Vedic Wisdom Talks

Delusion! Ghatotkaca rushed at Karna while sending forth showers of arrows and presenting a very fearful sight, for his face was copper-coloured and the hair that covered his body stood up like stiff bristles. His ears were devilishly pointed, his broad mouth stretched from ear to ear, and from that fearful mouth four large sharp teeth protruded over his lips   For a long while, the battle raged equally, without either gaining the upper hand. Finally, considering Ghatotkaca incapable of being killed by conventional means, Karna began invoking celestial weapons. In response, Ghatotkaca & his army employed their Rāksasa powers of illusion, so that the battle became exceedingly ferocious   When the Rāksasās began showering torrential volleys of sharp-edged rocks upon the Kaurav soldiers, they deserted Karna & fled from the battlefield. Despite this, Karna quickly dispelled all of the Rāksasās’ illusion with his arrows and then pierced Ghatotkaca very painfully w...

Withdrawal!   Karna killed Dhrishtadyumna’s horses & driver and then broke his bow with a well-aimed arrow. Picking up his mace, Dhrishta jumped from his chariot & ran towards Karna, even though he was continually pierced by his arrows. Coming right up to Karna’s chariot, Dhrista smashed the horses to death & then beat a hasty retreat   Arjun came nearby & so Dhrista got onto his chariot. Although the enraged Pāncāla commander wanted to rush at Karna once again, Maharāj Yudhisthira restrained him. Meanwhile, Karna’s driver yoked new horses onto his chariot as the Pāncāla warriors rushed at him, hoping to avenge the defeat of their leader. Karna severely massacred the onrushing Pāncāla army, however. As they retreated, Yudhisthira fearfully pleaded: Arjun, you do something before Karna consumes our entire army!   Arjun then ordered: My dear Krsna, pls take me quickly to where Karna is staying so that once and for all I may kill him, or else lay ...

Faults lies within if we see the same outside! As Dhrishtadyumna fought with Drona, Karna, Asvattāma, Salya & Duhsasana came and surrounded him. Sātyaki rushed to Dhrishtadyumna aid & so Karna turned to oppose him. As Karna & Sātyaki exchanged arrows, Dhrishtadyumna deeply pierced Vrsasena, making him drop his bow and fall onto the floor of his chariot. Thinking that his son had been killed, Karna flared up with rage & became determined to kill Sātyaki so that the duel became very intense   However, when Karna saw Arjun approach in the distance while slaughtering the Kaurava soldiers, he went to Duryodhana & said: O King, you should order a great attack on Arjun. With him out of the way we can do away with Sātyaki & Dhrishtadyumna in the same way we killed Abhimanyu   To implement Karna’s plan, Duryodhana ordered Sakuni & Duhsāsana to lead a massive attack on Arjun while Karna, Drona and numerous other Kaurava warriors surrounded Sātyaki...

Depression! In the dead of the night, the Kaurava army looked very beautiful as the combined light of lamps reflected off their shiny armour, ornaments & weapons. Following the Kauravas’ lead, the Pandavas placed ten lamps on each chariot, seven on each elephant, two on the backs of the horses, and the foot soldiers carried a lamp in their hands. In this way both armies became distinctly visible As fighting resumed, Duryodhana, backed by Drona, led an attack on Bhima. Bhima soon broke Duryodhana’s bow, but then, picking up another bow, the Kaurava king broke his bow. Again and again Bhima picked up one bow after another but every time Duryodhana immediately broke them. Becoming frustrated, Bhima next picked up a spear & hurled it, but the Kaurava king expertly broke it into three pieces   Bhima next threw a heavy mace. While Duryodhana jumped to safety, the mace smashed his chariot, horses and driver. Petrified, Kaurava king hurriedly got onto Nandaka’s chariot, b...

