Karna Parva

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Death of Karna

The Karna Parva (Sanskrit: कर्ण पर्व), or the Book of Karna, is the eighth of eighteen books of the Indian Epic Mahabharata. Karna Parva traditionally has 96 chapters.[1][2] The critical edition of Karna Parv has 69 chapters[3][4]

Karna Parva describes the appointment of Karna as the third commander-in-chief of the Kaurava alliance. The Parva recites how war begins to tire and frustrate everyone. This book describes how brutal war leads to horrifying behavior over the 16th and 17th day of the 18-day Kurukshetra War. Karna who is critically acclaimed as the hero of the Mahabharata is the greatest archers of all time equivalent to Parshurama and lord Rama himself [2]

Karna Parva includes a treatise by Aswatthama which focuses on the motive of the deeds of human life. The crowning incident of this Parva is the final confrontation between Karna and Arjuna, in which Karna is killed.[5]

Structure and chapters[edit]

This Parva (book) traditionally has 96 adhyayas (chapters).[1][6] The following are the sub-parvas:[7]

1. Karna Parva (Chapters: 1–56)
2. Karna-vadha Parva (Chapters: 57–96)[8]

16th day war[edit]

After learning of the deceptive way his father was killed, Ashwatthama became filled with wrath and invoked the celestial weapon called the Narayanastra, against the Pandavas. When the weapon was invoked, violent winds began to blow, peals of thunder are heard, and an arrow pierced every Pandava soldier. This had put fear into the Pandava army, but Krishna by stopping the troops advised that the army lay down all its weapons and surrender to the weapon. As himself being the incarnation of Narayana, he knew about the weapon, as the weapon only targets an armed person while ignoring unarmed ones. After getting their soldiers to disarm (including Bhima with some difficulty), the astra passed by harmlessly. Narayanastra failed to harm Krishna as he himself is an incarnation of Narayana. When urged by Duryodhana to use the weapon again, desirous of victory, Aswatthama sadly responded that if the weapon is used again, it would turn on its user. Narayanastra destroyed one Akshauhini of Pandava army completely. After the use of Narayanastra, a terrible war between both armies took place. Ashvatthama defeated Dhrishtadyumna in direct combat, but failed to kill him as Satyaki covered his retreat.[9]
On 16th day of war, Karna caused the massive destruction among Pandava Army. Bhima challenged Karna who defeated Bhima in archery.[10] Soon Karna picked up sword and rushed on to Bhima. Karna's son Banasena came in aid of his father. On seeing Banasena, Bhima got angered as his own son Ghatotkacha was slain by Karna. Banasena challenged Bhima and soon attacked Bhima with mace. After the fierce battle, Bhima killed Banasena in front of Karna. Bhima killed Banasena by hitting him several times on head. Seeing his son's fate; Karna quickly picked up a mace and attacked Bhima. Bhima asked Karna to take his son's body to perform funerals and later fight with Arjuna.
By using an ordinary bow Ashwatthama fired millions of arrows at a time which resulted in the stupefaction of Arjuna himself. Then after some time he again overpowered Arjuna as Lord Krishna and Arjuna were bathed in blood but at last Arjuna pierced his steeds and steeds carried Ashwatthama away and also his weapons were exhausted.
King Malayadhwaja of Pandya Kingdom was one of the mightiest warrior of Pandavas and on that day he fought brilliantly against Ashwatthama. After a long duel of Archery between them Ashwatthama made Malayadhwaja carless, weaponless and had obtained an opportunity to kill him on the spot but he spared him temporarily for more fight.Then Malayadhwaja proceeded against Ashwatthama on an elephant and sped a powerful lance which destroyed latter’s diadem.Then Ashwathama cut off the head and arms of Malayadhwaja and also killed 6 followers of Malayadhwaja. All the great warriors of Kauravas then applauded him for his act.[11]
Meanwhile Karna defeated Nakula and Sahadeva but spares them as they were too young to fight. Karna goes on brutal rampage where he massacred many Panchalas, Chedis and other Pandava forces and destroyed more than 1 akshauhini. Then Arjuna comes to battle with Karna who later defeated the former. Satyaki intervenes and battle with Karna, meanwhile Arjuna leaves Karna and after a long battle Karna defeats Satyaki and followed Arjuna. Karna surrounded by more than 16 Maharathis incl all 5 Pandavas and Satyaki. However Karna defeated all those Maharathis and was about to kill Arjuna but the sunset occurs.[11]

17th day war[edit]

