SECTION 91
"Sanjaya said, 'Then Vasudeva, stationed on the car, addressed Karna,
saying, "By good luck it is, O son of Radha, that you rememberest
virtue! It is generally seen that they that are mean, when they sink into
distress, rail at Providence but never at their own misdeeds. Thyself and
Suyodhana and Duhshasana and Shakuni, the son of Subala, had caused
Draupadi, clad in a single piece of raiment, to be brought into the midst
of the assembly. On that occasion, O Karna, this virtue of yours did not
manifest itself. When at the assembly Shakuni, an adept in dice,
vanquished Kunti's son Yudhishthira who was unacquainted with it, whither
had this virtue of yours gone? When the Kuru king (Duryodhana), acting
under your counsels, treated Bhimasena in that way with the aid of snakes
and poisoned food, whither had this virtue of yours then gone? When the
period of exile into the woods was over as also the thirteenth year, thou
didst not make over to the Pandavas their kingdom. Whither had this
virtue of yours then gone? Thou didst set fire to the house of lac at
Varanavata for burning to death the sleeping Pandavas. Whither then, O
son of Radha, had this virtue of yours gone? Thou laughedest at Krishna
while she stood in the midst of the assembly, scantily dressed because in
her season and obedient to Duhshasana's will, whither, then, O Karna, had
this virtue of yours gone? When from the apartment reserved for the
females innocent Krishna was dragged, you didst not interfere. Whither,
O son of Radha, had this virtue of yours gone? Thyself addressing the
princess Draupadi, that lady whose tread is as dignified as that of the
elephant, in these words, viz., 'The Pandavas, O Krishna, are lost. They
have sunk into eternal hell. Do you choose another husband!' thou
lookedest on the scene with delight. Whither then, O Karna, had this
virtue of yours gone? Covetous of kingdom and relying on the ruler of the
Gandharvas, you summonedest the Pandavas (to a match of dice). Whither
then had this virtue of yours gone? When many mighty car-warriors,
encompassing the boy Abhimanyu in battle, slew him, whither had this
virtue of yours then gone? If this virtue that you now invokest was
nowhere on those occasions, what is the use then of parching your palate
now, by uttering that word? Thou are now for the practice of virtue, O
Suta, but you shalt not escape with life. Like Nala who was defeated by
Pushkara with the aid of dice but who regained his kingdom by prowess,
the Pandavas, who are free from cupidity, will recover their kingdom by
the prowess of their arms, aided with all their friends. Having slain in
battle their powerful foes, they, with the Somakas, will recover their
kingdom. The Dhartarashtras will meet with destruction at the hands of
those lions among men (viz., the sons of Pandu), that are always
protected by virtue!'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Thus addressed, O Bharata, by Vasudeva, Karna hung
down his head in shame and gave no answer. With lips quivering in rage,
he raised his bow, O Bharata, and, being endued with great energy and
prowess, he continued to fight with Partha. Then Vasudeva, addressing
Phalguna, that bull among men, said, "O you of great might, piercing
Karna with a celestial weapon, throw him down." Thus addressed by the
holy one, Arjuna became filled with rage. Indeed, remembering the
incidents alluded to by Krishna, Dhananjaya blazed up with fury. Then, O
king, blazing flames of fire seemed to emanate from all the pores of the
angry Partha's body. The sight seemed to be exceedingly wonderful.
Beholding it, Karna, invoking the brahmastra, showered his shafts upon
Dhananjaya, and once more made an effort to extricate his car. Partha
also, by the aid of the brahmastra, poured arrowy downpours upon Karna.