  Free from the Material world!   Dhrishtadyumna confronted Asvattāma, challenging: O son of Drona, I will not kill you yet. Tomorrow I will kill your father. Only after that I will send you to the abode of Yamarāj   A fierce duel took place between the two warriors & they fought equally for some time. Asvattāma then rushed at Dhrista & after killing his horses and driver, he broke his bow and knocked down his royal umbrella and insignia. With Dhrita out of the way, Asvattāma proceeded to route the entire Pāncāla army, killing hundreds of warriors in the process   Meanwhile, elsewhere on the battlefield, Sātyaki and Somadatta fought, each determined to kill the other that very night. When Somadatta managed to break Sātyaki’s bow, the Yadu hero picked up another and immediately retaliated by cutting down his royal insignia. Sātyaki then broke Somadatta’s bow and when he picked another one, the Yādav broke it as well and cut-off his finger guard ...

Downward Spiral! After Krpā’s stern reply to Karna, he smilingly said: O Krpā, I agree with you that Sri Krsna & Arjun are ordinarily incapable of being vanquished, but with Indra’s invincible dart I know that I will be able to kill Arjun. It is for this reason alone that I am bragging so much. Now, let me warn you. Do not try to insult me once again, because of your partiality towards the Pāndavās. If you dare address me harshly again, I will cut out your tongue with my sword   When Asvattāma heard his maternal uncle insulted, he angrily unsheathed his sword. While rushing at Karna, he declared: Vile Suta! Because of your excessive pride & impudence, I will severe your head from your body!   While Krpā & Duryodhana quickly restrained Asvattāma, Karna urged them to let Drona’s son go so they could fight. Asvattāma finally became pacified & along with Krpā he forgave Karna while at the same time assuring him that Arjun would be the one who would cut do...

Victory!   When Somdatta fell down on the floor of his chariot, his father B āhilika, who was Pratipā’s son and thus Sāntanu’s brother, rushed to encounter the enemy. After showering arrows upon Sātyaki, he struck Bhima with a blazing spear, making him faint. Bhima quickly recovered & when he angrily retaliated by hurling his mace, it struck off Bāhilika’s head   Ten Dhārtarāshtrās then rushed at Bhima, but they immediately dispatched to the abode of Yamarāja by ten powerful arrows. Meanwhile Maharāj Yudhisthira fought very heroically killing a great number of warriors in Drona’s army. Duryodhana urged Drona to attack Yudhisthira & so the Preceptor discharged a Vayavya weapon at the Pāndava king. Yudhisthira neutralized this weapon with a similar weapon & so Drona angrily employed numerous celestial weapons, one after another with hope to kill him   Yudhisthira deftly neutralized them all & at last Drona invoked the Brahmāstra. Then, when Yudhi...

Emotions! As R āksasās led by Ghatotkaca attacked, only Asvattāma remained firm & dispelled their illusions. Ghatotkaca rushed at Asvattāma, but the son of Drona drove him back with a forceful stream of arrows. The son of Ghatotkaca, named Anjanaparva joined the fray, showering his arrows upon Asvattāma, but Drona’s son quickly retaliated by knocking down his flag, killing his two drivers, breaking his bow & at last killing his horses   Anjanaparva flew into the sky & began showering trees upon Asvattāma. In retaliation the son of Drona afflicted him so severely that the Rāksasā soon had to return to the shelter of his chariot. Asvattāma discharged a fierce arrow that took away Anjanaparva’s life & then continued to slaughter many other Pāndava warriors   Ghatotkaca became terribly aggrieved seeing the death of his son & so he rushed at Asvattāma while challenging him. In the spectacular duel that followed the entire sky became lit up by the spark...

  Panic?   Drona said to Duryodhana: Be assured that I will fight to the best of my ability. As Kauravas’ anger has been aroused by Jayadratha’s killing, I suggest we continue fighting into the night, in the hope that we can turn the tide against the Pāndavās   Thereafter, a great conflict took place as Duryodhana, who was determined to fight till death, penetrated Pāndava ranks & began to create a great massacre. Soon Pāndava soldiers began fleeing in fear & so Maharāj Yudhisthira released two arrows that broke Duryodhana’s bow into 3 pieces & then pierced him very deeply. After that, by discharging a very fierce arrow, Yudhisthira made Duryodhana sit down upon his chariot, bereft of consciousness   Seeing this, Pāndava soldiers shouted with joy. Duryodhana, however, quickly recovered and once again rushed at Yudhisthira as Drona came to support him. The sun had set long ago, and in the darkness, Drona blazed up so fiercely that no one dared ...