SOME VERY LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT KARNA VS ARJUNA FINAL FIGHT DAY 17

In this post i will be discussing some very little known facts and incidents concerning the final fight between Karna & Arjuna in the Mahabharata. These incidents degrade Karna and expose the reality of his performance in the final fight he was becoming desperate and broke the rules. Not only that but Arjuna was quite restrained in the fight once he got angry he quite easily bested Karna. 6 out of 7 of these incidents can be found in Karna Parva Section 90.

1. Karna himself chose Shalya as his charioteer, not the other way around: Though inferior to Arjuna in respect of these things, I still desire to fight with him. This Shalya, however, the ornament of assemblies, is equal to Saurin. If he becomes my driver, victory will certainly be thine. Let Shalya, therefore, who is incapable of being resisted by foes be the driver of my car. Let a large number of carts bear my long shafts and those that are winged with vulturine feathers. Let a number of foremost cars, O monarch, with excellent steeds yoked unto them, always follow me, O bull of Bharata's race. By these arrangements I will, as regards the qualities mentioned, be superior to Arjuna. Shalya is superior to Krishna, and I am superior to Arjuna. As that slayer of foes, viz., he of Dasharha's race, is acquainted with horselore, even so is that mighty car-warrior, viz., Shalya acquainted with horselore. There is none equal to the chief of the Madras in might of arms. As there is none equal to myself in weapons, so there is none equal to Shalya in knowledge of steeds. So circumstanced, I will become superior to Partha. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08031.htm
1. So those people who say that Shalya's presence made Karna weaker are stupid.
   
2. Karna cried in tears when his chariot wheel was swallowed: Seeing his wheel swallowed, the son of Radha shed tears from wrath, and beholding Arjuna, filled with rage he said these words, "O Partha, O Partha, wait for a moment, that is, till I lift this sunken wheel. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08090.htm
1. Arjuna never cried when he was faced with such problems. But Karna however did, what a shame. What a pity.
3. Shalya told Karna to aim properly to kill Arjuna with a shaft. But out of arrogance Karna did not listen: The Suta's son did not know that the snake Aswasena had entered his arrow by the aid of his Yoga powers. Beholding Vaikartana aim that arrow, the high-souled ruler of the Madras, addressing Karna, said, "This arrow, O Karna, will not succeed in striking off Arjuna's head. Searching carefully, fix another arrow that may succeed in striking off thy enemy's head." Endued with great activity, the Suta's son, with eyes burning in wrath, then said unto the ruler of the Madras, "O Shalya, Karna never aimeth an arrow twice. Persons like us never become crooked warriors." Having said these words, Karna, with great care, let off that shaft which he had worshipped for many long years. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08090.htm
1. Never become crooked warriors? Hmph! Very contradictory of Karna to say this when he led so many group attacks against Pandava warriors like Satyaki, Abhimanyu, Dhrishtadyumna etc. He launched group attacks against Arjuna too.
   
4. Karna attacked an unarmed lord Krishna when he was trying to lift Arjunas chariot out of the ground: After that snake had been cut off by Arjuna, the lord Keshava himself, O king, of massive arms, that foremost of beings, raised up with his arms that car from the earth. At that time, Karna, glancing obliquely at Dhananjaya, pierced that foremost of persons, viz., Krishna, with ten shafts whetted on stone and equipped with peacock feathers. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08090.htm
1. This proves that whenever Karna is unable to prove his skill over Arjuna he has to go after Arjuna's friends and family.
2. Yes charioteers like Krishna usually keep weapons and whips with them but Krishna was completely unarmed over here because all of his intention, arms and body/strength was focused on lifting Arjuna's chariot out of the ground. His arms were on the chariot, this was also the same position that Karna was in when he died.
   
5. Arjuna had destroyed Karna's new kavacha kundala during this fight. Karna was divested of his armor and was basically disrobed. Arjuna disrobed Karna: The son of Pandu, however, could not endure his enemy's joy. Acquainted with all the vital parts of the human body, Partha, possessed of prowess like that of Indra, pierced those vital limbs with hundreds of arrows even as Indra had struck Vala with great energy. Then Arjuna sped ninety arrows, each resembling the rod of Death at Karna. Deeply pierced with those shafts, Karna trembled like a mountain riven with thunder. The head-gear of Karna, adorned with costly gems and precious diamonds and pure gold, as also his earrings, cut off by Dhananjaya with his winged arrows, fell down on the earth. The costly and bright armour also of the Suta's son that had been forged with great care by many foremost of artists working for a long time, the son of Pandu cut off within a moment in many fragments. After thus divesting him of his armour, Partha then, in rage, pierced Karna with four whetted shafts of great energy. Struck forcibly by his foe, Karna suffered great pain like a diseased person afflicted by bile, phlegm, wind, and fever. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08090.htm
1. 
6. Arjuna wounded Karna with arrows to the extent that Karna was incapable of even wielding his Vijaya bow: Deeply struck by Partha with those diverse arrows of keen points and fierce energy, Karna (covered with blood) looked resplendent like a mountain of red chalk with streams of red water running adown its breast. Once more Arjuna pierced Karna in the centre of the chest with many straight-coursing and strong shafts made entirely of iron and equipped with wings of gold and each resembling the fiery rod of the Destroyer, like the son of Agni piercing the Krauncha mountains. Then the Suta's son, casting aside his bow that resembled the very bow of Sakra, as also his quiver, felt great pain, and stood inactive, stupefied, and reeling, his grasp loosened and himself in great anguish. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08090.htm
1. I couldn't find a good picture to depict this incident, but here.
   
7. When Arjuna stopped firing arrows at Karna to give him time to recover, Krishna told Arjuna to kill him don't give him time to recover: The virtuous Arjuna, observant of the duty of manliness, wished not to slay his enemy while fallen into such distress. The younger brother of Indra then, with great excitement, addressed him, saying, "Why, O son of Pandu, dost thou become so forgetful? They that are truly wise never spare their foes, however weak, even for a moment. He that is learned earneth both merit and fame by slaying foes fallen into distress. Lose no time in precipitately crushing Karna who is always inimical to thee and who is the first of heroes. The Suta's son, when able, will once more advance against thee as before. Slay him, therefore, like Indra slaying the Asura Namuci." http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08090.htm