Did Karna see himself as a woman?

I have noticed something about Karna. He takes pride in his gender identity as a man, but at the same time he shifts away from this masculine nature and adopts a feminine nature instead. As he wants a flawless, non scarred, non wounded body.

While most Kshatriyas of Mahabharata take great pride in the battle scars that they received throughout their lives, karna on the other hand does not. This is confirmed once he asks Indra to get rid of the wounds on his body.

Do thou, however, grant that my body, thus wounded, may not be unsightly!' Hearing this, Indra said, 'As thou, O Karna, art bent upon observing the truth, thy person shall not be unsightly, or shall any scar remain on it. And, O thou best of those that are graced with speech, O Karna, thou shall be possessed of complexion and energy of thy father him self.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03308.htm This incident shows a little known quality of Karna. His insecurity.

Even the sons of Gandhari had scars and wounds on their fore arms due to constant war practice, one such example would be the great "Vikarna" here is the quote:

Deprived of life, O slayer of Madhu, Vikarna lieth in the midst of (slain) elephants like the moon in the autumnal sky surrounded by blue clouds. His broad palm, cased in leathern fence, and scarred by constant wielding of the bow, is pierced with difficulty by vultures desirous of feeding upon it.

http://sacred-texts.com/hin/m11/m11018.htm This interesting skin sensitivity and insecurity of Karna could be another reason for him fleeing the battlefield so often. 

Karna's feet resembled the feet of Kunti's (a woman's feet)
Yudhishthira claim:

Even while listening to the harsh and bitter words of Karna himself on that occasion of our match at dice, to the words, that Karna uttered from desire of doing what was agreeable to Duryodhana, my wrath became cooled at sight of Karna's feet. It seemed to me that Karna's feet resembled the feet of our mother Kunti. Desirous of finding out the reason of that resemblance between him and our mother, I reflected for a long time.

This character Karna reminded Yudhishthira of his mother. A mother, a female, a woman, a lady. Clearly showing the feminine side of Karna. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12a001.htm

After all how many Kshatriyas do you know that where multiple earrings on their ears?
One of his earrings was compared to a mountain and it was cut off by Bhima on the 14th day - http://sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07135.htm

In return, O sire, in that battle, he deeply pierced Karna in the ear with a barbed arrow, rubbed with oil, of great keenness, and of excellent temper. (With that arrow) he felled on the earth the large and beautiful ear-ring of Karna. And it felled down, O monarch, like a blazing luminary of great effulgence from the firmament.

I have not known anyone else to keep such earrings with them constantly. These are not even the same earrings that were apart of the kundalas karna received at birth. Add this to the fact that Karna spent most of his life surrounded by dudes, males, men, not women, but men! Most of his time was around Duryodhana. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12a004.htm

'Having thus obtained weapons from him of Bhrigu's race, Karna began to pass his days in great joy, in the company of Duryodhana, O bull of Bharata's race!

Does this not make you question his sexuality? No wonder his wives are very rarely mentioned in the epic.

Proof from BORI Mahabharata that Karna was a homosexual

I have highlighted the words that describe him as being loved by men, the counterpart text of BORI is from KMG which calls him "ever the favourite of ladies," so clearly over here BORI removes the verse of Karna Parva chapter 94 (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08094.htm) and replaced it with men. 

Here is a link to a similar post about this topic, from Facebook, it is not public (unfortunately). https://www.facebook.com/groups/1903340833219821/permalink/2015012038719366/ Perhaps Karna was a tom girl/tomboy. After all he does hold many qualities of a woman.

Karna's death

This post is meant to get to the truth about how Karna was killed off. All references/quotes are from Karna Parva of the authentic Mahabharata text by Dwaipayana-Vyasa.

Today everyone cries on the basis of one statement that Karna was killed unfairly. But in the Mahabharata no one ever barked in public saying that Karna was killed unfairly.

Dhritarashtra's claim:

That hero, having shot innumerable arrows, hath been slain in battle! What use have I of life, without that bull among men? Without doubt, the son of Adhiratha, afflicted with arrows, fell down from his car, like a mountain-peak riven by the fall of thunder! Without doubt, bathed in blood, he lieth, adorning the Earth, like an elephant slain by an infuriate prince of elephants! He who was the strength of the Dhartarashtras, he who was an object of fear to the sons of Pandu, alas, he viz., Karna, that pride of all bowman, hath been slain by Arjuna!

Analysis: Dhritarashtra says that Adhiratha's son (Karna) fell off his chariot but was wounded with arrows before he fell off. He also says that he was bathed in blood prior to his death. And according to Dhritarashtra this is the way it happened.
Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08009.htm

Krishna's plan:

Let foe-killing cloth-yard shafts, equipped with the effulgence of lightning, shot by thee, pierce his vital limbs and drink his blood! Let fierce and mighty shafts, of great impetuosity, sped by thy arms, penetrate the vitals of Karna today and despatch him to Yama's abode. Let all the kings of the earth, cheerless and filled with grief and uttering wails of woe, behold Karna fall down from his car today, afflicted with thy arrows. Let his kinsmen, with cheerless faces, behold Karna today, fallen down and stretched at his length on the earth, dipped in gore and with his weapons loosened from his grasp! Let the lofty standard of Adhiratha's son, bearing the device of the elephant's rope, fall fluttering on the earth, cut off by thee with a broad-headed arrow.

Analysis: Krishna states that Karna will fall down off his chariot due to the arrows of Arjuna. Not because of his chariot getting stuck in mud.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08073.htm
Arjuna's plan:
Quote 1

This is that battle in which Karna will be slain by me and of which all creatures will speak as long as the earth will last. Today, O Krishna, unbarbed arrows, impelled by my arms and sped from the gandiva, mangling Karna, will take him to Yama.

Analysis: Take him to death aka Yama. Over here no decapitating is mentioned, it is all just about mangling Karna and wounding him to a extent that he will die.

Quote 2

Today, beholding Karna cut in pieces by me with my arrows, like Vritra in days of yore by Indra in the battle between the gods and the asuras, let king Duryodhana call to mind the words thou hast spoken for bringing about peace.

