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the quagmire. The soldiers find it difficult to move, and the wheels of chariots get stuck in the human-created marsh. Arjuna creates havoc on the field. It seems to me this belliger- ence is a direct result of the harsh words used by Yudhishthira. Mercilessly, he continues striking. Thousands of soldiers have received the wrath of the ambidextrous. The lightning speed with which Arjuna strikes is incomparable. The soldiers in the troop of Karna start fleeing away to save their lives from the bloodthirsty arrows of Arjuna. Karna tries to stop them, but there are no ears to the speech of the commander. Karna looks agitated but continues striking at the troop of Arjuna.
Vrishasena, son of Karna, beholds the stressful situation. He has supported his father since Karna became the commander. He comes forward and covers his father. The arrows released from the bow of Arjuna lands on the shield of Vrishasena. The shield looks like a porcupine with the arrows pierced into every inch of it. Vrishasena quickly picks his bow and strikes back. His arrows counter the strikes of Arjuna, and some of them even cut off the strikes in mid-air. Arjuna smiles at Vrishasena and accepts his battle intelligence. The striking continues on the ground while the sun moves gradually towards the western valley. The scorching heat is now mellowed, and the hot waves change into the comparatively cooler breeze. Arjuna looks at the sky, and then at Krishna. “What will happen to Arjuna’s vow?”, I reflect when I see Arjuna’s bewildered face. And sud- denly, Krishna changes the course of his chariot. Arjuna gets a wider angle to strike at Vrishasena, and before the son of Karna could realize the change of Arjuna’s strike, his arrows strike Vrishasena deeper into his chest. Karna’s son loses his control and falls on the chariot. While Karna rushes to attend to his son, Krishna takes Arjuna’s chariot in another direction. Karna roars in rage seeing, the motionless body of his son.
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But Vrishasena’s soul has already left his body. Arjuna picks his conch and summons his antagonist. Acknowledging the summon, Karna asks Salya to advance towards Arjuna. Karna spends not a moment more to mourn the death of his son. It is so cold! Is his commitment to Duryodhana stronger than love for his son? Is it right of Arjuna to summon Karna when the latter was grieving for his dead son? Inhuman!
Krishna astutely moves the chariot amidst the quag- mire saving the wheels from getting immersed in the marsh created by the pool of blood which flows throughout the day. Salya follows the same and tries to move the chariot similarly, but his chariot loses its balance. The left wheel of the chariot gets stuck into a trench, making it immovable. I can see agi- tated Karna. His supreme antagonist is summoning him, and his chariot gets stuck in the marsh forcing him not to move further. Karna in a loud voice commands Salya to get down and push the wheel. Salya smiles and refuses to get down from the chariot. “Is Salya behaving at the terms of Yudhishthira?”, I recall Yudhishthira’s words. Finding no alternative, and without further arguing with Salya, Karna gets down himself and tries to push the stuck wheel. No luck! The steeds are finding it difficult to move, and the wheel gets deeper into the soil. Karna asks Arjuna to be virtuous and not strike till he lifts the wheel out of the marsh. Arjuna agrees and stops striking.
But Krishna gives a confused look to Arjuna as if he is unhappy with Arjuna. He glares at Karna and says, “It is unfor- tunate that you remember the virtue at the edge of your defeat. Where was your virtue when the Pandavas were humiliated for their entire lives? Where was your virtue when Bhima’s food was poisoned? Where was it when Pandavas were given barren land to build their kingdom? Was your virtue sleeping
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at the time when Pandavas were called for the deceitful game? What happened to your righteousness when Draupadi was dragged out of the inner chambers? Was your virtue dead when you called Draupadi, a harlot? Where was your virtue when Duryodhana tried to forcefully capture me when I came to Hastinapur as a peace messenger? Were you so indebted by the friendship of Duryodhana that you didn’t take a minute to think before targeting a young lad when he was surrounded by six warriors? Where was your virtue when you pierced your sword into the weapon-less Abhimanyu? You have no rights to talk about virtue now. You have never favoured the intellect and righteousness in your entire life, and now this sunken wheel of your chariot resembles you tied in the shack- les of Duryodhana’s arrogance. Karna! You will not be saved today, your end in the battle has come.” Krishna calls out every moment of Karna’s ignorance. Karna looks embarrassed. He listens to every word of Krishna but doesn’t reply. He must be at a loss of words. His thoughts have become the reasons for his fall. Today he stands weak and abject. All his life, he boasted his skills, and in course of lifting himself closer to Duryodhana, he didn’t care to weigh the virtuousness. He looks at the sky and while standing on the ground lifts his bow and strikes at Arjuna. Arjuna, the other name to righteousness, doesn’t pick his bow to respond to his opponent. The arrows from Karna’s bow cruises towards Arjuna and sensing the danger to Arjuna’s life, Krishna forcefully thumps the ground. The chariot shakes, Arjuna loses balance and falls on his chariot. Karna’s arrow misses the target. Arjuna loses balance, and Karna gets an opportunity to push the wheels again.
