puranas manupulated by bengalis

 Some puranas were manupulated by bengalis after 1000 ce and this manupulation continued till 16th century.The main manuscripts were kept in bengal,and bengali vaishnavas have altered them to make vishnu appear superior to shiva.There are many examples.Padma purana has many fake verses.That verse about the classification of puranas as satvik,tamasic is well known.This is added later by bengali vaishnvas.Some verses were added to condemn certain historic personalities.
Bhagavata has many fake chapters.Shiva going to vishnu and asking him to show mohini's avatar and vishnu showing mohini as a beautiful woman on earth and getting naked,shiva getting excited and running after mohini are all created by begali vaishnavas.Bhagavata has only nine chapters.Bhagavata  might have ended with gajendra moksha or with parashurama avatar.The rest is all fake and added later.The remaining chapters were added after krishna was made god.Bhagavata was written before mahabharata was written.First Rama the king was made god,and then krishna was made god.Shivapurana,Bhagavata,vishnu purana and some puaranas were written before mahabharata was written around 800 bc.Some puranas were written after mahabharata was written.

On bhedabheda

 I didnt know about this cult before sometime.I only thought that there are two sects
visishtadvaita dvaita.But this I came to know much later.This is chaitanya cult which has krishna as god.They have bhagavata,gita as main scriptures.While ramanuja's visishtadvaita says the world is god's body,the atma becomes a part of brahman or vishnu.It attains the state of vishnu as mukti.Madhwa who created dvaita says god or ishwara created jiva and jiva is separate from
ishwara,and mukt means jiva stays in the company of ishwara and
serves him.Though this has been modified by later followers.This behdabheda is gods and his
energies or sun and its rays.So its admitting abheda and bheda like energy is same and different from god,and sun's rays are same and different from sun.So far so good.But before god released his energies,that is before creation what was the state of jiva.It has to be god,as god alone must have existed.So advaita is proved.
Before sun released his rays,there was only sun.So jiva cant be separate from god or brahman.It cant attain an inferior position than what it was before.So this bhedabheda is false theory to justfy their krishna as superior god,and refusing sayujya and maintaning an individual identity.
Even from devotional point of view sayuja cant be denied.The atma cant remian separated from brahman.

On gods

 In hindu religion we have three gods brahma,vishnu,shiva who are creator,protector,
preservator,protector,destoryer.Since creation is accidental brahma is given a subordinate role.He is given the name of hiranya garbha from the upanishads which is the name of of Ishwara.Vishnu,Shiva are the main gods.Vishnu is the saguna brahman who is the preservator of the world,who establishes dharma,by avatars.Shiva the destoryer is niraguna brahman with saguna qulaities.He is not involved in the world that much.But only destroys living beings,world.It is this aspect of brahman which is superior.
Worshipping shiva can lead to nirguna brahman.Worshipping vishnu wont lead to nirguna brahman.
Thats why shiva's worship is said to be most auspicious.

Vishnu worships shiva becasue he cant kill anyone becasue he doesnt have destroyer powers.So to kill evil people he needs a weapon.So he worships shiva and gets the sudarshana chakra.

by following fake preachers

 In the last few months I used to have some debates with the admins of facebook page on 'star plus factually incorrect mahabharat'.The admins both men,one a maharashtrian,one from up settled in the us are hardcore chaitanya cult,madhwa cult followers and who think krishna is a god rather than vishnu.Krishna should be seen as an amsh of vishnu only.He is not an independent god.And they used star mahabharata to spread their version of mahabharata.They have written long posts on mahabharata before and now they write on characters.They view on karna is that he is evil,and they used to hype arjuna a lot.I used to counter them and tell them the true facts..But they used to abuse me saying that I am abuser of girls!.Their view is what is spread by the fake preachers of madhwa cult,chaitanya cult.This is derived from madhwa's commentary on Mahbharata.That is also a biased commentary as madhwa started a vashnava cult.They believed that karna was a jealous person,an evil person who was not that virtous.pandavas were greater than him in virtue and Arjuna was greater than him in archery.They are also heavily influenced by madhwa's commentary.They believe the fake preachers who say karna ordered disrobing,karna plotted to kill pandavas with duryodhana on the ghosha yatra.They make the biggest mistake when they think that karna didnt follow krihsna's instructions and before the mahabharat war and join the pandavas!.This shows their ignorance.I have written a post on Karna,Krishna conversation on this blog where karna comapres the war with a maha yagya,and says all the kauravas,bhisma drona and he will be killed.And he rejects the entire aryavarta kingdom and chose to fight as a warrior.This will be seen as a virtue by anyone.But the biased cult followers think karna did the wrong thing here.Here is a  fake preacher views on karna whom the admins believe.http://www.romapadaswami.com/node/2143
Infact these views seem to be borrowed from madhwa's commentary.This fake preacher is also fake and a self proclaimed preacher.This is the link.
http://www.iskconirm.com/docs/webpages/btp33_romapada_swami.html
So when people believe some people without reasoning then they are the losers.They dont even know how ignorant they are.

Although I give the benefit to madhwa becasue he might not have said karna is evil.Its the later followers who said that.

vaishnavanam yatha Shambhu

 I heard the phrase vaishnavanam yatha shambhu which is in bhagavatha which is said by suka.Vaishnavites claimed that the following verse says shiva is the biggest devotee of shiva.
I was intrigued by this verse.How could suka say that which goes against the sruti and the puranas like shiva purana.The first interpretation was shambhu is rudra,so rudra can be the biggest devotee of shiva.That looked good,but I was not totally convinced.There is no isntance of rudra being devotee f shiva in puranas,although there are eleven rudras which aid vishnu in slaying demons.Shambhu is one of the rudras.But the verse is part of a larger poem nimagnanaam yatha ganga devanaam achyuto yatha vaishnavanaam yatha shambhu puranaam idam tatha kshetranaam chaiva sarvesaam yatha kashiryanutamaam tatha purana vratanaam srimad bhagavatam dvijah.
The chaitanya cult followers wrongly say nimnaganaam instead of nimagnanaam.Nimagnanaam means among the dippable rivers.So the verse means Among the dippable rivers like ganga,like achyuta among devas,like shambhu among vaishnavas,Among all the kshetras or places like kashi,
among puranas it is bhagavata.This is said by suka in varanasi.Since he talked about ganga,kashi he might have meant shambhu as shiva.Why would he say it,I thought.There are many websites which arer run by chaitanya cult followers claiming that shiva is greatest devotee of vishnu.I thought about this for sometime.Then yesterday it occured to me suddenly.Vaishnavanam doesn't mean among the devotees of vishnu.Vaishnavanaaam here means among the knowers of vishnu!vaishnava means who has the knowledge of vishnu.Who has the most gyaana of vishnu tattva.Vaishnavanaam yatha shambhu means among the knowledgeable ones of vishnu like shiva.Shiva has the full knowledge of vishnu,knows vishnu tattva.He is the nirguna brahman who knows about all.So suka is praising shiva here.Since it is bhagavata the emphasis here is on vishnu.Now some might say the verse devanaam achyuto yatha might mean that vishnu is superior.No,bhagavata lays emphasis on vishnu,but doesn't say vishnu is superior to shiva.It upholds the puranic position that  shiva is slightly superior,but its about vishnu.Here devanaam means among the devas.The devas here are Indra,varuna and others.The demi gods are referred here.Shiva is not refered here.So the verse says vishnu among demi gods and other gods.So vishnu is best among demi gods.Suka isnt contradicting anything here.
Without knowing the true meaning og the verse several websites are misinterpreting the verse vaishnnavanaam yatha shambhu.I hope they realise their mistake and stop this misinterpretation.

On Shiva Vishnu

 I am now starting the topic on shiva,vishnu.The two gods of hindu religion.The two aspects of brahman with different functions.But before I start anything on this,I should state something.
Yesterday,on dussera day,or vijaya dasami as its called I thought of reviving my shiva worship.Its been sometime that I worshipped shiva,so after doing it at night.I sat on a sofa for a few minutes.I relaxed for a while.Then I thought of vishnu,and his avatars,on karna arjuna.
Then I had a vision of vaikuntha doors opening as they show in films,tv serials,then some vision of ocean.
Then outside of the doors I saw a blue,green round light shining with rays.I knew instinctively knew it was vishnu,the saguna brahman.I recogonized the attributes that vushnu is identified with,particularly his name suvrata or someone with good vows.Vishnu is shining with attributes.
Then vishnu said 'I always said that Karna is a great warrior equal to Arjuna,and a great person.
Why do you worry about other people's views.You are a great devotee of shiva and your desires will be fulfilled.'I said vishnu,the saguna brahman and looked at him.I didn't bow to him.Shiva's devotees needn't bow to anyone.I also know that vaishnavas made derogative comments against shiva,
I looked at him with for sometime.Vishnu looked like what he was described.An honest deity who protects and preserves the world.And who knows the greatness of shiva.There was no ego while he spoke to me.Vishnu stayed for sometime.I realised that I had the darshan of Vishnu.Vishnu received the sudarshana chakra from Shiva.That destroyer aspect to protect the world.And his devotees claim that vishnu is superior to Shiva.Vishnu's devotees should learn from vishnu how to be honest.This was a divine experience for me.I had the shiva darshan before,now I had the vishnu darshan now.

Vishnu is the saguna brahman who is the protector,preserver of the world.Shiva is nirguna brahman with some saguna qualities who is the destroyer or transformer of the world,living beings.Vishnu doesnt have the nirguna tattva which is the real nature of brahman.Shiva has the nigruna tattva.
Worship of vishnu will only take a person to some level in spirituality.After that that person has to pursue nigruna brahman or become a devotee of shiva to get to the highest level.Shiva's worship is the direct path to get to nirguna brahman.Vishnu's worship is an indirect path.Vishnu cant take a person to the highest level.Shiva can do that.