Analysis: If we consider this quote then Arjuna wants to cut Karna into pieces, slice him like a knife slices up the body of a carrot.
Quote 3

O Govinda, slaying Karna with keen shafts I will dispel the long sleeplessness of Kunti's son. Today the royal son of Kunti, upon the slaughter of the Suta's son by me, shall be gratified and be of cheerful heart and obtain happiness for ever. Today, O Keshava, I will shoot an irresistible and unrivalled arrow that will deprive Karna of life.

Analysis: I assume that the irresistible and unrivaled arrow he is talking about is Anjalika, or maybe Arjuna had other such arrows and only made this statement because he knew he had a lot of such options of using such fatal arrows.
Quote 4

My keen shafts will falsify that speech of his. Like angry snakes of virulent poison, they will drink his life-blood. Cloth-yard shafts, of the effulgence of the lightning, shot by myself possessed of mighty arms, sped from Gandiva, will send Karna on his last journey.

Analysis: According to this quote Arjuna intends to kill Karna through the method of blood loss.
Quote 5

Today, cranes and other carnivorous birds will, O Keshava, sport over the limbs of Karna cut off into pieces with my shafts. Today, O slayer of Madhu, I will cut off in battle the head of Radha's son Karna, in the very sight of all the bowmen. Today, O slayer of Madhu, I will cut off in battle the limbs of Radha's son of wicked soul with keen vipathas and razor-faced arrows. 

Analysis: Once again Arjuna says that he cut off Karna's bones, it is not clear what he will cut off first the limbs (bones) or the head of Karna. But he claims that he will use the Vipatha arrows for this not the Anjalika.
Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08074.htm
Arjuna plans again:

"'Arjuna said, "My victory, O Krishna, is, certain. There is no doubt in this, since thou, O slayer of Madhu, that art the master of all the worlds, art pleased with me. Urge the steeds, O Hrishikesha, and my car, O great car-warrior! Today Phalguna will not return from battle without slaying Karna. Behold Karna slain today and cut in pieces with my shafts. Or, O Govinda, thou wilt today behold me slain with (Karna's) arrows. That terrible battle, capable of stupefying the three words, is at hand. As long as the earth will last, people will speak of it."

Analysis: Over here Arjuna said that Karna will be cut into pieces. Arjuna claims he will do this by using his shafts.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08086.htm
Arjuna makes a prediction:

Today, O Govinda, thou shalt behold Karna crushed by me like a tree with its load of flowers crushed by an infuriated elephant. Today, O slayer of Madhu, thou shalt, after Karna's fall, hear those sweet words, 'By good luck, O thou of Vrishni's race, victory hath been thine!'

Analysis: Arjuna says Karna will be crushed, literally. Meaning he intends to crush karna to death, not cut off karna's head.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08087.htm

• Statements after Karna's death

Incident 1:

Desirous of beholding the heroic Karna, pierced with arrows and bathed in blood, and stretched on the earth like the sun dropped from the skies at will, the warriors came there and stood surrounding the fallen hero.

Analysis: It is written in clear English that Karna was bathed in blood and pierced with arrows during his death.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08092.htm

Incident 2:

Even such was Vrisha who fell in single combat. All the wealth of that high-souled person had been dedicated to the Brahmanas. There was nothing, not even his life, that he could not give away unto the Brahmanas. He was ever the favourite of ladies, exceedingly liberal, and a mighty car-warrior. Burnt by the weapons of Partha, he attained to the highest end.

Analysis: The text states that he (karna) was killed in a solo fight. That Karna was burned to death by the weapons of Arjuna. No mention of unfair fight, any act of crookedness on Arjuna's part.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08094.htm

Incident 3:

When Arjuna, with that razor-faced shaft, struck off Karna's head adorned with a face beautiful as the moon, then, O king, loud cries of "Oh!" and "Alas!" were heard of creatures in heaven, in the welkin, and on the earth. 

Analysis: Over here it is mentioned that Arjuna beheaded Karna, which lead to the latter's death. The cries of oh and alas etc have been stated whenever great slaughter happens in the war Parvas of Mahabharata so it is not worth noting.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08094.htm

Incident 4:

Indeed seeing Karna overthrown, all the Kauravas fled away quickly, afflicted and anxious with fear, trembling, and with voices choked with tears. The mighty car-warriors of thy army fled away in fear, O chief of Kuru's race, some applauding Arjuna, some applauding Karna.

Analysis: Over here words like overthrown are clearly used. Some of them were applauding Arjuna so perhaps that means they were inspired and liked the way Arjuna fought & how he killed Karna fairly.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08095.htm

Incident 5

[Krishna to Arjuna]

Men will talk (in the same breath) of the slaughter of Vritra and Karna in awful battle. Vritra was slain in battle by the deity of great energy with his thunder. Karna hath been slain by thee with bow and sharp arrows.

Analysis: It just says that Karna was slain by Arjuna through the use of arrows, nothing about unfair, chariot-less, unarmed killing. It's worth noting that Krishna compared the actions of Arjuna as to how Indra killed his opponent Vritra, but their are no texts depicting the death of Vritra, so we don't even know how Vritra was killed.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08096.htm

Incident 6

[Krishna to Yudhishthira]:

The Suta's son Karna, possessed of great might and otherwise called Vaikartana, hath been slain. By good luck, victory hath become thine, O king of kings. By good luck, thou growest, O son of Pandu! The Earth drinketh today the blood of that Suta's son, that wretch among men, who had laughed at the dice-won Krishna. That foe of thine, O bull of Kuru's race, lieth today on the bare ground, pierced all over with arrows. Behold that tiger among men, pierced and mangled with shafts.

