordered his army, "Stand your ground, and do not flee out of fear. Protect yourselves and expect a terrible slaughter. This person on the chariot dressed like a eunuch is definitely Arjuna. There is no doubt about this. After defeating our forces, he will take away the cows. I do not see any hero amongst us who can withstand him. He has even defeated the demigods including Lord Shiva and Indra."

 

 

 

##########Bhishma, the great grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, then gave his counsel & consoled others,"Drona's son has spoken well as well as Kripa. As for Karna, he fights only out of duty trying to enliven the troops. I am of the opinion that we should fight.When the son of Kunti has come, it is not a time for quarrel. Let us arrange our troops in battle array and protect Duryodhana from Arjuna's onslaught. He should take the cows and return to Hastinapura. Arjuna has not come out of hiding unless the time period of exile has expired. The wheel of time revolves with it divisions. At certain times there are excesses which add up to two months every five years. Thus being the case, there would be an excess of five months in thirteen years. Arjuna has not come out of hiding unless he knew this fact. Therefore, O King, you can make the decision on whether to battle is proper. Arrange the forces quickly for Dhananjaya is at hand."I will not, O grandsire, give back the Pandavas their kingdom," Duryodhana said. "Let all preparations for the battle be made without delay."

 

 

##########"Listen to what I regard as good advice," Bhishma said. "Take one fourth of the army and proceed to Hastinapura. Another fourth of the army will escort the cows to our city. With half of the troops will will fight with Arjuna. Myself,Drona, Karna, Ashvatthaman, and Kripa will fight with Vibhatsu when he approaches. We will try to withstand him like the bank withstanding the surging sea."

 

 

 

 

 

########EVEN ON THE 16<SUP>TH DAY OF MAHABHARATA(KARNA PARVA)WHEN KARNA WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE POST OF SENAPATI OF KAURVA ARMY,KARNA SAID TO DURYODHAN-

 

 

 

"today with shalya as my charioteer,I am going to kill & chop off the head of Arjuna in front of the entire mob.Shalya is far more more skilled than Krishna & u see my divine bow Vijaya is more powerful than Arjuna’s Gandiva,I am more skilled than Arjuna in archery feats. Today neither lord vasudeva nor indra can stop me from slaining the jishnu"

 

 

 

 

########THEN DURYODHAN REPLIED "i can just wish & pray for your victory, Half of the akshouhinis alongwith with your sons,Dushasena,& Ashwathama will assist your cart,Kripacharya,i myself & others will take care of the rest,let any leading general be slained by the pandavas,I wont allow you to walk alone in battle.Hope this time your words may not let me down,because earlier also we have been defeated by Arjuna in Virata.I wont discourage you but as a friend but I would surely like to caution you that overconfidence must be separated from genuine prowess & that is something not too be termed as irrational.U are now my only ray of hope alive."

 

 

 

AFTER THEN KARNA REPLIED "No man personally can get a firm control over victory & defeat because they are mastered by time,destiny & constrained by fate & I am no different.I shall however not let the same history to be repeated again & will fight with my level best & unless & until my last drop of blood is exhausted completely,I shall not give up this time.It’s my duty to save the life of the king & to slain the foremost enemy of my foremost friend is my pledge & I am merely confident & not overconfident because this time I posses the unfailing vasavi shakti in my quivers primarily preserved with great care for the kunti putra,hence now it would be more better to adjourn this recherché"!!

 

 

 

U SEE EVEN DURYODHAN,KARNA’S BEST FRIEND WAS DOUBTING THE CAPABILITIES OF KARNA…THIS SHOWS KARNA A COMPLETE FAILURE AS A WARRIOR!!KARNA WAS THE COWARDEST OF THE HIGHEST ORDER!!..RUNNING AWAY FROM THE BATTLEFIELD WAS HIS HOBBY…..FACT!!!!

</SUP>

[Akshadh008 0]

#######BEFORE PROCEEDING,A FEW WORDS FOR THIS UNEDUCATED NURSERY FAILED "BHARAT S" WRITER…THE MOST ILLITERATE IGNORANT MANDIR EDUCATED GUY I HAD EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE!!!

########THIS IGNORANT PUPPET-BHARATS IS SUCH A DUMB IGNORANT ILLITERATE JOKER THAT AGAIN HE HAD COPIED THE BULLSHIT TEXTS OF OTHER IGNORANT PUPPETS WHO DON’T EVEN KNOW THE X,Y,Z OF MAHABHARATA!!

BEFORE THIS GUY,ANOTHER BIG JOKER WROTE ON THIS WALL THAT ARJUNA’S CHARIOT HAD BEEN STRUCKED BY KARNA’S CHARIOT & IT WAS DISPLACED ONLY BY A FEW "INCHES" BECOZ OF THE SUPPORT OF KRISHNA & HANUMAN…WHILE KARNA’S CHARIOT DISPLACED BY A FEW "METRES"….

 

 

 

##############THIS JOKER EVEN DOESN’T KNOW THE FACT THAT THE SCIENTIFIC TERMS HE INTRODUCED IN HIS BULLSHIT LIKE "METRES" & "INCHES" WERE EVEN NOT INTRODUCED AT THAT PERIOD OF DWAPAR YUG(5000 YEARS)..& HE CLAIMED THIS HAD BEEN WRITTEN IN MAHABHARATA!!!& NOW THIS COPY PASTER MR.BHARATS IS COPYING & PASTING THE SAME COMMENT MERELY BY REPLACING THE WORD "METRES" & "INCHES" BY "STEPS" OUT OF SHEER NERVOUSNESS…. NOW IF THAT IS REALLY RIGHT THEN WHY NOT THE CHARIOTS OF BHIM,SATYAKI,SAHDEVA,YUDHISTIRA,SHIKANDI,

WAS THROWN OUT OF UNIVERSE WHEN KARNA DEFEATED ALL OF THEM SINGLE HANDEDLY & STRUCKED THEIR CHARIOT DURING THE 17<SUP>TH DAY OF BATTLE WHEN KARNA WAS ON HIS WAY TO FIGHT A DUEL WITH ARJUNA!!!THEY ALSO DON’T HAVE ANY SUCH HANUMAN & KRISHNA SITTING ON THEIR CHARIOT!!!

 

CAN U ALL BELIEVE HOW MUCH CAN A PERSON MAKE A FUN OF HIMSELF TO SUCH AN EXTENT LIKE THIS JAAHIL-BHARAT S!!!*****THEY SEEM TO BE SO MUCH CONFUSED AMONG THEMSELVES…****SOME R WRITING INCHES,METRES…SOME R WRITING STEPS!!!THEY CANT COMPILE A GOOD FICTIOUS STORY…SO 1 CANT EXPECT ANY GOOD DEAL FROM THESE IGNORANT & CONFUSED PUPPETS!!!NOWHERE IN THE ENTIRE MAHABHARATA THIS HAD BEEN WRITTEN,BE IT ANY VERSION,LANGUAGE OR WRITER!!!THAT’S WHY THIS JAHIL DIDN’T GIVE THE SOURCE FROM WHERE HE HAD EXTRACTED THIS BULLSHIT!!!SO DEAR SHUDRA,BETTER GO & GET A NURSERY CLASS EDUCATION FIRST & THEN STUDY MAHABHARATA LATER!!!BUT TRUST ME,U MAKE GOOD STORIES…WHY DON’T U TRY IN BOLLYWOOD!!!

& FAR AS DISPLAYING OF FEATS BY KARNA & ARJUNA AT HASTINAPUR WAS CONCERNED,BOTH ARJUNA & KARNA WERE EVENLY MATCHED……KARNA DIDN’T SURPASS ARJUNA’S FEATS!!NOWHERE IN THE ENTIRE MAHBHARATA,THIS HAD BEEN WRITTEN KARNA SURPASSED ARJUNA’S SKILLS!!!

BHAI BHARAT S,WHY UR MAKING UR OWN MAHABHARATA!! THIS ILLITERATE HAS NO SELF ESTEEM!!! PATHETIC SHAMELESS LOOSERS!!

 

########Now as far as skills r concerned,actually ur totally wrong..ur bullshit propagandas r completely baseless!!

….Arjuna clearly surpassed Karna….so if u jaahils wanna how,Kindly have a view of the following:

 

#########Remember Arjuna & Drona were the only archers on planet who were expert in engaging multiple targets simultaneously!!Karna & others didn’t posses such capability!!Arjuna was also ahead of Karna in Blind eye archery!!Arjuna was also miles ahead of Karna in nullifying illusionary targets!!!Arjuna surpassed Karna in high end archery maneurovers!!Arjuna was also more skilled in deep penetrative attack!!Arjuna also had an upperhand in Vyuhu & Anti Vyuhu Battle Tactics(That he specially learnt from his guru Drona),high intensity archery warfare,defensive immunity,arrow skimming strategies…Arjuna can even perform unmatched feats of archery from both of his hands…(including his left hands).. that’s why Arjuna was known as "Savyashachee"karna didn’t posses such a capability…Although Kaurvas posses a huge army than Pandavas(Kaurvas-11 Akshouhinis,& Pandavas merely 7 Akshouhinis) Arjuna alone killed a total of 6 of the 11 Akshouhinis of Kaurvas…!!Drona as a teacher had clearly accepted that Arjuna had surpassed his own guru also!!!It was only karna & no body else who considered himself to be the supreme archer & better than Arjuna!!(*******For more Details,please see the Adi Parva of Mahabharata…& hear just from the Kaurvas generals including Drona & Bhishma whose skills r more superior)

 

 

#######Morever it is to be noted that the Person who was the most reluctant to go for a war was non other than Arjuna himself due to which Lord Krishna had to give him "Gitaopdesh"to make him realize his karm & dharm!!I hope u may be knowing about Gitaopdesh…(The Granth of the Hinduus)…So if u have the time,surf throughout the Bhagvat Gita..& find out urself Why Arjuna was not willing to fight his elders!!!Even after the Gitaopdesh,Arjuna was reluctant to fight battle with his loving Grandfather Bhishma & his own guru Dronacharya!!Hence as a last option Lord Krishna had to take out his Sudarshan Chakra to slay Bhishma..but fortunately Arjuna stopped Krishna from undertaking such a step & break his Pratigya of not entering into a battle!!!& after this development Arjuna fought with all his prowess & skills & always Arjuna had an upperhand on both of them!!Im quotting this just from the Mahabharata..Thus It is completely rubbish to say that Arjuna was afraid of fighting with Drona & Bhishma…Nowhere in Mahabharata it has been mentioned…so better u all Don’t make ur own stories & make fun out of urself!!

 

 

************Arjuna single handedly defeated Karna,Bhishma,Drona,Ashwathama,Kripacharya,Duryodhan alongwith the half of huge & mighty kaurva army in the Virata as Brinhala with Uttara kumara as his charioteer,Arjuna had alone defeated the Gandharvas, Danavas, Nivatakavachas and the Paulomas,Arjuna alone stopped the onslaught of the Gandharvas in the Dvaitavana forest,Arjuna alone killed the Nivatakavachas which were incapable of being slain by the demigods. Even Indra himself was defeated in a fight with Arjuna in the Khandavas,Arjuna even satisfied the great Lord Shiva by his prowess & archery feats when Arjuna was on his way to acquire the Pashupata astra from Lord Shiva!!(When Lord shiva tested Arjuna & fought a duel with him as an hunter),Arjuna also conqured kingdoms of Pragjyotisha, Uluka, Modapura,Vamadeva, Sudaman, Susankula, Northern Uluka, Puru kingdom of Viswagaswa, Utsava-Sanketa, Lohita, Trigarta, Darava, Abhisara, Kokonada, Ursa, Simhapura, Suhma, Sumala, Balhika, Darada, Kamboja,the Lohas, Parama Kambojas, Northern Rishikas (or Parama Rishikas), Limpurushas, Haratakas,Gandharvas and the Uttarakurus etc Arjuna was called Dhanajaya when he conquered all the kings at the time of RÄjsooya Yajna and collected wealth from all of them.In another memorable battle, it was Arjuna who annihilated a whole akshouhini, or hundreds of thousands (109,350) of Kaurava soldiers in one day to avenge the terrible murder of his son Abhimanyu.Such a destruction of enemy & that too in 1 day has never been seen in history!!! Kaurva fear for Arjuna is time & agaim reflected in Mahabharata itself….Drona feared Arjuna so much that he kept telling that the kaurvas must stop Arjuna any how or else they will not be able to capture Yudhistir in their dreams also!!!When Bhishma agreed that he would obey his Pratigya of making Earth Nis Pandav,Duryodhan kept warning as Duryodhan was quite aware of the fact that Arjuna will save the lifes of his brothers & is the only person capable of killing Bhishma!!Hence he ordered kripacharya,dushasena,drona to never let Arjuna to come in front of Bhishma but Arjuna as a peerless archer single handedly beat all of them & saved Bhim from being killed by Bhishma!!Arjuna always had an upperhand while fighting Bhishma & when on another occasion Kripacharya,Dronacharya,Shakuni,Dushasena all simultaneously attacked Arjuna in order to save injured Bhishma from further injury by Arjuna’s arrows,Arjuna defeated all of them single handedly!!!This is clearly mentioned in Mahabharat!!!Go & read Mahabharat first!!! Frustation cant change the facts!!!

