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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Fall of Maharathi Vrishasena

Vrishasena, angered at the death of Duhshasana and Chitrasena, rushed at Nakula, desiring to fight with his father's enemy. A fierce battle then ensued between those two heroes. Vrishasena managed to kill Nakula's horses and pierce him with many arrows. Descending from his chariot, Nakula took up his sword and shield, and making his way toward Vrishasena, he severed the heads of two thousand horsemen. Vrishasena, seeing Nakula coming towards him whirling that sword like a discus, shattered the sword and shield with four crescent shaped arrows. Nakula then quickly ascended Bhima's chariot. As Arjuna came near, Nakula requested him, "Please slay this sinful person." Arjuna then ordered Lord Krishna, "Proceed toward the son of Karna. I will kill him within his father's sight." Unsupported by anyone, Vrishasena challenged Arjuna releasing many different kinds of arrows. He pierced Arjuna's arm with ten arrows and Krishna also with ten. Arjuna became enraged, and exclaimed loudly to the Kaurava kings including Karna, "Today, O Karna, I will kill your son as you unfairly killed my son, Abhimanyu! Let all the warriors protect him if they can. I will kill him, and then, O fool, I will slay you; and Bhima will slay the wretched Duryodhana, whose evil policies have brought about the great battle."

Having said these, Arjuna proceeds to rain arrows over little Vrishasena. Cutting off Virshasena’s bow with his razor sharp arrows, Arjuna proceeds to sever his limbs and eventually kill the little child. Karna wasn't able to do anything as he was too harm and its also against rules to interrupt fight between to warriors. This also shows Karna's greatness whether Arjuna broken rules to save Satyiki from Bhrurishrava.

9 comments:

  1. Jai Shri Krishna.
    This is similiar to KMG mahabharata. Every event in mahabharata seems to have differant versions of the episode. KMG says Karna died instantly his head cut off. The Gujrati version says that Krishna interacted with Karna. Infact a temple in Surat is also mentioned to this effect.
    Coming to Karnas sons I could not find any mention of Karnas sons in the Gujrati version mentioned in this blog both on day 16 and day 17.
    Rajajis version also does not mention any son of Karna getting killed. Finally I leave it to Kunti. When Yudhishthira completed the last rites of all warriors and asked have I completed everybodies last rites. Kunti says no there is ONE more. Its Karna. This I feel gives me reason to believe that none of Karnas sons got killed otherwise Kunti would have said 2 more or 3 more or 5 more. After all the sons of Karna too are her grandsons and require last rites like Karna. I need more details on the Gujrati version to reach to a conclusion about the sons of Karna

    best regards
    Niraj

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  2. @niraj
    see karna had grandsons with him so his grandsons will do the last rites for his sons, and then have you every heard of a grand mother doing a last rite for a grand son, or an uncle doing last rites for his nephew(when his nephew got sons ) .
    so only it is like that

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  3. Shri Gandharva. The second half of my question is still unanswered. Does
    the Gujrati version mention any son or sons of Karna getting killed in battle ?

    best regards
    Niraj Sharma

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  4. In Gujarati version, Karna had two sons, Vrisketu and Chandraketu. On the circular maze, Chandraketu dies by Abhimanyu using Kal jawr arrow. Vrisketu is thrown far away by Abhimanyu using vayoo arrow. When Vrisketu is thrown away, he lands by Hastinapur, where the servants bring him to Dhristrast. Vristketu had served the king well so he does not let him go back to the battle and this way Vristketu is saved.
    When, Pandavs find out that Karna was their elder brother they accept Vristketu and take care of him as their son. In Aswemeg parva, Vrisketu, accompanies Arjun on his quest to follow the horese.

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  5. Jai Sri Krishna. Thanks for above information

    best regards
    Niraj

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  6. where was karna's greatness when he killed abhimanyu together with seven other maharathis and full army? abhimanyu defeated all kaurav maharathis including karna in one to one battle. if vrishasen was a child so was abhimanyu.
    where will you keep abhimanyu in the list of great warriors who in the age of only sixteen defeated all maharathis so badly that they had to break all rules to kill him.

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  7. karnas first son sudaman also child,his age is only 16 then why arjun kill him,in panchali svyamvar.

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  8. The question is here one have done the other could have done.
    During Draupadis swayanvar when all the mighty Warriors have failed to even lift the Bow and some have fail to fix the string including the mighty Jarashandha and Salya. Both Karna and Arjuna have done that with ease. So its quite obvious that Both Karna and Arjuna were stronger to Jarashandha. Only human bieng who was stronger to Them was The Mighty Bhimsen. Even Arjuna was stronger to Duryodhan since Duryodhan failed to string the bow. And Stringing the bow doesn't require any special skill its pure raw power. And strength can't be taught its in the blood.
    And coming to the context of discussion.
    Karna was stopped by Draupadi, And Arjun have completed the task. So Karna couldhave but Arjun already have done that.
    (2) Thereafter Karna and Arjuna had a brutal fight .Both Breaking the antagonist Bows and Arrows. But Karna left the battle in midst. Reason He was scared, yes scared of defeat? Scared of death?
    No He was scared of bieng cursed. Once burn twice shy.Karna was already cursed by two brahmins on two seperate occassions. But before leaving He asked the Brahmin(Arjun) ,only person who has the ability to break his bow was Arjun,so are you Arjun. But the Brahmin replied
    as No,becs he was instructed by Vidur not to reveal his indentity.IF Karna would have known that than fight would have continued.
    So, Karna couldhave but Arjuna have ,so you have to give the benifit of doubt to Arjuna's superiority here.

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  9. Its common knowledge that Karna respected brahmins. Remember when Indra came to take the kavach he too was disguised as a brahmin. Mahabharata record Krishna praising Karna saying that Karna is abiding by devtas and brahmins. Arjuna was disguised as a brahmin at the swayamvara hence Karna was not fighting to kill. According to kshatriya dharma killing a cow, a brahmin a woman is a sin.

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