“Why don’t you counter?” shouts Krishna. “He isn’t on his chariot.”, replies Arjuna.
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“But he is armed, and he hasn’t stopped striking.” Krishna reasons.
Arjuna still looks bewildered. “Oh! this great warrior is an ardent follower of war-rules.” I exclaim.
Sudasa looks at me but says nothing. He silently smiles at my restlessness!
Beholding Arjuna’s unwillingness to strike at Karna, Krishna speaks loudly, “O wielder of Gandiva! The time has come for you to avenge all the humiliation meted out to you; the death of Abhimanyu, the assault of Draupadi, and the dis- respect of Yudhishthira. O Arjuna! Worry not about what the world will blabber about your prowess. Worry not about the blot on your ethics. You are not liable to justify anything to anyone. Nobody deserves your explanation. The world has seen your prowess many times in the past, and your strength can never be undermined. Karna always cried for what he didn’t get in life, but you always strived for what you didn’t have. Life gives many opportunities; how we make use of them makes us the winner. This moment, my friend, is the same opportunity. Karna is trying to lift the wheels, but the wheels in the marsh have sunken, like his intellect in lust. They will not come out today like the intellect of Karna didn’t come out for his entire life. O Arjuna! Cut off the head of your enemy. This is the right time.”
Bemused but burdened under his vow, Arjuna picks his bow and calls for the powerful arrow called Anjalika. The Asuras fear from it, and the Devas have no answers for it. Arjuna has earned this with his life-long penance and dedi- cation. Arjuna mounts unrivalled Anjalika on his bow, pulls
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the string of his Gandiva till his right thumb reaches his right ear and speaks: “If I have ever practised the austerities in my life; if my dedication has gratified my superiors; if the effulgence of sun is true and the coolness of moon hasn’t gone; if my Gurus observed the devotion in me; if I have followed the righteousness, be this arrow of mine slay my biggest enemy today. Be this Anjalika; today becomes the cause of Karna’s death. Let this arrow possessed with the effulgence of sun escort Karna to the abode of Yama.” And he releases the arrow powered by mantras. The arrow released from his bow, like a virulent serpent, cruises in the air and strikes the bewildered Karna deeper into his chest. He falls on the bloody marsh on the battlefield. Karna’s soul departs and the hopes of Duryodhana too. A man writes his fortune with his deeds. All his life, Karna favoured Duryodhana’s wickedness in hunt of an opportunity to conquer Arjuna. His focus was more on defeating Arjuna than to enhance his learnings. With Duryodhana giving him more powers, his attention towards his skills subdued, while Arjuna for thir- teen years in exile never forgot his focus. Arjuna’s learnings paid off. And dead Karna on this soil of Kurukshetra reflects the choices we make in life. A man achieves glory
when he lifts his thoughts above slavish indulgence. The universe contrives for success only when the determination is not shrouded with greed and viciousness.
“The world might question the prowess of Arjuna as he killed Karna when he was not on his chariot, but Karna has fallen from the chariot of his intelligence long ago. Like the shining sun, Karna scorched the hostile armies, but at last, his effulgence was blanketed by mighty time. There is nothing more powerful than time. The unclenched fist once again looks for dried up sand, but the crystals are left with the glory of
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the warriors standing on this battlefield. In the years to follow, the glory of Karna might shine, but the world will always remember his follies.” I tell my charioteer. He smiles back in affirmation.