On karna breaking the bow from behind again

 This is a follow up on the topic karna didnt break the bow from behind.Some mistranslators have said on internet,that paschat in the verse said that drona asked to attack from behind.

 Drona said

Kuru maheshwasa radheya tasyeva yadi sakyate
Arhtainam vimukhi kritva paschat praharanam kuru

Abhimanyu was using the divine armour given by Arjuna.It was taught to Arjuna by Drona.Drona recogonised the armour and said to karna 'you can break his bow, cut off the regins of horses,disburse his charioters,and then he said 'The great archer karna,if you can do this,then he will not be inclined to fight,and then(later) attack him.So paschat here means later or afterwards and not from back as said by some.karna broke the bow from the front.And I have written a detailed article on this before.

Karna is the first person to speak to protect draupadi

This might sound surprising.I was reading the sanskrit version of Mahabharata,and the arguments on whether draupadi was rightly won or not.After the disrobing which was added later,vidura speaks against it.Then vikarna gets up and says she has not been won.karna realised that the situation was getting out of control.Draupadi was brought to the court,and duryodhana who was insulted earlier would do anything.Vikarna will be dismissed anyway.So he got up first.And first he supported Duryodhana and said draupadi has been rightly won as a wife is man's property and he can bet her anyway.This is to avoid the impression that he was opposed to draupadi being brought to the hall.Then the  calls her a promiscious woman,to please duryodhana.And then accuses the pandavas of betting draupadi and lost.He also says about arjuna that he has no manhood or valour.This was sarcastic way of pointing out the mistakes done by them.And then says draupadi would not be a slave if she chooses another husband.he was actually pointing the way out for her to get out of slavery.if she stays as wife is pandavas,then she will be a slave.However according to dharmashahstras,if a woman chooses another husband then she would be freed from slavery.
So it is karna who first suggested draupadi how to get out of slavery.Then he says go to dhritarashtra's chambers and serve duryodhana and his brothers.He is now asking drauapdi to get away from the dice hall.This is a clever way of getting draupadi out of the dice hall.No one asked draupadi to get away.
But karna asked her to get away first.So karna is the first one to speak to protect draupadi in the dice hall.
Some people mistake karna's words as insult to draupadi,but when we look at the overall scenario,karna was right here.

Mission Accomplished

 Hi readers,my main mission of clearing misconceptions on karna is accomplished.I have written what I know by my logical reasoning.I hope people like this blog.I will be publishing more posts on Mahabharata.But they wont be frequent.I will post if there is anything new or interesting.From now on I will also add topics on spirituality also.

The chakravyuha - coming in and coming out

I will explain in this article on how to come in and out of chakravyuha,the warrio formation or vyuha in the kurukshetra war.

This is the vyuha.

The use of foot soldiers standing in the vyuha is mostly omitted.The Mahabharata war is mainly fought by warriors on chariots,and Maharathis or rathis or Archers.At some points elephants are also positioned.But there is some distance between a chariots.You could see the chakravyuha here.The right side 3 line arc is the entrance to the vyuha.
The Attacking army will attack the the three lines on the right side,by breaking those defenses.When the left side of the vyuha warriors tries to close in on the attack the approaching side and encircle them,the remaining side of the attacking army then engages with them.Some of them attack the right side warriors,some of them will attack the left side warriorsWhen the right side defenses are destroyed,the attacking army will then battle with the fourth line of the chakravyuha.When they are successfully defeated or stopped by the right side vyuha warriors,they can turn back and the left side fourth line can be defeated.if this is acheived the right side attackers and the left side attackers can simultaneoulsy attack the vyuha warriors on the right side fourth line.If they are successful in this,the entire chakravyuha can be breached.The attackers from behind will attack,but the attacking army from the left and right side can defeat them.So its about attacking the right side three lines first,and the left side three lines next.And after defeating the fourth line on the right,the arny will then turn the direction to the left side and come back and support the left side attackers.Then the warriors will attack the fifth line,and sixth line and defeat them,and get to the center.

This will depend on the capability of the attacking warriors,and their ability to defeat the defending vyuha warriors.While the chakravyuha gives the advnatage to the defending side,if the attacking army is good,then it can be breached and defending army can be defeated.The chakravyuha doesnt guarantee victory.If the defending side is good,then when the attacking army attacks the right side three lines,the left side defending army can attack and encircle them and defeat them.

Abhimanyu probably breached teh chakravyuha by defeating the first three lines of the chakravyuha.The pandava warriors followed him.Jayadratha was attacking from the three lines on the left side and encirlced the pandava warriors,and he stopepd them them from defending Abhimanyu.Abhimanyu attacked the fourth line,and was separated from pandava warriors.It was in that center fourth to sixth line the main warriors were positioned,and he fought with them,and was killed becasue he couldnt defeat those warriors who were superior to them.

my doubt cleared

 I always doubted that on the seventeenth day of the war,after yudhishtira,arjuna fled from the battlefield,Arjuna loaded his chariot fully with arrows,weapons before starting to battle against karna.This is mentioned in kmg verison.He had already taken rest,and was fresh.Karna on that other hand was on the battlefield,and his arrows were getting exhausted.When Arjuna started battle with karna,the battle went on for two hours before Karna's chariot was stuck.Shalya refused to lift the chariot wheel.Karna continued the battle from the chariot.The chariot protectors already fled the battlefield.After a while his arrows were almost exhausted.It was here that he got down and asked Arjuna to wait till he lifted the chariot wheel.Because the wheel protectors would have filled the chariot with arrows,and they were not there.And if he had to take the chariot back,he had to lift the wheel.My own opinion is that karna should have fled the battlefield.before Arjuna could have followed him,but he should have reached safety.And the next day,he should have arrived with a new chariot without shalya as the charioteer.he could have defeated Arjuna then.

Karna's useless war

When someone go to war,he should slay the enemies.Thats what war is all about.Karna giving a boon to kunti that he will spare four pandavas except Arjuna made no sense.He defeated all the pandavas except Arjuna ,and spared them.He almost killed Arjuna with his nagastra but Krishan saved Arjuna.When his chariot wheel got stuck,shalya didnt help him.Its useless to give such boons to anyone when someone is going to war.It makes one to be defeated in the war.And also,victory which would have been won,becomes a self defeat.And karna didnt get credit for sparing the lives of pandavas later.The pro pandava writers criticised him for hate against  Arjuna as he didnt forgive Arjuna,and also for insulting other pandavas.He forgave four pandavas,but thats not enough for them.And the pro pandava writers manupulated facts,that he was really spared by the pandavas before he spared them.And he abused them,and deserved to be killed.
So his boon to kunti that he will spare fur pandavas didn't benefit him.And that made him to be killed in the war.So karna shouldn't not give those boons.he should have rejected kunti,and said he will fight for on the kaurava side.Or he should have accepted kunti and joined pandavas.These kind of boons are useless.
Also Arjuna is adharmic warrior and killed karna when his chariot wheel was stuck in earth,and didn't wait till karna lifted it.And Arjuna is praised for his adarmic way of killing people.karna had defeated everyone,the pandavas,satyaki,drishtadyumna.But this boon didn't make him win the war.