Analysis: Nowhere is it mentioned that Karna was not on his chariot when he died, and that Karna was killed unfairly, that Karna's head was cut off. On the contrary Krishna tells Yudhishthira that Karna is lying dead on the ground, pierced with arrows all over his body. Hinting that his death happened due to the wounds he suffered on his body.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08096.htm

Incident 7

(Yudhishthira to Arjuna & Krishna) - 

Conversing with those two heroes, viz., Madhava and Phalguna, the king beheld Karna, that bull among men, lying on the field of battle. Indeed, king Yudhishthira beheld Karna pierced all over with arrows like a Kadamva flower with straight filaments all around its body. Yudhishthira beheld Karna illuminated by thousands of golden lamps filled with perfumed oil. Having beheld Karna with his son slain and mangled with shafts sped from Gandiva, king Yudhishthira repeatedly looked at him before he could believe his eyes.

Analysis: The text states Karna was mangled with shafts. Probably his whole entire body was covered with such arrows shot from Arjuna's Gandiva bow.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08096.htm

At one point it is stated that Karna with his armor shines bright like the sun itself with great beauty, at another point (most points) the passages of text claim that Karna's armor was displaced from his body/corpse and he was disrobed by Arjuna.

With so many different portrayals of his death in the Mahabharata, it is impossible to know which one is the true correct and right version of Karna's death/fall. So i think it is best to leave the subject "death of karna" out of the whole Karna vs Arjuna debate. It will be more prudent and wise to do so. 

Their is only one reference that states Karna was killed unfairly. And the reference is outside of Karna Parva, it comes from Shalya Parva. It is uttered by Duryodhana who was himself a biased reporter (he was Karna's best friend after all). "When again the wheel of Karna's car sank in mire and Karna was afflicted with calamity and almost vanquished on that account, when, indeed, that foremost of men became anxious to liberate his wheel, thou causedst that Karna to be then slain!"

The biggest flaw in using Duryodhana's quote to support the statement of Karna's unfair/unarmed death is the fact that Yudhishthira says Duryodhana was already killed! "Reflecting on all this, O thou of Vrishni's race, I looked on with indifference! Having slain the covetous Duryodhana bereft of wisdom and enslaved by his passions, let the son of Pandu gratify his desire, be it righteousness or unrighteousness!" 

And this is from the previous section - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m09/m09060.htm How can someone who is already dead, make a claim about Karna's death?!?

As their are proofs in the Mahabharata text of Karna Parva alone that he was not killed unfairly/unarmed but fairly and armed, that too while he was still on his chariot. Other references claim that he would be killed through excessive blood loss. Karna's death in my opinion does not even matter. The fact is that he was defeated before his death already. Even Duryodhana claims that he was close to defeat (in his interpolated quote).

This post was just to analyze the quotes that talk about his death, how it happened, how it will happen etc, and to give my commentary on it. I analyzed all the quotes, every single quote, except for the quotes of the actual fight that took place during Karna Parva sections 88, 89, 90 and 91.

And if you want to use further excuses to defend Karna like his curses then just know this that the curses Karna received were very useless curses.

1st curse was about Karna dying when he fights the man he always challenges. Well a easy way for Karna to protect himself from this curse, would be to just not challenge someone frequently. Challenge different people all the time instead.

2nd curse

Read this answer i made on quora - https://www.quora.com/Was-Karna-not-disadvantaged-during-the-final-fight-because-of-the-curses-of-Parashurama/answer/Maruti-Jai-Walia It proves that Parasurama himself gave Karna the formula for this curse and protected him form this curse. So the curse did not even affect him during the final battle.

All in all Karna himself was the reason for his own death. He was the biggest reason because he threw himself into this war. Using his death as a argument to say he was better than Arjuna is futile. It is a useless claim.

Is Mahabharata really Arjuna's over glorified story?

I have come across some Karna fans who are stating that Mahabharata is biased on the side of Arjuna, and thus they lead themselves to two conclusions. Mahabharata cannot be authentic (it clearly is authentic, it is the only reason we know today who Karna and Arjuna even are). The other conclusion is that Karna's feats are not given that much attribute (which is a lie, as he is given his due, glory and recognition numerous times).

I'll have you all know that even Arjuna's feats are skipped. The details of his life are skipped also.

• Arjuna's encounter with the Gandharva Tumvuru.
• Quote:

He then, O Bharata, applied the Gandharva weapon and the illusion consequent to it. 1 Practising ascetic penances, Arjuna had obtained that weapon from the Gandharva Tumvuru and others. With that weapon, Abhimanyu now confounded his foes.

• Analysis: Arjuna's encounter is just mentioned in one line, compare that to Karna (whose encounter with Parasurama is mentioned in one complete section/chapter, that has hundreds of dozens lines of text). Karna's training - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12a003.htm
• Arjuna encountered other Gandharvas like ANgaraparna & Citrasena, but it is never really shown where he encountered this third Gandharva "Tumvuru"...
• SourcE: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07042.htm
• Arjuna's training of arms under Krishna.
• Proof that he was trained by Krishna.

First reference:

Trained in arms by the preceptor Drona, by Sakra, and Vaisravana, and Yama, and Varuna, and Agni, and Kripa, and Krishna of Madhu's race, and by the wielder of the Pinaka (Siva), why shall I not fight with these?

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04045.htm

Second reference:

Having paid my respects, for battle's sake, to Rudra, Sakra, Vaisravana, Yama, Varuna, Pavaka, Kripa, Drona, and Madhava, and wielding that tough celestial bow of great energy called Gandiva, and accoutred with inexhaustible arrows and armed with celestial weapons, how can a person like me, O tiger among men, say, even unto Indra armed with the thunderbolt, such words as I am afraid!

Analysis: Over here all the characters that Arjuna paid respects to are his guru's in arms who he received military training from. And Madhava was another name of Krishna.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05159.htm

• But these are all just mere mentions of the simple fact that he trained under him. 
• Their should be at-least one section of text in the Mahabharata dedicated to how he was trained by Krishna. 
• After all, his training under Dronacarya is given almost half a dozen sections... But his training under Krishna is referenced by barely even a single line of text? 
• No that's not fair. 
• We can say Mahabharata is biased against Krishna and Arjuna then.