 

 

***********SO U IGNORANT ILLITERATE PEOPLE SHOULD FIRST GO & ANALYSE THE MAHABHARATA IN DEPTH INSTEAD OF SHOOTING IN DARK & REPEATING THE SAME CRAP AGAIN & AGAIN & THAT TOO COPIED FROM SOME OTHER PUPPETS......& THEN U PEOPLE SHOULD WRITE ANYTHING ON THIS WALL!!!IF U DON’T KNOW MAHABHARATA,THEN WHY UR WASTING UR TIME IN ARGUING WITH THE FACTS!!!UR FIGHTING OVER FACTS!!!AT THE SAME TIME,U CANT DENY THE TRUTH WHY ARJUNA IS KNOWN AS THE GREATEST ARCHER IN THE WORLD!!!THERE R NUMEROUS REASONS BEHIND IT WHICH ONLY EXPERTS WHO HAD READ THE ENTIRE MAHABHARATA IN DETAIL & HAS ANALYSED EACH & EVERY SINGLE WORD CAN UNDERSTAND..& NOBODY ELSE CAN…MERELY READING THE HEADLINES,WATCHING TV SHOWS OR MOVIES OR SCREAMING & BARKING & SPREADING FICTIOUS RUMOURS & SPECULATIONS LIKE MEDIA IS NOT GOING TO WORK AT THIS JUNCTURE!!...& I DONT EXPECT ANY DEBATE ANYMORE…

 

***********THIS TOPIC "WAS KARNA A BETTER ARCHER" IS A COMPLETE BULLSHIT IN ITSELF & I FELL LIKE BUTCHERING THE PARALYSED MONKEY BRAINED GUY WHO HAD DARED TO POST SUCH A TOPIC....WORLD NOW ARJUNA WAS THE SUPREME ARCHER & HIS FEATS OF ARCHERY R ABSOLUTELY UNPARALLED IN ALL THE THREE WORLDS(TRILOK)!!!THERE IS NOT A FRACTION OF DOUBT LEFT IN THIS REGARD...& THOSE WHO DOUBT R NOT LESS THAN A DALIT HYBRID!!!!

 

SORRY TO HURT UR FEELINGS BUT THAT IS THE FACT!!!

TRUTH HURTS & REALITY BITES!!

HOPE THIS WOULD HAVE WORKED AS AN EYE OPENER FOR U ALL!!

& ALL MY DEAR BROTHERS WHO R SUPPORTING ME,ARJUNA & LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST THE TRUTH,SHOULD NOT WASTE UR TIME IN ARGUING WITH THESE SHUDRAS DALITS WHO EVEN DON’T KNOW THE ELIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF MAHABHARATA!!!LET THESE SHUDRAS JAAHILILS LIVE IN THEIR OWN FOOL PARADISE BABBLING THEIR MANDIR EDUCATED BACKGROUND!!

I HAVE ALREADY PROOVED THE TRUTH WITH CRYSTAL CLEAR QUOTES,EXTRACTS & TRANSLATIONS OF THE ENTIRE MAHABHARATA IN DETAIL & NOBODY COULD CHALLENGE ME!!!

ARJUNA WAS THE UNDISPUTED ARCHER IN THE TRILOK & KARNA WAS THE COWARDEST OF ALL….. THAT COWARD RAN 3 TIMES FROM THE BATTLEFIELD!!& U JOKERS CALL KARNA A BETTER ARCHER THAN ARJUNA…BAHAHAHAA..PATHETIC…..KARNA WAS A SLAP ON THE ENTIRE SPIRIT OF KSHATRIYAS….FACT!!!!!

 

SATYAMEVA JAYATE!!!

 

 

 

</SUP>

[Akshadh008 0]

Refer to the topic "ARJUNA THE PEERLESS ARCHER" given below......

[Akshadh008 0]

DEDICATED TO THIS JAAHIL BHARAT S WHO IS TALKING ABOUT SKILLS…..HAHAHA…..POOR IGNORANT PUPPET….R U ALSO A SHUDRA BY ANY CHANCE?? ALL THESE JAAHILS R MAKING A HLAUWA OF THE ENTIRE MAHABHARATA!!

ENOUGH OF USELESS DEBATE!!!!NOW ITS HIGH TIME,THE PUBLIC MUST BE MADE AWARE OF THE TRUTH!! & BY THE WAY MR. BHARATS HAVEN’T U READ THIS DEAR JAAHIL!!!!

 

Hope this will clear ur doubts from ur monkey brain that Karna was not even a match to Arjuna!!!!

Arjuna Alone Challenges the Kaurava Army:

 

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

 

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

 

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

 

(Virata parva,chapter-4th)……

 

 

After the Matsya King had recovered his cows, Duryodhana and the Kuru host invaded the kingdom of Virata. With Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, Ashvatthama, and Duhshasana, Duryodhana succeeded in driving away the cowherdsmen and stealing sixty thousand cows. When the cowherdsmen were defeated, they hurried went to King Virata to complain of the Kuru's action. When the cowherdsmen saw that the city was empty of men, they approached Uttara Kumara, the son of the

King. They related to him everything that had happened and asked that he free

the cows at once. Hearing the appeals of the cowherdsmen, Uttara Kumara assured them, "As expert as I am in the use of the bow, I would set out this very day

if only I could find someone who could be my charioteer. Therefore, look for

someone competent to manage my horses, and I will without delay enter the

battlefield and penetrate deep into the ranks of the Kaurava army. I will fight

with Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Duryodhana and Ashvatthama, and defeat them all.

The Kaurava army shall witness my prowess. Seeing me raining arrows from my

chariot, they will ask if it is not Arjuna returned to take back the kingdom."

Hearing these boastful words, Arjuna whispered in private to his dear wife

Draupadi, "Tell Uttara that Brihannala was formerly the Arjuna's charioteer,

and has been tested in many previous battles." While the prince was still

glorifying himself, Panchali bashfully spoke out from among the women, "The

handsome youth of the name Brihannala was formerly Arjuna's charioteer. It was

he who held the reins of Arjuna's chariot when Agni consumed the Khandava

forest. It was with him that Partha conquered all creatures at Khandavaprastha.

In fact, there is no charioteer equal to him."

"O Sairindhri," Uttara said, "you may know what this youths past history may

be. You may know what this one of the neuter sex may or may not have done. I

cannot, however, request Brihannala to hold the reins of my chariot."

"Brihannala, O hero, will without doubt, obey the words of your younger

sister," Draupadi replied. "If he consents to become your charioteer, you will,

without doubt, return, having vanquished the Kurus and rescued the cows."

Thus informed by Sairindhri, Uttara asked his sister to go to the dancing hall

and bring Brihannala to him. The princess then hurriedly went to the dancing

hall and requested Brihannala to become the charioteer of Uttara Kumara. The

princess stated that if he did not do so, she would give up her life.

Brihannala quickly agreed and came into the presence of the young prince.

Uttara then inquired, "O Brihannala, Sairindhri has said that formerly you

drove the chariot of Arjuna when he conquered the whole world. Will you not,

therefore, drive my chariot, and help me conquer the Kuru host who have stolen

our cows?"

"O prince," Arjuna replied, "what ability do I have to act as a charioteer? I

only know about music, dance, and songs. I can entertain you in this way, but

little do I know about holding the reins of a chariot."

"O Brihannala," Uttara ordered, "whether you are a dancer or a singer, take

the reins of my chariot, and together let us challenge the Kuru warriors."

Although Arjuna knew perfectly how to put on armor, in the presence of all he

began to make many mistakes trying to attire his armor. All the women began to

laugh at his attempts to put on the golden mail. Seeing Arjuna failing to garb

the armor properly, Uttara Kumara helped him equip himself for battle. Together

they then mounted the chariot and hoisted the chariot's flag bearing the sign

of a lion. As they were leaving, the girls of the palace requested, "O

Brihannala, bring us some fine sample of clothes from Bhishma and Drona after

Kumara has defeated them in battle." Agreeing with their proposal, Arjuna urged

the horses on, and they left the capital city. Having left the city, Virata's

heroic son commanded Brihannala, "Proceed quickly to where the Kurus are. I

will rescue the cows and bring them back to the city bringing great joy to my

father."

Arjuna quickly caught up to the retreating Kuru army. It looked like a vast

sea and was causing dust to rise up into the sky. Beholding the ocean of Kuru

warriors, headed by Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and Duryodhana, the hairs of

Uttara's body stood on end out of fear. He then revealed to Partha his anxiety,

"I am incapable of fighting with so many warriors. These heroes cannot be

vanquished even by the heavenly denizens. My mind is overcome with fear at the

very sight of Bhishma and Drona. My father has gone out to meet the Trigartas

and has left me alone to encounter these innumerable warriors. Therefore, O

Brihannala, cease to advance any further."

"Why do you look so pale and fearful," Brihannala scornfully replied. "This

will only bring joy to your enemy? As of yet you have not encountered one

warrior in battle. It was you who ordered me to drive your chariot and

challenge the enemy. I will, therefore, take you to the front line of the

battlefield. In the presence of the women you boasted your prowess. Why do you

now want to run from the battlefield? If you were to return home without

fighting, men and women would meet together and laugh at you. As for myself, I

will not return from the battlefield without rescuing the cows. I have been

praised highly by Sairindhri and yourself, and therefore I will give battle to

the Kurus."

Uttara, his knees shaking, falteringly said, "Let the Kurus rob the Matsyas of

all their wealth. Let the men and women laugh at me. Let the cows perish, and

let the city be a desert. Let me stand exposed before my father. Still there is

no need for battle." Saying this much, the prince panicked, jumped from his

chariot and ran away, sacrificing honor and pride.

Brihannala called to him, "This is not the practice of those who are brave. A

kshatriya never runs from his enemies. Even death in battle is better than

running from the battlefield." Saying this and descending from the chariot,

Arjuna, the son of Kunti, ran after the prince while his braid and red garments

fluttered in the air. When the Kuru warriors saw this scene, they burst into

laughter. They began to talk amongst themselves, "Who is this person who is

part man and part women. Although bearing a neuter form, he resembles Arjuna.

He has the same head, arms, neck and he walks in the same way as Arjuna. He is

certainly none other than Arjuna. Who else but Arjuna would dare to challenge

us alone? The one running away is Uttara, the King's son. He has come out of

the city due to childishness and not from true heroism. Arjuna is running after

him to bring him back." Some generals disagreed with this, and thus they could

not come to any conclusion.

Meanwhile, Arjuna caught up to Uttara within a hundred steps and grabbed him

by the hair. Apprehend in this way, he pleaded with Arjuna, "Listen, O

Brihannala, let us turn the chariot and go back to the city. He that lives

meets with prosperity. I will give you all kinds of wealth and beautiful women

as well. Only please set me free."

When offered material benediction, Arjuna laughed and dragged Uttara back to

the chariot. Arjuna, through compassion for the frightened prince, tried to

encourage him, "If, O chastiser of the enemy, you do not wish to fight with

them, then hold the reins of the chariot, and I will fight with them. Protected

by the potency of my arms, we will penetrate the enemies ranks and subdue them.

Do not succumb to fear." In this way Arjuna comforted the frightened prince and

asked him to ascend the chariot. He then told Uttara to drive the chariot

toward the Shami tree that was just out side the city. This was the place where

the Pandavas had left their weapons.

Beholding that person of the third sex seated on the chariot, the Kurus headed

by Bhishma and Drona became frightened at the thought that it might be Arjuna.

They then noticed evil omens in all directions. Violent and hot winds began to

blow. The sky became overcast with a dark gloom. The clouds presented a strange

sight, and Jackals began howling from all directions. Seeing this, Drona

ordered the troops into battle formation. He ordered them, "Stand your ground,

and do not flee out of fear. Protect yourselves and expect a terrible

slaughter. This person on the chariot dressed like a eunuch is definitely

Arjuna. There is no doubt about this. After defeating our forces, he will take

away the cows. I do not see any hero amongst us who can withstand him. He has

even defeated the demigods including Lord Shiva and Indra."

Hearing the cautious words of Drona, Karna boasted, "You always speak of the

glories of Arjuna, but he is not even equal to a sixteenth part of myself or

Duryodhana."

"If this is Arjuna," Duryodhana said, "they my purpose has been served. He

will have to return to the forest for another twelve years. However, if this be

anyone else in a eunuch's garb, I will prostrate him on the ground with my

arrows."

Upon reaching the Shami tree, Arjuna ordered Uttara Kumara, "Climb this tree,

and bring down that bag covered with the skin of an animal. It appears like a

corpse, but it contains the weapons of the Pandavas. Out of all the weapons I

want the Gandiva bow that is owned by Arjuna. It is the strongest of all bows

and can withstand the enemy's weapons. With it I will defeat the Kuru host."

Uttara then climbed the tree and cut the wrappings from around the bag and

beheld the weapons of the Pandavas shining like the sun. He saw the Gandiva

along with four other bows, and he was struck with wonder. His hair stood on

end, and while touching those bows, he questioned Arjuna, "To what warrior does

this magnificent bow belong, and to what warrior does this bow belong which has

golden elephants embossed on it. Whose bow is this that has radiant golden suns

embossed on it? Whose bow is this that has gold inlay and precious gems? Whose

quivers are these covered in gold and holding a thousands arrows with golden

heads? All these swords, maces, bows and arrows have an effulgence that is hard

to bear. Tell me truly, O Brihannala, to whom do these weapons belong?"

"The bow of which you have inquired about first is Arjuna's bow called the

Gandiva," Brihannala replied, "It is famed throughout the universe and equals a

hundred thousand weapons. It was originally owned by Lord Shiva for the period

of a thousand years. It was then owned by Indra for eighty years and Soma for

five hundred years. Varuna has owned it for a hundred years, and now Arjuna has

owned it for sixty-five years. Partha has obtained this bow from Varuna. The

other bows belong to the other Pandavas. The quivers you asked about belong to

Arjuna and are inexhaustible. The other quivers and weapons belong to

Yudhisthira, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva respectively."

Uttara then questioned Brihannala, "These weapons are very beautiful, but

where is the son of Pritha, Arjuna, as well as Yudhisthira, Bhima, Nakula and

Sahadeva. We have heard that they have lost their kingdom and are now in exile.

Also where is Draupadi who followed her lords into the forest although she was

a princess accustomed to great comforts?"