Krishna's friendship with pandavas,his strategy

 I wanted to write this since along time.Its about krishna's reasons for friendship with pandavas,why he guided pandavas,and his strategies.Krishna's friendship of the pandavas began after Arjuna defeated drupada.The mahabharata describes krishna meeting kunti and bowing to her and saying he is son of her brother vasudeva,and both have yadava,naga blood.He seems to have met the pandavas just after that.Though his meeting with them takes place after Arjuna wins draupadi in swayamvara.
Krishna after killing kamsa by rebellion in mathura,was the head of the yadavas,and he wanted to protect the virshni race yadavas,from whom that he descended from, and make them stronger and prosperous.Their welfare was the main task for krishna.And after killing kamsa,and installing ugrasens as the king,jarasandha the emperor of mathura and relative of kama started attacking mathura.But he was repelled everytime,and many yadavas were killed each time.Jarasandha attacked mathura ssome many times and yadavas needed to go elsewhere.Krishna with other prominent yadavas then shifted the yadava city to dwaraka,a place in western coast of Aryavarta which is an island like place connected with land .The yadavas built the city of dwarka there,and shifted their capital from mathura.Some  prominent people even went to hastinapura,whose former king pandu was kunti or pritha's husband.Dhritarashtra was the king of hastinapura at that time.But he didnt help the yadavas because of jarasandha's strength.So once the yadava kingdom was shifted to dwaraka where jarasandha cant attack them.But Krishna was looking for a way to kill jarasandha,who was a powerful warrior,and no king was willing to help yadavas to kill him.
So later Krishna knew about the pandavas,and about Arjuna who is called as the greatest bow wielder and warrior(though there is karna who challenged him),and Bhima who has good strength,who killed tribals like hidamba.There is some contradiction in who is Arjuna's first wife.I will post it later.Krishna also supported all the pandavas to marry draupadi.It was kunti who is said to have suggested this,becasue the other pandavas were jealous of Arjuna because he won a beautiful princess.Kunti wanted unity among the pandavas.
And he soon became a friend of the pandavas.Pandavas who were living in exile at that time because duryodhana might kill them.Krishna then started advising them politically.He soon became their friend and advisor.After the pandavas went back to hastinapura,and got half of the kingdom as indraprastha,Krishna helped them to build Indraprastha.It is said that the pandavas also burnt a forest to build the city.
Arjuna used to trust krishna very much and used to consider him as a divine person.Even kunti used to trust krishna,and belived that he can advise them on important matters.Others also trusted krishna.
Krishna made use of the valour of the pandavas.he took Bhima,Arjuna to jarasandha and made Bhima kill jarasandha.His enemy is now killed.And the yadavas are now safe,and will be prosperous again.Krishna asked the pandavas to perform the rajasuya yagya which should be done by the emperor who defeats all the kingdoms in all directions in aryavarta.The pandavas with their valour defeated all kingdoms and performed the rajasuya yagya.He is now holding the pandavas sway.He ensured they will follow his advice on anything.
By making the pandavas peform the rajasuya yagya,he made sure that pandavas defeat all kings who are opposed to the yadavas.When the indraprastha empire was founded,he made sure that the yadavas will get privelages.The yadavas got privelages in trade with other countries to madra,gandhara and to the middle east east.In those days middle east,egypt used to trade with Indian kingdoms.And yadavas were prosperous,and no one could defeat them because they had the support of the pandavas.
After the raja suya yagya,the dice game happened,and pandavas lost their kingdom,and they had to live in forests for twelve years and one year incognitio or as someone else.Krishna was not aware of this.
Bhima also vowed to kill all the kauravas.after their exile,Krishna gave them advice on how to prepare for war,after duryodhana didnt give them back their kingdom.I think kunti told him just after the pandava exile that that karna is her elder son.He might have said to her that he will reveal it to him at the right time.Kunti trusted krishna more than her own sons on some matters.She should have told the pandavas about karna soon after their exile.It took pandavas four months to prepare for war.If krishna really wanted karna to come to the side of the pandavas,he would have sent a message to him immdietly even before the peace talks began.And even before duryodhana rejected pandava claims to their kingdom.At that time karna would have surely told duryodhana that he is elder brother of pandavas,and would have remianed neutral in the war.And after the pandavs won the war,yudhishtira would have become the emperor of indraprastha, and karna would have become the emperor of hastinapura.Aryavarta would have prospered under the two dharmic emperors.
But krisha didnt want this.krishna wanted the pandavas to get back their kingdom and defeat duryodhana,kauravas and become kings of even hastinapura as well.Hastinapura had many allied kingdoms,and pandavas would have ruled over them also.Krishna became greedy for power.Thats why he decided not to tell karna before that he is elder brother of pandavs.Pandavas will obey Krishna.but Karna wont obey Krishna.Karna is a dharmic person,and would go by his own will.He doesnt need krishna to tell him what is dharma.If karna remained neutral in the war and later became the emperor of hastinapura,the pandavas will then listen to karna.Krishan wouldnt have any influence on pandavas then.The yadavs will then not get the privelages they were getting,and his interests wont be served.Yudhishtira will take karna's advice on anything from then.So to prevent Karna from joining the pandavas,krishna told karna that he is kunti's elderst son just before a week from the war.After duryodhan refused to give kingdom to pandavas,and war preparations were on,and Karna himself was ready to fight with pandavas.Krishna knew that karna at that time,wont join the pandavas.
karna fought well,and defeated all the four pandavas except arjuna and spared their lives.On the seventeenth day,ge defeated yudhishtira,and insulted him and spared his life.Yudhishtira was angry,and asked Arjuna to kill Karna.Krishna took advantage of this.Aruna attacked karna after Bhima killed dushasana.Arjuna killed vrishasena,and karna didnt have any chakra rakshakas,or chariot protectors.And duryodhana,Aswatthama were watching from a distance.Karna,Arjuna fought for a hour,and Karna's chariot went on soft ground,and
the chariot wheel got stuck in earth.karna asked shalya to lift the chariot.Shalya being loyal to pandavas refused to lift the wheel.So karna then got to ground,asked Arjuna to wait till he lifts the wheel.
But krishna then asked Arjuna to kill karna immdiatly.Karna was having an upper hand till then.If Karna lifts the wheel,then he wont be killed.And if bhima kills duryodhana,pandavas will win the war and karna will become the eldest pandava,and krishna's plans wont succeed.So when krishna asked Arjuna to kill karna.Arjuna killed him by unrighteous means.

But Krishna underestimated Yudhihstira though.Yudhishtira is a dharmic person,and would never agree to kill his elder brother,.He knew that krishna had cheated him,and didnt forgive him after that.Infact yudhishtira didnt even meet krishna after the war.Yudhishtira knew that after this,the kuru race will be extinct.Aad after the pandavas stopped ruling,no one really knows who ruled hastinapura,indraprastha kingdoms.Parkishit might not be Abhimanyu's son.

Krishna wanted Abhimanyu who belongs to his dynasty to to rule over hastinapura,and prativindhaya who is elder son of yudhishtira to rule over indraprastha.But his plans didnt succeed.And god has spunished krishna for his unirghteous,selfish deeds.Krishna was killed by an arrow of a hunter jara.Krishna is not incarnation of god as many say,but is only an ordinary person with some knowledge.Bhishma,Drona,Karna were as knowledgable as he was.

Karna,Krishna conversation

 Some people know about this,but not many know details.I will post some details here
When krishna took karna with him outside of hastinapura city,he revealed that he is kuni's eldest son and asked him to join the pandavas.Krishna offered the entire Indraprastha,hastinapura kingdoms to him.
That is entire aryavarta.But karna rejected it saying that he is indebted to duryodhana,and he cant desert him now.So he will have to fight for him against the pandavas.
Karna said that the war will happen anyway,and many kings will be killed.He knows whats going to happen next.He said that the all the kauravas will be killed,and the pandavas will be victorious in the war.He said let the dharmatma yudhishtira win.He compared mahabharata war to a big yagya, with krishna as the authority of the yagya and as the witness,Arjuna as he main priest of the yagya gandiva as the main paddle of the yagya by which the offering is poured,the prowess,valour of the warriors will be the ghee which is offered to the yayga,The divyastras of the dhanrdharis or the Archers will be the mantras of yagya,Abhimanyu will be the main vedic hymn chanted, Yudhishtira will be the brahma of the sacrifice or the weilder of the results, Nakula,Sahadeva will be the slayers of the sacrificial animals,all types of arrows will be the spoons which will distribute the soma juice, The maces will be the pokers to stirr the sticks of the yagya, the disciples of drona,kripa will be the assisting priests, satyaki will be your assistant, duryodhana will be the performer of the yagya.
The words the blood of the warriors is the ghee offered in the yagya comes twice again in this description of the mahabharata war.So this could be manupulated by some later writers.
The lines that bheema kills dushasana,duryodhana,and arjuna slays him and jackals take away the bodies of the warriors,thenthe finla bath of the yagya takes place are later additions.According to some versions,karna says he will slay Arjuna.Slaying Arjuna wont make a difference to the war.
These are great words,and an apt description of the mahabharat war by karna.Karna seems knowledgable person,and it is unlikely that he said those words to pandavas,draupadi.

As I said earlier,the unrighteous slaying of karna was not necessary to win the war.Arjuna,bheema could have attacked duryodhana and captured him,and then killed him.Karna would not have stopped them.

But karna erred in judgement though.When he said to duryodhana that he will fight pandavas,he was a suta putra,denied to show his valour by society.And he gave back to duryodhana more than what he gave him,Duryodhana gave him kshatriya status,and made him the king of Anga.Though basically he was a sub king.But he gave duryodhana an empire.He conquered many kingdoms,and duryodhana performed the vaishnava yagya becasue of karna.Duryodhana could not have performed the rajasuya sacrifice though,becasue Yudhishtira is still alive.And hastinapura became an empire becasue of Karna.And duryodhana 's confidence was due to him.Even Bhishma didnt conquer that many kingdoms as karna did.
But karna is now kunti putra,the kanina putra of pandu,the elder brother of the pandavas.He is a different Karna now.He gave back to duryodhana more than what he gave to karna.So there is no need to be loyal to him.I think Karna took time to accept the fact the he was a kshatriya,and krishna didnt give him time to think.He was told a week before the war.Karna should have told duryodhana,that he is elder brother of pandavas,and he cant fight hem.And he also cant fight agaisnt duryodhana.So he should have remained neutral.The pandavas would have won the war,and Karna would have been the king of hastinapura,while
Yudhishtira would have been the king of Indraprastha.Both the dharmic persons ruling the entire aryavarta,would have been beneficial to India.India needed both the kings who would have established a proper dharma,and made India prosperous.But by not accepting krishna's offer,he allowed krishna to turn the situation in his favour and kill him in unrighteous manner,and make aryavarta weaker.
Although it takes sometime to accept certain facts.Karna was just begining to accept that he is elder brother of pandavas,and he allowed bhima to kill dushasana also shows that he would have allowed duryodhana to be killed as well.Krishna realised this.Thats why he asked Arjuna to kill Karna immdiatly after Karna's chariot wheel got stuck in earth.krishna thought karna might reveal the truth to the pandavas,and come to their side.I will write another post on this.

Both sides were equal

 Its generally believed that in the Mahabharata war,the kauravas had more warriors,and pandavas had less warriors,but still they won the war.Thats not true.Although the kaurava army has more soldiers,its the maharathis that count.They can win the war.Now Kaurava army has Bhishma,Drona,Aswahtthama,kripa,
duryodhana on its side as main dhanurdharis,which are important to win the war.The pandava side has Arjuna,Satyaki,Drishtadyumna,Bhima,Sikhandi,Abhimanyu.
Arjuna can take on Bhishma, Satyaki can fight with Ashwatthama, Drishtadyumna with Drona, shikhandi with kripa.There are also nakula sahadevas who are good arches and can fight with drona or shalya.
So both sides were equal.The one warrior who could have changed the equation was karna.With adding karna on the kaurava side,the pandava army could have been defeated within just 3,4 days.Because Bhishma,Karna make an invincible pair, both are atirathas,having learnt all divyastras under someone who was like parashurama.Drona was old,and not a kshatriya so was not able to shoot arrows with speed,accuracy.But he is still invincible with his divyastras.Bhishma knew this.Thats why he criticised karna,and removed him from battle until he is commander of kaurava army.Therefore the pandavas fought well till the tenth day when bhishma threw his weapons when shikhandi was brought in front in him.
Even if Drona was not there, Bhishma,karna would have won the war for the kauravas.
So with Bhishma,Drona and later with Drona,Karna both sides were equal.And the pandavas by killing Drona,karna by deceit won the war.
Bhishma said karna is artharatha,and he knew karna will be angry and wont fight under him.
The Pandavas before the war had approached Bhishma,Drona and aksed them as to how they could be defeated.Bhishma said when you think that you cant win the war,then come to me,I will tell how can I be defeated.Drona said if they can make him throw his weapons,then he can be defeated.As long he is holding a weapon,he cant be defeated.So the pandavas lied that Ashwatthama is dead,so that he will throw his bow.
Bhishma defeated Arjuna on the ninth day,and wrecked havoc on the pandava army.and krishna took up a chariot wheel against Bhishma.Then the pandavas appraoched Bhishma ion that night.Bhishma said bring shikhandi in front of me,I will throw my weapons and wont fight.

