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.