Condition of Duryodhans Army after Death of Karna

1. No warrior of army set his heart on rallying the troops or putting forth his prowess. Their refuge having been destroyed by Arjuna, they were then like raftless merchants, whose vessels have wrecked on the fathomless ocean, desirous of crossing the uncrossable main.
2. When, after Karna's fall Partha uttered leonine shouts, a great fright entered the hearts of Kauravas, terrified and mangled with shafts, masterless and desirous of protection, became like a herd of elephants afflicted by lions. They fled away like bulls with broken horns or snakes with broken fangs. Their foremost of heroes slain, their troops thrown into confusion, themselves mangled with keen arrows, fled away in fear.
3. Divested of weapons and armour, no longer able to ascertain which point of the compass was which, and deprived of their senses, they crushed one another in course of their flight and looked at one another, afflicted with fear. "It is me that Vibhatsu is pursuing with speed!" "It is me that Vrikodara is pursuing with speed!"--thought every one among the Kauravas who became pale with fear and fell down as they fled.
4. Some on horses, some on cars, some on elephants, and some on foot, mighty car-warriors, endued with great speed, fled away in fear. Cars were broken by elephants, horsemen were crushed by great car-warriors, and bands of foot-soldiers were trodden down by bodies of horsemen, as these fled in fear.
5. After the fall of the Suta's son, warriors became like people without protectors in a forest teeming with beasts of prey and robbers. They were then like elephants without riders and men without arms. Afflicted with fear, they looked upon the world as if it were full of Partha

Power Needed to Kill Karna

Partha took out from his quiver an excellent

1. Anjalika weapon that resembled the thunder of Indra or the rod of fire
2. Possessed of the effulgence of the thousand-rayed Sun.
3. Capable of penetrating the very vitals,
4. Besmeared with blood and flesh,
5. Resembling fire or the sun, made of costly materials, destructive of men, steeds, and elephants, of straight course and fierce impetuosity,
6. Measured three cubits and six feet.
7. Endued with the force of the thousand-eyed Indra's thunder,
8. Irresistible as Rakshasas in the night,
9. Resembling Pinaka or Narayana's discus,
10. Exceedingly terrible and destructive of all living creatures.
11. Could not be resisted by the very gods, that high-souled being which was always adored by the son of Pandu,
12. Capable of vanquishing the very gods and the Asuras.
13. Entire universe shook with its mobile and immobile creatures. Indeed, seeing that weapon raised (for being sped) in that dreadful battle, the Rishis loudly cried out, "Peace be to the universe!"
14. The wielder of Gandiva then fixed on his bow that unrivalled arrow, uniting it with a high and mighty weapon.

"Let this shaft of mine be like a mighty weapon capable of quickly destroying the body and heart of my enemy,

if I have ever

1. Practiced ascetic austerities,
2. Gratified my superiors, and
3. Listened to the counsels of well-wishers.
4. Let this shaft, worshiped by me and possessed of great sharpness,

slay my enemy Karna by that Truth."

Having said these words Dhananjaya let off that

Terrible shaft,
1 Fierce and efficacious as a rite prescribed in the Atharvan of Angiras,
2 Blazing with effulgence,
3 Incapable of being endured by Death himself in battle.
4 Splendor and energy of the Fire or sun or the moon and capable of bestowing
victory.
Causing all the points of the compass to blaze up with light.

Advice to Arjuna

"O Partha, O Partha, wait for a moment, that is, till I lift this sunken wheel. Beholding, O Partha, the left wheel of my car swallowed through accident by the earth, abandon (instead of cherishing) this purpose (of striking and slaying me) that is capable of being harboured by only a coward.

1. Brave warriors that are observant of the practices of the righteous, never shoot their weapons at persons with dishevelled hair, or
2. at those that have turned their faces from battle,
3. or at a Brahmana,
4. or at him who joins his palms, or
5. at him who yields himself up or
6. beggeth for quarter or at one who has put up his weapon,
7. or at one whose arrows are exhausted,
8. or at one whose armour is displaced,
9. or at one whose weapon has fallen off or been broken!

Physical Strength

When Earth swallowed up one of wheels of Karna's car. Quickly alighting then from his vehicle, he seized his sunken wheel with his two arms and endeavoured to lift it up with a great effort. Drawn up with force by Karna, the earth, which had swallowed up his wheel, rose up to a height of four fingers' breadth, with her seven islands and her hills and waters and forests.

Shame - Realising His Mistakes

Earth swallowed up one of wheels of Karna's car. Seeing his wheel swallowed, the son of Radha shed tears from wrath, and beholding Arjuna, filled with rage he said these words,

Thou art the bravest of men in the world. Thou art also of righteous behaviour, O son of Pandu! Thou art well-acquainted with the rules of battle. For these reasons, excuse me for a moment, that is, till I extricate my wheel, O Dhananjaya, from the earth. Thyself staying on thy car and myself standing weak and languid on the earth, it behoveth thee not to slay me now. Neither Vasudeva, nor thou, O son of Pandu, inspirest me with the slightest fear. Thou art born in the Kshatriya order. Thou art the perpetuator of a high race. Recollecting the teachings of righteousness, excuse me for a moment, O son of Pandu!

Vasudeva, stationed on the car, addressed Karna, saying, "By good luck it is, O son of Radha, that thou rememberest virtue! It is generally seen that they that are mean, when they sink into distress, rail at Providence but never at their own misdeeds.

1. Thyself and Suyodhana and Duhshasana and Shakuni, the son of Subala, had caused Draupadi, clad in a single piece of raiment, to be brought into the midst of the assembly. On that occasion, O Karna, this virtue of thine did not manifest itself.
2. When at the assembly Shakuni, an adept in dice, vanquished Kunti's son Yudhishthira who was unacquainted with it, whither had this virtue of thine gone?
3. When the Kuru king (Duryodhana), acting under thy counsels, treated Bhimasena in that way with the aid of snakes and poisoned food, whither had this virtue of thine then gone?
4. When the period of exile into the woods was over as also the thirteenth year, thou didst not make over to the Pandavas their kingdom. Whither had this virtue of thine then gone?
5. Thou didst set fire to the house of lac at Varanavata for burning to death the sleeping Pandavas. Whither then, O son of Radha, had this virtue of thine gone?
6. Thou laughedest at Krishna while she stood in the midst of the assembly, scantily dressed because in her season and obedient to Duhshasana's will, whither, then, O Karna, had this virtue of thine gone?
7. When from the apartment reserved for the females innocent Krishna was dragged, thou didst not interfere. Whither, O son of Radha, had this virtue of thine gone?
8. Thyself addressing the princess Draupadi, that lady whose tread is as dignified as that of the elephant, in these words, viz., 'The Pandavas, O Krishna, are lost. They have sunk into eternal hell. Do thou choose another husband!' thou lookedest on the scene with delight. Whither then, O Karna, had this virtue of thine gone?
9. Covetous of kingdom and relying on the ruler of the Gandharvas, thou summonedest the Pandavas (to a match of dice). Whither then had this virtue of thine gone? When many mighty car-warriors, encompassing the boy Abhimanyu in battle, slew him, whither had this virtue of thine then gone? If this virtue that thou now invokest was nowhere on those occasions, what is the use then of parching thy palate now, by uttering that word? Thou art now for the practice of virtue, O Suta, but thou shalt not escape with life.
10. Vasudeva, stationed on the car, addressed Karna, saying, "By good luck it is, O son of Radha, that thou rememberest virtue! It is generally seen that they that are mean, when they sink into distress, rail at Providence but never at their own misdeeds.

Karna hung down his head in shame and gave no answer