Why karna was abandoned

 Its an interesting question,as to why karna was abandoned.Many people attribute this to today's standards of morality,and say a girl who has a son before marriage will face social condemnation,ridicule.This is not true.In those days it was common for woman to have have children before marriage.Thats why the kanina putra has been mentioned in different kinds of sons.If it was socially unacceptable to have children before marriage,then kanina putra would not have been mentioned as a substitute for a son.So,there was no social ridicule,then why was karna was abandoned?We should look at certain facts.Kunti was a princess,not just a kshatriya girl.So she having  a son by an agirasa rishi who resembled durvasa would have been accepted by society,and also by her father.Though he would not have been too happy.But a princess with a son,would not be acceptable to any king as a wife.If a swayamvara was arranged very few kings would turn up.Ofcourse,if kunti was beautiful,then some kings might turn up.But those kings might have that much wealth,orm ight not be suitable for her.For her to get a suitable king,she will have to abandon Karna.If no king turned up,then kunti might have to marry some kshatriya who is not a king.Someone who might accept karna as an heir to him.But she wont get the life of a queen,that she hoped for.So she abandioned karna.She always wanted kingdom.
It is surprising though as to why she left Karna in a river in a basket.He might have died by drowning.But she didnt care.She put some gold ornaments,and ear rings so that someone might adopt him.It is those ear rings that karna used to wear as a symbol of his lineage.She has other options,like giving him to her kshatriya maids,and ask one of them to adopt them.Or give him to a kshatriya couple who didnt have children.They would be happy to adopt  a prince.Maybe she was only fifteen or sixteen at that time,and didnt think of other options.But giving karna to a kshatriya women would have been the best choice.As Karna would be  a kshatriya,and wouldn't be discriminated as suta later on when learning Archery or dhanurvidya.
Kunti didnt do anything for karna ,but killed him when she got the boon from karna that he wont kill any pandava except Arjuna.He might have been alive if he killed other pandavas.As a mother kunti didnt do anything to karna,but killed him in the end.
Some people are making a big issue on some words supposedly said by karna to draupadi.There is no proof that he said anything as bhima himself doesnt say that karna said those words.After slashing duryodhana's thighs bhima says duryodhana ordered disrobing of draupadi.The only istance of that ever mentioned again in mahabharata.As for karna supporting duryodhana,duryodhana wouldnt listen to karna or anybody.
So Karna cant be blamed for acts done by duryodhana.

About different kinds of sons :karna as heir to pandu

 Its well known that kana is a kaniya putra to pandu,that is a son born to wife before she is married.And that he is also a legal heir to kingdom.Although he cant claim the kingdom as pandu's first son.There are some claims that karna has been adopted by adirataha and he cant be pandu's son,and he will be always be called as son of adiratha with the kauravas or pandavas if joins them.Its an interesting manupulation of the laws,rules that existed at that time.Some facts being changed,and bhishma's words of some parva of mahabharata being quoted.It shows lack of knowledge by those people.

According to those laws,manu there are six kinds of sons who are heirs to a Man.

Swayamjata - A son born to him and his wife
Prayita - A son born with the blessings of a holy  man.
Putrikaputra - Son of one's daughter
Pawairbhava - A son born after remarriage
Kanina _ A son born to wife before she was married
Bhanja - Son of one's sister

Between the legitamate son of the body, and son begotten on a wife, then the legitamate son inherits father's property.This is justified.As the son born between him and his wife gets precedence over any type of son.

There are the sons who can substitute legitamate sons of the body.

Aurasa - A son born to him and one's wife - this is same as swayamjata

kshetraja - A son born to his wife by  aprocess of niyoga by other man, if the man is dead,or impotent or diseased.Pandu was impotent,so Kunti's sons were born by niyoga by different men.So all the pandavas are the ksetraja sons to pandu.

Datrima (datta) - A child of equal caste given by his parents by affection to another man by a water offering, is a datrima putra.

Kritrima - A son made by a man acquanting him with right and wrong.

Gudhotpanna - A son born in a man's house whose father is not known.He sha;; belong to the manand his mother.




Apaviddha - If a man receives a son if he has been deserted by one or both the parents,then he is a son cast off. This description suits karna.Adiratha found karna after being abandoned by kunti.And he adopted him.So karna is an apaviddha son of Adiratha.

 Kanina - A son whom a damsel secretly bears in the house of her father,then such a son belongs to the man who weds her aftwerwards.

 Kritaka - If a man buys a boy from his parents,then he is called kritaka.

 Sahodha - if one marries a girl who is pregnant at the time of marriage,the the son born will  considered as received with the bride, and be called as sahodha.

 Paunarbhava- if a women abandoned by her husband or a woman after remarriage has a son,then that son is called as paunarbaha son of her second husband.

Swayamdutta - if one lost his parents or abandoned by them,and gives himself to another man, then he is called self given or swayamdutta.

Parasava - one whom a a brahmana begets from a sudra woman is considered alive and dead.so he is called as parasava.


Now obviously,if the pandavas are born to pandu,then the question of karna also being an equal heir doesnt arise.But they arent pandu's sons.They are kshetraja sons of pandu.And Karna is a kanina son.
Now since pandu didnt adopt him,we can say he doesnt have rights.But pandu died,kunti has the right to adopt him.If kunti adopts him,then he will have be the jyeshta pandava according to the laws at that time.
And this is the reason why krishna offered karna the kingdom to karna.Since yudhishtira is the king,he wont have any objection to giving the kingdom to karna.The pandavas ruled jointly.Though yudhishtira was the king by name.They headed different aspects of administartion.
As for Adiratha being apaviddha father to Karna,his rights to karna cease the moment Kunti adopts Karna.Karna is not a datta putra who is formerly given by kunti to adiratha.It is adiratha who took karna as a putra,when he was abandoned.When he goes back to kunti,the abandonement is over,and rights over the son cease.But karna can still give pind to adiratha as a father as a pandava.There is no rule that karna should give pind to pandu.
The reason that Bhishma said to yudhishtira that karna is the son of adiratha is that karna hasnt accepted krishna's or kunti's offer of kingdom and went to the pandavas.So Bhishma thought let adiratha give the offering to karna.This should not be taken that karna cant be a pandava,and remans a suta no matter what.This is false.An Apaviddha putra remains a son until he is claimed by his parents.Adiratha's rights as apaviddha father to Karna are overtaken by kunti's rights  to karna as a kanina putra.
I hope people understand this.Some people on the internet have misinterpreted bhishma's statement.I hope we know the real facts now.

The mahabharat war would have happended anyway.if karna joins the pandavas,then he wouldn't have fought against the kauravas.he wont fight agsinst duryodhana who gave him kshatriya status.krishna knew this.Karna would have remained neutral and woudnt have participated in the war.Duryodhana would have gone to war,and would have been defeated and kaurvas including,bhishma,drona would have been killed in the war.Then Karna would have been made king to hastinapura and its allied kingdoms.And Yudhihstira would have been made king of Indraprastha and its allied kingdoms.Krishna had this in mind when he offered kingdom to karna.Pandavas would have been happy.Abhimanyu,upapandavas would have been saved.
krishna didnt offer indraprastha to karna,as it was built by pandavas.But,he didn't want karna to accept this offer,as I will explain this in my later posts.

The wind and sun story

 Whe I was young,I used to read comics magazine called twinkle.Its published by Amar chitra katha publihsers.
It used to come monthly with some interesting stories.The maulwi naseeruddin stories used to really informative and fun.There was a story about the sun and wind.The wind says to the sun and says 'I am stronger than you.'Sun says 'who says so.I can blow anything away.So I am stronger.You can't, said the wind.Sun says ok,then he points to a peasant who was wearing a blanket walking on the ground,and asks wind to remove the blanket from the peasant.Wind agrees,and starts blowing strongly on the peasant.The peasant surprised by the wind,held on to the blanket.The stronger the wind blowed,the stronger the peasant held on to the blanket.The wind made the peasant float in the air for a long time,but still the peasant didn't remove the blanket.The wind admits to the sun,that he couldnt do what he said,and asked the sun to do it.The peasant after the wind was sitting on the ground.The sun shined a little more brightly,and the peasant to get relief from that,removed the blanket.What the wind couldn't do with so much if effort,the sun did it with ease.
The wind admitted the sun is superior to him.