• The exploits of Arjuna during his solo 12 year exile.
• Simple facts. 
• The exile of Arjuna was 12 years long.
• Yet only eight chapters dedicated to Arjuna's life in exile?
• first chapter - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01217.htm
• last chapter - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01224.htm
• The exile of the Pandavas was 12 years long once again in Vana Parva.
• Yet over 310 (THREE HUNDRED TEN!) chapters for their life in exile completely? Most of it is not even to do with Arjuna. Arjuna only gets like barely a tenth of screen time in Vana Parva.
• Last chapter of Vana Parva (Pandavas Vanvas) - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03313.htm
• Is the biasedness towards Arjuna not real? The one sidedness? Where Vaisampayana only recited 8 chapters for Arjuna's twelve years of life?
  
• Arjuna's conquests during the Rajasuya are all one liners and skimmed over.

You can easily read them over here.

1. Part 1 - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02026.htm
2. Part 2 - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02027.htm

I agree that it's far better than Karna's conquest was detailed but still, such a large scale invasion with so many wars should logically be described in a dozen chapters at the very least.

Here is an example, one line from the first part:

After this he subjugated Modapura, Vamadeva, Sudaman, Susankula, the Northern Ulukas, and the kings of those countries and peoples. 

Is this in any way a fair description where FIVE kingdoms are conquered in one line of text only?

• The way Arjuna trained the future generation of warriors in Mahabharata.

Quote:

All of them, of excellent behaviour and vows, after having studied the Vedas, acquired from Arjuna a knowledge of all the weapons, celestial and human. And, O tiger among kings, the Pandavas, having obtained sons all of whom were equal unto the children of the celestials and endued with broad chests, and all of whom became great warriors, were filled with joy.

Analysis: Military training cannot be described in two sentences especially when duels in Mahabharata are described within three hundred sentences. Clear bias against Arjuna.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01224.htm

Quote two:

And those princes also, endued with great strength, who dressing themselves in deer-skins learnt the science of weapons under Arjuna, waited upon Yudhishthira. And O king, the princes also of the Vrishni race, viz., Pradyumna (the son of Rukmini) and Samva, and Yuyudhana the son of Satyaki and Sudharman and Aniruddha and Saivya that foremost of men who had learnt the science of arms under Arjuna these and many other kings, O lord of the Earth, used to wait on Yudhishthira on that occasion.

Analysis two: The training is not described, Arjuna's teachings are not described. How these characters (Satyaki, Samva, Pradyumna, Sudharman, Aniruddha, Saivya etc) developed are not described.

Source two: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02004.htm
They don't tell us anything special about how Arjuna trained Satyaki.

One of the major complaints of Karna fans (like Sanjay, who in my opinion is the best debater among the Karna fans, but even he is no match for me, as i defeated him a dozen times, here is the profile of Sanjay - https://www.quora.com/profile/Sanjay-79/log check it out if you will, you can see all his comments and edits) is that the digvijaya yatra's of the Pandavas are each given more than one section so all together they were given 7 sections.

Sabha Parva section 25 - (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02025.htm) is the beginning of their conquest. And Sabha Parva section 31 - (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02031.htm) obviously is the end of the Digvijaya of the Pandavas. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.

The reasons the Pandavas conquest was so much longer than Karna's are because of the obvious facts.

1. Vaisampayana had to narrate the exploits of four warriors separately not together, when it comes to Karna's digvijaya (only he participated in it) so Vyasa/Vaisampayana only had to talk about one person.
2. The digvijaya of Karna could easily be considered an interpolation.
1. After all the reason he went on the digvijaya was to prove his skills to everyone and shut up people like Bhisma who bashed him for fleeing from the Ghosha Yatra conflict.
1. But clearly this digvijaya did not stop people from complaining about Karna's defeats.
1. Characters like Shalya, Drona, Bhisma, Krishna, Yudhishthira etc still talked about Karna's defeats in life.
1. In-fact even Dhritarashtra himself mentions the defeats of Karna in Udyoga Parva.
1. So these facts clearly lead me to believe that either Karna's digvijaya was unsuccessful or it did not happen at all.
2. Another reason it could be interpolated is that Karna did not even need to make anyone accept Duryodhana as the emperor. 
1. He was already considered emperor when he won everything that Yudhishthira owned during the incident of the game of dice.
2. When all the property of the previous emperor (Yudhishthira) is already now Duryodhana's, what would be the point of making someone else submit to Duryodhana's sovereignty (it was acceptance not rule).
3. Also if Karna did the digvijaya yatra then why would he need to go on a mission to conquer the Matsya kingdom in Virata Parva?
1. Logically speaking their should have been no need, absolutely no need to even make a invasion on this kingdom as it should have already been conquered by Karna during the digvijaya yatra in Vana Parva.
3. The time limits
1. Karna had a time limit for his digvijaya.
1. It happened after Ghosha Yatra (according to the texts).
1. And Ghosha Yatra was on the last year of the Pandava's exile (before their year of incognito in Virata Parva).
2. His digvijaya would have to have succeeded before the thirteenth (13th) year of the Pandavas exile started, before the beginning of Virata Parva.
1. So Karna had less than a year (365 days) to complete his conquest.
3. Dhritarashtra talks about Karna subjugating 22 kingdoms of india in his digivjaya, he says this in Karna Parva, (it is included in Debroy's translation of BORI as well).
1. So how could Karna conquer twenty two kingdoms, and make an oath to slay Arjuna, and even trade his Kavacha Kundala for the Vasavi dart of Indra all in less than a year?
1. Even if we consider each war to be only 18 (eighteen days) then the total would add up to 396 days (over a year perhaps 13 months). This would make it seem like the digvijaya of karna continued on into Virata Parva as well.
1. But then that still doesn't ignore the fact that Karna never conquered the Matsya kingdom of Virata.
2. Pandavas had no such time limit. Their yatra obviously happened after the Khandava Daha (which happened 33 years before the Kurukshetra war and thus 18 years before the dice game), so they had numerous years at their disposal.

So as you can all read clearly their are multiple differences in both digvijaya's. Which is why Karna only got one section dedicated to it, it was probably an interpolated digvijaya anyways.

• Another unfortunate complaint of the Karna fanbase is that the Mahabharata does not even mention the names of Karna's two wives.