Arjuna replied, "I am Arjuna, also called Partha. Your father's counselor,

named Kanka, is Yudhisthira. Your father's chef is Bhima. The caretaker of your

father's horses is Nakula, and the cowherdsmen that takes care of your father's

cows is Sahadeva. Know the maidservant of Sudeshna, Sairindhri, to be Draupadi.

For her sake Kichaka was slain."

Skeptical, Uttara questioned Arjuna, "I will believe you if you can tell me

the ten names of Arjuna."

"I will tell you, O son of Virata, my ten names," Arjuna replied. "Listen to

them with close attention. They are Arjuna, Phalguna, Jishnu, Kiritin,

Svetavahana, Vibhatsu, Vijaya, Krishna, Savyasachin and Dhananjaya. I am known

as Dhananjaya because I have defeated all countries and taken away their

wealth. They call me Vijaya because I enter the battlefield and never return

without vanquishing my enemy. I am called Svetavahana because of the white

horses yoked to my chariot. They call me Phalguna because I was born on the

mountain crest of Himavat at the auspicious time when the constellation Uttara

Phalguna was on the ascendent. I am named Kiritin because of the crown given by

Indra that is as effulgent as the sun. I am known as Vibhatsu, among demigods

and men, for never having committed an unworthy deed on the battlefield. I am

known as Savyasachin, because by drawing the string of my bow with both hands,

I can release countless arrows. I am known as Arjuna because my complexion has

no equal on earth. I am known as Jishnu because I am invincible on the

battlefield. And I was given the name Krishna because I always meditate on Lord

Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the Yadu dynasty."

After hearing Arjuna's description, Uttara was pleased and offered respects

and worship to Arjuna. He begged his forgiveness for acting out of fear and

then agreed to drive his chariot. Ascending the chariot, he requested Arjuna,

"Order me as to where I should drive this chariot."

Uttara Kumara had taken all the weapons of the Pandavas and put them in the

chariot. He cast off all fear and was prepared to do as he was ordered. He said

to Arjuna, "I will drive this chariot as Daruka drives the chariot of Lord

Krishna, or as Matali drives the chariot of Indra."

Then Arjuna took off his bracelets and wore on his hands a pair of beautiful

gloves embroidered with gold. He then tied his hair in the back with a white

cloth. Seated on that excellent chariot, he turned toward the east, purifying

his body and concentrating his attention on Lord Krishna's form. He recalled to

mind all his weapons, and they appeared before him saying, "We are here, O

illustrious one. We are your servants, O son of Indra." Obtaining the celestial

weapons, Arjuna looked cheerful. After stringing his bow, he pulled back the

string and released it, causing the earth to tremble, and the Kuru's hearts

were seized with fear. He then hoisted on the chariot his own golden banner,

bearing the insignia of an ape who was none other than Hanuman. Then Arjuna,

his fingers encased in leather gloves, set out in a northerly direction. He

blew his conchshell causing a tremendous sound to vibrate in all directions.

The hairs of the Kuru warriors stood and end, and Uttara Kumara fell to his

knees at the sound of the blast. Even Arjuna's horses fell to the ground at the

sound of his conch. Arjuna then took the reins of the chariot, raised the

horses and comforted Uttara, "Why do you fear the sound of a conch. You are a

kshatriya by birth and have heard the blast of many conchshells. Why are you so

terrified now?"

"I have heard the sounds of many conchshells on the field of battle," Uttara

Kumara replied, "but none like this. Nor Have I ever seen a banner like this

one with a monkey shouting heartrending screams. The sound of your bow, and the

blaring of your conch, as well as the screams of this superhuman creature on

the banner have greatly bewildered me. The whole sky seems to be affected by

the monkey on this banner, and the sound of your Gandiva bow has deafened my

ears."

Arjuna laughed heartedly and said, "Firmly stand on the chariot and tightly

catch the reins, for I will blow the conch again." Arjuna then blew his

conchshell which was so loud that the mountains seemed to split, and the clouds

dispersed from the sky.

Sizing up the situation, Drona informed the others, "It appears from the sound

of his conchshell that this is none other than Arjuna. The evil omens in all

directions indicate misfortune for the Kurus. Our whole army is stepping

backwards out of fear of that ape on the banner of Arjuna's chariot. Send the

cows ahead, for we should stand here prepared to meet the onslaught of

Arjuna."

"It appears that Arjuna has come out of hiding before completing the last year

of exile," Duryodhana then said to the Kuru generals. "This being the case,

they will have to enter the forest for another twelve years. We will have to

consult Grandfather in this regard. We must now prepare ourselves to fight. Why

are all these great warriors sitting on their chariots panic stricken?"

"Everything is in confusion because Drona has come under the sway of fear,"

Karna spoke condescendingly. "He is affectionate towards Arjuna, and he doesn't

want to fight. I see that all our generals are seized with fear. I don't care

if it is Indra himself that we have to encounter, I will fight with all my

weapons and kill this Arjuna. I am in no way inferior to Arjuna, and today, I

will slay him as promised in the gambling match to my friend Duryodhana. I will

grind this Arjuna into the ground, and with my javelin, I will kill this monkey

that rides on the banner. You will behold today Arjuna's chariot broken, his

horses killed, his prowess gone and himself lying on the ground sighing like a

snake."

Bhishma, the great grandsire of the Kuru dynasty, then gave his counsel,

"Drona's son has spoken well as well as Kripa. As for Karna, he fights only out

of duty trying to enliven the troops. I am of the opinion that we should fight.

When the son of Kunti has come, it is not a time for quarrel. Let us arrange

our troops in battle array and protect Duryodhana from Arjuna's onslaught. He

should take the cows and return to Hastinapura. Arjuna has not come out of

hiding unless the time period of exile has expired. The wheel of time revolves

with it divisions. At certain times there are excesses which add up to two

months every five years. Thus being the case, there would be an excess of five

months in thirteen years. Arjuna has not come out of hiding unless he knew this

fact. Therefore, O King, you can make the decision on whether to battle is

proper. Arrange the forces quickly for Dhananjaya is at hand."

"I will not, O grandsire, give back the Pandavas their kingdom," Duryodhana

said. "Let all preparations for the battle be made without delay."

"Listen to what I regard as good advice," Bhishma said. "Take one fourth of

the army and proceed to Hastinapura. Another fourth of the army will escort the

cows to our city. With half of the troops will will fight with Arjuna. Myself,

Drona, Karna, Ashvatthaman, and Kripa will fight with Vibhatsu when he

approaches. We will try to withstand him like the bank withstanding the surging

sea."

 

VIRATA PARVA....CONTINUED.....

 

[Akshadh008 0]

Here starts the battle:

 

VIRATA PARVA(CHAPTER-FOURTH)...CONTINUED........

 

Grandfather Bhishma then gave orders for the army formation. Having sent away

Duryodhana with one fourth of the troops, Bhishma ordered Drona to guard the

middle of the formation. He ordered Ashvatthama to guard the left and Kripa to

guard the right. He ordered Karna to stand in front of the army, and he himself

chose to guard the army from the back.

As Arjuna approached the Kuru army, he released two arrows that fell to the

ground in front of Bhishma and Drona. After thirteen years of exile, he was

offering obeisances to his grandfather and his martial guru. He then released

two more arrows that barely grazed the ears of each, indicating that he was now

ready to fight with them. Hanuman was roaring from the banner striking terror

into the troops. Seeing the Kurus ready for battle, Arjuna ordered Uttara

Kumara, "O charioteer, keep the horses at a distance so that my arrows may

reach them. I want to find that vain prince of the Kurus, Duryodhana. Disregard

all the other great warriors and single him out. After defeating him, all the

others will cease battle. There in the distance stands Drona and beyond him his

son Ashvatthama. And there are the great bowmen--Bhishma, Kripa and Karna. I do

not see the King, and I suspect he has taken the southern road anxious to save

his life. Follow the Duryodhana's path, for after defeating him I will come

back, bringing with me the cows."

Arjuna encircled the ocean of troops trying to make his way to Duryodhana.

Understanding his intentions, Kripa and the others began to chase after him.

Arjuna soon caught up with Duryodhana and challenged his troops to battle. From

Arjuna's bow issued a thick shower of arrows. Soon the whole sky was covered

with those arrows, and the soldiers of Duryodhana fell into confusion. While

those warriors were in a confused state, he again blew his conchshell which

struck terror into the hearts of the Kuru warriors. They gave up all hope for

life and fled the battlefield. In this state of confusion, the cows turned back

and headed for the city of Virata. As Arjuna was approaching Duryodhana, the

Kuru host headed by Karna fell upon him. The first warrior to reach him was

Vikarna. He rained arrows upon Arjuna, but it was no use. Arjuna cut his

bowstring and the standard from his chariot. Losing the use of his bow, he fled

the battlefield. The next warrior to reach Arjuna was King Satruntapa. He was

provoked and desired to put an end to Pandu's son. Arjuna, however, killed his

four horses and his chariot driver and then with an arrow capable of piercing

his heavy coat of armor, he sent him to Yamaraja's court.

Arjuna then ranged the field of battle depriving life from the Kuru host. The

next warrior to approach Arjuna was Sangramajit, the brother of Karna. He

challenged Arjuna like a tempest, but Arjuna quickly killed his four red horses

and with a crescent shaped arrow, severed his head. When his brother had fallen

on the battlefield, Karna quickly pierced Arjuna with twelve arrows. He covered

his horses with arrows and pierced Virata's son in the hand where he held the

chariot's reins. Seeing the duel that was taking place, the Kuru host looked

on, not taking any part. Arjuna covered the Karna's chariot with thousands of

arrows so that it could not be seen. However, Karna soon released himself from

that network of arrows and sent forth a thunderous roar competing with the

monkey on the banner of Arjuna's chariot. Karna then released a multitude of

arrows that covered Arjuna's chariot. Highly annoyed, and drawing his bow back

to his ear, Arjuna pierced Karna in every part of his body. Mangled by Arjuna's

crescent shaped arrows, Karna fled the battlefield.

After Radha's son had been routed, the Kuru host fell upon Arjuna like the

ocean attacks the beach. Using his celestial weapons, Partha pierced every

warrior on the battlefield whether he was a foot soldier, charioteer, horseman,

or elephant rider. Every warrior was not pierced with enough arrows so that

there was not two fingers breadth between each wound. Horses were running here

and there, dragging behind them the remnants of broken chariots. Elephants,

pierced by thousands of arrows, were dropping on the field of battle, and

looked like huge hills with streams of water running from them. Arjuna struck

terror, besides arrows, into the hearts of Duryodhana's troops. As soon as

anyone reached Arjuna he was sent to the other world. The whole battlefield

soon turned into a nightmare of mangled bodies and severed heads. The Gandiva

bow was in a perfect circle at all times, and the celestial weapons were

drinking the blood of all who opposed. The earth became muddied by the river

that was created from the dead soldiers of the Kurus. Arjuna pierced Drona with

seventy arrows and Duryodhana with a hundred. He then pierced Karna in the ear

with a bearded arrow and destroyed his chariot and horses. With this act, the

troops that were supporting him fled in all directions.

Dhananjaya then ordered Uttara Kumara to head in the direction where Kripa was

the commander of a division of soldiers. Seeing Arjuna coming, Kripa pierced

Arjuna with twelve arrows. Arjuna was furious and pierced Kripa's horses with

four arrows, causing the horses to rear, and Kripa fell from his chariot.

Greatly angered by his defeat, Kripa mounted his chariot, and by means of a

celestial weapon, pierced Arjuna with ten thousand arrows. Arjuna shook off

that network of arrows, and with his own arrows, cut the armor from Kripa's

body. He then cut his bow string and the standard from his chariot. Kripa

picked up another bow, but that string was cut by Arjuna. Each bow that Kripa

picked up was cut by Arjuna, and having no more bows, Saradwat's son picked up

a javelin that resembled a blazing thunderbolt. Kripacharya released it with a

meteor's speed, but Arjuna cut it to pieces with ten arrows. When Arjuna had

smashed his chariot, killed his horses and charioteer, Kripa took up a mace,

and descending from his chariot, ran at Arjuna. Kripa released the mace with

all his might, but Arjuna sent it in another direction by means of his forceful

arrows. When the warriors in Kripa's division saw that Kripa was in danger of

being killed, they surrounded Arjuna and covered him with arrows. Taking

Saradwat's son onto a chariot, they took him to another part of the

battlefield.

After Kripacharya had been taken away, the invincible Drona rushed towards

Arjuna on his golden chariot drawn by red horses. Arjuna then spoke to Drona,

"Having completed our exile in the forest, we are not desirous of avenging

offenses committed against us. O sinless one, I will not strike you unless you

strike me first. This in my intention." Thus addressed by Arjuna, Drona

released twenty arrows at the son of Kunti. Arjuna countered those arrows and

released a shower of arrows so that Drona could not be seen. With his celestial

weapons, Drona tried to overcome Arjuna, but Partha countered the Aindra, the

Vayavya and the Agneya weapons. While engaged in a fight with Drona, Arjuna was

being attacked on all sides. By means of his celestial weapons, Arjuna pierced

thousands of warriors with thousands of arrows, and all that approached the

chariot of Arjuna were sent to Yamaraja's abode. Suddenly Arjuna released from

his bow hundreds of arrows that covered Drona's chariot, and the Kuru army

thought that Drona was finished. Coming to his father's aid, Ashvatthama

challenged Arjuna to fight. Drona's armor and weapons were gone, and this gave

him a chance to slip away from the battlefield.

Arjuna immediately attacked Ashvatthaman's horses and threw them into

confusion. Ashvatthama countered and found the opportunity to cut the string of

the Gandiva bow. He then released an arrow that pierced the Arjuna's chest.