Now for the fools claiming that bhima defeated karna anywhere in mahabharata, do I need to say that  karna is the son of surya,bhima is the son of wind.They should have understood what I have said by now.

consipiritors spreading lies in this new age of social communication

 Some lies about mahabharata,and its characters are being written on the internet by some conspiritors.Especially about Karna,padavas.kauravas were evil,as there is not that much of manupulation that can be done to their charecters.They are spreading lies that karna lost to Bhima during the Rajasuya yagya,and also during the Mahabharata war.They are also lying that karna lost to satyaki.I already wrote that karna didnt accompany the kauravas to the gurdaskhina war.These false stories are first spread by some karna haters of a particular sect,which is founded by someone who doesnt have knowledge about the spirituality of the upanishads.Karna haters are now using these false stories which were written a long time ago in a translation in a regional edition on the internet and claiming that these things have happened in the Mahabharata.A particular biased translation of mahabharata cant be the basis of any facts.
So no one should believe these false theories.karna defeated bhima and spared his life.Karna defeated  four pandavas and spared their lives.Karna was not defeated by Arjuna.Bhima didnt have the capability to defeat karna.This regional tanslation praised bhima in some ways and even calls him as best pandava.
Another fasle story is that during the final battle between duryodhana,bhima bhima didnt break the rules of war by hitting at duryodhana's thighs.And that krishna didnt signal to bhima to hit at duryodhana's thighs.
They claim that duryodhana did something called avasthana and jumped in the air and then bhima hit at this thighs.This is not true.Duryodhana was winning the battle against bhima.He was thrashing him soundly.And bhima was losing to duryodhana.Then krishna signals to bhima to hit at his thighs.When duryodhan hits bhima and  bhima fell to the ground,he hit at his thighs.Its easy to strike someone when lying down.It logical.Arjuna,bhima broke rules of war to win against their opponents.They wanted their kingdom.So public shouldn't believe these stories.

Karna,the follower of many Dharma

 Karna is criticised for following contradictory dharmas.And that he is an oppurtunist.This is not true.He was always a a giver of daana,or charity right from childhood.Not from ghosha yatra,as said in mahabharta.
He always gave what people asked him,especially when he was giving arghya to surya in the morning.
Now coming to his boon to kunti,that he wont kill four pandavas,except Arjuna,is well within the friendship dharma of karna to duryodhana.Karna said that he will fight for duryodhana in the kurukshetra war.But he didnt say he will kill pandavas other than Arjuna.And his boon to kunti didnt contradict his friendhsip to duryodhana.When he defeated the pandava army including satyaki,drishtadyumna,bhima,imapanchala warriors and then defeated yudhishtira he said a few words to him and let him go.Duryodhana wanted to capture yudhishtira,not kill him.And when karna had the oppurtunity to capture him,he didnt.He knows that pandavas will lose the war,if he does that.For the release of yudhishtira,duryodhana will demand that pandavas stop the war,and give up their kingdom.karna knows this,and  to make dharmaraja win the war ,he let him go.He didnt go by duryodhana's wish at that time.he went by dharma.As for Arjuna,his survival isnt really needed for the establishment of dharma rajya,or for yudhishtira to win the war.Even if Arjuna is killed by karna,karna would have ensured that Bhima kill duryodhana,and he will be recogonised as kunti's son later.And karna didnt stop bhima from killing dushasana.He was just a few feet away from bhima,and with one arrow,he could have cut the head of bhima.But he allowed bhima to kill dushasana and fulfill his pran or oath for dragging draupadi to the dice hall.So this shows the dharmic nature of karna.When he was not aware that he was the elder pandavas,he accpeted anga kingdom,and kshatriya status given by duryodhana.karna is human,and this is the only way he could fight with other warriors and prove his valour.But once he knew who he was,his opininon has changed.He fought for duryodhana,but ensuredthe victory of the yudhishtira,pandavas.Arjuna doesnt really count as I have already said.It is krishna who favoured Arjuna.And the gita is a later addtion to the Mahabharata,which shows krishna as god,and his preferance to Arjuna.gita was written to counter buddhism,and its ideas, and to get people back to hindu dharma.So karna was made evil at that time.Many buddhist ideas are there in gita.
As I said earlier,he fought the war with Arjuna.He spared the four pandavas.He didnt capture yudhishtira.He followed his charity.And more importantly,he didnt break the rules of war.He always fought according to the rules.Even wth Abhimanyu he didnt fight with full energy.Karna said that he is staying in battlefield beasue he should not flee.But did he really mean that?No.He was indirectly praising his nephew.He cant prasie him directly because duryodhana is there.He broke the bow of Abhimanyu,because Abhimanyu was destroying kaurava army.He didn't shoot arrows against him.Others like Ashwatthama,kritavarma,shalya shot arrows.
Also,even drona was reluctant to kill him.But he had to defeat him,to protect duryodhana.
After karna's chariot wheel has stuck in the ground,Arjuna should have gone against duryodhana,and  then captured him.Then bhima would have fought with duryodhana,and killed him.That would have been best ending to the mahabharat war.Maybe karna was hoping for this,but krishna because of his selfish reasons asked Arjuna to kill Karna.
It is said that sugriva will always help god vishnu.And he is part of vishnu.He helped Rama with his army.
Now his younger brother,Karna in mahabharata helped god with the kaurava army,whom he is the commander.Though he is on enemy's side,he ensured victory of Dharma's,pandava's victory.Whether krishna is god or not,god is on the side of dharma isnt it.

The best ending of mahabharata war

 The mahabharata war didnt get the best ending.Krishna with his conspiracy,made Arjuna kill karna by adharmaic means,and made Yudhishtira angry and also made kunti regret for not teeling pandavas about karna.When Karna chariot wheel was stuck in earth,Arjuna should have allowed Karna to go back.And attacked duryodhana.Only Ashwatthama was protecting duryodhana so Arjuna with satyaki,bhima could have easily captured duryodhana.Karna could not have done anything as he was without chariot.After capturing duryodhana,he shsould have been asked to fight a duel with Bhima.And if Bhima could not kill duryodhana,then bhima could have killed him by breaking his thighs.And then karna shsould have been revealed as eleder brother of pandavas.Then all would have been well.Pandavas would have been happy,and kunti would have been happy.And the upapandavas would not have been killed.But Krishna for his selfish reasons made Arjuna kill Karna.And ths made yudhishtira angry,and made kunti unhappy.

Simple Logic

 It is simple logic.Fo people who believe Rama,Krishna are divine or god incarnates.Even incarnations can  do wrong things.Vali is a better warrior than sugriva.He cant be defetaed when fighting from front.So Rama killed him from behind when vali was fighting with sugriva.So here incarnate was against the stronger warrior.Krishna asked Arjuna to kill Karna when his chariot wheel was stuck and he got down to lift it.So here the incarnate is against the stronger warrior siding against the warrior who is on dharma side as the believers say.So Karna is a better warrior than Arjuna.So the believers have to accept this.I dont understand why there is so much of debate on this.
I am not talking about the people who are logical here.

Arjuna's defeat by the Abhiras

 After the yadavas in dwaraka killed themselves in fighting among themselves and krishna's death,Arjuna was taking the wives of the yadavas to hastinpaura.While he was on his way,he was attacked by the Abhiras,a tribe opposed to the yadavas.They knew the yadavs had died,and they attacked the women who had precious belongings as well.But Arjuna coudnt so anything.With difficulty he lifted the gandiva,and shot arrows,but they fell short of them.He coukdnt invoke celestial weapons.He then fought them with hand to hand,but he could save krishna's eight wives,and some important yadava women.But The Abhiras,peasants who attacked took away some woman,and their belongings.This shows that Arjuna is not a great a warrior as he is projected to be.At that age,he could be in his seventies.He is not older than Bhishma  or Drona at the time of Mahabharata war.They have fought in the war well.But Arjuna's defeat by the Abhiras,peasants also show another thing about Arjuna's valour.He is not good in hand to hand combat.He is good when he has his gandiva.He basically learnt  dhanurvidya.And he didnt have to fight other weapons like mace,sword with others.Without the bow,even nakula,sahadeva are better warriors than him,But in this situation,hand to hand combat is needed.And at this age,he couldnt fight the thieves.
In the mahabharata war,he fought with those who were following rules of war.Like Karna,Bhishma.And he could kill them when chariot wheel is sunk in earth,or using shikhandi as a shield.But the Abhiras,peasants didnt follow any rules of war.So Arjuna got defeated by them.He was punished for killing karna unrighteously.And krishna who asked karna to be killed when his chariot is stuck,he also got killed like a  hunted animal.This is the result of his advice of Adharma yuddha and making pandavas kill their enemies,by unrighteous means.So he was punihsed for his karma.
So one shouldnt do Adharma,otherwise one will be punihsed for these things.

Aswatthama's right words

 Ashwatthama's was angry after the death of Drona.He said these words.

I have now learnt how my sire has been slain by those low wretches after he laid aside his weapons, and how also has a sinful act been perpetrated by Yudhishthira disguised in the grab of virtue! 1 I have now heard of that unrighteous and exceedingly cruel act of Dharma's son. Indeed, to those engaged in battle, either of the two things must happen, viz., victory or defeat. Death in battle is always to be applauded. That death, in battle, of a person engaged in fight, which takes place under circumstances of righteousness, is not deserving of grief, as has been observed by the sages. Without doubt, my sire has gone to the region of heroes. He having met with such a death, I should not grieve for him. The humiliation, however, of a seizure of his locks, that he sustained in the very sight of all the troops, while he was righteously engaged in battle, is tearing the very core of my heart. Myself alive, my sire's locks were seized, why should sonless people then entertain a desire of offspring? 2 People perpetrate unrighteous acts or humiliate others, moved by lust or wrath or folly or hatred or levity. The cruel and wicked-souled son of Prishata hath perpetrated this exceedingly sinful act in total disregard of me Dhrishtadyumna, therefore, shall surely suffer the dreadful consequence of that act, as also the false-speeched son of Pandu, that has acted so wrongly. Today, the earth shall certainly drink the blood of that king Yudhishthira the just, who caused the preceptor, by an act of deceit to lay aside his weapons. I swear by truth, O Kauraveya, as also by my religious acts, that I shall never bear the burden of life if I fail to exterminate the Panchalas. By every means I contend with the Panchalas in dreadful strife. I shall certainly slay in battle Dhrishtadyumna, that perpetrator of unrighteous deeds. Mild or violent, let the means be what they will, I shall effect the destruction of all the Panchalas before peace becomes mine. O Kaurava!

