Karna- The Hero Chosen by the Gods

Mahayudh (I)

Both Karna and Shri Krishna did the Shankhnaad to signal the starting of the battle. Both the opponent soldiers rushed towards each other. The Asurs used illusions as well as their physical strength to gain upper hand but the army of Dwarka and other kingdoms also fought with equal valor. Bhyankarasur ordered his sons to fight with Karna and Avantika so that they could kill them and easily won over the opponents. As per instruction Shandasur and their Senapati Vikatasur attacked Karna and Avantika.

Shandasur, son of Bhyankarasur

Vikatasur, senapati of Bhayankarasur

Shandasur and Vikatasur were great warriors and experts in illusions. But Karna and Avantika were also Goods who efficiently countered all their attacks. Vikatasur attacked Avantika with his spear while Avantika took out her sword and fought. Shandasur launched many Demonic arrows towards Karna but he used celestial arrows to nullify it. Krishna efficiently moved the chariot to avoid all the weapons. Vikatasur felt tired, he thought, 'I am the Senapati of Asurs and I cannot be able to defeat a woman...How? No, no I must use Maya.' Then he turned himself into a huge tiger and leaped on Avantika, but Avni slashed her sword and cut the tiger into two halves. Then Vikatasur returned back to his original self and threw his spear but Avantika jumped into mid-air and move her sword and broke the spear. Then she jumped and drew her sword on Vikatasur's chest killing him.

While Shandasur was confident that because of his boons no one could defeat him. So he fought with Karna thinking, 'Soon I will destroy this man, devputra or not no one will defeat me.'

Shandasur, 'Ha ha today you will die.....no one could defeat me as I have the boon from Lord Mahadev himself.'

Karna, 'You are an Adharmi and today no boon can save an Adharmi from us.' Saying he launched Adityastra, a special Astra used by Guru Shukracharya.

Shandasur was shocked seeing Asur Gurus weapon also used by a devputra but he was also sure that the weapon could not kill him but to his astonishment the weapon reached him and his entire body was burned. 

Shandasur screamed, 'Mahadeva, how is it possible? You yourself gave me the boon that no one could defeat me.'

Suddenly the entire environment was flooded with bright light and to Shandasur's astonishment, Lord Mahadev appeared in the sky.

Mahadev, 'Shandasur, you are wrong, you are defeated according to the conditions of the boon. You asked me that you can only be defeated by a man who was born in sin but who was served by me and Lords Vishnu. You thought that we the two important devs of the Tridevs will never serve a sinner. But look, in front of you stood the warrior who was born out of wedlock but is one of the purest devputra. When your father kidnapped Suryadev and Arun, my Avatar hanuman became his charioteer and today Lord Narayan himself as Krishna Avatar becomes his Charioteer. Both me and Lord Vishnu served him in our Avatar form. So all the conditions of my boon were fulfilled.'

Shandasur screamed, 'No I did not mean that.....I knew that you two Devs will never serve a sinner, but I did not know that you were talking about your Avatar or someone like him who was born in sin but still is pure...you deceived me.'

Mahadev, 'Shandasur, I warned you to choose your words carefully. You did not say sinner but someone born in sin. You thought that who was born in sin will be a sinner but that was not the case. It is ones' Karma that determines whether one is Dharmavan or Adharmi, not someones' birth. You also did not say anything about the Avatars. So now you cannot blame me. ' Saying Mahadev vanished. 

The whole conversation was witnessed by Karna, Avantika and Krishna, no one else. Bhyankarasur cursed, 'No my son cannot be defeated or killed.....You wretched human, you think you can break me, I will kill you all.'

On the other hand, all the army on Karna's side was elated seeing the defeat of two mighty Asurs. While the Pandavs, Duryodhhana, Vikarna and Yuyutsu fought like mighty lions and killed many soldiers. Arjun fought with Bhagdutta and used Ardhchandra Vaan to kill his elephant. He also used the same arrow to kill him as well. Duryodhana smashed many Asurs with his mace while Bheem started killing the Kaurava brothers. Then the sun set and the first day's war had ended.