Arjuna laughed loudly, and placing another string on his bow, again attacked

Drona's son. Arjuna's quivers were inexhaustible, and he was releasing a

constant flow of arrows, creating a slaughter on the field of battle. The

stench of the dead bodies was overwhelming, and Uttara Kumara was fainting

under the strain. When Ashvatthama's arrows were exhausted, he left the

battlefield with no more weapons to fight with.

While havoc was being created on the battlefield, grandfather Bhishma rushed

at Arjuna. He blew his conchshell cheering the sons of Dhritarastra. The

demigods as well as the sages assembled in the heavens to see the wonderful

fight with the son of Ganga and the son of Kunti. Bhishma quickly pierced the

monkey on the flagstaff with eight arrows. Arjuna, taking up a mighty javelin,

cut off the top of Bhishma's chariot. The battle became fierce, and both were

using celestial weapons received from such demigods as Prajapati, Indra, Agni,

Rudra, Kuvera, Varuna, Yamaraja and Vayu. The demigods and the sages exclaimed

the glories of both, and the Kauravas sent up loud roars, encouraging the aged

Bhishma. Then, suddenly, Partha cut the bow of Bhishma into pieces. He then

pierced Bhishma in the chest with ten arrows, and Ganga's son fell to the floor

of his chariot in a swoon. The charioteer, seeing the critical situation, took

grandfather Bhishma from the battlefield.

After Bhishma had fled, Duryodhana attacked Arjuna with a murderous intention.

He released an arrow that struck Arjuna in the forehead, causing blood to flow

from his wound. Greatly incensed, Kunti's son pierced the King in return. In

order to save Duryodhana's life, Vikarna, riding on the back of a huge

elephant, attacked Arjuna. Seeing the elephant approaching like a mountain,

Arjuna pulled out a golden arrow, and drawing the string of his bow back to his

ears, released that arrow which entered into the elephant's forehead up to the

feathers. The elephant trembled and fell to the earth screaming in agony.

Vikarna jumped off the dead beast, ran backwards a full eight hundred feet and

ascended his brother's chariot.

Arjuna then pierced Duryodhana's chest, and that great warrior, vomiting

blood, tried to run from the battlefield. However, Arjuna would not let him go.

He challenged him again, "Sacrificing your name and fame, why do you flee from

the battlefield? I am Arjuna, the third son of Pritha. Turn back and show me

your face, bearing in mind the behavior of kings. Why are your running away

from the battlefield like a coward. I do not see any body guards around your

chariot. They have all fled like you. Stand and fight!" Being stung by the

words of Arjuna, Dhritarastra's son returned like a snake trampled under foot.

Suddenly all the divisions of the army, headed by Bhishma, Drona, Kripa,

Ashvatthama, and Karna, attacked Arjuna, trying to save the King's life. Seeing

them coming at once, Arjuna called for the Sanmohana weapon received from

Indra. Releasing this weapon and blowing on his conchshell, the whole of the

army fell to the ground deprived of their senses. Arjuna then addressed Uttara

Kumara, "O best of men, go to the Kurus and take away their scarfs. Take some

garment from Drona, Kripa, Duryodhana, Karna and Ashvatthama. Bhishma is still

conscious for he knows how to counter this astra." Jumping down from the

chariot, Kumara took some garment from each of the great generals and came back

to the chariot. Feeling satisfied after his victory, Arjuna decided to leave

the battlefield. However, Bhishma again attacked Arjuna, but Partha killed his

horses and his charioteer, and with a smile on his face headed for the city of

Virata.

Duryodhana awoke, and seeing Arjuna leaving the battlefield, chastised Bhishma

in strong words. "Why don't you rise and challenge him," Bhishma replied.

"While you were unconsciousness, he could have taken your life. He, however, is

not inclined to sin, and therefore, you are still alive. Let us go back to the

city of the Kurus, and let Partha return to Virata's kingdom, having retrieved

the cows. Do not foolishly throw away your life." Following the advice of the

grandsire, Duryodhana, accompanied by the rest of his army, went back to

Hastinapura humiliated by the prowess of Arjuna.

Arjuna then had Uttara Kumara return to the Shami tree. Again the weapons and

the ape banner were put into the corpse-like covering and hoisted into the

tree. Arjuna then told Prince Uttara that he should take credit for what had

happened, and that he should not reveal their disguise to the King. Prince

Uttara agreed not to disclose the Pandava's secret, but refused to take credit

for such super human activities. That afternoon Uttara Kumara ordered the

cowherdsmen to go to the capital and announce the King's victory. The son of

Kunti and the son of Virata rested for the afternoon and then entered the city

of the Matsyas.

 

 

Chapter Commentary

 

 

Arjuna was like the full moon in the sky. He was an empowered representative

of the Lord. It is stated in the Chaitanya Charitamrita, krishna shakti vina

nahe tara pravartana, "Unless empowered by the Lord one cannot propagate the

Lord's mission." (C.c. Antya 7.11) One who receives the Lord's empowerment is

called a shaktavesha avatara.Arjuna was empowered to relieve the earth's burden

in the form numerous military divisions. Arjuna alone killed many millions and

millions of men during his lifetime, but it was all for the service of the

Lord. We have seen in the life of our spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, that he alone came to the Western world to

spread the Krishna consciousness movement. Because he surrendered everything,

the Lord Krishna empowered him to spread this movement and to lighten the

earth's burden in the form of demoniac mentality. Srila Prabhupada carried with

him the empowerment of chanting the Hare Krishna maha mantra. He made this

transcendental sound vibration a household word throughout the entire world. If

one becomes empowered by the Lord, he can do wondrous and marvelous things that

no ordinary human can perform, as we have heard from this chapter.

 

Thus ends the Virata Parva (CHAPTER-4).......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Amlesh 1]

Surement t'es un Mauricien.

Si je ne me trompe pas.

[A.Ravi sekhar 0]

Hi all,

 

 

Shiva is the greatest archer(Rudra).In recent times,it was Arjuna ,after receiving Pasupathastram from shiva.He got the technology to use Pasupathasram,which will help to restrict Karna. Actually Arjuna was the best archer in Arya Kings.But If you take Ekalavya in concideration Ekalavya is Local(from ancient indian tribes).If you concider all Ekalavya is the best archer

[Saurabh008 0]

…………..AND FINALLY THE MOST PRECISE,THE MOST DETAILED & THE MOST INFALLIABLE & THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION WITH CRYSTAL CLEAR & STRAIGHT TRANSLATION,QUOTES,EXTRACTS & FACTS JUST FROM THE ORIGINAL & THE MOST TRUSTY VERSION OF MAHABHARATA & THE MOST DETAILED & MOST COMPREHENSIVE TRANSLATION AVAILABLE TILL DATE THAT WILL FINALLY END ALL CONFUSIONS,RUMOURS,SPECULATIONS & WILL FINALLY SETTLE THIS BRAIN TICKLING DEBATE IN THE FAVOUR OF THE TRUTH!!!

 

 

HERE IS THE COMPLETE TRANSLATION OF MAHABHARATA OF THAT FIERCE DUEL BETWEEN KARNA & ARJUNA!!!

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

 

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

 

KARNA PARVA…….

KARNA ARJUNA DUEL...

(17<SUP>TH DAY OF MAHABHARATA)

SECTION-89…….

 

READ EACH & EVERY TEXTS CAREFULLY & U CAN ANALYSE THAT HOW KARNA WAS OOZED WITH BLOOD SPREAD ALL OVER HIS BODY,& ARJUNA ALWAYS HAD AN UPPER HAND ON KARNA IN THIS TERRIBLE FIGHT…….

 

########ACCORDING TO MY ANALYSIS OF THIS TRANSLATION,ARJUNA & KARNA ASSAULTED EACH OTHER 35 TIMES WITH NUMEROUS, THOUSANDS & LAKHS OF ARROWS ………8 TIMES THEY NULLIFIED EACH OTHER ARROWS ,12 TIMES BOTH KARNA & ARJUNA PIERCED EACH OTHER BUT THE REMAINING 15 TIMES ARJUNA PIERCED KARNA IN EVERY PART OF HIS BODY & KARNA’S LIMBS,YOKE,STANDARD,STEEDS,CHARIOT WERE RIPPED APART & KARNA WAS LEFT MANGLED BATHED IN BLOOD & KARNA HAD NO ANSWER FOR ARJUNA’S ARROWS!!!

 

SO ALL THOSE IGNORANT PUPPETS WHO R SHOOTING IN DARK THAT KARNA HAD AN UPPERHAND IN THE BATTLE WITH ARJUNA MUST CHECK IT OUT URSELF…& PROOVE ME WRONG IF U CAN!!!BUT I KNOW U CANT BECOZ NO BODY CAN DEFEAT THE TRUTH!!!

 

& INSTEAD OF TELLING OTHERS THAT THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF MAHABHARATA OR THEY ARE WRONG, U MONKEYS SHOULD BETTER TAKE CARE OF GETTING SOME NURSERY CLASS EDUCATION FIRST & A FEW ELIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF READING & WRITING ENGLISH & THEN U HYBRIDS SHOULD STUDY THE ENTIRE MAHABHARATA IN DETAIL & THEN COME BACK LATER TO THIS FORUM PROVIDED U SHUDRAS STILL HAVE SOME GUTS LEFT TO FACE THE TRUTH!!!!

 

HERE STARTS THE TRANSLATION:

 

Sanjaya said, "Then when the blare of conchs and the peal of drums became very loud, those two foremost of men, both owning white steeds, the suta's son Vikartana and Arjuna, encountered each other in consequence, O king, of thy son's evil policy. Those two heroes endued with great impetuosity, Dhananjaya and Adhiratha's son, closed with each other like two infuriated Himalayan elephants, both of full-grown tusks, fighting with each other for the sake of a she-elephant in her season. Like a mass of clouds encountering another mass, or a mountain encountering a mountain, those two warriors, both pouring showers of arrows, encountered each other, their bows loudly twanging the while, and the wheels of their cars producing a deafening clatter, and their bow-strings and palms emitting loud sounds. Like two mountains, both endued with tall cliffs and abounding in trees and creepers and herbs and both teeming with the diverse other denizens that are natural to them, moving towards each other for an encounter, those two mighty warriors encountered each other, each striking the other with mighty weapons.

The combat between the two heroes became furious like that between the chief of the celestials and Virocana's son in days of yore. Incapable of being endured by others and marked by a river whose distasteful water consisted of blood, the limbs of those two heroes, as also their drivers and animals, became exceedingly mangled. Like two large lakes, both teeming with lotuses of diverse kinds and fish and tortoises, and echoing with the voices of diverse kinds of fowl, and softly stirred by the wind, approaching each other, those two cars graced with standards approached each other. Both endued with prowess equal to that of the great Indra, both resembling the great Indra himself, those two mighty car-warriors struck each other with shafts that resembled the great Indra's thunder, like the great Indra himself and (the asura) Vritra.

Both the armies consisting of cars and elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers, all equipped with beautiful armour and ornaments and robes and weapons, and those also that were in the welkin, were inspired with fear upon beholding that encounter of wonderful aspect between Arjuna and Karna. Others among the spectators, filled with joy and uttering leonine shouts, raised their arms, waving their fingers or the pieces of cloth they held, when Arjuna rushed against the son of Adhiratha, from desire of slaughter, like one infuriated elephant rushing against another.

The Somakas then loudly shouted to Partha, saying, "Be quick, O Arjuna, go and pierce Karna. Cut off his head without delay, and (with it) the desire of Dhritarashtra's son for kingdom." Similarly many warriors of ours that were there, said unto Karna, "Proceed, proceed, O Karna, and slay Arjuna with keen shafts. Let the sons of Pritha once more go to the woods forever."

Then Karna first pierced Partha in that encounter, with ten mighty shafts. Arjuna pierced him in return with ten keen-pointed shafts, shot with great vigour, in the centre of the chest. Indeed, the suta's son and Arjuna then mangled each other with many shafts equipped with goodly wings. Desirous of obtaining advantage of each other's lapses in that dreadful encounter, with cheerful hearts they rushed against each other fiercely.

Rubbing his two arms and the string also of gandiva, that fierce bowman, Arjuna, then sped showers of cloth-yard shafts, and nalikas and arrows equipped with heads like boar's ears and razors, and anjalikas, and crescent-shaped arrows. Those arrows of Partha, O king, spread over the welkin, penetrated into Karna's car like flights of birds, with heads bent down, penetrating in the evening into a tree for roosting there in the night. All those arrows, however, O king, that Arjuna, that victor over all foes, with furrowed brow and angry glances, sped at Karna, all those successive showers of shafts shot by the son of Pandu, were cut off by the suta's son with his own arrows.

The son of Indra then sped at Karna a fiery weapon capable of slaying all foes. Covering the earth and the welkin and the ten points of the compass and the very course of the sun with its effulgence, it caused his own body also to blaze up with light. The robes of all the warriors took fire, at which they fled away. Loud sounds also arose there, like what is heard when a forest of bamboos in a wilderness is on fire. Beholding that fiery weapon acting on all sides, the suta's son Karna of great valour shot in that encounter the varunastra for quenching it. That conflagration then, in consequence of Karna's weapon, became quenched.

A large mass of clouds quickly caused all the points of the compass to be enveloped with darkness. Those clouds whose extremities presented the aspect of mountains, surrounding every side, flooded the earth with water. That fierce conflagration, though it was such, was still quenched by those clouds in a trice. The entire welkin and all the directions, cardinal and subsidiary, were shrouded by clouds. Thus shrouded by clouds, all the points of the compass became dark and nothing could be seen.