1. This claim is only true to a certain extent.
2. According to Indonesian Mahabharata the wife of Karna was named Surtikanti. And she was the daughter of Shalya, this would make sense.

Quote:

The Indonesian poets believe that superiority in war always goes with superiority in love. Both Karna and Duryodhana are losers to Arjuna in both love and war. Both their wives love Arjuna. The superior might of the Pandavas in war also matches their ‘might’ in love spanning over three generations.Shalya as Karna’s father-in-law is bound to throw new light on the Karna-Shalya dialogue in the Indian Mahabharata, and is also a possible explanation why Shalya could swallow his ego and become Karna’s charioteer! Going by Indonesian version, the bitter Karna-Shalya dialogue in the Indian version is after all a father-in-law vs. son-in-law pleasantry bout!!

Source: https://sobokartti.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/variations-in-indonesian-mahabharata/

1. Coming to authenticity of the Indonesian Mahabharata.
2. It is more ancient than KMG Mahabharata, the texts were traded when Indians used to trade with Indonesians, so this is from before 1896.

• Looking at Karna's opinion of what a wife should be like. 
• Karna's statement:

O excellent one, the slave, the son, and the wife are always dependent. They cannot earn wealth, for whatever they earn belongeth to their master. Thou art the wife of a p. 138 slave incapable of possessing anything on his own account.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m02/m02070.htm

• Karna would sacrifice his wife for a friend/master like Duryodhana:

Karna to Bhisma:

Like Vasudeva's son who is firmly resolved for the sake of the Pandavas, I also, O thou that makest profuse presents to Brahmanas, am prepared to cast away my possessions, my body itself, my children, and my wife, for Duryodhana's sake!

Analysis: He won't lie to a man on his deathbed, so this quote holds alot value and the words of Karna weight alot more over here. Also Karna is trying to explain why he is making the decision to side with the Kouravas and to not save the lives of millions of innocents. He cosnidered his wife a possession and would disown her for Duryodhana instead.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m06/m06124.htm

• Karna offering his wives to foot-soldiers (belonging to the enemy army nonetheless) on the day of his death.

If that does not satisfy the person that discovers Arjuna to me, I will make him a more valuable gift, that, indeed, which he himself will solicit. Sons, wives and articles of pleasure and enjoyment that I have, these all I shall give him if he desires them.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08038.htm

• Karna's quotes could shed some light on what his personal life is like with his wives.
• So i think (in my opinion) the Mahabharata gave proper light,
• Vaisampayana/Vyasa did not have the time to talk about meaningless saas bahu dramas that are irrelevant to the story.
• The clear facts are that Karna's relatives (barring Adhiratha & Radha) did not have any contribution to Mahabharata, they did not have anytime for such saas bahu drama.

Proof:

"In that great battle of the Kurus came hundreds of thousands of monarchs for fighting against one another. The names of the innumerable host I am unable to recount even in ten thousand years. I have named, however, the principal ones who have been mentioned in this history.'"

Analysis: Their are too many characters and not enough time. Karna's wife was too irrelevant to be mentioned. For her name to be mentioned not her identity, because her identity in life was clearly that she was a wife of Karna.

Source: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01064.htm

Mahabharata does not spare anyone. Mahabharata is unfair to all characters. Even Arjuna did not get a lot of the achievements in his life narrated.

Mahabharata is not a multi starer movie, it is not a solo film either. It is an epic story that is the longest ever written on this earth.

I am satisfied with what has been written in the Mahabharata, but the fact remains to be a fact that it is not fair to any character. It is not fair completely, it is fair in some places and unfair in other places.

What great personalities have to say about the Gandharva war.

Since some people have tried to make a claim on the internet stating that the Ghosha-Yatra (gandharva war) is a later interpolation to the Mahabharata i have decided to come up with this post over here, which talks about all the mentions of the incident, barring the mention of when the actual incident took place in Bhishma Parva.

Another reason i would like to make this post is to highlight all the differeces in the quotes of various characters that have referenced this incident. Everyone has something different to say. I will be doing a separate analysis on the Gandharva war itself later (probably next month).

Now let's role the clip and see the opinions of other people about the incident.

1st reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01002.htm

Dhritarashtra's statement:

When I heard that my sons, guided by the counsels of Karna, while on their journey of Ghoshayatra, had been taken prisoners by the Gandharvas and were set free by Arjuna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.

2nd reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03240.htm

Soldiers of Duryodhana:

And those soldiers said, 'The mighty-armed son of Dhritarashtra, possessed of great strength and handsome mien, is being taken away captive by the Gandharvas! Ye sons of Pritha, follow them! Dussasana, Durvishasa, Durmukha, and Durjaya, are all being led away as captives in chains by the Gandharvas, as also all the ladies of the royal household!'

• According to this quote even ordinary foot soldiers knew that only Duryodhana and his brothers (Duhsashana, Durmukha, Durjaya etc) were captured.
• The wives were captured too.
• All captives were led away in chains.
• Karna was not a captive so we can logically assume that he left the scene.
• These soldiers said this in fear though, with the desire to get Yudhishthira's support & aid.
• So maybe for these reasons they did not talk about Karna.
• As hearing of Karna's failure would only make Yudhishthira happy and grateful that such a thing happened.

3rd reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03245.htm

Karna's statement:

As regards myself, assailed by all the Gandharvas, I fled before thy eyes, unable to rally our flying host. Assailed by the foe with all his might, my body mangled with their arrows, I sought safety in flight. This however, O Bharata, seemed to me to be a great marvel that I behold you all come safe and sound in body, with your wives, troops, and vehicles, out of that super-human encounter.

• This is the only time that Karna ever talked about this incident in his whole entire life.
• He saw Duryodhana’s troops, vehicles (chariots), brothers and wives. 
• Karna accepts that ran away.
• Karna says he was not able to rally the army.
• Karna tells them he was targeted by all the Gandharvas.
• Karna claims that his enemy was using all their strength.

