The Duel Between Bhima And Karna
But the attack the Kaurava launched on Bhima had disastrous effects for him; seriously injured, he had to resort to the care of medical experts, who relieved him of the pain thanks to the application of miraculous herbs.
Back in the heat of the battle, Duryodhana found himself in the vicinity of Arjuna, who was temporarily alone, without the support of the two brothers Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas. He wanted to try to isolate the Pandava in a definitive way; but although Duryodhana was a mighty warrior, those two were really too strong for him, so he had to take refuge in Shalya’s chariot.
In the meantime, the clash between Bhima and Karna had not stopped, on the contrary it had increased in intensity. Bhima did not want to waste time, he was too in a hurry to join Arjuna to help him advance, and he tried everything to get rid of that nuisance. But Karna was always there, not retreating in the face of any attack, however vehement it might be. And not considering him to his level, while the son of the Suta fought he smiled and taunted him all the time. This infuriated the fiery Bhima even more, who redoubled his efforts and pressed Karna with savage violence, forcing him to withdraw from the duel for a few minutes.
When he forcefully returned to the scene, the mocking smile was gone; once again he had fallen prey to anxiety due to the superhuman strength of the enemy. The fight resumed, furious.
Suddenly an image appeared before Bhima’s eyes: he distinctly remembered when Karna had said to Draupadi:
“Choose another husband among us, as yours are now slaves.”
He remembered how much suffering they had all had to go through because of him, and he multiplied his efforts tenfold. The attack he launched was such that Duryodhana feared for his friend’s life and was forced to send his brother Durjaya to help him. But it was evident that sending his close relatives against Bhima was the last thing to do; first Durjaya, then Durmukha; in a short time both were lying lifeless on the ground.
Karna was forced to retire.
It was then that five of Duryodhana’s brothers, with hearts full of hatred for the killer of their loved ones, rushed in the direction of Vayu’s son, and viciously attacked him. Among them was the valiant Durmarshana. Bhima, when he saw the sons of Dhritarastra, was radically transformed and his appearance became a mask of fury: he looked like the god of death incarnate: slaughtered by the arrows and the blows of the mace, all five died.
The moment Bhima launched one of his roars of victory, Karna learned of the terrible end of his friends. Then he gathered a large group of the brothers of the victims, all angry and thirsty for revenge, and rushed against him. The battle was full of ardor, but it was still the Kauravas who had the worst: hit by an irrepressible wave of arrows, other brothers of Duryodhana were thrown to the ground, bleeding, lifeless. And the death toll went up to forty-nine.
Intoxicated with passion for that vow that was about to be fulfilled, Bhima again let out his war cry.
Karna was desperate, he had tears in his eyes: all those dear friends had died to help him, when he was about to be overwhelmed. He couldn’t stand and watch, he had to stop that unleashed fury. And he redoubled his efforts, but still Bhima defended himself well.
Seeing him fight like that, Arjuna, Krishna and Satyaki smiled openly: Bhima was working miracles, engaging their most feared enemy to the limit and at the same time exterminating the sons of Dhritarastra. Only after a long battle Karna managed to win the duel, but in the course of the fighting Bhima managed to kill seven more of Dhritarastra’s one hundred sons. For only one he had pitiful words, Vikarna, his friend and just man.
“I have solemnly sworn to kill you all,” he said, “and for that I will have to deprive you of life, but I’m sorry because I know you are a righteous man; you are very different from that devil of Duryodhana.”
And when, after a bitter fight, Vikarna fell mortally wounded, Bhima wept over his body.
Yet finally, Bhima was defeated and reduced to impotence by Karna. But the latter spared his life, mindful of the promise made to Kunti; but he insulted him heavily.
Krishna watched the scene, worried.
“Arjuna, look,” he said, “Karna has defeated and offended your brave brother. You must run to him, you must help him.”
Hardly attacked by Arjuna, Karna preferred to retreat and Bhima was able to jump on Satyaki’s chariot to regain his strength; and the three maharathas, together, attacked the battalions led and defended by Asvatthama and Karna. Arrows, spears, axes, knives, swords, stones, discs, and hundreds of other human and celestial weapons were seen darting in every direction. The result was tremendous: blood and severed limbs became a familiar sight.
Kurukshetra had become an immense cemetery.
This is a section of the book “Maha-bharata, Vol. 2”.
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