Then Arjuna dispelled those clouds caused by Karna, by means of the vayavyastra. After this, Dhananjaya, incapable of being over-mastered by foes inspired gandiva, its string, and his shafts, with mantras, and invoked into existence another weapon that was the favourite of the chief of the celestials and that resembled the thunder in energy and prowess. Then razor-headed arrows, and anjalikas, and crescent-shaped shafts, and nalikas, and cloth-yard shafts and those equipped with heads like the boar's ear, all keen and sharp, issued from gandiva in thousands, endued with the force and impetuosity of the thunder. Possessed of great might and great energy, those impetuous and keen shafts equipped with vulturine feathers piercing all the limbs, the steeds, the bow, the yoke, the wheels, and the standard of Karna, quickly penetrated into them like snakes frightened by Garuda penetrating into the earth. Pierced all over with arrows and bathed in blood, (the high-souled) Karna then, with eyes rolling in wrath, bending his bow of enduring string and producing a twang as loud as the roar of the sea, invoked into existence the Bhargava weapon. Cutting off Partha's showers of shafts proceeding from the mouth of that weapon of Indra (which Arjuna had shot), Karna, having thus baffled his antagonist's weapon with his own, destroyed cars and elephants and foot-soldiers (of the Pandava army). Unable to endure the feats of Arjuna in that fierce battle, the mighty car-warrior Karna did this, through the energy of the Bhargava weapon. Filled with wrath and possessed of great activity, the Suta's son, that foremost of men, laughing at the two Krishnas, pierced the foremost of Pancala warriors with well shot arrows in that battle. Then the Pancalas and the Somakas, O king, thus afflicted by Karna with showers of shafts in that encounter, became filled with wrath and uniting together pierced the Suta's son with keen arrows from every side. Quickly cutting off those arrows with his own, the Suta's son, vigorously agitating them in that battle, afflicted with many shafts the cars, the elephants, and the steeds of the Pancalas. Their bodies pierced with those shafts of Karna, they fell down, deprived of life, on the earth, making loud sounds, like mighty elephants slain by an angry lion of terrible strength. Having slain those foremost of warriors, those heroes endued with great strength, those leaders of the Pancala forces who had always challenged him (to battle), Karna, O king, as he shot his arrows, looked beautiful, like a mass of clouds pouring torrents of rain. Then thy warriors, thinking that Karna had won the victory, clapped loudly and uttered leonine roars. O chief of the Kurus, all of them then regarded the two Krishnas as brought by Karna under his power, seeing that valour, incapable of being borne by foes, of the mighty car-warrior Karna. Beholding that weapon of Dhananjaya frustrated by Karna in the midst of battle, the angry son of the Wind-god, with eyes blazing with wrath, began to squeeze his hands. Indeed, the wrathful Bhima, his anger being provoked, drew deep breaths and addressing Arjuna of true aim, said, "How, O Jishnu, could this wretch fallen off from virtue, this Suta's son, putting forth his might in battle, slay so many foremost of Pancala warriors, in thy sight? Before now thou couldst not be conquered by the very gods or the Kalakeyas. Thou receivedst the touch of the arms of Sthanu himself. How, then, O diadem-decked Arjuna, could the Suta's son pierce thee first with ten long shafts such as are used by car-warriors? That the Suta's son should today have succeeded in baffling the arrows shot by thee seems to me to be very amazing. Recollect the woes of Krishna, and those disagreeable, keen, and cutting words that this wicked-souled and fearless son of a Suta used towards us, viz., 'Sesame seeds without kernel!' Recollecting all this, O Savyasaci, quickly slay the wretched Karna in battle today. Why, O diadem-decked Arjuna, dost thou show such indifference (towards this act)? This is not the time for showing thy indifference to Karna's slaughter. That patience with which thou didst vanquish all creatures and feed Agni at Khandava, with that patience, slay thou the Suta's son. I also will crush him with my mace." Then Vasudeva, beholding Partha's shafts baffled by Karna, said unto the former, "What is this, O diadem-decked Arjuna, that Karna should succeed in crushing thy weapons today with this? Why dost, thou, O hero, lose thy wits? Markest thou not that the Kauravas, (standing behind Karna), are even now shouting in joy? Indeed, all of them know that thy weapons are being baffled by Karna with his. That patience with which, Yuga after Yuga, thou hadst slain persons having the quality of darkness for their weapons, as also terrible Kshatriyas, and Asuras born of pride, in many a battle--with that patience do thou slay Karna today. Putting forth thy might, strike off the head of that foe of thine with this Sudarsana, of edge keen as a razor, that I give unto thee, like Sakra striking off the head of his foe Namuci, with the thunderbolt. That patience with which thou didst gratified the illustrious deity Mahadeva in the guise of a hunter, summoning that patience once again, O hero, slay the Suta's son with all his followers. After that, bestow upon king Yudhishthira the earth with her belt of seas, her towns and villages, and wealth, and from off whose surface all foes will have been removed. By that act, O Partha, do thou also win unrivalled fame." Thus addressed (by Krishna), the high-souled Partha of exceeding might set his heart upon the slaughter of the Suta's son. Indeed, urged by Bhima and Janardana, and recollecting (his woes), and taking an internal survey of himself, and calling to mind the object for which he had come to this world, he addressed Keshava, saying, "I will now invoke into existence a mighty and fierce weapon for the good of the world and the destruction of the Suta's son. Let me have thy permission, as also Brahman's and Bhava's, and of all those that are conversant with Brahma." Having said these words unto the holy Keshava, Savyasaci of immeasurable soul bowed unto Brahman and invoked into existence that excellent irresistible weapon called brahmastra which could be applied by the mind alone. Baffling that weapon, however, Karna looked beautiful as he continued, like a cloud pouring torrents of rain, to shoot his shafts. Beholding that weapon of the diadem-decked Arjuna baffled in the midst of battle by Karna, the wrathful and mighty Bhima, blazing up with rage, addressed Arjuna of sure aim and said, "People say that thou art a master of the high brahmastra, that mighty means (for achieving the destruction of foes). Do thou then, O Savyasaci, use another weapon of the same kind." Thus addressed by his brother, Savyasaci used a second weapon of the kind. With that, Partha of abundant energy shrouded all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, with arrows sped from gandiva that resembled fierce snakes and were like the blazing rays of the sun. Created by that bull of Bharata's race, those arrows of golden wings, in hundreds upon hundreds, endued with the effulgence of the yuga fire or the sun, in a moment shrouded the car of Karna. Thence also issued long darts and battle-axes and discs and cloth-yard shafts in hundreds, all of awful forms, at which hostile warriors all around began to be deprived of life. The head of some hostile warrior, severed from his trunk, fell down on the field of battle. Another, beholding his fallen comrade, fell down dead on the earth, through fear. The (right) arm of a third, large and massive as the trunk of an elephant, cut off (by Partha), fell down with the sword in grasp. The left arm of a fourth, cut off with a razor-headed arrow, fell down with the shield in it. Even thus, Partha, decked with diadem and garlands, wounded and slew all the foremost warriors of Duryodhana's army with his terrible and death-dealing shafts. Vaikartana also, in the midst of that battle, shot thousands of arrows. These, with a loud whizz, fell upon the son of Pandu like torrents of rain poured from the clouds. Then piercing Bhimasena and Janardana and the diadem-decked Arjuna of superhuman feats, each with three arrows Karna of terrible might uttered a loud awful roar. Struck with Karna's shafts, the diadem-decked Arjuna, beholding Bhima and Janardana, became unable to endure (the feats of his antagonist). Once more, therefore, Partha shot eight and ten arrows. Piercing the beautiful standard of Karna with one of those arrows, he pierced Shalya with four and Karna himself with three. With ten other well-shot shafts he then struck the Kaurava warrior Sabhapati, clad in golden mail. Thereupon that prince, deprived of head and arms and steeds and driver and bow and standard, fell down, wounded and dead, from his foremost of cars, like a Sala tree cut down with an axe. Once more piercing Karna with three, eight, twelve, four, and ten arrows, Partha slew 400 elephants equipped with many weapons, and 8000 car-warriors, and 1,000 steeds with riders, and 8,000 brave foot-soldiers. And soon Partha made Karna with his driver and car and steeds and standard invisible with straightly coursing shafts. Then the Kauravas, thus slaughtered by Dhananjaya, loudly addressed Adhitratha's son, saying, "Shoot thy arrows and slay the son of Pandu. Already, he has begun to exterminate the Kurus with his shafts!" Thus urged, Karna, with his best endeavours, incessantly shot many arrows. Capable of cutting the very vitals, those blood-drinking shafts, well sped by Karna, slew large numbers of the Pandavas and the Pancalas. Thus those two foremost of all bowmen, those two warriors of great strength that were capable of bearing all foes, those two heroes acquainted with weapons, struck the warriors opposed to them, as also each other, with mighty weapons. Then Yudhishthira, clad in golden mail, his arrows having been extracted and himself made sound with mantras and drugs by foremost of surgeons well-disposed towards him, quickly came to that spot for witnessing (the encounter between Arjuna and Karna). Beholding king Yudhishthira the just arrived there like the resplendent full Moon freed from the jaws of Rahu and risen in the firmament, all creatures became filled with delight. Beholding those two foremost of warriors, those two first of heroes and slayers of foes, viz., Karna and Partha, engaged in fight, the spectators, both celestial and terrestrial, restraining the animals they rode or that were yoked unto their vehicles, stood motionless. As the two heroes, O king, struck each other with many foremost of arrows, O king, the sounds caused by the bows, bow-strings, and palms, of both Dhananjaya and Adhiratha's son, became tremendous and their well-sped arrows also caused a deafening whizz. Then the bow-string of the son of Pandu, stretched with force, broke with a loud noise. During the interval thus offered, the Suta's son pierced Partha with a hundred small arrows, keen and steeped in oil, winged with the feathers of birds, and resembling snakes freed from their sloughs. He then quickly pierced Vasudeva with sixty shafts, and then Phalguna again with eight. Surya's son then pierced Bhima with thousands upon thousands of mighty arrows. Having pierced Krishna and Partha's standard, Karna felled many amongst the Somakas that followed Partha. These, however, in return shrouded Karna with showers of straight shafts like masses of clouds shrouding the sun in the welkin. Accomplished in the use of weapons, the Suta's son, stupefying those advancing warriors with his shafts and baffling all the weapons shot by them, destroyed their cars and steeds and elephants. And the Suta's son, O king, also afflicted with his arrows many foremost of warriors among them. Their bodies pierced with Karna's shafts, they fell down on the ground, deprived of life and making a loud noise as they fell. Indeed, those mighty combatants, afflicted by Karna of terrible strength, perished like a pack of dogs afflicted by an angry lion. And once more many foremost of combatants among the Pancalas and many such (among the Kauravas) fell down after this, slain by Karna and Dhananjaya. Deprived of life by the mighty Karna with well-aimed arrows shot with great force, many fell down, purging the contents of their stomachs. Then thy troops, regarding the victory to be already theirs, clapped furiously and uttered loud leonine roars. Indeed, in that dreadful encounter, all of them regarded the two Krishnas to have been brought by Karna under his power. Then quickly bending his bow-string and baffling all those shafts of Adhiratha's son, Partha, filled with rage in consequence of his limbs having been mangled with Karna's arrows, assailed the Kauravas. Rubbing his bow-string, he clapped his palms and suddenly caused a darkness there with the showers of shafts he shot. The diadem-decked Arjuna pierced Karna and Shalya and all the Kurus with those arrows. The welkin having been darkened by means of that mighty weapon, the very birds were unable to range in their element, a delicious wind then blew, bearing fragrant odours. Laughing the while, Partha forcibly struck Shalya's armour with ten arrows. Piercing Karna next with a dozen shafts, he struck him once more with seven. Deeply struck with those winged arrows of fierce energy shot with great force from Partha's bow, Karna, with mangled limbs and body bathed in blood, looked resplendent like Rudra at the universal destruction, sporting in the midst of crematorium at noon or eve, his body dyed with blood. The son of Adhiratha then pierced Dhananjaya who resembled the chief of the celestials himself (in energy and might) with three arrows, and he caused five other blazing arrows resembling five snakes to penetrate the body of Krishna. Shot with great force, those arrows, decked with gold, pierced through the armour of that foremost of beings and passing out of his body fell upon the earth. Endued with great energy, they entered the earth with great force and having bathed (in the waters of the Bhogavati in the nether region) coursed back towards Karna. Those shafts were five mighty snakes that had adopted the side of Takshaka's son (Aswasena whose mother Partha had slain at Khandava). With ten broad-headed arrows shot with great force, Arjuna cut off each of those five snakes into three fragments whereupon they fell down on the earth. Beholding Krishna's limbs thus mangled with those snakes transformed into arrows sped from Karna's arms, Arjuna, decked with diadem and garlands, blazed up with wrath like a fire engaged in burning a heap of dry grass. He then pierced Karna in all his vital limbs with many blazing and fatal shafts shot from the bow-string stretched to the very ear. (Deeply pierced), Karna trembled in pain. With the greatest difficulty he stood, summoning all his patience. Dhananjaya having been filled with wrath, all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, the very splendour of the Sun, and Karna's car, O king, all became invisible with the showers shot by him. The welkin seemed as if it were shrouded by a thick forest. Then that slayer of foes, that bull of Kuru's race, that foremost of heroes, viz., Savyasaci, O king, soon slew in that battle 2,000 foremost of Kuru warriors, with their cars and steeds and drivers, forming the protectors of Karna's car-wheels and wings and his van-guard and rear-guard and who constituted the very pick of Duryodhana's car-force, and who, urged by Duryodhana, had been fighting with great energy. Then thy sons and the Kauravas that were still alive fled away, deserting Karna, and abandoning their dying and wounded, and their wailing sons and sires. Beholding himself abandoned by the terrified Kurus and seeing the space around him empty, Karna felt no agitation, O Bharata, but, on the other hand, rushed at Arjuna, with a cheerful heart.'"

 

 

.....SECTION 90 IN OTHER THREAD.......