So Ashwatthama killed drishtyadyumna ,and other brothers of draupadi on thenight of Duryodhana's death.He also killed Draupadi's five sons.He didnt want panchala descendents to live.Saputika parva was part of shalya parva.It was later made into a separate parva by later editors of Mahabharata.Its not a play or added later.The Hindu rightwingers want to believe that sauptika parva is added later becasue it negates the victory of the pandavas.And the pandava victory will be useless.Thethe truth is pandava victory is not useful.That is what makes mahabharata an epic.Mahabharata is not a happy ending story.It is these things that made mahabharata popular for  along time.
Ashwatthama was caught by pandavas as he agreed that he didnt know how to withdraw the Brahmashira astra.And Arjuna with this permission has withdrawn both the astras.Draupadi has to let Ashwatthamam go.Because by now she realised that revenge is not good.It took this much time for her to realise this.
And krishan curse to Ashwatthama is false.Ashwatthama certianly didn't live thousands of years.That is made up by some.He went away somewhere after this.

Hindu rightwingers opposition to Karna

 Hindu rightwingers are opposed to  karna.I am not talking about the knowledgable people or spiritually or religionally inclined people here.Its the rightwing fanatics who believe some facts without logic,and cocnsistently lie about the divinities of some people or defend the manupulations of the epics.They wont understand logic.Hindu rightwingers dont like Karna as he posed a challengge to the class system based on occupation of that era.Suta caste is a high caste,but some sutas became charioters who werent that rich.So they were considered inferior to royal born kshatriyas.The rightwingers want Arjuna who is born in a royal family to beocme the greatest archer,and bow wielder.Thats why they support the later additions to the mahabharata such as ghosha yatra.And much of virat war is manupulated anyway.
next is Karna fought on the kauravas side becasue of his friendship with duryodhana.And becasue duryodhana made him the Anga King,and gave him the kshatriya status.By the time he knew he was kunti's son,a lot of time has passed for him to go to the pandavas side.But he gave a word to kunti that he will spare the lives of pandavas escept Arjuna as he promised his friend duryodhana that he will fight with Arjuna.
And he spared the lives of all four pandavas.Bhima,Sahadeva in Drona parva, Yudhishtira,nakula in karna parva.Sparing sahadeva was not there in kmg version,but is clearly mentioned in south editions.So the four pandavas were alive because of him.Since Bhishma said he wont kill padavas,and drona wouldnt kill them anyway.So if he doenst kill them then the four pandavas are spared.
The rightwingers dont like this.How could the pandavas who are divine,and supported by krishna who is god,be alive becasue of karna who fought on the side of duryodhana.So they make up stories that Bhima wasnt defeated by karna,and they ignore sahadeva being spared.Infact they say that Bhima spared karna.They manupulate facts for their agenda.
Most importantly,Krishan asked Arjuna to kill karna when his chariot wheel is stuck,and he got down to lift it.So if karna is a good person,then it makes,krishna,Arjuna evil.So they will have to make karna evil,to make krishna.Arjuna divine.So they lie about a lot of things,that he is a war monger,that he the cause of duryodhana's evil and so on.These are baseless things.
karna didnt invite the pandavas to the dice game.He didnt bet their wealth,draupadi.He didnt ask dushasana to drag drauapadi to the dice hall.He didnt say anything later.But some say he is evil.
The rightwingers should realise that karna is a better warrior than Arjuna,and a better person than Arjuna.They should stop these manupulations.

The sudarshana chakra didnt exist

 The mahabharata mentions about sudarshana chakra of krishna,and how as he used on some occasions.
THe sudarshana chakra doesnt exist.Its a later addition to make make krishna god.The first instance is that of slaying shishupala where krishna uses sudarshana chakra.What happened was a battle between krishna and sishupala and after hours of fighting krishna managed to slay sishupala.Sishupala was not somebody who could be killed easily.There are some books written by some poets about the battle between krishna,sishupala.
Krishna,sishupala have enemity for a long time.Krishna's plans for yadava kingdoms were opposed by sishupala.Krishna adviced  the pandavas to conduct the Rajasuya Yaga,and subdue all kings,so it will eliminate his enemies.So that the yadavas will be safe and can prosper.He became the political advisor to the pandavas,and also adviced them on other matters.Sishupala didnt like this.So when the rajasuya yaga was started,he along with some kings had a plan to attack krishna and kill him.So he started abusing Krishna and challenged him to a fight.The other kings also supported him.Krishna,sishupala came outside and  mounted on a chariot and started fighting.Sishupala strikes krishna with many arrows,and so does krishna.
After some hours of fighting,krishna manages to slay sishupala.This battle is detailedly written by some poets in some books.Later on this was changed to Krishna killing sishupala with the sudarshana chakra.THis was done after Krishna was made god by pro pandava writers of mahabharata.
The second instance where krishna used the sudarshana chakra is when he attacked Bhishma in the mahabharata war,when Bhishma was causing widespread destruction,and Arjuna was not able to stop it.Although the mahabharata depicts that krishna used a chariot wheel instead of a chakra,but this is written in some other books.
The third time is when he uses the  sudarshan chakra to eclipse the sun,so that Jayadratha could come out and Arjuna could kill him.The original mahabharata says that krishna used maya instead of sudarshan chakra.
So its clear the the sudarshana chakra didnt exist,and it is later addition by people who waned to make krishna god.

Karna,Shalya conversation

 Some hindu right wingers in their articles,Arjuna fans, criticised karna as being opposed to women's liberation as because of a argument he had with shalya when he was the charioteer of karna on the seventeenth day of mahabharata war.Karna was killed unrighteously that day as shalya didnt raise the chariot from the earth.
The kmg version says that shalya says karna doesnt know a man's duties and karna abused the women of madra kingdom to whom shalya is king.Madra kingdom today is in Afghanistan,beside gandhara kingdom.
The kmg version doesn't give full details of that conversation.Shalya first abused anga kingdom women,and Karna abused back at madra kingdom women.Karna wasnt opposed to women's liberation or was he regressive in anyway.He just mocked shalya back.Shalya was requested by yudhishtira and krishna to weaken karna's resolve when he becomes he charioteer of karna.And so shalya kept on praising Arjuna,Abusing karna,anga kingdom people to divert karna's attention.There is a term called shalya sarathya in sanskrit.That means if someone talks discouragingly negatively on anyone doing anything it is called shalya sarathya.It was a deliberate plan by krishna.Shaly showed his loyalty to pandavas by not lifting karna's chariot from the earth.So karna had to come down to lift it.And he also didnt fight that well on eighteenth day and was killed by yudhishtira,there by making pandavas win the war.
if some people dont realise what karna was saying and take these things as they are then they will get confused.Karna,Shaklya conservation is not a representation of karna's opinions.
Also some conspiritors,Arjuna fans, are saying that karna is a supporter of the caste,class system,which he opoosed before he was anga king.So he is an oppurtunist.This is nonsense.Karna said that madra people had no respect for brahmins,and this was rewuired for any people in aryavarta kingdoms.This doesnt mean supporting class.
Some prs,might be doing this deliberately,or they might not know facts.But this should stop.

The south version has been translated into other laguages.It has details of the conversation.
This is what shalya said to karna.
'Karna! why you are saying like that. Dont you know about yourself? Bhishma declared you as an useless Ardha Radha. I heard that the people of your Anga Kingdom are experts in women trafficking and flesh trade. You are the king of such kingdom. You first realise your fault and then point out others’ faults.'

So its obvious that shalya was abusing karna,anga people.

Drona didnt take any gurudakshina

 We know that Drona rejected ekalavya as his disciple.And ekalavya started practicing Archery in the presence of Drona's statue.And he became as good as an archer as Arjuna.And we know the rest of the story also.Its not true that drona demanded ekalavya's thumb as gurudakshina.Drona and kauravas went on a hunting expedition,and there Drona found ekalavya who could shoot four arrows into the mouth of a dog.
Upon observing Mahabharata verses,I logically came to the conculsion that Drona didnt demand any gurudakshina from ekalavya.Firstly Drona didnt teach ekalavya.So Drona can't demand any gift from him.
That would be an evil act and a person of Drona's integrity wouldnt do it.He will loose his astra vidya if he does something like this.And ekalavya did not know any divyastras.He might have equalled Arjuna in archery but without the divyastras or divine weapons he cant be superior to Arjuna.Drona knew this.
Though Arjuna did complain first, drona has told him that he didnt teach him.And Arjuna also knows ekalavya cant equal him in other aspects.And There are so many other things that one should learn apart from shooting arrows to become a great bow wielder.So the question of drona demanding anything from ekalavya doest arise.Ekalavya still can be defeated if he is attacked by many warriors,and krishna's army has killed him.

Yudhishtira's moral lapse

lets look at some facts.
Duryodhana poisions Bhima,and Bhima survives.Yudhishtira is too young to either forgive or take revenge.Also Bhishma must have given duryodhana some punishment.

In the dice game,it is yudhishtira who betted till the end and lost even draupadi.Its his addcition which should be blamed here.
 So is he as forgiving as many claim.He fought the war,and killed all enemies,and got the kingdiom.He doesnt hesitate to kill enemies if necessary.

When duryodhana gave his kingdom after shalya's death,Yudhishtira didnt accept it.He talked about all of duryodhana's acts before and said he will not leave him.He asked to fight with one of the pandavas,and take his weapon of his choice.If he is killed he will go to veera swarga or heaven.If he wins he will get kingdom.
So he didnt forgive duryodhana.And since he cant kill an enemy who is not fighting,he wants him to fight.He knew that duryodhana will choose bhima's opponent.Although Bhima couldnt kill him in righteous manner,he had to slash the thighs to kill him.If he had agreed to take kingdom from duryodhna,then upapandavas would have been alive.Ashwatthama wouldnt have killed them as duryodhana asked.