4th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03246.htm

Duryodhana's statement:

O thou of mighty arms, my brothers, indeed had for a long time, aided by me fought with the Gandharvas. The slaughtered, indeed, on both sides were great. But when those brave Gandharvas, resorting to their many powers of illusion, ascended the skies and began to fight with us thence, our encounter with them ceased to be an equal one. Defeat then was ours and even captivity. And afflicted with sorrow, we along with our attendants and counsellors and children and wives and troops and vehicles were being taken by them through the skies. It was then that some soldiers of ours and some brave officers repaired in grief unto the sons of Pandu--those heroes that never refuse succour to those that ask for it. And having gone to them they said, 'Here is king Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, who with his younger brothers and friends and wives is being led away a captive by the Gandharvas along the sky.

• This quote comes from Duryodhana’s mouth right after the incident. 
• So it may hold the most weight. 
• This quote says that their were not only brothers and wives but also friends of Duryodhana that were being taken captive. 
• So perhaps one of the friends that were captured was Karna....
• It says that Duryodhana helped his brothers (the Kauravas) fight against the Gandharvas.
• He (Duryodhana) claims that the encounter was an unfair unequal one once the Gandharvas started to take the high ground by flying in the sky's.
• This leads me to believe that they never used illusions on karna. So Karna was defeated fairly.

5th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03251.htm

Bhisma's views:

And as a consequence, O hero, wert thou forcibly taken captive by the enemy, and wert delivered by the Pandavas versed in morality. Yet p. 501 art thou not ashamed. Even in the presence of thee, O son of Gandhari, together with thy army, did the Suta's son, struck with panic, fly from the battle of the Gandharvas, O king. And, O foremost of kings, O son of the monarch! while thou with thy army wert crying distressfully, thou didst witness the prowess of the high-souled Pandavas, and also, O mighty-armed one, of the wicked son of the Suta, Karna. O best of kings, whether in the science of arms, or heroism, or morality, Karna, O thou devoted to virtue, is not a fourth part of the Pandavas.

• As per Bhishma in front of everyone's eyes Karna fled from the battle and Duryodhana saw his prowess.
• So we can infer that Bhishma means karna fought but then ran away. 
• As per Bhisma the Gandharvas used force on Duryodhana to make him a captive. 
• As per Bhisma, Duryodhana and Karna were fully equipped with an army and the 99 brothers.
• Over here Bhisma had criticized Duryodhana the most but he bashed Karna's capability too.

6th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04045.htm

Bursting out into loud laughter, Partha said unto him, 'Be not afraid, O hero, what friendly follower had I while fighting with the mighty Gandharvas on the occasion of the Ghoshayatra? 

Analysis: According to Arjuna he had no allies with him in the Gandharva war.

7th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04049.htm

Kripa's statement:

Alone he saved the Kurus (from the Gandharvas), and alone he satiated Agni.

He only talked about Arjuna's victory not Karna's defeat/Gandharva victories. But according to kripa's opinion, Arjuna had fought alone, all alone in this battle, No Bhima, no Yudhishthira, no Sahadeva, no Nakula to interfere.

8th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04049.htm

Statement of Kripa:

Alone vanquishing all foes he hath spread the fame of the Kurus. Alone that chastiser of foes vanquished in battle Chitrasena, the king of the Gandharvas and in a moment his invincible troops also.

As per Kripa the name of Gandharva king was Chitrasena not Chitraratha. According to kripa Arjuna also defeated Chitrasena, he never had a peace treaty with him. This proves the story of their friendship is an interpolation to downplay Arjuna's achievement. And Arjuna won the fight all alone.

9th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05023.htm

Yudhishthira's statement:

Do they remember the disgrace that was theirs when under evil counsels they came to the woods of Dwaitavana on pretence of taking away their cattle? Those wicked ones having been over-powered by their enemies were afterwards liberated by Bhimasena and Arjuna, myself protecting the rear of Arjuna (in the fight that ensued) and Bhima protecting the rear of the sons of Madri, and the wielder of the Gandiva coming out unharmed from the press of battle having made a great slaughter of the hostile host,--do they remember that?

• Yudhishthira said this in anger and rage.
• As per this statement even Yudhishthira participated in the Gandharva war.
• Yudhishthira was advocating for peace with the Kurus at that time so he would not tell a lie.
• And besides Yudhishthira himself was known to not utter untruths & lies, so his opinion has to hold great value.
• He would not ask them a question about something that did not happen.
• According to Yudhishthira, the Kouravas were captured. 
• He never mentioned anything about Karna not being present. So karna's capture is questionable as Yudhishthira didn't address him.

10th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05049.htm

In Udyoga Parva when karna tries to make a stand for himself in the meeting:

When thy son was being led away as a captive by the Gandharvas on the occasion of the tale of the cattle, where was this son of a Suta then who now belloweth like a bull?

• This quote makes it look like Bhishma did not even know where Karna was when Duryodhana was being taken away as a captive.
• Bhisma was clearly asking a rhetorical question.
• But Bhisma also has associated the Gandharva war with cattle remarkably.
• What did cattle/cows/kine have to do with this conflict?

11th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05138.htm

During the Udyoga Parva, after Krishna's peace mission fails:

On the occasion also of the tale of cattle, when captured by the Gandharvas, this Karna and all these thy counsellors and thyself accoutred in mail and on thy car, were all liberated from the grasp of the Gandharvas by that Arjuna. That is a sufficient proof. Therefore, O foremost of the Bharatas, with all thy brothers make peace with the sons of Pandu.

• As per Bhishma, as a last ditch effort to convince Duryodhana, he said that even Karna was caught in the grasp of the Gandharvas, but freed by Arjuna. 
• Since this was the last chance for peace i am pretty sure that Bhishma would never lie. 
• So Karna had to be their as a captured defeated person.

12th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05159.htm

O hero, when on the occasion of the tale 'of cattle, I fought with the mighty Gandharvas, who was there to assist me?

Analysis: Here too cattle is also associated with the incident, Arjuna once again told people that he fought the Gandharvas alone, no one was on his side to help him.
13th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07154.htm

Kripa reminds Karna about his defeat:

While Dhritarashtra's son was being taken away (as a captive) by the Gandharvas, all the troops fought on that occasion except thy single self, who was the first to fly away.