</SUP>

[Saurabh008 0]

…………..AND FINALLY THE MOST PRECISE,THE MOST DETAILED & THE MOST INFALLIABLE & THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE DISCUSSION WITH CRYSTAL CLEAR & STRAIGHT TRANSLATION,QUOTES,EXTRACTS & FACTS JUST FROM THE ORIGINAL & THE MOST TRUSTY VERSION OF MAHABHARATA & THE MOST DETAILED & MOST COMPREHENSIVE TRANSLATION AVAILABLE TILL DATE THAT WILL FINALLY END ALL CONFUSIONS,RUMOURS,SPECULATIONS & WILL FINALLY SETTLE THIS BRAIN TICKLING DEBATE IN THE FAVOUR OF THE TRUTH!!!

 

 

HERE IS THE COMPLETE TRANSLATION OF MAHABHARATA OF THAT FIERCE DUEL BETWEEN KARNA & ARJUNA!!!

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

 

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

 

KARNA PARVA…….

KARNA ARJUNA DUEL...

(17<SUP>TH DAY OF MAHABHARATA)

 

SECTION-89…….

 

READ EACH & EVERY TEXTS CAREFULLY & U CAN ANALYSE THAT HOW KARNA WAS OOZED WITH BLOOD SPREAD ALL OVER HIS BODY,& ARJUNA ALWAYS HAD AN UPPER HAND ON KARNA IN THIS TERRIBLE FIGHT…….

 

########ACCORDING TO MY ANALYSIS OF THIS TRANSLATION,ARJUNA & KARNA ASSAULTED EACH OTHER 35 TIMES WITH NUMEROUS, THOUSANDS & LAKHS OF ARROWS ………8 TIMES THEY NULLIFIED EACH OTHER ARROWS ,12 TIMES BOTH KARNA & ARJUNA PIERCED EACH OTHER BUT THE REMAINING 15 TIMES ARJUNA PIERCED KARNA IN EVERY PART OF HIS BODY & KARNA’S LIMBS,YOKE,STANDARD,STEEDS,CHARIOT WERE RIPPED APART & KARNA WAS LEFT MANGLED BATHED IN BLOOD & KARNA HAD NO ANSWER FOR ARJUNA’S ARROWS!!!

 

SO ALL THOSE IGNORANT PUPPETS WHO R SHOOTING IN DARK THAT KARNA HAD AN UPPERHAND IN THE BATTLE WITH ARJUNA MUST CHECK IT OUT URSELF…& PROOVE ME WRONG IF U CAN!!!BUT I KNOW U CANT BECOZ NO BODY CAN DEFEAT THE TRUTH!!!

 

& INSTEAD OF TELLING OTHERS THAT THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF MAHABHARATA OR THEY ARE WRONG, U MONKEYS SHOULD BETTER TAKE CARE OF GETTING SOME NURSERY CLASS EDUCATION FIRST & A FEW ELIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF READING & WRITING ENGLISH & THEN U HYBRIDS SHOULD STUDY THE ENTIRE MAHABHARATA IN DETAIL & THEN COME BACK LATER TO THIS FORUM PROVIDED U SHUDRAS STILL HAVE SOME GUTS LEFT TO FACE THE TRUTH!!!!

 

HERE STARTS THE TRANSLATION:

 

Sanjaya said, "Then when the blare of conchs and the peal of drums became very loud, those two foremost of men, both owning white steeds, the suta's son Vikartana and Arjuna, encountered each other in consequence, O king, of thy son's evil policy. Those two heroes endued with great impetuosity, Dhananjaya and Adhiratha's son, closed with each other like two infuriated Himalayan elephants, both of full-grown tusks, fighting with each other for the sake of a she-elephant in her season. Like a mass of clouds encountering another mass, or a mountain encountering a mountain, those two warriors, both pouring showers of arrows, encountered each other, their bows loudly twanging the while, and the wheels of their cars producing a deafening clatter, and their bow-strings and palms emitting loud sounds. Like two mountains, both endued with tall cliffs and abounding in trees and creepers and herbs and both teeming with the diverse other denizens that are natural to them, moving towards each other for an encounter, those two mighty warriors encountered each other, each striking the other with mighty weapons.

The combat between the two heroes became furious like that between the chief of the celestials and Virocana's son in days of yore. Incapable of being endured by others and marked by a river whose distasteful water consisted of blood, the limbs of those two heroes, as also their drivers and animals, became exceedingly mangled. Like two large lakes, both teeming with lotuses of diverse kinds and fish and tortoises, and echoing with the voices of diverse kinds of fowl, and softly stirred by the wind, approaching each other, those two cars graced with standards approached each other. Both endued with prowess equal to that of the great Indra, both resembling the great Indra himself, those two mighty car-warriors struck each other with shafts that resembled the great Indra's thunder, like the great Indra himself and (the asura) Vritra.

Both the armies consisting of cars and elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers, all equipped with beautiful armour and ornaments and robes and weapons, and those also that were in the welkin, were inspired with fear upon beholding that encounter of wonderful aspect between Arjuna and Karna. Others among the spectators, filled with joy and uttering leonine shouts, raised their arms, waving their fingers or the pieces of cloth they held, when Arjuna rushed against the son of Adhiratha, from desire of slaughter, like one infuriated elephant rushing against another.

The Somakas then loudly shouted to Partha, saying, "Be quick, O Arjuna, go and pierce Karna. Cut off his head without delay, and (with it) the desire of Dhritarashtra's son for kingdom." Similarly many warriors of ours that were there, said unto Karna, "Proceed, proceed, O Karna, and slay Arjuna with keen shafts. Let the sons of Pritha once more go to the woods forever."

Then Karna first pierced Partha in that encounter, with ten mighty shafts. Arjuna pierced him in return with ten keen-pointed shafts, shot with great vigour, in the centre of the chest. Indeed, the suta's son and Arjuna then mangled each other with many shafts equipped with goodly wings. Desirous of obtaining advantage of each other's lapses in that dreadful encounter, with cheerful hearts they rushed against each other fiercely.

Rubbing his two arms and the string also of gandiva, that fierce bowman, Arjuna, then sped showers of cloth-yard shafts, and nalikas and arrows equipped with heads like boar's ears and razors, and anjalikas, and crescent-shaped arrows. Those arrows of Partha, O king, spread over the welkin, penetrated into Karna's car like flights of birds, with heads bent down, penetrating in the evening into a tree for roosting there in the night. All those arrows, however, O king, that Arjuna, that victor over all foes, with furrowed brow and angry glances, sped at Karna, all those successive showers of shafts shot by the son of Pandu, were cut off by the suta's son with his own arrows.

The son of Indra then sped at Karna a fiery weapon capable of slaying all foes. Covering the earth and the welkin and the ten points of the compass and the very course of the sun with its effulgence, it caused his own body also to blaze up with light. The robes of all the warriors took fire, at which they fled away. Loud sounds also arose there, like what is heard when a forest of bamboos in a wilderness is on fire. Beholding that fiery weapon acting on all sides, the suta's son Karna of great valour shot in that encounter the varunastra for quenching it. That conflagration then, in consequence of Karna's weapon, became quenched.

A large mass of clouds quickly caused all the points of the compass to be enveloped with darkness. Those clouds whose extremities presented the aspect of mountains, surrounding every side, flooded the earth with water. That fierce conflagration, though it was such, was still quenched by those clouds in a trice. The entire welkin and all the directions, cardinal and subsidiary, were shrouded by clouds. Thus shrouded by clouds, all the points of the compass became dark and nothing could be seen.