Rules of war

 I am listing the rules of war in mahabharata times.
Most warriors fought from chariots.A warrior on chariot can fight with a warrior on elephant or a warrior on ground who is armed.
A warrior on chariot can kill a warrior on chariot who is unarmed if he doesn't turn back or flee or surrender.
Any number of warriors can attack a warrior on a chariot provided the warrior knows how many are attacking him.This could be 180 degrees.There is no such rule that only one warrior should attack another warrior.
A warrior should not be attacked from behind.
A warrior on chariot should not attack a warrior on ground who is unarmed.
A warior on ground can kill a warrior on ground who is unarmed who is defeated by him.This is how bhima killed Dushasana.
A warrior on chariot can attack a warior on ground who is armed.
Although elephants,horses were rare.These rules apply for those warriors also.
So we know that karna's killing is unrighteous.

Karna,Arjuna comparision

 Now lets compare karna with Arjuna as Archers,warriors.This is a topic that has been discussed by many.
Many people who believe that krishna is god say Arjuna is a better warrior.Some misconceptions like karna being defeated by drupada,bhima are cleared in this blog.And karna also didnt lose in the draupadi swayamvar.So what remains is karna's supposed loss to gandharvas, and virat war.Arjuna himself didnt win against the gandharvas,so that is cancelled out.And also the gandharvas,asuras could be later make Arjuna superior.So  only the virar war,mahabharat war remain.The importance of virat war is less.The kauravas came to mastya kingdom  and captured the cows so that Arjuna will come out of hiding,and they can identofy him.And the pandavas will again serve 12 years in exile and one year in disguise.But when duryodhana,and other kauravas arrived its already a six or seven days since the thirteethn year has passed.This Bhishma says to duryodhana.When the kauravas capture cows and wait,Arjuna comes,and Bhishma says its no use as thirteen years are alreasy passed.Now the war has no importance.But still duryodhana insists on fighting with Arjuna.And all the kaurava warriors attack Arjuna.And Arjuna defeates them.Although no kaurava warrior has the intention of killing Arjuna,the fighting continues.Arjuna,kkarna fight for soemtime and karna is wounded and flees.Then Arjuna defeats all kauravas by using the sammohana astra and making them asleep.And Arjuna tells uttara his charioteer,bring all the robes of kaurava warriors but dont go near Bhishma as he knows how to counter this weapon,This shows that Arjuna is intent on making a quick end to this,and neither he nor the kaurava warriors are interested in this.Now even Drona also faints.Which divyastra is there that drona cant counter.This whole virat war seems fake to me.
And when uttara brings the robes,Bhishma fires a few arrows,and Arjuna counters them and goes away.Within a minute all the others get up and want to attack again but Bhishma says its no use.So they stop.
This shows that Arjuna had an upperhand over karna on that day if we take this virat war as real.

Next coming to mahabharata war,karna fights for seven days and none could capture him or kill him in righteous way.He fights with satyaki,Drishtadyumna,panchala warriors and defeats them many times.
He successfulyl stops Arjuna from killing jayadratha before sunset,before jayadratha is killed by deciet,Karna,Arjuna fight for more than an hour that day.They meet in the war many times and karna counters Arjuna well.The decisive moment is on the seventeenth day.Arjuna goes to fight with the samsaptakas.I woder why arjuna didnt kill all samsaptakas by then if he is such a great warrior.kaurava army is without Bhishma,Drona and shalya on thta day as shalya is karna's charioteer.karna defeats bhima,satyaki,drishtadyumna and more than twenty panchala warriors and then defeats yudhishtira who is protected by them.If he captured yudhishtira,the war would have been over,If he killed him,the war is over.karna has won the war for the kauravas,duryodhana.This is the greatest acheivement by karna.Arjuna coudnt come as he is surrounded by samsaptakas.he then insults yudhishtira and makes him flee from the battlefiled.Thats because he wanted yudhishtira to win the war and he gave a word to kunti that he will spare four pandavas.Arjuna doesnt have a moment like this in mahabharata war.Even after Drona's death,when the kaurava army is wthout three imprortant warriors,he still could not get to duryodhana,and defeat him.He didnt have a moment like karna.And after yudhishtira flees,the pachalas attack him from all sides and karna uses Bhargavastra on them.And many panchalas get killed,flee away.Then Arjuna not able to withstand ,says its better to live,and Krishna says we should visit yudhishtira who is not on the battlefield.Its obvious that Arjuna has fled from the battlefield from karna.This is more important than karna fleeing from Arjuna in the virat war.
This shows that karna is a superior Archer,warrior than Arjuna.Both are great warriors,but in a mile,karna is ahead by two or three feet.

Did Draupadi abuse Dharmaraja

 When yudhishtira or dhramraja lost all his kingdom,he betted and lost his brothers,and them he betted himself and lost.He then betted draupadi and lost.When duryodhana sends pratikamin to bring draupadi to the dice hall,draupadi asks 'ask that kitavam whether he lost himself first or me'and then she mentions about dharmaraja as king.Kitavam not only means a gambler but also dishonest person or rogue.There are other words for gamblers.So she might have abused him cleverly.

Where starmahabhrat got it right and wrong

I have been watching mahabharat on startv since a few days.They have a new concept of characters,different from brchopra mahabharat.My observation is that they are right in making Karna's character handsome,and righteous and not with grey shades like brcmb.Karna was a handome man and known for righteousness,and only fought for duryodhana becasue he helped him.He wanted yudhishtira or dharmaraja to win the war and become the king.That Bhishma favouring Arjuna from the begining is not there.Bhishma notices  karna's valour from the begining and asks his foster father adiratha to take him to magadha so that he could learn astravidya or archery.Drona who rejects Karna in his gurukul also has respect for Karna.
The karna Kunti angle has been well shown.As I have written earlier,kunti was always talking to karna as he grew up.The makers did their own research.
The makers distorted the division of hastinapura into two kingdoms.The entire creation of Indraprastha and Arjuna's piligrimage has been distorted.But it doesnt affect the main epic.The subhadra harana was distorted.They wanted to make it more dramtic.No need for this.
The slaying of jarasandha was done in a different way.Probably starmb makers did their own research.Unlike the prevailing stories that jarasandha invited karna for a fight,it could be that duryodhana wanted to defeat jarasandha,and karna defeated jarasandha.
The Rajasuya yaga was just ok.And they did create a reason for duryodhana to become angry at the pandavas.
They got one thing right in dice game.That kana was not sitting with duryodhana when the dice game was played.This was one most important research that makers had done.And even dushasana was not sitting with duryodhana.The dice game however was distorted.To make yudhishtira look good makers made some changes.Shakuni introduces some rules before the dice game begins and yudhishtira agrees.So he has to bet till end.This was not there in original mahabharat.And as  have written earler karna didnt say anything during the dice game.The makers are also going to show him in good way.There is more drama on the dice game.
Yudhishtira should have been shown as addicted to gambling.

Karna was known all along

 We are told that karna was abandoned by kunti. in the ganges in kunti rajya and he floated and reached Hastinapura kingdom (or anga accordig to some versons) and Adiratha found him and brought him home and adopted him.Then later Kunti chooses pandu in swayamvara,and reaches hastinapura.This is not a coincidence.Kunti found out where karna reached and who has adopted him.She inquired about a boy found on the ganges,and found out that Adiratha a suta,a charioteer and a minitser of Dhritarashtra has adopted him.When a swayamvara was arranged she deliberately chose pandu,the king of hastinapura.So that she can stay in hastinapura where karna is brought up.After she went to hastinapura she met karna as a child.karna is four years older than yudhishtira.Pandu was impotent so she had children by niyoga through other men.She was constantly watching karna as he grew up.She talked to him till he reached adult age.He knew her as queen as hastinapur and also as former queen.But didnt know she is her mother.Kunti knew karna is her son.
The kmg version says when karna entered then rang bhoomi,and challenged Arjuna kunti recoginised him with many auspicious marks on him.This is not true.She already knew that he is her son,She could have even provided Adiratha financial help for karna.But she didnt admit that karna is her son even when karna is called as a suta putra,and denied admission to Drona's gurukul or denied from contesting with Arjuna as he is not a prince.That was her mistake.She told karna that he was her son just before the mahabharata war.Bu that time karna was a friend of duryodhana for a long time,and could not abandon him.But he said he will spare four pandavas other than Arjuna.She was talking to him throughout the mahabharata.This was well shown by star plus mahabharata.They were right in showing the kunti karna relationship.Kunti going to karna just before the war and asking for boon is false.Why will karna grant any boon to someone who abandoned him after he was born.karna was known all along to kunti.If she said he is her son at the time of raja suya yaga,he would have come to the pandavas side.

