THE GREAT KURUKSHETRA WAR - SIXTEENTH DAY

On the sixteenth day, Karna became the supreme commander of the Kaurava army. Karna inflicted heavy damage on the Pandava army. Then Arjuna successfully resisted Karna's weapons with his own, and also inflicted casualties upon the Kaurava army.

Early in the dawn on the sixteenth day of the great war, Duryodhana asked Asvatthama, "Worthy son of the worthy preceptor, your father, the unrivalled master of the bow, commanded our army for these five days ably. This is the time to choose the successor; I seek your guidance." Asvatthama replied, "King of Kings, I feel Karna should be our obvious choice. Apart from the fact that he is your bosom friend, he is the most deserving candidate even judged by pure merit. Let us request him to accept the post. Duryodhana along with Asvatthama and the other soldiers of the camp went to Karna and requested Karna to be the generalissimo. He accepted the offer with pleasure. Asvatthama and Karna were always at loggerheads and just a day or two ago they both drew swords against each other. But, now Asvatthama and the warriors of the Kaurava camp requested Karna to lead the show.

It was an exhilarating moment in the life of Karna when he was called upon to occupy the prestigious position adorned by Bhishma and Drona, as their successor generalissimo. Quite elated Karna promised Duryodhana that he would defeat the Pandavas and kill Arjuna. He said, "King of Kings, I tell you here and now, the defeat of the Pandavas is a foregone conclusion." The bugles and the conches were blown. The kettle-drums were sounded. The inspired soldiers roared like lions with unprecedented enthusiasm. Karna started on his golden chariot drawn by the crimson horses displaying the dazzling standard with the insignia of the elephant, in all his glory. The two armies charged against each other at sunrise as usual. Asvatthama shot a shaft which stuck to the forehead of Bhima and he looked like an angry rhino charging forward. Bhima shot three arrows which stuck to the head of Asvatthama and he looked like the Trikuta mountain with three peaks.


The other highlights of the days' battle were the death of Kshemadhurti at the hands of Bhima and Chitra at the hands Prativindhya. Duhasasana was defeated by Sahadeva; Dhrishtadyumna attacked Kripacharya who wrecked his chariot and defeated him. Yudhisthira and Duryodhana were locked up in a single combat for sometime. Duryodhana swooned and the charioteer drove the chariot out of the battlefield. Arjuna was challenged by the remnants of the Samsaptaka hordes and he was locked up in a bitter fight with them. Nakula attacked Karna who hit hm thrice. Karna cut the string of Nakula’s bow. Nakula re-stringed his bow and renewed the fight. Ultimately Karna killed the charioteer of Nakula, wrecked his chariot killing the horses. Nakula jumped to the ground with his sword and the shield. Karna broke the shield and cut the sword into pieces. Nakula stood on the ground helpless. Karna caught hold of Nakula by hurling his bow around his neck as a noose.

Karna said to Nakula, "Young man, it is derogatory to my dignity to fight with you. I do not want to take unfair advantage of you and kill you; you go away today and send Arjuna to fight with me tomorrow. Both the armies stopped the battle for the day and returned to their camps. Karna said to Duryodhana, "Today I could not meet Arjuna. He was fighting with the Samsaptakas who challenged him. Tomorrow I will surely kill him. However let me tell you one thing confidentally. Arjuna has one decided advantage against me. Sri Krishna is his charioteer. But for Sri Krishna, Arjuna would have been killed by Bhagadatta. We are equals in the heart of archery but he is inferior to me in distant delivery and macro- manipulation. He has the Gandhiva bow and the inexhaustible quiver presented by the god of fire. But I have a bow "Vijaya" presented to me by my preceptor Parasurama who used it while conquering the Kshatriya warriors over and over twenty one times. Tomorrow I will use it. The only difficulty is my charioteer. If I can get Salya, lord of Madra, to drive the chariot my task will be much easier. Salya can outwit Sri Krishna in manoeuvres and is superior to him in steed psychology. If we can secure his services for driving my chariot I will kill Arjuna tomorrow. I can assert this beyond the shadow of any doubt as the serpent missile is with me.

Duryodhana said, "Beloved friend, I will persuade Salya to be your charioteer tomorrow. Now I am quite confident of victory." Karna thanked him saying, "Tomorrow, I will discharge the deep debt of gratitude I owe you. You can take Arjuna as already dead." Duryodhana went to bed that day full of confidence dreaming about victory in the great war.