The drumbeats and blares of conches fill the battlefield with the victory of Arjuna. He fulfilled his vow and made his broth- ers proud once again. The victory of Pandavas in this battle is almost confirmed. Duryodhana is left with no more key warriors except Ashwatthama, Guru Kripa, and Kritavarman on his side. All his other brothers are also uprooted by mighty Bhima. The blazing conflagration of Dushasana and Karna is silenced by the torrents of Bhima and Arjuna, today.
The remaining army of Duryodhana flees from the ground to safeguard themselves from the cheerful soldiers of Pandavas. Duryodhana tries to control the running soldiers by taking up the responsibility for their protection. He urges the soldiers to stop and not to be frightened of getting killed.
“Death comes to those who fear for it, for those who don’t fear, it comes as a victory. If you die on the field, you will attain heaven, and if you survive the battle, you will lead the world. Your glory will be sung in both the cases.”, he tries to motivate the running soldiers, but not a single man pays heed to what Duryodhana tells. The time has gone to energize the fighters. The last resort of Duryodhana’s win, Karna, is lying motionless on the ground. There is no hope left in anyone. Salya then asks Ashwatthama to blare the conch and signal the army to fall back to their respective camps. The battle of the seventeenth day ends. End of another bloodthirsty day!
Arjuna, like a jubilant toddler, rushes to share the victory message with his brother. He asks Krishna to take him to the king’s camp. Krishna drives him away from the field. Bhima also retires for the day with the blood of Dushasana smeared on his face. Nakul and Sahadeva, the jovial twin-brothers follow their elders when the evening knocks. Seems, the Sun-God has submerged himself in the valley of darkness after witnessing the dreadful end of Karna.
Everyone retires and starts walking towards the camp, but I don’t want to go back. My heart wants to pick and embrace that motionless body of Dushasana. That man has never done anything right in his entire life, but he was my brother. I want to be part of his last rites. I get down from my chariot and ask Sudasa to take away my wagon towards the camp. I walk towards the tent of Duryodhana crossing through the piles of dead flesh and broken bones on the ground. The energetic and devoted soldiers in the morning become mere flesh and bones by the evening. It is war. If you die, you attain martyrdom. If you survive, you see the dead bodies. Not everyone gets a chance to rule the world after surviving the war; many live a distressing existence. I may be one…
DURYODHANA
uryodhana is sitting quietly in his tent. The loss of Karna is evident on his face. All his life, Karna was devoted to Duryodhana’s friendship. Duryodhana earned that trust from his close aides, not always by instilling fear into them, but sometimes by helping them achieve their prolonged materialistic aspirations. Karna was one of those few whom Duryodhana admired always. I walk closer to my brother. He looks up with quivering lips, his eyes are wet, and for the first time, I could see the sense of defeat on his face. His aspirations of owning the throne rode on the prowess of Karna till today. Life long, this man has only dreamt of becoming the ruler of Hastinapur. In that course, he forgot about the righteous- ness and deeds. His actions were around himself, and so his thoughts. The friends, brothers, sires, mentors, and relatives, anyone he allied with, are losing their lives. The owner of eleven Akshauhini army, the world leader, is sitting alone today. All those on whom he has rested the burden of his sovereignty and enjoyed his life for years, especially during exile years of Pandavas, are now resting in Yama’s abode. Death is the ultimate certainty of life, and all the close aides of Duryodhana have attained that reality. After directing numerous souls to peril, this stubborn man stands alone to spend his time in
grief. All alone recollecting his misdeeds!
“After the fall of Grandsire and Guru. After the death of Jayadratha and Dushasana, and after Karna meeting his final
fate, O elder brother, what remains in this war? Our brothers are killed by Bhima ruthlessly. Your son, Lakshmana, died, and there is nobody left to continue your legacy. What will you get if you become the king? A king needs countrymen and advisors to develop his kingdom, and now when all your well-wishers have perished, with whose guidance and support will you rule? It’s never too late to accept the follies and seek for peace. Why don’t you go to Yudhishthira and request him for peace? Verily he will accept you. He is our elder, and he will never divert from the path of righteousness.”, I speak to Duryodhana with my head bowed and joined hands.