Baffling with his own weapon the weapon of his foe, the son of Pandu
continued to strike him. The son of Kunti then, aiming at Karna sped
another favourite weapon of his that was inspired with the energy of
Agni. Sped by Arjuna, that weapon blazed up with its own energy. Karna,
however, quenched that conflagration with the Varuna weapon. The Suta's
son also, by the clouds he created, caused all the points of the compass
to be shrouded with a darkness such as may be seen on a rainy day. The
son of Pandu, endued with great energy, fearlessly dispelled those clouds
by means of the Vayavya weapon in the very sight of Karna. The Suta's son
then, for slaying the son of Pandu, took up a terrible arrow blazing like
fire. When that adored shaft was fixed on the bow-string, the earth, O
king, trembled with her mountains and waters and forests. Violent winds
began to blow, bearing hard pebbles. All the points of the compass became
enveloped with dust. Wails of grief, O Bharata, arose among the gods in
the welkin. Beholding that shaft aimed by the Suta's son, O sire, the
Pandavas, with cheerless hearts, gave themselves up to great sorrow. That
shaft of keen point and endued with the effulgence of Sakra's thunder,
sped from Karna's arms, fell upon Dhananjaya's chest and penetrated it
like a mighty snake penetrating an ant-hill. That grinder of foes, viz.,
the high-souled Vibhatsu, thus deeply pierced in that encounter, began to
reel. His grasp became loosened, at which his bow Gandiva dropped from
his hand. He trembled like the prince of mountains in an earthquake.
Availing himself of that opportunity, the mighty car-warrior Vrisha,
desirous of extricating his car-wheel that had been swallowed up by the
earth, jumped down from his vehicle. Seizing the wheel with his two arms
he endeavoured to drag it up, but though possessed of great strength, he
failed in his efforts, as destiny would have it. Meanwhile the
diadem-decked and high-souled Arjuna, recovering his senses, took up a
shaft, fatal as the rod of Death, and called anjalika. Then Vasudeva,
addressing Partha, said, "Cut off with your arrow the head of this enemy
of thine, viz., Vrisha, before he succeeds in getting upon his car."
Applauding those words of the lord Vasudeva, and while the wheel of his
enemy was still sunk, the mighty car-warrior Arjuna took up a
razor-headed arrow of blazing effulgence and struck the standard (of
Karna) bearing the elephant's rope and bright as the spotless sun. That
standard bearing the device of the costly elephant's rope, was adorned
with gold and pearls and gems and diamonds, and forged with care by
foremost of artists excelling in knowledge, and possessed of great
beauty, and variegated with pure gold. That standard always used to fill
thy troops with high courage and the enemy with fear. Its form commanded
applause. Celebrated over the whole world, it resembled the sun in
splendour. Indeed, its effulgence was like that of fire or the sun or the
moon. The diadem-decked Arjuna, with that razor-headed shaft, exceedingly
sharp, equipped with wings of gold, possessed of the splendour of fire
when fed with libations of clarified butter, and blazing with beauty, cut
off that standard of Adhiratha's son, that great car-warrior. With that
standard, as it fell, the fame, pride, hope of victory, and everything
dear, as also the hearts of the Kurus, fell, and loud wails of "Oh!" and
"Alas!" arose (from the Kuru army). Beholding that standard cut off and
thrown down by that hero of Kuru's race possessed of great lightness of
hand, your troops, O Bharata, were no longer hopeful of Karna's victory.
Hastening then for Karna's destruction, Partha took out from his quiver
an excellent Anjalika weapon that resembled the thunder of Indra or the
rod of fire and that was possessed of the effulgence of the
thousand-rayed Sun. Capable of penetrating the very vitals, besmeared
with blood and flesh, resembling fire or the sun, made of costly
materials, destructive of men, steeds, and elephants, of straight course
and fierce impetuosity, it measured three cubits and six feet. Endued
with the force of the thousand-eyed Indra's thunder, irresistible as
Rakshasas in the night, resembling Pinaka or Narayana's discus, it was
exceedingly terrible and destructive of all living creatures. Partha
cheerfully took up that great weapon, in the shape of an arrow, which
could not be resisted by the very gods, that high-souled being which was
always adored by the son of Pandu, and which was capable of vanquishing
the very gods and the Asuras. Beholding that shaft grasped by Partha in
that battle, the entire universe shook with its mobile and immobile
creatures. Indeed, seeing that weapon raised (for being sped) in that
dreadful battle, the Rishis loudly cried out, "Peace be to the universe!"