Then Arjuna dispelled those clouds caused by Karna, by means of the vayavyastra. After this, Dhananjaya, incapable of being over-mastered by foes inspired gandiva, its string, and his shafts, with mantras, and invoked into existence another weapon that was the favourite of the chief of the celestials and that resembled the thunder in energy and prowess. Then razor-headed arrows, and anjalikas, and crescent-shaped shafts, and nalikas, and cloth-yard shafts and those equipped with heads like the boar's ear, all keen and sharp, issued from gandiva in thousands, endued with the force and impetuosity of the thunder. Possessed of great might and great energy, those impetuous and keen shafts equipped with vulturine feathers piercing all the limbs, the steeds, the bow, the yoke, the wheels, and the standard of Karna, quickly penetrated into them like snakes frightened by Garuda penetrating into the earth. Pierced all over with arrows and bathed in blood, (the high-souled) Karna then, with eyes rolling in wrath, bending his bow of enduring string and producing a twang as loud as the roar of the sea, invoked into existence the Bhargava weapon. Cutting off Partha's showers of shafts proceeding from the mouth of that weapon of Indra (which Arjuna had shot), Karna, having thus baffled his antagonist's weapon with his own, destroyed cars and elephants and foot-soldiers (of the Pandava army). Unable to endure the feats of Arjuna in that fierce battle, the mighty car-warrior Karna did this, through the energy of the Bhargava weapon. Filled with wrath and possessed of great activity, the Suta's son, that foremost of men, laughing at the two Krishnas, pierced the foremost of Pancala warriors with well shot arrows in that battle. Then the Pancalas and the Somakas, O king, thus afflicted by Karna with showers of shafts in that encounter, became filled with wrath and uniting together pierced the Suta's son with keen arrows from every side. Quickly cutting off those arrows with his own, the Suta's son, vigorously agitating them in that battle, afflicted with many shafts the cars, the elephants, and the steeds of the Pancalas. Their bodies pierced with those shafts of Karna, they fell down, deprived of life, on the earth, making loud sounds, like mighty elephants slain by an angry lion of terrible strength. Having slain those foremost of warriors, those heroes endued with great strength, those leaders of the Pancala forces who had always challenged him (to battle), Karna, O king, as he shot his arrows, looked beautiful, like a mass of clouds pouring torrents of rain. Then thy warriors, thinking that Karna had won the victory, clapped loudly and uttered leonine roars. O chief of the Kurus, all of them then regarded the two Krishnas as brought by Karna under his power, seeing that valour, incapable of being borne by foes, of the mighty car-warrior Karna. Beholding that weapon of Dhananjaya frustrated by Karna in the midst of battle, the angry son of the Wind-god, with eyes blazing with wrath, began to squeeze his hands. Indeed, the wrathful Bhima, his anger being provoked, drew deep breaths and addressing Arjuna of true aim, said, "How, O Jishnu, could this wretch fallen off from virtue, this Suta's son, putting forth his might in battle, slay so many foremost of Pancala warriors, in thy sight? Before now thou couldst not be conquered by the very gods or the Kalakeyas. Thou receivedst the touch of the arms of Sthanu himself. How, then, O diadem-decked Arjuna, could the Suta's son pierce thee first with ten long shafts such as are used by car-warriors? That the Suta's son should today have succeeded in baffling the arrows shot by thee seems to me to be very amazing. Recollect the woes of Krishna, and those disagreeable, keen, and cutting words that this wicked-souled and fearless son of a Suta used towards us, viz., 'Sesame seeds without kernel!' Recollecting all this, O Savyasaci, quickly slay the wretched Karna in battle today. Why, O diadem-decked Arjuna, dost thou show such indifference (towards this act)? This is not the time for showing thy indifference to Karna's slaughter. That patience with which thou didst vanquish all creatures and feed Agni at Khandava, with that patience, slay thou the Suta's son. I also will crush him with my mace." Then Vasudeva, beholding Partha's shafts baffled by Karna, said unto the former, "What is this, O diadem-decked Arjuna, that Karna should succeed in crushing thy weapons today with this? Why dost, thou, O hero, lose thy wits? Markest thou not that the Kauravas, (standing behind Karna), are even now shouting in joy? Indeed, all of them know that thy weapons are being baffled by Karna with his. That patience with which, Yuga after Yuga, thou hadst slain persons having the quality of darkness for their weapons, as also terrible Kshatriyas, and Asuras born of pride, in many a battle--with that patience do thou slay Karna today. Putting forth thy might, strike off the head of that foe of thine with this Sudarsana, of edge keen as a razor, that I give unto thee, like Sakra striking off the head of his foe Namuci, with the thunderbolt. That patience with which thou didst gratified the illustrious deity Mahadeva in the guise of a hunter, summoning that patience once again, O hero, slay the Suta's son with all his followers. After that, bestow upon king Yudhishthira the earth with her belt of seas, her towns and villages, and wealth, and from off whose surface all foes will have been removed. By that act, O Partha, do thou also win unrivalled fame." Thus addressed (by Krishna), the high-souled Partha of exceeding might set his heart upon the slaughter of the Suta's son. Indeed, urged by Bhima and Janardana, and recollecting (his woes), and taking an internal survey of himself, and calling to mind the object for which he had come to this world, he addressed Keshava, saying, "I will now invoke into existence a mighty and fierce weapon for the good of the world and the destruction of the Suta's son. Let me have thy permission, as also Brahman's and Bhava's, and of all those that are conversant with Brahma." Having said these words unto the holy Keshava, Savyasaci of immeasurable soul bowed unto Brahman and invoked into existence that excellent irresistible weapon called brahmastra which could be applied by the mind alone. Baffling that weapon, however, Karna looked beautiful as he continued, like a cloud pouring torrents of rain, to shoot his shafts. Beholding that weapon of the diadem-decked Arjuna baffled in the midst of battle by Karna, the wrathful and mighty Bhima, blazing up with rage, addressed Arjuna of sure aim and said, "People say that thou art a master of the high brahmastra, that mighty means (for achieving the destruction of foes). Do thou then, O Savyasaci, use another weapon of the same kind." Thus addressed by his brother, Savyasaci used a second weapon of the kind. With that, Partha of abundant energy shrouded all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, with arrows sped from gandiva that resembled fierce snakes and were like the blazing rays of the sun. Created by that bull of Bharata's race, those arrows of golden wings, in hundreds upon hundreds, endued with the effulgence of the yuga fire or the sun, in a moment shrouded the car of Karna. Thence also issued long darts and battle-axes and discs and cloth-yard shafts in hundreds, all of awful forms, at which hostile warriors all around began to be deprived of life. The head of some hostile warrior, severed from his trunk, fell down on the field of battle. Another, beholding his fallen comrade, fell down dead on the earth, through fear. The (right) arm of a third, large and massive as the trunk of an elephant, cut off (by Partha), fell down with the sword in grasp. The left arm of a fourth, cut off with a razor-headed arrow, fell down with the shield in it. Even thus, Partha, decked with diadem and garlands, wounded and slew all the foremost warriors of Duryodhana's army with his terrible and death-dealing shafts. Vaikartana also, in the midst of that battle, shot thousands of arrows. These, with a loud whizz, fell upon the son of Pandu like torrents of rain poured from the clouds. Then piercing Bhimasena and Janardana and the diadem-decked Arjuna of superhuman feats, each with three arrows Karna of terrible might uttered a loud awful roar. Struck with Karna's shafts, the diadem-decked Arjuna, beholding Bhima and Janardana, became unable to endure (the feats of his antagonist). Once more, therefore, Partha shot eight and ten arrows. Piercing the beautiful standard of Karna with one of those arrows, he pierced Shalya with four and Karna himself with three. With ten other well-shot shafts he then struck the Kaurava warrior Sabhapati, clad in golden mail. Thereupon that prince, deprived of head and arms and steeds and driver and bow and standard, fell down, wounded and dead, from his foremost of cars, like a Sala tree cut down with an axe. Once more piercing Karna with three, eight, twelve, four, and ten arrows, Partha slew 400 elephants equipped with many weapons, and 8000 car-warriors, and 1,000 steeds with riders, and 8,000 brave foot-soldiers. And soon Partha made Karna with his driver and car and steeds and standard invisible with straightly coursing shafts. Then the Kauravas, thus slaughtered by Dhananjaya, loudly addressed Adhitratha's son, saying, "Shoot thy arrows and slay the son of Pandu. Already, he has begun to exterminate the Kurus with his shafts!" Thus urged, Karna, with his best endeavours, incessantly shot many arrows. Capable of cutting the very vitals, those blood-drinking shafts, well sped by Karna, slew large numbers of the Pandavas and the Pancalas. Thus those two foremost of all bowmen, those two warriors of great strength that were capable of bearing all foes, those two heroes acquainted with weapons, struck the warriors opposed to them, as also each other, with mighty weapons. Then Yudhishthira, clad in golden mail, his arrows having been extracted and himself made sound with mantras and drugs by foremost of surgeons well-disposed towards him, quickly came to that spot for witnessing (the encounter between Arjuna and Karna). Beholding king Yudhishthira the just arrived there like the resplendent full Moon freed from the jaws of Rahu and risen in the firmament, all creatures became filled with delight. Beholding those two foremost of warriors, those two first of heroes and slayers of foes, viz., Karna and Partha, engaged in fight, the spectators, both celestial and terrestrial, restraining the animals they rode or that were yoked unto their vehicles, stood motionless. As the two heroes, O king, struck each other with many foremost of arrows, O king, the sounds caused by the bows, bow-strings, and palms, of both Dhananjaya and Adhiratha's son, became tremendous and their well-sped arrows also caused a deafening whizz. Then the bow-string of the son of Pandu, stretched with force, broke with a loud noise. During the interval thus offered, the Suta's son pierced Partha with a hundred small arrows, keen and steeped in oil, winged with the feathers of birds, and resembling snakes freed from their sloughs. He then quickly pierced Vasudeva with sixty shafts, and then Phalguna again with eight. Surya's son then pierced Bhima with thousands upon thousands of mighty arrows. Having pierced Krishna and Partha's standard, Karna felled many amongst the Somakas that followed Partha. These, however, in return shrouded Karna with showers of straight shafts like masses of clouds shrouding the sun in the welkin. Accomplished in the use of weapons, the Suta's son, stupefying those advancing warriors with his shafts and baffling all the weapons shot by them, destroyed their cars and steeds and elephants. And the Suta's son, O king, also afflicted with his arrows many foremost of warriors among them. Their bodies pierced with Karna's shafts, they fell down on the ground, deprived of life and making a loud noise as they fell. Indeed, those mighty combatants, afflicted by Karna of terrible strength, perished like a pack of dogs afflicted by an angry lion. And once more many foremost of combatants among the Pancalas and many such (among the Kauravas) fell down after this, slain by Karna and Dhananjaya. Deprived of life by the mighty Karna with well-aimed arrows shot with great force, many fell down, purging the contents of their stomachs. Then thy troops, regarding the victory to be already theirs, clapped furiously and uttered loud leonine roars. Indeed, in that dreadful encounter, all of them regarded the two Krishnas to have been brought by Karna under his power. Then quickly bending his bow-string and baffling all those shafts of Adhiratha's son, Partha, filled with rage in consequence of his limbs having been mangled with Karna's arrows, assailed the Kauravas. Rubbing his bow-string, he clapped his palms and suddenly caused a darkness there with the showers of shafts he shot. The diadem-decked Arjuna pierced Karna and Shalya and all the Kurus with those arrows. The welkin having been darkened by means of that mighty weapon, the very birds were unable to range in their element, a delicious wind then blew, bearing fragrant odours. Laughing the while, Partha forcibly struck Shalya's armour with ten arrows. Piercing Karna next with a dozen shafts, he struck him once more with seven. Deeply struck with those winged arrows of fierce energy shot with great force from Partha's bow, Karna, with mangled limbs and body bathed in blood, looked resplendent like Rudra at the universal destruction, sporting in the midst of crematorium at noon or eve, his body dyed with blood. The son of Adhiratha then pierced Dhananjaya who resembled the chief of the celestials himself (in energy and might) with three arrows, and he caused five other blazing arrows resembling five snakes to penetrate the body of Krishna. Shot with great force, those arrows, decked with gold, pierced through the armour of that foremost of beings and passing out of his body fell upon the earth. Endued with great energy, they entered the earth with great force and having bathed (in the waters of the Bhogavati in the nether region) coursed back towards Karna. Those shafts were five mighty snakes that had adopted the side of Takshaka's son (Aswasena whose mother Partha had slain at Khandava). With ten broad-headed arrows shot with great force, Arjuna cut off each of those five snakes into three fragments whereupon they fell down on the earth. Beholding Krishna's limbs thus mangled with those snakes transformed into arrows sped from Karna's arms, Arjuna, decked with diadem and garlands, blazed up with wrath like a fire engaged in burning a heap of dry grass. He then pierced Karna in all his vital limbs with many blazing and fatal shafts shot from the bow-string stretched to the very ear. (Deeply pierced), Karna trembled in pain. With the greatest difficulty he stood, summoning all his patience. Dhananjaya having been filled with wrath, all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, the very splendour of the Sun, and Karna's car, O king, all became invisible with the showers shot by him. The welkin seemed as if it were shrouded by a thick forest. Then that slayer of foes, that bull of Kuru's race, that foremost of heroes, viz., Savyasaci, O king, soon slew in that battle 2,000 foremost of Kuru warriors, with their cars and steeds and drivers, forming the protectors of Karna's car-wheels and wings and his van-guard and rear-guard and who constituted the very pick of Duryodhana's car-force, and who, urged by Duryodhana, had been fighting with great energy. Then thy sons and the Kauravas that were still alive fled away, deserting Karna, and abandoning their dying and wounded, and their wailing sons and sires. Beholding himself abandoned by the terrified Kurus and seeing the space around him empty, Karna felt no agitation, O Bharata, but, on the other hand, rushed at Arjuna, with a cheerful heart.'"

 

 

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KARNA ARJUNA DUEL...

 

 

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KARNA PARVA....

 

 

MAHABHARATA BY VYASA…..

 

Translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli…..

 

 

NOTE-The translation of KM Ganguli for Mahabharata of Vyasa is the most complete & comprehensive translation available in public domain…

 

 

 

 

