Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata Read online

  Karna knew that Krishna was not lying. This was indeed the truth. A lifetime of isolation and rejection crumbled away. That void in his being was finally filled. He now knew who he really was: not a rootless foundling, but a prince, with five younger brothers and a mother. He belonged to the royal arena; he did not have to scratch his way in. Visions of him hugging his mother and brothers filled his mind. He would forgive them unconditionally. He smiled as he imagined the waves of affection. Then the forlorn face of Duryodhana rose from behind his new-found family. Would he abandon that one man who had stood by him when the world rejected him? Would he abandon Duryodhana for society’s sake as Kunti had abandoned him long ago? No, he would never betray his friend. Karna looked at Krishna and said, ‘You flatter me with your bribes and your words. But I stand true to my word. Righteous or not, I will stand by Duryodhana and die for him, even if it means fighting my own brothers.’

  Tragically though, despite his loyalty to the prince, the elders of the Kuru household did not like Karna. They always saw him as the ambitious son of a low-caste charioteer who had caste a spell on Duryodhana. Bhishma never even looked at Karna while speaking to him.

  On the eve of the war, Karna said that he would single-handedly defeat the Pandavas for his dear friend. Bhishma burst out laughing and said, ‘Remember how Arjuna saved Duryodhana from the Gandharvas when you could not. And remember how Arjuna single-handedly stopped us from stealing Virata’s cows. You are a fool to believe you are better than him. What more can be expected from one such as you.’

  Thus humiliated, a furious Karna screamed, ‘Old man, you who did not have the courage to even get married, you who have achieved nothing in life, how dare you make fun of me? I will not fight in the battle as long as you are in command.’

  ‘A good decision, Karna,’ said Bhishma, ‘for I would never fight with one such as you beside me. But for your venomous advice, Duryodhana would have seen sense and made peace.’

  Duryodhana was shocked at the war of words between his grand-uncle and his best friend. He decided to broker peace for he needed both warriors, but neither refused to compromise. Finally he let Karna go: he did not want to annoy Bhishma. If Bhishma did not fight, Drona would not fight and if Drona did not fight, no other Kaurava would fight. Besides, it was good if Karna did not fight from the first day itself. He could rest while others fought and when he did enter the battlefield, he would be fresh and ready.

  Vidula’s speech to rouse her son inspired many men to rise up against the British during the Indian freedom struggle.

  Karna’s association with the sun connects him with the kings of the Surya-vamsa or the solar dynasty, such as Ram and Harishchandra, known for their charity and commitment.

  Once, Karna was playing dice with Duryodhana and Duryodhana’s wife, Bhanumati. Karna saw that Bhanumati was cheating and held her hand, an act of extreme impropriety. Everyone who saw this gasped. Bhanumati herself stood up embarrassed for no man other than her husband had ever touched her. Duryodhana, however, laughed. ‘So what if Karna touched my wife. I know it was innocent. I have full faith in my friend. He is pure of heart.’ Such was Duryodhana’s faith in Karna. Karna could never betray that faith.

  Through Karna, Vyasa presents many conflicts of life: friendship or family, personal ambition or universal good, loyalty or opportunity. This makes him the tragic figure of the Mahabharata, almost a Greek hero, striving single-handedly to create a place for himself in the world that rejects him.

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  Changing sides

  With war being declared between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, Duryodhana sent Sanjay to Yudhishtira to remind him what he was up against. ‘On this side are the great warriors Bhishma and Drona and Karna. Think again. Withdraw, for you will surely lose the war.’

  Yudhishtira ignored these remarks and with his brothers sent messengers inviting kings to join his side.

  Kings from across Aryavarta came with their armies. Soldiers, chariots, horses, elephants converged on Kuru-kshetra like tributaries of rivers to join either the Pandavas or the Kauravas.

  Among them was Shalya, king of Madra, maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva.

  On the way to the battlefield, Shalya was pleasantly surprised to find arrangements made to feed his soldiers, his horses and his elephants. ‘It is indeed a pleasure to fight for a commander who takes such good care of his armies,’ he said, assuming that the arrangements were made by the Pandavas.

  It turned out that the arrangements for his soldiers, his horses and his elephants were made by the Kauravas. Having partaken of the Kauravas’ hospitality, Shalya was obliged to fight on their side against his own nephews.

  ‘This is terrible,’ he cried.

  ‘No,’ said Krishna with a smile, ‘this is an opportunity. They will, for sure, ask you to serve as Karna’s charioteer, to humiliate the Pandavas and to inflate Karna’s ego. Do so without argument and when you ride out into the battlefield, make Karna insecure by repeatedly praising Arjuna. Insecure men make terrible warriors.’

  Yudhishtira sent word to everyone on the Kaurava side that anyone who did not approve of Duryodhana’s actions was allowed to fight on his side.

  Two sons of Dhritarashtra did not approve of Duryodhana’s actions: Vikarna, born of Gandhari, and Yuyutsu, born of a maid. Both had argued against Draupadi being staked in the game of dice. Both had lowered their eyes when Dusshasana yanked off her sari. Both were in conflict in their minds whether to side with dharma or stay faithful to the family.

  Yuyutsu decided to move over to the Pandavas. Vikarna, however, stayed faithful to Duryodhana. He was among the hundred Kauravas killed by Bhima. Killing him was the most difficult.

  Some say that the king of Madra deliberately went across to the other side where the probability of victory was higher. Whatever be the case, Krishna gives Shalya a way to redeem himself by serving Pandava interests even while fighting for the Kauravas. His advice that Shalya should try and demoralize Karna is perhaps the earliest reference to psychological warfare, a case of making the enemy nervous before the fight.

  In the Mahabharata, as in the Ramayana, great stress is given on the struggle between family and righteousness. In the Ramayana, two brothers of Ravana argue Gathering over which is the better side to fight on. Kumbhakarna feels family is foremost and fights for Ravana. Vibhishan feels righteousness is foremost; he defects and fights for Ram. In the Mahabharata, Vikarna stays loyal but Yuyutsu changes sides. At the end of the war, Yuyutsu becomes the administrator of Hastina-puri.

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  One or the other side

  Some Yadavas who followed Kritavarma decided to side with the Kauravas, while others who followed Satyaki decided to side with the Pandavas.

  Nobody was sure on which side Krishna, and the Yadavas who followed him, would fight. Both Duryodhana and Arjuna went to Dwaraka determined to get him on their side. Duryodhana was sure to get Krishna’s help because his daughter, Lakshmani, had married Krishna’s son, Samba. Arjuna was sure to get Krishna’s help because he had married Krishna’s sister, Subhadra.

  Duryodhana was the first to enter Krishna’s chambers in Dwaraka. He found Krishna taking a nap, so he sat at the head of Krishna’s bed. Arjuna came later and sat at the foot of the bed. Krishna woke up and smiled on seeing Arjuna, ‘What do you seek?’ he asked.

  ‘I came first,’ shouted Duryodhana, nervous that Arjuna would get something that he wanted. ‘Ask me first what I want.’

  ‘No,’ said Krishna calmly. ‘You may have come first but I saw Arjuna first, so I shall ask him first.’ Turning to Arjuna he asked, ‘What do you want? My army or me unarmed?’

  ‘You, Krishna, I want you, beside me, when I fight the Kauravas,’ said Arjuna without a moment’s hesitation.

  Duryodhana heaved a sigh of relief. He wanted the battalion that Krishna led known as the Narayani. With this army, he had eleven armies fighting for the Kauravas. The Pandavas had only seven. Victory was his for sure.

  Arju