Vṛshasena Vadha
The Vṛshasena Vadha is the killing of Vṛshasena, a son of Karṇa, by Arjuna on the seventeenth day of the Kurukshetra war. The Karṇa Parva tells it in Chapters 84 and 85.
Arjuna killed Vṛshasena on purpose. He first told Karṇa in public that six mahārathis (great chariot-warriors) had joined together to kill Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu, and that he would now kill Vṛshasena before Karṇa’s eyes. Arjuna cut off both of Vṛshasena’s arms and then his head. Karṇa saw it all. Overcome by grief and rage, he drove straight at Arjuna and Kṛshṇa, and the last stage of the great duel began.
Vṛshasena in the Karṇa Parva
Vṛshasena was one of Karṇa’s sons. On the seventeenth day he had a set task. He was the rear guard of his father’s chariot. He protected Karṇa from attack from behind while Karṇa fought the enemy in front. Vṛshasena fought with great energy and skill.
Earlier in the day he fought Nakula face to face (Chapter 84). He broke Nakula’s bow, killed his horses and shattered his chariot, so that Nakula had to fight on foot. He wounded Nakula badly with his arrows and then turned to fight Bhīma as well. He struck Bhīma, Arjuna and Kṛshṇa all at once with showers of arrows, and the Kauravas admired him for it.
Arjuna’s taunt and declaration
Arjuna saw Nakula in distress and drove his chariot toward Vṛshasena. Before the fight he called out to Karṇa, so that Karṇa would hear and understand what he meant:
“Karṇa! Six mahārathis joined together, Droṇa, you, Kṛpa, Aśvatthāmā, Bṛhadbala and Kṛtavarman, and killed my son Abhimanyu when he was alone, with no chariot and no weapons. You watched and took part. Now, before your eyes, before Duryodhana, before Aśvatthāmā, before all the warriors gathered here, I will kill this Vṛshasena. Protect him if you can.”
With these words the coming killing became a matter of vengeance. It was a father paying back the loss of his son by taking a son from the enemy father.
The killing (Chapter 85)
After this declaration Arjuna fought Vṛshasena man to man. Vṛshasena fought back bravely. He struck Arjuna on the right shoulder, wounded Kṛshṇa with nine arrows and struck Nakula’s remaining forces. He fought with great vigour.
But Arjuna was firm. He loosed his arrows with full purpose. First he shot ten arrows that struck Vṛshasena’s vital places. Then, his face showing only calm attention, he shot two arrows. One cut off Vṛshasena’s right arm, and the other his left. A third arrow struck Vṛshasena’s head and cut it from his body.
Vṛshasena fell from his chariot like a great tree cut down on a mountain peak, his limbs shorn away. His body crashed to the earth with great force.
Karṇa’s grief and rage
Karṇa saw his son die. The Mahābhārata describes his grief as overwhelming. Tears poured from his eyes and his heart was shattered. But at once his grief turned to rage. He drove his chariot at full speed straight toward Arjuna and Kṛshṇa. It was the rage of a father whose son has been killed before his eyes. The last and deciding stage of the duel between Karṇa and Arjuna began.
The grief and rage over Vṛshasena’s death drove Karṇa into the last exchange of astras, the Nāgāstra episode, the sinking of his chariot wheel, and in the end to his own death.
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Karṇa Parva, Chapters 84–85