Mb106. Death Of Duhsasana And Fall Of Karna Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

On the one side mighty Bhima
And the other side Duhsasana
They fought a decisive battle,
In which the latter down fell.

Bhima sat over his chest,
Tore his body bit by bit,
Drank his hot blood,
And on the top he said:

"Is this the hand that dragged
Draupadi by her braid?
Is this the hand that disrobed
Her dresses and pulled? "

Kauravas' armies ran in fear,
Panic-stricken here and there.
Arjuna arrived at the spot.
And he sent shot after shot.

His shots killed the princes.
Thus Kauravas lost ten princes.
These killings Salya witnessed.
To retaliate he then pressed.

Arjuna shot swift shaft one,
That beheaded Karna's son.
The enraged Karna retaliated.
Both dashed, two stars collided.

Aswatthama suggested for peace,
But to Duryodhana, it didn't please.
"When Bhima killed my brother,
How can I go for peace rather? "

Karna sent an arrow that sped
To knock off Arjuna's head,
But Krishna saved his head,
By pressing down the chariot hard.

Above his head it went and hit.
It just knocked down his helmet.
Thus Krishna saved Arjuna,
It disappointed Duryodhana.

Karna's bad time started.
It was the one ill fated.
A wheel sank in mire,
The chariot stuck up there.

Once a calf was killed
When his chariot rolled
O'er the poor creature,
That lost its bright future.

Its master passed a curse,
"At the fatal hour of crisis,
Your chariot wheel will sink.
You'll have no time to think."

He asked for time to lift it,
Bur Krishna opposed it.
"Was there any justice
In your game of dice? "

"Was there any honour
In your wax-palace fire?
Was there any moral code
When Abhimanyu was murdered? "

"Arjuna, take your bow,
Kill him right now."
As what Krishna meant,
A fatal shot, Arjuna sent.

It threw him dead on the ground.
By all the curses, he was bound.
What a bad day for Kauravas,
A good day it turned for Pandavas.

It gave a rude shock to Duryodhana,
O'er the unfortunate death of Karna.
He lost his best guide and friend.
Who'll help him now to defend?

Karna's character was unique,
In the great Mahabharata epic,
In that he was highly glorified,
Despite he joined a wrong side.