The wielder of Gandiva then fixed on his bow that unrivalled arrow,
uniting it with a high and mighty weapon. Drawing his bow Gandiva, he
quickly said, "Let this shaft of mine be like a mighty weapon capable of
quickly destroying the body and heart of my enemy, if I have ever
practised ascetic austerities, gratified my superiors, and listened to
the counsels of well-wishers. Let this shaft, worshipped by me and
possessed of great sharpness, slay my enemy Karna by that Truth." Having
said these words Dhananjaya let off that terrible shaft for the
destruction of Karna, that arrow fierce and efficacious as a rite
prescribed in the Atharvan of Angiras, blazing with effulgence, and
incapable of being endured by Death himself in battle. And the
diadem-decked Partha, desirous of slaying Karna, with great cheerfulness,
said, "Let this shaft conduce to my victory. Shot by me, let this arrow
possessed of the splendour of fire or the sun take Karna to the presence
of Yama." Saying these words, Arjuna, decked with diadem and garlands,
cherishing feelings of hostility towards Karna and desirous of slaying
him, cheerfully struck his foe with that foremost of shafts which was
possessed of the splendour of the sun or the moon and capable of
bestowing victory. Thus sped by that mighty warrior, that shaft endued
with the energy of the sun caused all the points of the compass to blaze
up with light. With that weapon Arjuna struck off his enemy's head like
Indra striking off the head of Vritra with his thunder. Indeed, O king,
with that excellent Anjalika weapon inspired with mantras into a mighty
weapon, the son of Indra cut off the head of Vaikartana in the afternoon.
Thus cut off with that Anjalika, the trunk of Karna fell down on the
earth. The head also of that commander of the (Kaurava) army, endued with
splendour equal to that of the risen sun and resembling the meridian sun
of autumn, fell down on the earth like the sun of bloody disc dropped
down from the Asta hills. Indeed, that head abandoned with great
unwillingness the body, exceedingly beautiful and always nursed in
luxury, of Karna of noble deeds, like an owner abandoning with great
unwillingness his commodious mansion filled with great wealth. Cut off
with Arjuna's arrow, and deprived of life, the tall trunk of Karna endued
with great splendour, with blood issuing from every wound, fell down like
the thunder-riven summit of a mountain of red chalk with crimson streams
running down its sides after a shower. Then from that body of the fallen
Karna a light passing through the welkin penetrated the sun. This
wonderful sight, O king, was beheld by the human warriors after the fall
of Karna. Then the Pandavas, beholding Karna slain by Phalguna, loudly
blew their conchs. Similarly, Krishna and Dhananjaya also, filled with
delight, and losing no time, blew their conchs. The Somakas beholding
Karna slain and lying on the field, were filled with joy and uttered loud
shouts with the other troops (of the Pandava army). In great delight they
blew their trumpets and waved their arms and garments. All the warriors,
O king, approaching Partha, began to applaud him joyfully. Others,
possessed of might, danced, embracing each other, and uttering loud
shouts, said, "By good luck, Karna hath been stretched on the earth and
mangled with arrows." Indeed, the severed head of Karna looked beautiful
like a mountain summit loosened by a tempest, or a quenched fire after
the sacrifice is over, or the image of the sun after it has reached the
Asta hills. The Karna-sun, with arrows for its rays, after having
scorched the hostile army, was at last caused to be set by the mighty
Arjuna-time. As the Sun, while proceeding towards the Asta hills, retires
taking away with him all his rays, even so that shaft (of Arjuna) passed
out, taking with it Karna's life breaths. The death hour of the Suta's
son, O sire, was the afternoon of that day. Cut off with the Anjalika
weapon in that battle, the head of Karna fell down along with his body.
Indeed, that arrow of Arjuna, in the very sight of the Kaurava troops,
quickly took away the head and the body of Karna. Beholding the heroic
Karna thrown down stretched on the earth, pierced with arrows and bathed
in blood, the king of the Madras, went away on that car deprived of its
standard. After the fall of Karna, the Kauravas, deeply pierced with
shafts in that battle, and afflicted with fear, fled away from the field,
frequently casting their eyes on that lofty standard of Arjuna that
blazed with splendour. The beautiful head, graced with a face that
resembled a lotus of a 1,000 petals, of Karna whose feats were like those
of the thousand-eyed Indra, fell down on the earth like the
thousand-rayed sun as he looks at the close of day.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 91 ---------------------
