THE GREAT KURUKSHETRA WAR - SEVENTEENTH DAY

On the seventeenth day, Karna defeated the pandava brothers Sahadeva and Yudhisthira in battle but spared their lives.Arjuna shot his arrow and decapitated Karna. Before the day's battle, Karna's Kavacha and Kundala were taken by Lord Indra which resulted in his death by Arjuna's arrows.

The Kaurava armies on the seventeenth day of the great war reached the battlefield well before dawn. Duryodhana went to Salya followed by Karna and said, "Great soul, my hopes are centred around you and Karna. I have come to request you especially to save Karna. Nobody else is competent enough to undertake this task. I request you to be the friend, philosopher and guide to Karna and drive his chariot in the interests of our victory." Salya replied with apparent indignation, his eyes, inflammed with anger and emotion. "King of Kings, I have never expected this gratuitous insult from your imperial hands. I am a warrior, every inch born of blue blood. You have the cheek to ask me to be the charioteer of Karna. Do you rate me inferior to him as a warrior? I propose to go home in protest." Duryodhana replied, "Lord of Madra, you are certainly superior to Karna as a warrior. Standard works on polity and military science have prescribed that the charioteer should be better accomplished than the warrior. That is why I have come to your feet at this momentuous juncture. Infact you are certainly superior to Sri Krishna in everyway including driving the chariot. We are able to disregard Sri Krishna because of your gracious presence amidst us."

Salya said to Duryodhana, "King of Kings, you have put it correctly. I am gratified to note that you all regard me as superior to Sri Krishna and realize my importance. I accept to drive the chariot of Karna on one condition. I should like to be frank and forthright in my opinions and Karna should not take offence at my remarks." Duryodhana said, "I accept your stipulation whole- heartedly. In fact you have the right to command and correct us in everyway. I hope Karna will welcome my stand." Karna said to Salya, "Great Warrior, I will abide by your condition. Now I feel honoured. We both can attack Sri Krishna and Arjuna today with confidence and candour." Salya was requested to take his seat on Karna’s chariot ceremoniously. Salya ascended the chariot followed by Karna.


The two armies started the battle at sunrise as usual. Karna said to the cheering soldiers, "Where is Arjuna? I will present a thousand gold coins, one hundred horses and ten elephants to anybody who located Arjuna’s chariot to me." Turning to Salya, Karna said, "My dear friend, speed up the chariot." Salya replied, "Presumptuos braggart, look up, yonder shines the dazzling Hanuman standard. You being an upstart aristocrat, waste money on undeserving multitude. Duryodhana is deluded to depend on you. You cannot kill Arjuna. You are verily rushing to your doom and damnation." Karna replied, "Lord of Madra, the finger that points out the faults is not the hand that helps. I am surprised at your words. Either you are ignorant or partial. I know Arjuna from my childhood. He is born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Unrecognized merit may be waiting its fragrance over the desert sands of social conventions. Ekalavya, the living martyr to the heartless tyranny prejudice and tainted persecution, is an unforgettable example." Salya said to Karna, "Son of the charioteer, you are indulging in irrelevant nonsense. Hatred is an acid which consumes you before it hurts the opponent. I will tell you a story known popularly as the tale of the swan and the crow.

Once upon a time there lived a crow which grew fat, eating the left -overs in a rich merchant's house. It challenged a swan to a flying race over the high seas. The crow thought very high of itself. It hurled challenge after challenge against the soft -mannered swan. At last the race began. The crow showed initial strength and in fact had overtaken the swan for a time. Ultimately the swan could fly on and on tirelessly owing to its innate strength. The crow perished, exhausted and entangled in its own malevolent misadventure. In this metaphorical story, I hold up the mirror to you, you can recognize yourself." Karna was enraged at the insinuation and said to Salya, "You are alive because of my pledged word. I have tolerated you because of Duryodhana. Please drive on."