In very early hours, after the sunrise; Trigartas and Samsaptakas engaged fight with Arjuna. Arjuna began to sweep the armies. Arjuna used his Nagastra. Then Partha slew them with his straight arrows. Indeed, all these warriors in that battle, aiming at whom Partha had invoked that foot-tying weapon, had their lower limbs encircled with snakes. Then Susharma countered with his Sauparna astra. Thereupon numerous birds began to come down and devour those snakes. Arjuna slew all Sampsaptakas and Trigartas. Arjun also killed King Susharma.[12] When Arjuna was involved in fight with Samsaptakas, Karna defeated the Pandava brothers Nakula, Sahadeva and Yudhishthira in battle but spared their lives as per promise he made to Kunti. Karna's eldest son Vrishasena began slaying armies of Pandavas. Nakula brutally assaulted by the mighty son of Karna, Vrishasena. Later Nakula approached Bhima, later Vrishasena defeated and gravely injured Bhima.[13] Bhima then requested Arjuna. Then Vrishasena surrounded and weakened by Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula, Satanika and killed by Arjuna.[14] Karna became inconsolable after seeing his son's fate. He engaged a long duel with Arjuna. The much anticipated battle between Arjuna and Karna took place fiercely. As the battle intensified, Arjuna pushed back Karna's chariot 10 steps backward, but Karna pushed to push Arjuna's chariot only one step backward. Then Krishna praised Karna's efforts instead Arjuna pushed more steps than Karna. When questioned by Arjuna, Krishna said it is meant to be impossible for any human ever to push his chariot backwards because the chariot of Arjuna contains both Hanuman and Krishna, thus holding the entire weight of the universe. But that mighty made that possible. When Karna was about to kill Arjuna, his chariot wheel was trapped in the mud as a result of the curse he had received earlier from goddess Earth. At the crucial moment, he forgot the incantations to invoke Brahmastra, as a result of his guru Parashurama's curse. Karna got down from his chariot to free the wheel and asked Arjuna to pause, reminding him of the etiquette of war. Arjuna who doesn't obey the rules decides to kill Karna when he was unarmed however Karna made Arjuna unconscious and his Gandiva falls from his hands. As killing an weaponless person is against the rules of war, Karna spares Arjuna and decides to lift chariot wheel. Krishna made Arjuna conscious who used Anjalikastra to kill an unarmed and chariot less Karna. Arjuna had to kill Karna in such a kind of situation only because Karna had banes from Goddess Earth and poor brahmin. Earth Goddess cursed Karna that his chariot wheel gets struck in land which will lead to his death and a saint cursed Karna that Karna would die when he is weaponless as Karna killed his cow when it was helpless. In order to fulfill curses, Krishna spurred Arjuna to kill Karna in that situation. Otherwise it is impossible to even Yama to kill Karna in a fair war.[2][15]

English translations[edit]

Karna Parva was composed in Sanskrit. Several translations of the book in English are available. Two translations from the 19th century, now in public domain, are those by Kisari Mohan Ganguli[1] and Manmatha Nath Dutt.[2] The translations vary with each translator's interpretations.

Clay Sanskrit Library has published a 15 volume set of the Mahabharata which includes a translation of Karna Parva by Adam Bowles. This translation is modern and uses an old manuscript of the Epic.[16][5][17]

Quotations and teachings[edit]

Karna Parva, Chapter 6:

Passion, engagement, skill and policy - these are the means to accomplish objectives.

— Ashwatthama, Karna Parva, Mahabharata Book viii.6[5]

Karna Parva, Chapter 69:

Many people maintain that morality can be learned from the scriptures alone; I do not find fault with that, but then everything is not provided in the scriptures.
Moral precepts have been made for the well bring of all creatures.
Moral precepts have been made to free the creatures from all injuries.
Dharma - morality - is so called because it protects all. Morality saves all creatures. That is moral that keeps creatures from injuries.
An untruth spoken to save creatures from injuries is in the cause of morality, and does not amount to a falsehood.

— Krishna, Karna Parva, Mahabharata Book viii.69.56-66[18]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Ganguli, K.M. (1883-1896) "Karna Parva" in The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (12 Volumes). Calcutta
  2. ^ a b c d Dutt, M.N. (1901) The Mahabharata (Volume 8): Karna Parva. Calcutta: Elysium Press
  3. ^ van Buitenen, J.A.B. (1973) The Mahabharata: Book 1: The Book of the Beginning. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, p 477
  4. ^ Debroy, B. (2010) The Mahabharata, Volume 1. Gurgaon: Penguin Books India, pp xxiii - xxvi
  5. ^ a b c Bibek Debroy (2013), The Mahabharata, Volume 7, Penguin, ISBN 978-0-143-10019-5, Section 73 - Karna Parva
  6. ^ Karna Parva The Mahabharata, Translated by Manmatha Nath Dutt (1897)
  7. ^ "Mahābhārata (Table of Contents)". The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  8. ^ Manmathanatha Datta, ed. (1897). A Prose English Translation of the Mahabharata. p. 161.
  9. ^ K M Ganguly(1883-1896). The Mahabharatha Book 7: Drona page 478-479 Aswathama defeated Satyaki, Bhima, Drishtadyumna, October 2003, Retrieved 2015-01-13
  10. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 8: Karna Parva: Section 50". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  11. ^ a b "The Mahabharata, Book 8: Karna Parva Index". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  12. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 8: Karna Parva: Section 53". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  13. ^ "Death of Vrishasena by hands of Arjuna".
  14. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 8: Karna Parva: Section 5". www.sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 2020-06-01.
  15. ^ Johann Becker, Mahabharata, in Deutsche, Berlin, Germany, pages 130-147
  16. ^ Adam Bowles, Book VIII - Vol 1 & 2, The Clay Sanskrit Library, Mahabharata: 15-volume Set, ISBN 978-0814717448, New York University Press, Bilingual Edition
  17. ^ Bibek Debroy, The Mahabharata : Volume 3, ISBN 978-0143100157, Penguin Books, page xxiii - xxiv of Introduction
  18. ^ Karna Parva The Mahabharata, Translated by Manmatha Nath Dutt (1901), pages 133-134 Abridged

External links[edit]

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