Duryodhana looks at me; his wet and red eyes speak his mind. He knows he has lost everything, and tomorrow might become his last day. Bhima is searching for an opportunity. “And with no protector of Duryodhana, he will surely come for him.”, I reflect within.
I continue looking at Duryodhana, waiting for him to speak; share whatever is in his heart! With the quivering lips and hoarse voice, Duryodhana says: “When I was born, the sires and Gurus told my father to kill me because for them I was a bad omen. My father was born blind, and my mother blind- folded herself. There was nobody who could show me the righ- teousness. Since birth, I was all by myself. The decision I made, the path I chose, and the friends and foes I made, everything, with my cognizance. My father was not given the kingdom because of his deformity. Everyone teased me, as the son of a blind man. And when I grew up as a learnt scholar, every- one started favouring Yudhishthira. Why? I was jealous; I was envious. My heart burnt every single day. But I never allowed it to become my weakness and instead, converted that disdain to my biggest strength. But in the race to prove myself, I never
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realized when this opprobrium became cruelty in me. When the follies and irresponsible acts of childhood converted to the hostility, I never realized. I was scared that the disrespect and disdain, which I felt during my childhood, might be transferred to my son. I never wanted him to feel the same humiliation which I felt in my life. And when there remained no choice, deceitfully I threw Pandavas to exile. I didn’t want a war, but neither did I wish to give the wealth back to the Pandavas.”
Tears are continuously falling from his eyes. The warrior, the lord of a large army, and a learnt mace fighter sob impatiently. He stands up from his seat, puts his hand on my shoulder and says, “Yuyutsu, you left me too. You didn’t trust me or any of your other brothers. But I will not ask you the reasons today. The world will ask you one day. Your actions will ask you one day like my past actions are seeking answers from me today.”
I am spellbound. I know Duryodhana is angry at me. But more than that, he wants an ear to hear him out. He wants someone in his bloodline to hear why he took those decisions. He knows he might not meet his father again. And there is nobody except me left on the field as the progeny of our father. I might have shifted the side, but the bloodline is still the same.
“Brother, do you believe in making peace now?” I say softly.
He replies, “Peace with the Pandavas has become impos- sible now. Arjuna will never forget the slaughter of his son Abhimanyu. They might let go of the wealth, but they will never forget the humiliation of Draupadi. I enjoyed sovereignty for years. I ruled over Pandavas’ wealth for thirteen years. All these years, I was the lord of this earth, sky and ocean. How could I live und
er the favours of Yudhishthira now? I can not
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live like a slave when since birth, I lived in luxuries like a king. There is no question of making peace now. Instead, I will happily perish. The desires are immortal, but we humans are not.”
“I have no qualms with you. You go and stay with Yudhishthira. He is a kind man, an ardent follower of Dharma, and knows how to award the righteousness. I might not walk on this land tomorrow, but with you, the glory of Kauravas will shine. Even if you have forgotten, but you will always remain a Kaurava, the Last Kaurava!”, he pants while he speaks.
My head stoops low, my hands shiver, my feet fix on the ground, and the heart melts. I have never thought that I will ever witness this side of Duryodhana. It is possibly our last conversation. For me, he was always cruel, adamant and an arrogant brother but today beholding the softer side of my elder, I ponder, “Did I make the right decision?”
The night gets darker, but not like the darkness of doubt inside me. The Pandavas have proved their authority over the Kaurava brothers. The eleven Akshauhini of Kauravas are decimated into a mere few thousand soldiers now. The destruction in the Pandavas’ army is not less, but the key-warriors of this side are alive. I get into my bed keeping, my arms and shields aside. The camp is silent, the victory celebration is called off, and the panegyrists are also returned to their tents. The few soldiers, as usual, are on the guarding routine with their fire torches, while few others feed the animals. These animals have served the purpose selflessly for the past seventeen days, without even knowing why they are forced into the war. When an
Yuyutsu - Rise of the last Kaurava Page 14