Karna didn't have curses

 We are always told that karna had two curses,And he was killed because of those curses.This is not true.One curse is that of his guru  parashurama,who cursed that he will forget mantras of celestial weapons when he needs them.Another curse is that of a Brahmin which said that his chariot wheel will sink in ground and he will be killed.These are later additions.The guru that Karna went is not parashurama but someone who resembled parashurama.He is another person who knows the sastas and astras well.He seems to have taught Drona first.And he probably lived remotely.And he also might have been as the same age as Bhishma is.
He saw karna and first taught him basic archery.And then becoming impressed,he taught him all divyastras.
karna didnt lie to him that he was a brahmin.And that guru after looking a karna knew that he was a natural born kshatriya.And he conisdered karna as his equal.he gave a special astra called bhargavastra.This could be something else though for karna to acheive victory over his enemies.Karna knew that he was better than Arjuna in archery,thats why he challenged him.The second curse is also false.karna wont practice archery where cows are around.Someone like him always practices in a remote place.The reason why this curse was invented was to shield Arjuna from the unrighteous killing of karna in mahabharata war.And also to shiled krishna who asked  Arjuna to do it.
There is a curse so they killed karna,so they werent repsonsible was the logic of the manupualtors.Otherwise wouldnt people say that Arjuna didnt follow the rules of war,and killed karna in an adarmic way.The manupulators wanted Arjuna not to do any Adharma.Karna's chariot sunk as it went into soft soil as mahabharata says.Karna,Arjuna were fighting for an hour,and karna was having an  upper hand.First Arjuna's chariot wheel sunk a little,then krishna got down and pulled it out.karna conitinued fighting as Arjuna was in the chariot.Then karna's chariot sunk.It is then that shalya showed his loyalty to the pandavas by not getting down to pull the chariot wheel out.Karna asked shalya to pull the chariot out,shalya refused.shalya is a relative of pandavas though he might not be their uncle.So karna had to get down to pull the chariot out.he could not take an another chariot becasue there was no chariot near him at that time.Dushasana was killed,and kaurava warriors near him went away.He was fighting alone with Arjuna.Duryodhana,Ashwatthama were watching from a distance.And karna asked Arjuna to wait as someone on the ground unarmed cant be atacked.But here krishna says karna is wicked asks Arjuna to kill karna.karna grabbed his bow and a few arrows and started fighting on the ground.Soon they were exhausted.The arrows were stored in an place in a chariot and karna couldnt get them without climbing on the chariot.karna did shoot an arrow which made Arjuna stop for a few seconds,and then he again tried to pull the chariot out.Arjuna recovered,and then killed karna.The chariot could have been pulled out by shalya.If shalya has pulled out the chariot,then karna would have continued fighting and defetaed or killed Arjuna or retreated as it was just a hour to sunset.And then he could have come again next day killed Arjuna.Arjuna was exhausted after fighting with karna.And he realsied that he will not be able to kill karna except in this way.If Arjuna is that great a warrior as he is projected to be,he would have waited till karna pulled the chariot out or allowed karna to return and comeback next day.He didnt do it,and hence we can say karna is a better warrior than Arjuna.

Karna didnt go with the kauravas to capture Drupada

 I have been reading the kmg version where its said that the kauravas went first to capture drupada as gurudakshina to drona.And then karna's name was added.Why will karna go with the kauravas as he is not a disciple of drona.Some manupulator has added karna here.And then as main kauravas including karna attacked drupada,he counterattacks and then all of them flee from the scene.Then there is no mention of karna.!It doesnt not mention karna shooting any arrows or any divyastras against drupada.And when after the kauravas were attacked by drupada,their names were mentioned,but karna is ingored.So its clear that karna didnt go with the kauravas,and his name is included to downgrade him,so that Arjuna does something that karna couldnt do.To say that karna lost to drupada is a blatant lie,and shows the conspiracy of some people to make him look inferior to Arjuna.karna defeated drupada in his digvijay later alone with his army.And karna defeated Jarasandha alone.The jarasandha from whom krishna ran away from mathura to dwaraka unable to face him in battle.The jarasandha whom krishna,bhima,arjuna had to go in disguise and ask for a wresting duel with bhima.Karna can easily defeat drupada.And kmg version also has a verse saying drona taught karna which is false.Drona's  gurukul is only for kshatriya prices.Its not even for ordianry kshatriyas.So why will drona teach karna who is not even a kshatriya at that time.And one verse says Karna became jealous of Arjuna in gurukul.This is again false.Seems some conspiritor wants to create an image of karna as someone who is jealous of Arjuna.

 Bhima defeating karna in for the Rajasuya yaga is false.Anga Kingdom is part of hastinapura,and Bhima wont fight with Karna.The sanskrit verses were translated wrongly.The verses say karnam means listen in sanskrit.And Another verse could have the term karanam which means because or by the act of.

The sanskrit verse in draupadi swayamvara that karna lifted the bow and drapuadi stopped him saying she doesnt want a suta as her lord is removed in kmg sanskrit version.The hindu rightwingers might have asked to remove them.And one verse is wrongly stated.

The sankrit verse meaning is

major kings like karna,shalya,who are famous,strong,and have knowledge in dhanurveda did not do
then how come it is possible for this brahmin who is not skilled in weapons.inclined to weakness,could string the bow?



yat karṇa śalya pramukhaiḥ pārthivair lokaviśrutaiḥ
      nānṛtaṃ balavadbhir hi dhanurvedā parāyaṇaiḥ

Now there is a word missing here.The sentence is incomplete.
It is 'the task'

It is not yat karna but yatkarin or yatkaryam which measn the task.

So it is
yat karin(yatkaryam) śalya pramukhaiḥ pārthivair lokaviśrutaiḥ
      nākritam balavadbhir hi dhanurvedā parāyaṇaiḥ


So the sentence means the task which major kings like  shalya,who are famous,strong,and have knowledge in dhanurveda was not done,then how is it possible for this brahmin who is not skilled in weapons.inclined to weakness, to string the bow?

tat kathaṃ tv akṛtāstreṇa prāṇato durbalīyasā
      baṭu mātreṇa śakyaṃ hi sajyaṃ kartuṃ dhanur dvijāḥ

It is not nanritam,It is nakritam.this means was not done.Sanskrit verse should be changed here.Karna's name is not there here.

Karna was not sitting with duryodhana in Dice hall

 When we think of the dice game between yudhishtira and shakuni who played on behalf of duryodhana,we think of pandavas sitting on one side and duryodhana,shakuni,dushasana,karna sitting on the other side in the center of the hall.But after reading the kmg version I relaised that karna wasnt sitting with duryodhana.!
He was sitting with othe kings in the hall on Asanas or seats,becasue all people who were connected with the kauravas were invited.Infact even dushasana was not sitting with duryodhana.he was also sitting with other people in the hall.Only duryodhana,shakuni were playing on one side.The kmg version says after vikarna said that draupadi has not been won,karna with a loud roar rose up,and said that she has been won,and she is a bandhaki.So its clear that he was sitting with others watching the game.And when she was brought to the hall,it is he who asked Dushasana to disrobe her.This is made up.The only people who could order dushasana are Duryodhana or Dhritarashtra.karna has no authority to order anything.Why will dushasana obey karna.And then epic says dushasana obeys karna and then cloth after cloth appears and dharma saves draupadi.This is gain made up and not a fact.Some one wnated to include karna in the draupadi being dragged episode and make him the villain.So he added these karna verses.Karna was killed unrighteosuly in the Mahabharat war by Arjuna on krishna's orders in total disregard to the rules of war.And there is no justification for this.So to justify that these karna verses were added.And also the disrobing clearly didnt take place as draupadi or the pandavas don't speak about it.Only that she being dragged is being talked.Karna was just sitting in the assembly hall and didnt say anything.It was probably duryodhana who might have said something,and elders have interfered and made dhritarashtra retunrn the kingdom to the pandavas.And then the condidtion of 12 years of exile.
And karna's words that draupadi should take another husband are also added.The verse changes in karna parva as pandavas are  like seasome seeds in soil.There is a distortion there.

The so called karna Arjuna rivalry doesnt seem to exist in kmg version.It is only after the mahabharata war that the rivalry starts.There is no jealousy towards each other.
Arjuna even after dice game doesnt vow to kill karna as written in books.After the pandavas set out to Indraprastha Bhima asks the pandavas that kauravas,karna,Shakuni,should be killed.Arjuna then says if our kingdom is not returned in 13 years,then I will slay karna.This doesnt seem to be a vow.This could have been later added.Sahandeva says he will kill shakuni.

Arjuna also says 'if we lose draupadi,we can get another hundred draupadis,but if we fight and  kill ourselves,there wont be another like us.'This shows that Arjuna didnt give importance to draupadi.he was giving importance to subhadra.

Karna didn't break the bow from behind

One of the Allegations against Karna is that he participated in the unrighteous killing of Abhimanyu.That he broke his bow from behind.This is not true.And this was a propaganda made later when karna was made wicked.After Abhimanyu attacks the main kaurava maharathis,they are overwhelmed  by his fighting skills.
Karna then asks Drona as how he could be defeated.Abhimanyu has surprised karna with striking him with arrows.Drona replies that his armour is not penetrable.I have taught his father arjuna on how to make this type of armour.You can cut his bow,break the horse reins,make the charioteers on both sides of the chariot fall down,break his chariot.And this will make him turn back,and then attack him.This Drona says to all the maharathis along with Karna.Drona says ' etat kuru maheshwasa radheya yadi sakyate, arthainam vumukhikritva paschat praharanam kuru.That means o great Archer karna,If you can do this(can bow his bow,and also  his chariot),this means he will turn back,and then attack him.Now this paschat praharanam kuru is often misunderstood as make Abhimanyu turn back that is ( vumukhikritva),and paschat praharanam kuru ( attack later).The words are misplaced before and after and this gives a different meaning.Drona asks karna to attack Abhimanyu after his bow is broken,and all these things are done.Not before.This was clearly written in borc Mahabaharata, and the kmg versions.The south versions of mahabharata have changed the sanskrit words and made it look like karna broke the bow from behind.This is not true.Karna then broke Abhimanyu's bow from front.Then kritavarma  cut off reins of horses,kripa killed charioteers,This made  Abhimanyu take a sword and jump to the ground.Then  Drona cut off his sword.Then Abhimanyu took up the chariot wheel,and fought for some time.Then took up a mace,and fought.Then dushasana's son fought with him and killed him.And they also didnt attack abhimanyu as a whole and kill him as wrongly shown in some tv versions of mahabharat.
Though Abhimanyu's death is unfortunate,it was definitely not against the rules.And karna was not repsonsible as said by some.

 tad ācāryavacaḥ śrutvā karṇo vaikartanas tavaran
     asyato laghuhastasya pṛṣatkair dhanur ācchinat

This clearly says Karna upon listening to the words of drona ,cut off the bow with arrows.

Prashaktair means with arrows.Its been corrupted as karna from behind cut off the bow.This is an attempt to make karna evil,and not a  follower of rules of war.The pro Pandava prs,wanted a reason for pandavas breaking the rules of war and winning the war.