• As per Kripa, this time, this is what happened.
• Karna ran away first.
• Duryodhana was only person who was captured by Gandharvas.
• Everysingle warrior fought, but Karna did not fight, he just fled, like Usain bolt.

14th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07182.htm

Drona's statement:

That also is known to thee. On the occasion of the tale of cattle, the Gandharvas headed by Chitrasena and others were vanquished by him. That firm bowman rescued you, while you were being carried away by those Gandharvas.

• This was the only time in the entire epic of Mahabharata in which the character of Drona, ever talked about, referenced and formulated an opinion regarding this incident. 
• He never mentioned it anywhere else.
• Here Drona is near his deathbed, it is the last night of his life. 
• So his words hold more weight.
• Drona said that Duryodhana was being carried away by the Gandharvas.
• He never mentioned anyone else being captured.
• Drona also associated the incident with cattle.

15th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08037.htm

Salya's opinion:

Dost thou remember, O Karna, the occasion when, slaughtering those foes in large numbers with his excellent shafts endued with the effulgence of the Sun, Phalguna liberated Dhritarashtra's son himself among the Kurus? Dost thou remember the occasion when, thyself having been the first to fly away, the quarrelsome sons of Dhritarashtra were liberated by the Pandavas after the latter had defeated those rangers of the skies (the gandharvas headed by Citraratha)?

• Shalya said that Karna was the first person to run away.
• But this is contrary to the claim of Karna (that he was trying to rally fleeing troops). 
• Thus Salya may have exposed Karna as lying to Duryodhana when he said he was rallying the troops.
• The Gandharvas were a species of people that came from the sky. If we go by this statement.
• Over here he says the Gandharvas were ruled by Chitraratha and not Chitrasena.

16th reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08041.htm

Shalya's views:

By the skirts also of the dvaitya lake, O Karna, when thou wert assailed by the Gandharvas, it was thou that, deserting all the Kurus, didst first run away. Having vanquished in battle the Gandharvas headed by Citrasena, with great slaughter, it was Partha, O Karna, that liberated Duryodhana with his wife.

• Shalya again claimed that Karna the first warrior to flee the battlefield here.
• But he also says before fleeing Karna was wounded by the Gandharvas. 
• After being wounded once Karna flees. 
• Here too the presence of Duryodhana’s wife in this, is mentioned.
• Perhaps the rumors are true after all. That Arjuna had a affair with the wife of Duryodhan...

Anyways, regardless I have concluded these facts.

1. Karna ran away
1. Whether he was the first person to run is not stated.
2. At-least one person believes that Karna was captured.
1. However this is not likely as so many others including Bhisma say Karna ran away.
3. Bhima had little to no role in this battle. Yudhishthira claims he fought though.
4. Arjuna shined the most in this incident and gained the most victories/achievements.
5. Arjuna himself said that he had no allies numerous times whenever he fought the Gandharvas.
1. So this means Arjuna was alone against them.
2. So the argument that Arjuna had a strong supporting team is negated.
6. Duryodhana's wife was saved by Arjuna.
1. Some references say Duryodhana took more than one wife with him on this trip....

How old was Bhisma in Mahabharata?

First we need to figure out how old Bhisma was during his meeting with Santanu. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01101.htm

The Mahabharata states that Santanu enjoyed married life for 36 years then retired to the woods, over their he had another meeting with Ganga where Bhisma was introduced:

And during the rule of the best of Kurus--of that king of kings--speech became united with truth, and the minds of men were directed towards liberality and virtue. And Santanu, having enjoyed domestic felicity for six and thirty years, retired into the woods.

• If you subtract the eight years (of giving birth to others sons of santanu that died) then the number is 28 instead of 36.
• Santanu had 8 years of marriage with Ganga
• Santanu had another 28 years of marriage with Satyavati
• Bhishma's introduction http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01101.htm

And while seeking for a cause, the illustrious monarch beheld that a youth of great comeliness, well-built and amiable person, like Indra himself, had, by his keen celestial weapon, checked the flow of the river. And the king, beholding this extraordinary feat of the river Ganga having been checked in her course near where that youth stood, became very much surprised. This youth was no other than Santanu's son himself. But as Santanu had seen his son only once a few moments after his birth, he had not sufficient recollection to identify that infant with the youth before his eyes. The youth, however, seeing his father, knew him at once, but instead of disclosing himself, he clouded the king's perception by his celestial powers of illusion and disappeared in his very sight.

• This is proof that bhisma was a youth (teenager). 
• Youths are in between 15 and 24 years old. 
• So at the least Bhisma was 15 years old, at the most he was 24. 
• Since Santanu would not stay unmarried for 24 years of his adult life 
• I’ll assume that Bhisma was around 17 years old (1+7=8, he’s the 8th son).

• Introduction of Satyavati (4 aka four years later) http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01101.htm

Four years had thus passed away, when the king one day went into the woods on the bank of the Yamuna. And while the king was rambling there, he perceived a sweet scent coming from an unknown direction. And the monarch, impelled by the desire of ascertaining the cause, wandered hither and thither. And in course of his ramble, he beheld a black-eyed maiden of celestial beauty, the daughter of a fisherman. The king addressing her, said, 'Who art thou, and whose daughter?

• Bhisma is now 21 years old.
• The text literally says 4 years.
• 28 more years passed by (refer to the statement of 36 years of marital life in the first quote):
• http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01102.htm

'O monarch, after the nuptials were over, king Santanu established his beautiful bride in his household. Soon after was born of Satyavati an intelligent and heroic son of Santanu named Chitrangada. He was endued with great energy and became an eminent man. The lord Santanu of great prowess also begat upon Satyavati another son named Vichitravirya, who became a mighty bowman and who became king after his father. And before that bull among men, viz., Vichitravirya, attained to majority, the wise king Santanu realised the inevitable influence of Time. And after Santanu had ascended to heaven. Bhishma, placing himself under the command of Satyavati, installed that suppressor of foes, viz., Chitrangada, on the throne, who, having soon vanquished by his prowess all monarchs, considered not any man as his equal.

