Mahabharata Companion

Arjuna Encounters Karna

Part 2 / Chapter 25 / 83 chapters

Chapter25 / 35
Part 2Chapter 25

Arjuna Encounters Karna

While returns from 's tent, kills 's eldest son Sushena, briefly stunning , and holds the Kauravas back before fulfilling his terrible dice-hall vow by killing and drinking his blood. reaches the field, kills 's son before his father's eyes, and finally meets in the duel both armies have awaited. urges to stop the war, but refuses, and the two archers continue exchanging celestial weapons while and maneuver their chariots. A Naga named enters 's arrow to avenge his family, but presses 's chariot into the earth so the missile only destroys 's diadem; then kills the Naga. Parasurama's curse prevents from recalling his decisive mantra, a Brahmin's curse makes his chariot wheel sink, and answers 's appeal to fair combat by recalling his part in Draupadi's humiliation and Abhimanyu's death. When is again struggling with the wheel, releases the anjalika weapon and beheads him, ending 's greatest hope.

Krishna Dharma Edition
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This guide follows Krishna Dharma's retelling as the source of truth. This panel notes broad edition-level framing or compression that helps a reader orient themselves.

Krishna Dharma makes the final duel the convergence of promises, curses, earlier choices, and Krsna's protection rather than a simple test of equal skill. Karna's appeal to battlefield law is answered within the story by the moments when he helped deny that law to Draupadi and Abhimanyu.
Key Events
  1. 1

    kills 's son Sushena

    Sushena, 's eldest son, attacks while the latter supports . beheads him with a powerful shaft; stands stunned by grief before attacking his son's killer.

  2. 2

    kills

    After briefly stuns him, smashes him down, cuts off the arm that seized Draupadi, kills him, and drinks his blood. He declares the dice-hall vow fulfilled and names as the last target of his vengeance.

  3. 3

    kills ten more Kaurava brothers

    Ten of 's surviving brothers charge in shock. remounts his chariot and beheads each prince with a separate razor-headed arrow, terrifying and the remaining Kauravas.

  4. 4

    kills

    attacks and overpowers Nakula, but destroys his chariot and severs his head in 's sight. advances in grief and the long-awaited duel begins.

  5. 5

    and meet in single combat

    The armies draw back as and exchange immense volleys and celestial missiles. and guide the chariots while gods, warriors, and the two camps watch the balance shift back and forth.

  6. 6

    rejects 's peace appeal

    urges to make peace while enough survivors remain and offers to dissuade . says the Pandavas cannot trust him and continues to depend on to defeat .

  7. 7

    foils 's snake arrow

    secretly enters 's Nagastra and sends it toward 's neck. forces the chariot down so the shaft takes only 's diadem; refuses the Naga a second shot, and cuts apart.

  8. 8

    's curses take effect

    Under 's assault cannot remember the mantras for Parasurama's Bhargava weapon. Time appears to announce that the earth is swallowing his chariot wheel, fulfilling the curse incurred when accidentally killed a Brahmin's cow.

  9. 9

    rejects 's plea for a pause

    asks to observe the rules and wait while he frees the wheel. recalls 's part in the wax-house plot, the dice-hall abuse of Draupadi, the refusal to return the kingdom, and the unfair killing of Abhimanyu.

  10. 10

    kills

    still lands a final stunning shaft on and again tries to free the wheel. At 's command invokes the power of Indra's thunderbolt in an anjalika arrow and severs 's head; a light rises from 's body into the sun.