Reading Notes: Narayan's Mahabarta, Part D

This section starts with the tensions between the Pandavas and their cousins very high. Duryodhana has refused the peace proposition from the Pandavas. Yudhistra again attempts to make peace with Dhritarashtra, but even though Dhritarashtra is amenable to peace and wants to meet with Krishna, Duryodhana has decided to disrupt the peace talks.Krishna, being a divine being, is able to dissuade Duryodahana from attempting any sort of intervention in the talks. Krishna also talks to Karna, who has is still thinking about his battle with Arjuna. Krishna tells him his true identity and lineage. He then tries to convince him to no longer follow Duryodhana, but Karna, too focused on battling Arjuna, refuses, but he does promise to only fight Arjuna and spare the other Pandava children.

At this point in the story, the long-awaited war between the two clans is about to happen. The book spends little time on the more general preparations, but instead focuses on the commanders and how they prepare. Arjuna listens to Krishna before the battle. Krishna imparts the values of duty that are necessary for a kshatriya. The words he extolls make up the Bhagavad Gita, which is not actually written out in the version of the Mahabharata that I am currently reading. This speech rouses Arjuna from his present weakness and energizes him for the coming battle. 

Once the battle began, Dhristadyumna tries to avenge the humiliation done to his father, Drupada, by Drona, the guru who taught the Pandavas and the others. Bhisma has convinced Karna not to fight, because he is worried that Krishna, a literal god, would destroy him. This seems like a well thought out decision, because who would want to dance toe to toe with a god, but Bhisma himself attacks Krishna and although he is not slain by him, he is slain by Arjuna. This prompts Karna to begin fighting.

The battle is quite detailed and long. Even though it took so long to make it to this point the battle is a worthy payoff for the time spent setting it up. The epic duel between Karna and Arjuna, ends with Arjuna killing Karna, after his chariot becomes stuck in the ground. The story ends fairly abruptly from there.

Arjuna Kills Krishna. Painted By B.G. Sharma Source

Bibliography
R.K. Narayan. Mahabharata. Kindle