The War – Day 17 (Part 10)

Duryodhana briefed

Salya immediately reported the death of Karna to Duryodhana. This was the greatest shock to the Kaurava prince ever since the war began. There were greater warriors like Bhishma and Drona on his side, but, none on whom Duryodhana counted so much as on Karna. Salya tried his best to console the grieving Duryodhana.

The Kaurava army was in total disarray. It was a hopeless situation for all on the Kaurava side. Duryodhana with great effort controlled his own grief and made a desperate attempt to persuade the army to turn back and face the Pandavas.

Arjuna with Yudhishthira

Krishna and Arjuna went straight to Yudhishthira to report the death of Karna Yudhishthira embraced Krishna and Arjuna, again and again, and shed profuse tears of happiness. The end of Karna was so good a news that the Pandava prince wanted to see for himself the body of the most formidable of his enemies lying on the battle field.

Krishna and Arjuna promptly took Yudhishthira to the place where the beheaded body of Karna lay. Yudhishthira had a close look at the body shattered by the arrows from Arjuna’s Gandiva. He, then, spoke. “Now, I feel as though I have already become the king. I can rule over this land with my brothers. There is nothing that stands on the way. I can say that I shall get sleep for the first time after thirteen years. Krishna, all this is thanks to your support and guidance”.

Sanjaya with Dhritarashtra

Let us remember that Sanjaya has been reporting the events on the battle field to the blind king at the end of each day. Most of the story unfolds through the words of Sanjaya. Needless to say that the death of Karna was a big blow to the hopes of victory for the old king.

The sun was about to set when the battle ended. Sanjaya gives a vivid description of the battle field at that time. One particular verse is all the more touching. Vyasa (as reported by Sanjaya) says.

The sun god, tenderly touches the body of Karna soaked in blood with his hands of rays and takes a dip in the western ocean with his blood red body.

(Notation used in writng Sanskrit verses :

Long vowels – by repetition the vowel once as in Bhagavaan.

The third and fourth group of consonant – Ta, Tha, Da, Dha, Na; ta, tha, da, dha, and na; the three “sa”s in the last group are distinguished as Sa, sha and sa )

KarNasya deham rudhiraavasiktam

bhaktaanukampee bhagavaan vivasvaan

sprushtvaamSubhir llohita rakta roopah

sishNaatu rabhyeti param samudram

The description of the setting sun has a connotation. The body that lies down soaked in blood is that of the son of the sun god. He, as though grief stricken, embraces the body with his gentle hands. That may be the reason why he is coloured red. Or, may be that he turned red with grief.

Then, there is the custom of a ritual bath when a close relation dies. The sun god, as Karna’s father, must have performed that after paying a visit to the body of the departed soul.

With this episode we end the chapter titled “the killing of Karna (Karna Vadha Parvam)” and the “Book of Karna (Karna Parvam)”.