The Death of Karna

Karna Becomes Commander

द्रोणाचार्यस्य पतनानन्तरम् — दुर्योधनः कर्णं सेनापतिं नियुक्तवान्। "कर्णः आगतः!" — उभयोः पक्षयोः महानादः। कर्णः अपि जानाति — अर्जुनः तस्य सहोदरः। परन्तु मित्रधर्मः — दुर्योधनः तस्य मित्रम्। "इदम् अन्तिमं युद्धम् — कर्तव्यम् करोमि।" कर्णः इन्द्रस्य शक्त्यस्त्रम् अरक्षयत् आसीत् — अर्जुनार्थम्। परन्तु घटोत्कचवधाय तत् पूर्वमेव उपयुक्तम् अभवत्। विधिः विचित्रः — महावीरस्य हस्तात् अस्त्रं गतम्।

After the fall of Dronacharya — Duryodhana appointed Karna as commander. "Karna has come!" — a great roar arose from both sides. Karna knew too — Arjuna was his own brother. But his loyalty to friendship — Duryodhana was his friend. "This is the final battle — I shall do my duty." Karna had preserved Indra's Shakti weapon — for use against Arjuna. But it had already been spent — in killing Ghatotkacha. Fate is strange — the great hero's hand was now without his greatest weapon.