"Sanjaya said, 'Flying away in consequence of the falling of Arjuna's arrows, the broken divisions of the Kauravas, staying at a distance, continued to gaze at Arjuna's weapon swelling with energy and careering around with the effulgence of lightning. Then Karna, with showers of terrible shafts, baffled that weapon of Arjuna while it was still careering in the welkin and which Arjuna had shot with great vigour in that fierce encounter for the destruction of his foe. Indeed, that weapon (of Partha) which, swelling with energy, had been consuming the Kurus, the Suta's son now crushed with his shafts winged with gold. Bending then his own loud-sounding bow of irrefragable string, Karna shot showers of shafts. The Suta's son destroyed that burning weapon of Arjuna with his own foe-killing weapon of great power which he had obtained from Rama, and which resembled (in efficacy) an Atharvan rite. And he pierced Partha also with numerous keen shafts. The encounter then, O king, that took place between Arjuna and the son of Adhiratha, became a very dreadful one. They continued to strike each other with arrows like two fierce elephants striking each other with their tusks. All the points of the compass then became shrouded with weapons and the very sun became invisible. Indeed, Karna and Partha, with their arrowy downpours, made the welkin one vast expanse of arrows without any space between. All the Kauravas and the Somakas then beheld a wide-spread arrowy net. In that dense darkness caused by arrows, they were unable to see anything else. Those two foremost of men, both accomplished in weapons, as they incessantly aimed and shot innumerable arrows, O king, displayed diverse kinds of beautiful manoeuvres. While they were thus contending with each other in battle, sometimes the Suta's son prevailed over his rival and sometimes the diadem-decked Partha prevailed over his, in prowess and weapons and lightness of hands. Beholding that terrible and awful passage-at-arms between those two heroes each of whom was desirous of availing himself of the other's lapses, all the other warriors on the field of battle became filled with wonder. The beings in the welkin, O king, applauded Karna and Arjuna. Indeed, many of them at a time, filled with joy, cheerfully shouted, sometimes saying, "Excellent, O Karna!" and sometimes saying, "Excellent, O Arjuna!" During the progress of that fierce encounter, while the earth was being pressed deep with the weight of cars and the tread of steeds and elephants, the snake Aswasena, who was hostile to Arjuna, was passing his time in the nether region. Freed from the conflagration at Khandava, O king, he had, from anger, penetrated through the earth (for going to the subterranean region). That brave snake, recollecting the death of his mother and the enmity he on that account harboured against Arjuna, now rose from the lower region. Endued with the power of ascending the skies, he soared up with great speed upon beholding that fight between Karna and Arjuna. Thinking that that was the time for gratifying his animosity towards, as he thought, the wicked-souled Partha, he quickly entered into Karna's quiver, O king, in the form of an arrow. At that time a net of arrows was seen, shedding its bright arrows around. Karna and Partha made the welkin one dense mass of arrows by means of their arrowy downpours. Beholding that wide-spread expanse of arrows, all the Kauravas and the Somakas became filled with fear. In that thick and awful darkness caused by arrows they were unable to see anything else. Then those two tigers among men, those two foremost of all bowmen in the world, those two heroes, fatigued with their exertions in battle, looked at each other. Both of them were then fanned with excellent and waving fans made of young (palm) leaves and sprinkled with fragrant sandal-water by many Apsaras staying in the welkin. And Sakra and Surya, using their hands, gently brushed the faces of those two heroes. When at last Karna found that he could not prevail over Partha and was exceedingly scorched with the shafts of the former, that hero, his limbs very much mangled, set his heart upon that shaft of his which lay singly within a quiver. The Suta's son then fixed on his bow-string that foe-killing, exceedingly keen, snake-mouthed, blazing, and fierce shaft, which had been polished according to rule, and which he had long kept for the sake of Partha's destruction. Stretching his bow-string to his ear, Karna fixed that shaft of fierce energy and blazing splendour, that ever-worshipped weapon which lay within a golden quiver amid sandal dust, and aimed it at Partha. Indeed, he aimed that blazing arrow, born in Airavata's race, for cutting off Phalguna's head in battle. All the points of the compass and the welkin became ablaze and terrible meteors, and thunderbolts fell. When that snake of the form of an arrow was fixed on the bow-string, the Regents of the world, including Sakra, set up loud wails. The Suta's son did not know that the snake Aswasena had entered his arrow by the aid of his Yoga powers. Beholding Vaikartana aim that arrow, the high-souled ruler of the Madras, addressing Karna, said, "This arrow, O Karna, will not succeed in striking off Arjuna's head. Searching carefully, fix another arrow that may succeed in striking off thy enemy's head." Endued with great activity, the Suta's son, with eyes burning in wrath, then said unto the ruler of the Madras, "O Shalya, Karna never aimeth an arrow twice. Persons like us never become crooked warriors." Having said these words, Karna, with great care, let off that shaft which he had worshipped for many long years. Bent upon winning the victory, O king, he quickly said unto his rival, "Thou art slain, O Phalguna!" Sped from Karna's arms, that shaft of awful whizz, resembling fire or the sun in splendour, as it left the bow-string, blazed up in the welkin and seemed to divide it by a line such as is visible on the crown of a woman dividing her tresses. Beholding that shaft blazing in the welkin, the slayer of Kamsa, Madhava, with great speed and the greatest ease, pressed down with his feet that excellent car, causing it to sink about a cubit deep. At this, the steeds, white as the rays of the moon and decked in trappings of gold, bending their knees, laid themselves down on the ground. Indeed, seeing that snake (in the form of an arrow) aimed by Karna, Madhava, that foremost of all persons endued with might, put forth his strength and thus pressed down with his feet that car into the earth, whereat the steeds, (as already said) bending down their knees, laid themselves down upon the earth when the car itself had sank into it. Then loud sounds arose in the welkin in applause of Vasudeva. Many celestial voices were heard, and celestial flowers were showered upon Krishna, and leonine shouts also were uttered. When the car had thus been pressed down into the earth through the exertions of the slayer of Madhu, the excellent ornament of Arjuna's head, celebrated throughout the earth, the welkin, heaven, and the waters, the Suta's son swept off from the crown of his rival, with that arrow, in consequence of the very nature of that snaky weapon and the great care and wrath with which it had been shot. That diadem, endued with the splendour of the sun or the moon or fire or a planet, and adorned with gold and pearls and gems and diamonds, had with great care been made by the puissant Self-born himself for Purandara. Costly as its appearance indicated, it was inspiring terror in the hearts of foes, contributing to the happiness of him that wore it, and shedding a fragrance, that ornament had been given by the chief of the celestials himself with a cheerful heart unto Partha while the latter had proceeded to slaughter the foes of the gods. That diadem was incapable of being crushed by Rudra and the Lord of waters and Kuvera with Pinaka and noose and thunderbolt and the very foremost of shafts. It could not be endured by even the foremost ones among the gods. Vrisha, however, now broke it forcibly with his snake-inspired shaft. Endued with great activity, that wicked-natured snake of fierce form and false vows, falling upon that diadem-decked with gold and gems, swept it away from Arjuna's head. That snake, O king, forcibly tore it away from Partha's head, quickly reducing into fragments that well-made ornament set over with many a gem and blazing with beauty, like the thunderbolt riving a mountain summit decked with lofty and beautiful trees graced with flowers. Crushed by that excellent weapon, possessed of splendour, and blazing with the fire of (the snake's) poison, that beautiful and much-liked diadem of Partha fell down on the earth like the blazing disc of the Sun from the Asta hills. Indeed, that snake forcibly swept away from Arjuna's head that diadem adorned with many gems, like the thunder of Indra felling a beautiful mountain summit adorned with lofty trees bearing budding leaves and flowers. And the earth, welkin, heaven, and the waters, when agitated by a tempest, roar aloud, O Bharata, even such was the roar that arose in all the worlds at that time. Hearing that tremendous noise, people, notwithstanding their efforts to be calm, became extremely agitated and reeled as they stood. Reft of diadem, the dark complexioned and youthful Partha looked beautiful like a blue mountain of lofty summit. Binding then his locks with a white cloth, Arjuna stood perfectly unmoved. With that white gear on his head, he looked like the Udaya hill illumined with the rays of the sun. Thus that she-snake (whom Arjuna had killed at Khandava) of excellent mouth, through her son in the form of an arrow, sped by Surya's son, beholding Arjuna of exceeding energy and might standing with his head at a level with the reins of the steeds, took away his diadem only, that well-made ornament (formerly) owned by Aditi's son and endued with the effulgence of Surya himself. But Arjuna also (as will appear in the sequel) did not return from that battle without causing the snake to succumb to the power of Yama. Sped from Karna's arms, that costly shaft resembling fire or the sun in effulgence, viz., that mighty snake who from before had become the deadly foe of Arjuna, thus crushing the latter's diadem, went away. Having burnt the gold-decked diadem of Arjuna displayed on his head, he desired to come to Arjuna once more with great speed. Asked, however, by Karna (who saw him but knew him not), he said these words, "Thou hadst sped me, O Karna, without having seen me. It was for this that I could not strike off Arjuna's head. Do thou quickly shoot me once again, after seeing me well. I shall then slay thy foe and mine too." Thus addressed in that battle by him, the Suta's son said, "Who are you possessed of such fierce form?" The snake answered, saying, "Know me as one that has been wronged by Partha. My enmity towards him is due to his having slain my mother. If the wielder of the thunderbolt himself were to protect Partha, the latter would still have to go to the domains of the king of the pitris. Do not disregard me. Do my bidding. I will slay thy foe. Shoot me without delay." Hearing those words, Karna said, "Karna, O snake, never desires to have victory in battle today by relying on another's might. Even if I have to slay a hundred Arjunas, I will not, O snake, still shoot the same shaft twice." Once more addressing him in the midst of battle, that best of men, viz., Surya's son, Karna, said, "Aided by the nature of my other snaky weapons, and by resolute effort and wrath, I shall slay Partha. Be thou happy and go elsewhere." Thus addressed, in battle, by Karna, that prince of snakes, unable from rage to bear those words, himself proceeded, O king, for the slaughter of Partha, having assumed the form of an arrow. Of fierce form, the desire he ardently cherished was the destruction of his enemy. Then Krishna, addressing Partha in that encounter, said into him, "Slay that great snake inimical to thee." Thus addressed by the slayer of Madhu, the wielder of Gandiva, that bowman who was always fierce unto foes, enquired of him, saying, "Who is that snake that advanceth of his own accord against me, as if, indeed he advanceth right against the mouth of Garuda?" Krishna replied, "Whilst thou, armed with bow, wert engaged at Khandava in gratifying the god Agni, this snake was then in the sky, his body ensconced within his mother's. Thinking that it was only a single snake that was so staying in the sky, thou killedest the mother. Remembering that act of hostility done by thee, he cometh towards thee today for thy destruction. O resister of foes, behold him coming like a blazing meteor, falling from the firmament!'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Then Jishnu, turning his face in rage, cut off, with six keen shafts, that snake in the welkin as the latter was coursing in a slanting direction. His body thus cut off, he fell down on the earth. After that snake had been cut off by Arjuna, the lord Keshava himself, O king, of massive arms, that foremost of beings, raised up with his arms that car from the earth. At that time, Karna, glancing obliquely at Dhananjaya, pierced that foremost of persons, viz., Krishna, with ten shafts whetted on stone and equipped with peacock feathers. Then Dhananjaya, piercing Karna with a dozen well-shot and keen arrows equipped with heads like the boar's ear, sped a cloth-yard shaft endued with the energy of a snake of virulent poison and shot from his bow-string stretched to his ear. That foremost of shafts, well shot by Arjuna, penetrated through Karna's armour, and as if suspending his life breaths, drank his blood and entered the earth, its wings also having been drenched with gore. Endued with great activity, Vrisha, enraged at the stroke of the shaft, like a snake beaten with stick, shot many mighty shafts, like snakes of virulent poison vomiting venom. And he pierced Janardana with a dozen shafts and Arjuna with nine and ninety. And once more piercing the son of Pandu with a terrible shaft, Karna laughed and uttered a loud roar. The son of Pandu, however, could not endure his enemy's joy. Acquainted with all the vital parts of the human body, Partha, possessed of prowess like that of Indra, pierced those vital limbs with hundreds of arrows even as Indra had struck Vala with great energy. Then Arjuna sped ninety arrows, each resembling the rod of Death at Karna. Deeply pierced with those shafts, Karna trembled like a mountain riven with thunder. The head-gear of Karna, adorned with costly gems and precious diamonds and pure gold, as also his earrings, cut off by Dhananjaya with his winged arrows, fell down on the earth. The costly and bright armour also of the Suta's son that had been forged with great care by many foremost of artists working for a long time, the son of Pandu cut off within a moment in many fragments. After thus divesting him of his armour, Partha then, in rage, pierced Karna with four whetted shafts of great energy. Struck forcibly by his foe, Karna suffered great pain like a diseased person afflicted by bile, phlegm, wind, and fever. Once more Arjuna, with great speed, mangled Karna, piercing his very vitals, with numerous excellent shafts, of great keenness, and sped from his circling bow with much force and speed and care. Deeply struck by Partha with those diverse arrows of keen points and fierce energy, Karna (covered with blood) looked resplendent like a mountain of red chalk with streams of red water running adown its breast. Once more Arjuna pierced Karna in the centre of the chest with many straight-coursing and strong shafts made entirely of iron and equipped with wings of gold and each resembling the fiery rod of the Destroyer, like the son of Agni piercing the Krauncha mountains. Then the Suta's son, casting aside his bow that resembled the very bow of Sakra, as also his quiver, felt great pain, and stood inactive, stupefied, and reeling, his grasp loosened and himself in great anguish. The virtuous Arjuna, observant of the duty of manliness, wished not to slay his enemy while fallen into such distress. The younger brother of Indra then, with great excitement, addressed him, saying, "Why, O son of Pandu, dost thou become so forgetful? They that are truly wise never spare their foes, however weak, even for a moment. He that is learned earneth both merit and fame by slaying foes fallen into distress. Lose no time in precipitately crushing Karna who is always inimical to thee and who is the first of heroes. The Suta's son, when able, will once more advance against thee as before. Slay him, therefore, like Indra slaying the Asura Namuci." Saying, "So be it, O Krishna!" and worshipping Janardana, Arjuna, that foremost of all persons in Kuru's race once more quickly pierced Karna with many excellent arrows like the ruler of heaven, piercing the Asura, Samvara. The diadem-decked Partha, O Bharata, covered Karna and his car and steeds with many calf-toothed arrows, and putting forth all his vigour he shrouded all the points of the compass with shafts equipped with wings of gold. Pierced with those arrows equipped with heads like the calf's tooth, Adhiratha's son of broad chest looked resplendent like an Asoka or Palasa or Salmali decked with its flowery load or a mountain overgrown with a forest of sandal trees. Indeed, with those numerous arrows sticking to his body, Karna, O monarch, in that battle, looked resplendent like the prince of mountains with its top and glens overgrown with trees or decked with flowering Karnikaras. Karna also shooting repeated showers of arrows, looked, with those arrows constituting his rays, like the sun coursing towards the Asta hills, with disc bright with crimson rays. Shafts, however, of keen points, sped from Arjuna's arms, encountering in the welkin the blazing arrows, resembling mighty snakes, sped from the arms of Adhiratha's son, destroyed them all. Recovering his coolness, and shooting many shafts that resembled angry snakes, Karna then pierced Partha with ten shafts and Krishna with half a dozen, each of which looked like an angry snake. Then Dhananjaya desired to shoot a mighty and terrible arrow, made wholly of iron, resembling the poison of snake or fire in energy, and whose whizz resembling the peal of Indra's thunder, and which was inspired with the force of a high (celestial) weapon. At that time, when the hour of Karna's death had come, Kala, approaching invisibly, and alluding to the Brahmana's curse, and desirous of informing Karna that his death was near, told him, "The Earth is devouring thy wheel!" Indeed, O foremost of men, when the hour of Karna's death came, the high brahmastra that the illustrious Bhargava had imparted unto him, escaped from his memory. And the earth also began to devour the left wheel of his car. Then in consequence of the curse of that foremost of Brahmanas, Karna's car began to reel, having sunk deep into the earth and having been transfixed at that spot like a sacred tree with its load of flowers standing upon an elevated platform. When his car began to reel from the curse of the Brahmana, and when the high weapon he had obtained from Rama no longer shone in him through inward light, and when his terrible snake-mouthed shaft also had been cut off by Partha, Karna became filled with melancholy. Unable to endure all those calamities, he waved his arms and began to rail at righteousness saying, "They that are conversant with righteousness always say that righteousness protects those that are righteous. As regards ourselves, we always endeavour, to the best of our ability and knowledge to practise righteousness. That righteousness, however, is destroying us now instead of protecting us that are devoted to it. I, therefore, think that righteousness does not always protect its worshippers." While saying these words, he became exceedingly agitated by the strokes of Arjuna's arrows. His steeds and his driver also were displaced from their usual position. His very vitals having been struck, he became indifferent as to what he did, and repeatedly railed at righteousness in that battle. He then pierced Krishna in the arm with three terrible arrows, and Partha, too, with seven. Then Arjuna sped seven and ten terrible arrows, perfectly straight and of fierce impetuosity, resembling fire in splendour and like unto Indra's thunder in force. Endued with awful impetuosity, those arrows pierced Karna and passing out of his body fell upon the surface of the earth. Trembling at the shock, Karna then displayed his activity to the utmost of his power. Steadying himself by a powerful effort he invoked the brahmastra. Beholding the brahmastra, Arjuna invoked the Aindra weapon with proper mantras. Inspiring gandiva, its string, and his shafts also, with mantras, that scorcher of foes poured showers like Purandara pouring rain in torrents. Those arrows endued with great energy and power, issuing out of Partha's car, were seen to be displayed in the vicinity of Karna's vehicle. The mighty car-warrior Karna baffled all those shafts displayed in his front. Seeing that weapon thus destroyed, the Vrishni hero, addressing Arjuna, said, "Shoot high weapons, O Partha! The son of Radha baffles thy shafts." With proper mantras, Arjuna then fixed the brahmastra on his string, and shrouding all the points of the compass with arrows, Partha struck Karna (with many) arrows. Then Karna, with a number of whetted shafts endued with great energy, cut off the string of Arjuna's bow. Similarly he cut off the second string, and then the third, and then the fourth, and then the fifth. The sixth also was cut off by Vrisha, and then the seventh, then the eighth, then the ninth, then the tenth, and then at last the eleventh. Capable of shooting hundreds upon hundreds of arrows, Karna knew not that Partha had a hundred strings to his bow. Tying another string to his bow and shooting many arrows, the son of Pandu covered Karna with shafts that resembled snakes of blazing mouths. So quickly did Arjuna replace each broken string that Karna could not mark when it was broken and when replaced. The feat seemed to him to be exceedingly wonderful. The son of Radha baffled with his own weapons those of Savyasaci. Displaying also his own prowess, he seemed to get the better of Dhananjaya at that time. Then Krishna, beholding Arjuna afflicted with the weapons of Karna, said these words unto Partha: "Approaching Karna, strike him with superior weapons." Then Dhananjaya, filled with rage, inspiring with mantras another celestial weapons that looked like fire and that resembled the poison of the snake and that was as hard as the essence of adamant, and uniting the Raudra weapon with it, became desirous of shooting it at his foe. At that time, O king, the earth swallowed up one of wheels of Karna's car. Quickly alighting then from his vehicle, he seized his sunken wheel with his two arms and endeavoured to lift it up with a great effort.

 

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