Most of us tend to make silly mistakes when we are frustrated and desperate. Our wisdom evades us and we make fool of ourselves. Probably, that is what happened to Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas.
As we discussed in the previous episode, after the death of Drona, the mantle of Kaurava army came on Karna’s shoulders. He was the next bet for Duryodhana both because Karna was the most capable among those who were left, and also because of the undeniable loyalty Karna had towards Duryodhana.
So, the war continued.
Karna went on massacring the Pandava warriors mercilessly. Arjuna tried to restrict Karna from his slaughter. He even wounded Karna greatly. It appeared as if Karna was slain by Arjuna.
Assuming Karna being neutralized, Arjuna turned to other parts of the war field and kept busy fighting with other Kaurava warriors.
But Karna recovered soon and started once again wreaking havoc on the Pandava army.
Yudhishthira confronted Karna. But he was no match for Karna. Karna greatly injured Yudhishthira. He almost killed him. But he remembered the promise that he made to Kunti – his real mother - that he would spare all her children except Arjuna. So, Karna let Yudhishthira go without further attack.
Yudhishthira’s charioteer somehow managed to rescue Yudhishthira and take him back to the base camp, greatly injured.
There was rumor that Yudhishthira was killed by Karna.
When Arjuna came to know about this, he ran to the sight where Karna was fighting. He asked everyone about whatever happened to Yudhishthira and whether he was really slain.
But Bhima who was at that place told Arjuna that Yudhishthira was greatly injured and he was not sure whether he was alive. All that he could say was that Yudhishthira’s charioteer had taken Yudhishthira back to the base camp.
Arjuna was very much concerned about Yudhishthira. He felt that he was responsible for whatever happened. He should not have left the place and risk Yudhishthira confront Karna who was very aggressive.
Asking Bhima to manage the war, Arjuna ran to the base camp with Krishna, highly concerned about the safety of Yudhishthira. He found Yudhishthira lying on the bed in the base camp, severely injured.
Yudhishthira got up from the bed with great difficulty and asked Arjuna whether Karna was killed. When he came to know that Karna was still fighting with all the more vigor, he became furious with Arjuna.
He started shouting at Arjuna and called him a coward, for having left the battlefield without killing Karna. He also expressed his concern about Bhima who was managing the show, all alone.
He started severely censuring Arjuna and told him that it was time he left the war field once for all, and retire to forest. He wanted Arjuna to put down his weapons and give the responsibility to someone else who was more capable.
Arjuna was greatly pained to hear such words from Yudhishthira. Arjuna had come running all the way, worried about Yudhishthira’s safety and the frustrated Yudhishthira was calling him a coward.
Asking Arjuna to put down his arms was the greatest insult Arjuna could bear. He could not tolerate such an insult. In a moment of rage, Arjuna pulled out his sword to chop off Yudhishthira’s head. He probably would have done that if Krishna did not stop him.
Krishna explained to Arjuna the frustration experienced by Yudhishthira that forced him to make such statements. He also convinced him that by beheading Yudhishthira, Arjuna was not going to serve any purpose beside committing a heinous sin.
Arjuna cooled down a bit. But he did not withdraw his sword. He now tried to kill himself for having committed the crime of raising the sword against his own elder brother whom he revered a lot.
Once again, Krishna had to intervene and convince Arjuna that it would be futile to take such an action since that would only help the wicked Duryodhana.
Without Arjuna, the Pandavas were no match to the Kauravas and sooner or later, they would be vanquished by the Kauravas. That would make the sacrifice of all those great warriors who had given up their lives fighting for them. Moreover, it would give a free hand to Kauravas to continue with their unrighteous ways.
Fortunately, Arjuna understood the merit in whatever Krishna said. But he felt that the sin he had committed by raising his sword against his own elder brother should not go unpunished.
Krishna suggested an alternative. He asked Arjuna to praise himself, his heroic deeds, his superiority among all the Pandavas, and so on. Krishna said that when a just man praises himself, it is as good as killing himself.
Great are the ways of righteous!
Arjuna did exactly as what Krishna suggested. And consoled himself of having nullified his sin by killing himself, in a way.
