Vedic Wisdom Talks

Even the mighty Fall! Karna pleaded: O Arjun! You stop fighting for as long as I’m in this vulnerable condition. Pls do not kill me while I am trying to pull my chariot wheel from the ground. You know very well the code of ethics that forbids a Kshatriya from attacking one with a dishevelled hair, one who is fleeing from battle, a brahmana, one who stands with folded hands, one who has surrendered or who begs for protection, one who has put down his weapons, one whose arrows have become exhausted & one whose armour has become displaced   Sri Krsna sarcastically said: Dear Karna, It is very commendable that you have remembered the path of virtue at this time, for wicked person generally criticize Destiny when they are put into distress. Still, it appears that you have forgotten your past misdeeds. Do you remember how you had forced Draupadi to come before assembled Kurus & then had insulted her with harsh words?   Where were your consideration of virtue then, ...

  Accepting the will of providence!   Arjun released razor sharp arrows cutting Asvasena (son of Takshaka) to pieces as he flew through’ the sky. Sri Krsna then lifted Arjun’s chariot & as He was doing this, Karna managed to pierce Him with ten arrows. Flaring up with rage, Arjun retaliated by piercing Karna deeply & knocking off his crown and earrings, as well as some pieces of his armor. As Arjun continued to strike him, Karna became extremely pained & covered with blood. Finally, after being repeatedly pierced in the chest by Arjun’s arrows, Karna cast aside his bow & quiver as his head reeled due to dizziness   When Arjun saw that his adversary was in such a vulnerable condition, he desisted from further attempts to kill him. However, when Sri Krsna saw his reluctance, He angrily shouted: O Arjun, now is the time to kill your enemy!   Taking heed of Sri Krsna’s words, Arjun resumed shooting his arrows, but by that time Karna recovered ...

  Never Fall down!   Arjun released an Agni weapon that brightly lit up entire sky. Karna invoked a Varuna weapon that quenched the fire by creating clouds with a Vayavya weapon & then released a favourite weapon of Indra that made thousands of arrows issues forth from his G ā ndiva bow   While being pierced all over, Karna countered Aindra weapon with a Bh ārgava weapon & proceeded to kill many of the foremost Pāncāla warriors. Seeing this, Bhima’s anger blazed up like fire. He chastised his brother by saying: O Arjun, how can you allow these great warriors to be killed within your very sight? Please remember how Karna had insulted Draupadi? Give up your indifference & kill him without delay!   Sri Krsna said: Dear Arjun, you must exert your full prowess now, if need be, you can take help from my Sudarshan Cakra!   After momentarily considering the purpose of his appearance in this world, Arjun replied: Lord, with your permission as ...

Anxiety! Lord Brahmā said: Karna is certainly a very great warrior & thus deserves a supremely exalted destination after death, but still victory will be with Arjun, for he is acting instrumentally to carry out the mission of the demigods under instruction of Sri Krsna. After hearing this most authoritative statement, the demigods joyfully played their musical instruments & showered fragrant flowers onto the battlefield   As Karna & Arjun faced one another, Hanum ān suddenly jumped from Arjun’s flag & attacked Karna’s elephant emblem with his sharp nails & teeth. Karna asked his charioteer: O Salya! What would you do if I were killed in this battle? Salya said: Dear Karna! I would mount my own chariot & kill both Krsna & Arjun   Arjun asked the same question to Sri Krsna & the Lord said: The Sun may one day fall from its orbit, the earth may split into fragments, or fire may become cold, but Karna will never be able to kill you. Still,...

Act under the direction of Supreme Lord & be victorious! After Bhima killed Dushasana, ten Dhārtarāshtrās mustered up all their courage & rushed impetuously at Bhima, determined to take revenge, but Vāyu’s son quickly cut off their heads with 10 broad-headed arrows. Upon seeing this, a great fear entered Karna’s heart   Seeing him so afraid of Bhima, Salya encouraged Karna by saying: O Hero, Duryodhana is in a state of shock because of his brother’s death & our warriors are trying to console him. Since Arjun now approaches, you must fight courageously. It is upon you alone that the Kauravas depend   Karna’s heroic son Vrsasena daringly rushed at Bhima, but Nakula intercepted him. Fighting bravely, he broke Nakula’s shield, his sword & pierced him in chest. Nakula jumped on Bhima’s chariot, but Vrsasena attacked them both. Seeing this Arjun became determined to kill him. Laughing menacingly, Arjun declared: O Karna, watch now as I kill your favourite s...

  Lessons from Dushasana’s terrible end & Bhima’s horrifying vow!   Karna went to Duryodhana & requested: O King! You should have Krpā, Krtvarmā, Asvattāma and other great warriors attack Arjun first. After he becomes exhausted from fighting, it will be easy for me to kill him   In the fierce battle that followed, Arjun quickly killed Asvattāma’s horses & broke Duryodhana’s bow, killed Krtvarmā’s horses and drove back Krpā with thousands of arrows. Arjun then avoided these warriors & went to where Bhima was furiously combating a large section of Kaurav army. Arjun soon put the Kauravas to flight & then informed Bhima that Maharāj Yudhisthira was alive & well   After Arjun left, ten Dhārtarāshtrās suddenly rushed at Bhima, but they were quickly deprived of their heads. He then went alone on foot. While ranging over the battlefield, mace in hand, he crushed to death 1000’s of enemy soldiers   Dushasana rushed at Bhima, but t...

  God’s power to help is much greater than our power to hurt!   As battle raged between Kauravas & Pāndavās, Uttamāuja suddenly cut off the head of Karna’s son Susena. Bhima became very eager to kill the Dhārtarāshtrās & so he ordered his driver to take him into their midst. As Bhima proceeded to penetrate Kaurava ranks, he slaughtered great many soldiers   Turning to his charioteer Bhima said: O Visoka, take inventory of my weapons. Arjun has still not returned & so I’m afraid that Yudhisthira has perished. If this is the case, the only means I can see for obtaining solace from my unbearable grief would be to exterminate the entire Kaurava army   Visoka said: O Bhima, you still have 60 000 ordinary arrows as well as 20 000 razor headed & 20 000 broad headed arrows. Besides these, there are several thousand maces, swords, darts & other such weapons. Just then Visoka spotted Arjun coming their way & he pointed out this to Bhima, who...