The dreadful Bhārgavastra, invoked by Karna with the sacred wisdom inherited from Paraśurāma, swept across the battlefield like a consuming ocean of fire. Its blazing fury devoured everything before it, leaving the earth scorched and the sky veiled in smoke. The Pandava army stood paralyzed before that irresistible torrent of destruction. Their confidence drained away like the lifeblood flowing from fallen warriors, and their hearts trembled at the thought of Karna’s next assault. Cries of anguish filled the air as frightened soldiers called upon Krishna and Arjuna, imploring them to rescue the army from impending annihilation.
Witnessing the terrifying spectacle, Sanjaya turned to King Dhritarashtra and said, “O King, never before have I seen such despair among the Pandava ranks. Not a single warrior remains untouched by fear as Karna, armed with the celestial Bhārgavastra, advances like the blazing fire of universal dissolution. Every heart quivers before his irresistible might.”
Arjuna, gazing upon Karna’s overwhelming radiance, spoke thoughtfully to Krishna. “Madhava, behold Karna. He burns with the fury of a thousand suns. His anger has transformed him into a force that none can even endure to behold. Though my heart longs to challenge him at once, wisdom restrains my impatience. A battle fought in anger, without strategy and proper judgment, leads only to ruin. You have destroyed countless enemies of the gods through perfect discernment, never by reckless haste. Victory belongs not merely to courage but to those who recognize the appointed hour. One who truly seeks triumph must wait until time itself becomes an ally. Look how Karna shines with the brilliance of the midday sun. Turn our chariot away for the moment. If life is preserved, every cherished purpose may yet be fulfilled.”
Krishna silently accepted Arjuna’s counsel and gently turned the chariot aside. As they withdrew, his divine eyes fell upon Bhimasena, who alone stood like an immovable mountain before Karna. Undeterred by the blazing weapons or the terror that had seized the army, Bhima confronted the son of Radha with unyielding valor. His mighty mace and roaring spirit rekindled the fading courage of the Pandava warriors. Inspired by Bhima’s unconquerable resolve, the fleeing soldiers returned to the battlefield and gathered around him, while he shattered the advancing Kaurava formations with relentless force.
Krishna reflected with satisfaction, “Bhima has acted at the precise moment destiny required. His fearless assault has restored the confidence of our army while compelling Karna to expend his strength. By engaging him now, Bhima gradually weakens his formidable adversary. This is the wisdom hidden within valor.”
Then Krishna addressed Arjuna with quiet urgency. “While we were engaged with Ashwatthama, your elder brother stood exposed before Karna. I fear he has suffered greatly beneath that shower of arrows. Before seeking Karna’s life, let us first learn Dharmaraja’s condition. The welfare of the eldest Pandava is our foremost duty.”
The thought pierced Arjuna’s heart with sudden anxiety. Searching for Yudhishthira upon the battlefield, he turned to Bhima and asked where their noble brother had gone.
Bhima replied, “While I was deeply engaged in crushing the Kaurava divisions, Karna confronted the king. He covered Yudhishthira with countless arrows until his entire body was torn and bleeding. Unable to endure the terrible wounds, he withdrew from the battlefield. He is nowhere among the battalions now. Go quickly and discover his condition. The agony of Karna’s shafts must have exhausted both his body and spirit.”
Arjuna sighed deeply. “This son of Dharma stood firm against Dronacharya himself until that great master fell. Yet today he has been humiliated beneath Karna’s relentless might. Such suffering is unbearable to imagine.”
Bhima urged Arjuna to visit the camp without delay, assuring him that he would protect the army. Arjuna hesitated. “If I depart now, men may believe that I have abandoned the battlefield through fear. Such dishonor is more painful than death. Behold the united Kaurava forces rushing upon us with renewed determination. How can I withdraw while they advance?”
Bhima smiled with bubbling confidence and replied, “Leave this entire division to me alone. I shall scatter them by my own strength. Your duty now is to learn the welfare of our elder brother. Delay no longer.”
Satisfied by Bhima’s assurance, Arjuna turned to Krishna and said, “My heart cannot rest until I behold Dharmaraja with my own eyes. Let us go at once.”
Krishna blessed Bhima with affection. “For a hero like you, conquering the Kauravas is no impossible task. Victory shall surely be yours.” With those words he drove the chariot swiftly toward the Pandava camp, leaving the burden of the battlefield in Bhima’s mighty hands.
Soon Krishna and Arjuna entered the royal pavilion. There they beheld Yudhishthira lying alone upon a couch, his body pierced with arrows yet his life preserved. At the sight of him their anxiety subsided. Approaching with reverence, they bowed at his feet.
Yudhishthira, believing that Arjuna had already slain Karna and returned victorious, was filled with overwhelming joy. Looking upon Krishna and his younger brother, he spoke with radiant hope. “Even the gods, when consumed by wrath, would find Karna difficult to conquer in battle. Armed with the celestial weapons bestowed by Paraśurāma, he burns with the brilliance of Agni and possesses the irresistible strength of Vayu. War itself seems but a sport in his hands. His majesty and valor deserve admiration from every noble soul. Surely such a warrior could only be overcome by one like you. Seeing you both return unharmed, your faces shining with triumph, all the fears that haunted my heart have vanished in a single moment.”
He continued, recalling the bitter encounter. “Only a short while ago I stood before Karna while Drupada, Satyaki, Shikhandi, and the sons of Draupadi witnessed the struggle. He slew my charioteer, destroyed my horses, shattered my banner, and pierced my body with countless arrows. Terror overwhelmed me. Only because Duryodhana himself was endangered by Bhima did Karna abandon the pursuit, allowing me to escape and seek refuge here.”
His voice grew heavy with long-suppressed anguish. “For thirteen long years I have lived beneath the shadow of Karna. Day and night his image haunted my thoughts, depriving me of peaceful sleep and even the desire for food. Like a sacrificial beast shrinking from the priest who approaches with sacred purpose, my mind lived in constant dread. Neither Bhishma nor Drona ever inflicted upon me the humiliation that Karna has caused. Today, through the greatness of a brother such as you, I believed myself finally delivered from that burden.”
Krishna listened in thoughtful silence. He understood that hearing the full measure of Yudhishthira’s suffering would kindle within Arjuna an unshakable resolve to bring Karna’s destiny to its appointed end. Sometimes truth, spoken from a wounded heart, becomes the final spark that awakens the full power of righteousness.
Meanwhile, upon the battlefield, Sanjaya narrated these events to King Dhritarashtra. “O King, it is astonishing to witness the son of Dharma speaking with such passionate intensity. His words, born from humiliation and long-endured sorrow, have stirred the heart of Arjuna more deeply than any command could have done. Even the embodiment of righteousness carries within him a hidden fire when honor has been deeply wounded. Such is the mystery of human greatness, where patience endures much, yet the memory of insult burns until justice is fulfilled.”