Krishna managed to clear misgivings between the two brothers. Arjuna vowed that he would return to the battle field and kill Karna at any cost.
Did Arjuna actually succeed in killing Karna? We will see that in the next episode.
So, the war continued.
Karna went on massacring the Pandava warriors mercilessly. Arjuna tried to restrict Karna from his slaughter. He even wounded Karna greatly. It appeared as if Karna was slain by Arjuna.
Assuming Karna being neutralized, Arjuna turned to other parts of the war field and kept busy fighting with other Kaurava warriors.
But Karna recovered soon and started once again wreaking havoc on the Pandava army.
Yudhishthira confronted Karna. But he was no match for Karna. Karna greatly injured Yudhishthira. He almost killed him. But he remembered the promise that he made to Kunti – his real mother - that he would spare all her children except Arjuna. So, Karna let Yudhishthira go without further attack.
Yudhishthira’s charioteer somehow managed to rescue Yudhishthira and take him back to the base camp, greatly injured.
There was rumor that Yudhishthira was killed by Karna.
When Arjuna came to know about this, he ran to the sight where Karna was fighting. He asked everyone about whatever happened to Yudhishthira and whether he was really slain.
But Bhima who was at that place told Arjuna that Yudhishthira was greatly injured and he was not sure whether he was alive. All that he could say was that Yudhishthira’s charioteer had taken Yudhishthira back to the base camp.
Arjuna was very much concerned about Yudhishthira. He felt that he was responsible for whatever happened. He should not have left the place and risk Yudhishthira confront Karna who was very aggressive.
Asking Bhima to manage the war, Arjuna ran to the base camp with Krishna, highly concerned about the safety of Yudhishthira. He found Yudhishthira lying on the bed in the base camp, severely injured.
Yudhishthira got up from the bed with great difficulty and asked Arjuna whether Karna was killed. When he came to know that Karna was still fighting with all the more vigor, he became furious with Arjuna.
He started severely censuring Arjuna and told him that it was time he left the war field once for all, and retire to forest. He wanted Arjuna to put down his weapons and give the responsibility to someone else who was more capable.
Arjuna was greatly pained to hear such words from Yudhishthira. Arjuna had come running all the way, worried about Yudhishthira’s safety and the frustrated Yudhishthira was calling him a coward.
Asking Arjuna to put down his arms was the greatest insult Arjuna could bear. He could not tolerate such an insult. In a moment of rage, Arjuna pulled out his sword to chop off Yudhishthira’s head. He probably would have done that if Krishna did not stop him.
Krishna explained to Arjuna the frustration experienced by Yudhishthira that forced him to make such statements. He also convinced him that by beheading Yudhishthira, Arjuna was not going to serve any purpose beside committing a heinous sin.
Arjuna cooled down a bit. But he did not withdraw his sword. He now tried to kill himself for having committed the crime of raising the sword against his own elder brother whom he revered a lot.
Once again, Krishna had to intervene and convince Arjuna that it would be futile to take such an action since that would only help the wicked Duryodhana.
Without Arjuna, the Pandavas were no match to the Kauravas and sooner or later, they would be vanquished by the Kauravas. That would make the sacrifice of all those great warriors who had given up their lives fighting for them. Moreover, it would give a free hand to Kauravas to continue with their unrighteous ways.
Fortunately, Arjuna understood the merit in whatever Krishna said. But he felt that the sin he had committed by raising his sword against his own elder brother should not go unpunished.
Krishna suggested an alternative. He asked Arjuna to praise himself, his heroic deeds, his superiority among all the Pandavas, and so on. Krishna said that when a just man praises himself, it is as good as killing himself.
Great are the ways of righteous!
Arjuna did exactly as what Krishna suggested. And consoled himself of having nullified his sin by killing himself, in a way.
Krishna managed to clear misgivings between the two brothers. Arjuna vowed that he would return to the battle field and kill Karna at any cost.
Did Arjuna actually succeed in killing Karna? We will see that in the next episode.
That was Mahabharata episode 15
Based on the 5000 year old Indian Epic namely Mahabharata. © Dr.King 2019.
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