• Santanu dies and Chitrangada is coronated
• Chitrangada’s age is irrelevant we all know he was older than 20 year of age of course.
• By now Bhisma is 49 years old (28 plus 21)
• Three more years pass by: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01102.htm

Between that Gandharva and that foremost one of the Kurus, who were both very powerful, there occurred on the field of Kurukshetra a fierce combat which lasted full three years on the banks of the Saraswati. In that terrible encounter characterised by thick showers of weapons and in which the combatants ground each other fiercely, the Gandharva, who had greater prowess or strategic deception, slew the Kuru prince.

• Chitrangada dies after 3 years.
• Now Bhisma is 52 years old.
• Vichitravirya is crowned.
• Vichitravirya becomes of marriageable age: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01103.htm

'O thou of Kuru's race, after Chitrangada was slain, his successor Vichitravirya being a minor, Bhishma ruled the kingdom, placing himself under the command of Satyavati. When he saw that his brother, who was the foremost of intelligent men, attained to majority, Bhishma set his heart upon marrying Vichitravirya.

• He has to be at-least 15 to get married. 
• I will say 2 years passed by after the death of Chitrangada turning Vichtravirya into a youth. 
• Bhisma is now 54 years old.
• Death of Vichitravirya: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01103.htm

And Vichitravirya also, endued with the prowess of the celestials and the beauty of the twin Aswins, could steal the heart of any beautiful woman. And the prince passed seven years uninterruptedly in the company of his wives. He was attacked while yet in the prime of youth, with phthisis. 

• Prime of youth (at the peak of his young days).
• This implies he was the oldest a youth could be (24) so he was 24 when he died. But 15 plus 7 equals 22. 
• This makes Bhisma (he was 54 before) 61 years old.
• Birth of Pandu: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01107.htm

Ambalika, then, when her time came, brought forth a son of pale complexion. Blazing with beauty the child was endued with all auspicious marks. Indeed, it was this child who afterwards became the father of those mighty archers, the Pandavas. 

• A year after Vichitravirya’s death.
• So Bhisma is 62 years old now.
• Pandu’s coronation: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01110.htm

And they grew up into fine young men skilled in the Vedas and all athletic sports. And they became well-skilled in the practice of bow, in horsemanship, in encounters with mace, sword and shield, in the management of elephants in battle, and in the science of morality. Well-read in history and the Puranas and various branches of learning, and acquainted with the truths of the Vedas and their branches they acquired knowledge, which was versatile and deep. And Pandu, possessed of great prowess, excelled all men in archery while Dhritarashtra excelled all in personal strength, while in the three worlds there was no one equal to Vidura in devotion to virtue and in the knowledge of the dictates of morality. And beholding the restoration of the extinct line of Santanu, the saying became current in all countries that among mothers of heroes, the daughters of the king of Kasi were the first; that among countries Kurujangala was the first; that among virtuous men, Vidura was the first; that among cities Hastinapura was the first. Pandu became king, for Dhritarashtra, owing to the blindness, and Vidura, for his birth by a Sudra woman, did not obtain the kingdom. 

• How old would Pandu be when he is king? 
• Pandu would be at the very least a minor (like Vichitravirya). 
• I think Pandu was 23 years old, because the text calls him a young man.
• Making Bhisma 85 years old.
• Birth of Yudhishthira 
• A year for the digvijaya of Pandu.
• Gandhari was pregnant for a year.
• During this time the curse of Kindama would happen.
• Thus two years passed by making Bhisma 87 years old.
• Death of Pandu http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01127.htm

The birth, growth, and Vedic studies of these children of Pandu, will, no doubt, give you great pleasure. Steadily adhering to the path of the virtuous and the wise, and leaving behind him these children, Pandu departed hence seventeen days ago.

• Sahadeva (the youngest son of Pandu) had already studied the vedas by now. And he was born 4 years after Yudhishthira. 
• You would have to be at the very least 5 years old to study something. Sahadeva was the most wise among all the brothers so 5 years of age seems like a good estimate.
• 9 years passed by (Yudhishthira was four years older than Sahadeva). 
• Bhisma is now 96 years old.
• Swayamvara of Draupadi 
• Arjuna was 7 years old when Pandu died. 
• 26 - 19 = 7.
• He was 26 years old during the Swayamvara.
• This happened 19 years after the death of Pandu 
• Arjuna was 2 years older than Sahadeva. 
• Same Arjuna was 18 during the Tournament of Adi Parva.
• Arjuna was 22 when the house of lac burned down
• He was 24 when he left Ghatotkaca.
• He was 25 when he disguised himself as a rishi to beg for alms.
•  Arjuna was 26 during the Swayamvara.
• Bhisma would be 115 years old now.
• Arjuna-Vanavasa
• Pandavas spend a year building Indraprastha.
• They spend another year with their wife Droupadi and conquering kingdoms.
• Arjuna gets exiled for twelve years, thus combined they are fourteen years altogether.
• You do the math 14 plus (+) 115 equals (=) 129 years.
• Khandava- Daha
• The youngest son of Arjuna would be born after the exile. 
• He would be fourteen years old when he starts to partake under military training by Arjuna.
• Another year to complete his training.
• A year for him to be born so 16 years passed by.
• Now Bhisma is 145 years old.
• Udyoga Parva (right before his death in the great war)
• Dhritarashtra’s statement of 33 years http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05052.htm

Three and thirty years have passed away since the time, when Arjuna, having invited Agni, gratified him at Khandava, vanquishing all the celestials. 

• I decided to go with Dhritarashtra's statement this time instead of Arjuna's. 
• Because it makes a lot more sense for 33 years to pass by instead of 65 years.
• Anyways this would make Bhisma 178 years old, during his death in the Kurukshetra war.
• I know 178 is hard to believe because it is impossible for any human being to fight so well at such a age. But their are 100 year old bodybuilders in india. 
• Proof https://www.mensxp.com/health/body-building/26774-the-father-of-indian-bodybuilding-manhor-aich-is-102-years-old-but-still-far-from-giving-up.html manhor aich is close to the age of Bhisma.