Today whole Hastinapur was excited, yesterday may good but today was even better. Yesterday's excitement had not faded yet more exciting news spread though Hastinapur. Yesterday may be showcase of prowess of the future of Hastinapur but today the backbone of Hastinapur was going to fight mysterious person. People was assured that it will be easy victory for Gangaputr Bheeshma as he fought stand still with even lord Parshuram. But they were excited because none of commoner have seen the might of Bheeshma. The arena was already over crowded before sunrise to get better seats to over see the fight.
Soon half hour before sunrise both Bheeshma and Karna woke up and did thier morning pooja. Soon after breakfast they went to arena in their respective corners. Today Adhiratha was given day off and his family had been given special seats in the areana.
Soon all royals came to arena, everyone was present there be maharaj,maharani, princess, Kauravas, Pandavas. You name them they were there. Dronacharya came in middle of arena to introduce the participants.
Dronacharya : lets welcome Mahamahim Gangaputr Devrath Bheeshma, son of Maharaj Shantanu and Devi Ganga and student of Bhagwan Parshuram.
Bheeshma entered the arena wearing his infamous silver armour, he was 5 feet 10 inches tall has long white beards and mustaches he was wearing white dhoti. He had a serious expression. Crowd went ballistic over this and started chanting his name but those who knew of him know Bheeshma was 100% serious at this moment as he never wears this armour except he was in fight mode. Shakuni went pale he seemed to get flashbacks when Bheeshma came with army for Ghandhari's hand. Bheeshma looked focused seeing his expression all kuru Kumar's sat straight they thought that this was just fun match as they know he was going to fight a boy in twenty's that too a sutputra. But they weren't sure now. After a while crowd calmed down.
Dronacharya was about to announce another participant which he was rather disdainful towards. But a strong gust of wind happened and Bhagwan Parshuram was in the arena. Drona and Bheeshma was surprised.
Parshuram : Devrath ,drona am I welcome today or not?
The both got out trance. They both touched his feet
Bheeshma : Of course you are welcome Gurudev its our blessings that you have arrived.
Parshuram : Aayushman bhava putron, Drona you will be mediator of this match but let me welcome Devrath's opponent.
Bheeshma and Drona was shocked they didn't knew that Lord Parshuram know karna, Drona was sure Parshuram was not teacher of karna as he only teaches Brahmans and Gangaputr was exception. Bheeshma was more shocked Karna has told him that Parshuram was as not his teacher so how come he knows of Karna and their was a touch of familiarity there when he said his opponent. Crowd thought it was between Lord Parshuram and Gangaputr again but after listening to them it was not the case.
Parshuram : Next participant is Radhey Karna.
Karna entered the arena with smiling face. The crowd sees him some suta recognised him but were too stunned to say anything. Karna entered in yellow dhoti, and angavastra there was no armour in his body only his kundals was shining. His broad chest and muscular yet lithe physique was on display. His steps were measured but has a grace and confidence in them. Everyone was looking him foolishly, everyone thought him as a fool who entered the arena to fight Bheeshma who summon celestial weapons with out armour or weapons. Kauravas were snickering and insulting that suta was so poor that cannot afford armour or weapons. Bheem, Nakul and Sahdev were surprisingly agreeing but Duryodhana, Yudhishthir and Arjun looked karna with atmost attention there was something about his posture and grace that attracted yudhishthir and Duryodhana but Arjun's senses were screaming to pay attention to the man. Ashwatthama was looking at him curiously.
Karna reached center of arena.
Karna : Pranipat Bagwan, Mahamahim and guru drona.
Parshuram : Aayushman bhava Putra.
Bheeshma : Kalyan ho.
Drona snorted he was observing Karna he didn't saw any thing different in him and thought him as fool to challenge the cast system or Bheeshma. He can see Karna was trained but that's it. It was his prejudice and ego that stopped him looking underneath the underneath. Parshuram frowned at disrespect of his guru Bharata. But let go as Drona will realise his mistakes in few minutes. That was the reason he decided not to be mediator. The moment match will start Dronacharya was in for huge surprise. He smiled and went towards Karna parents. They both stood up did Pranipat and offered their seats to him. Parshuram smiled and sat. Adhiratha and Radha got fan ans started to serve him but he stopped him and told them observe the match. They stood behind him. People were shocked seeing this.
Dronacharya came out of his stupour and announced the rules they both will use spears, swords , axe, bows and mace . If anyone disarms another or drew first blood they will be declared as winner. He was sure this match was farce Bheeshma will defeat karna in 5 minutes max. He did the the sankhnath to let battle begin. Immediately his body was screaming of danger, his instincts were going haywire. Not only them but all warriors felt same in some cases was so drastic and that they jumped from their seats and looked around as they were watched by apex predators. Kauravas except Duryodhana who were laughing were almost cowering and Nakul Sahdev were same Bheem has his focused face on. Duryodhana, yudhishthir were wide eyed and Arjun as trembling. Arjun already has advance sense of danger detection so now it was very hard fo him to able to bear it. Ashwatthama couldn't believe his eyes.Maharaj ,Shakuni vidur also had complete attention on field. Shakuni decide he will have karna on his side by hook or crook (oh the fool he is).
Every warriors attention to areanaand what they saw, they felt chill in their spine even Dronacharya and Bheeshma. Karna was standing there completely erect with blank face he let his power go which he usually controls. Dronacharya was stupidly looking at karna he couldn't believe this was the man who did Pranipat to him which he ignored. Parshuram chuckled, the power of his guru Bharata was something else it could only be felt when facing karna. Radha was shocked seeing his always smiling and caring son's change. He was now cetre of attention in crowd every eyes were on him. Even ladies both commoner and royals felt the change in atmosphere.
Bheeshma and Karna looked each other and said spear. They both streched their right hands and summoned spears the both launched each other and fought it was so fast that it was almost blurs to everyone. Kuru princes who uses spears saw this awesome spectacle it was dance between two beasts. It beautiful but deadly at the same time. They were mesmerized especially Yudhishthir he never thought spear fight could be on this level. Both Bheeshma and Karna fought for half hour then decided it was draw but Bheeshma, drona and Parshuram know that karna won but he let Mahamahim to have his pride intact in Hastinapur. As it will not well for Hastinapur if enemy got to know he lost to some twenty some year old boy.
Next was sword fight they both summoned swords, karna was not using his celestial sword gifted by lord Kartikeya. They again fought the enchanting battle which mesmerized the crowd it was again declared draw. Both Bheeshma and karna were well and were not panting despite of High paced battle. The kuru princes looking fight with all attention not only them but everyone it was a pindrop silence in the area. Radha war crying happy tears and adhiratha was looking proudly at his son. Everyone of suta community felt immensely proud at this moment one among them was fighting the greatest warrior of Hastinapur to a draw.
Next both fought with axes, both were ferociously to either draw first blood of disarming the opponent. Bheeshma being student of Parshuram defeated karna by drawing little blood of Karma's arms. Radha was worried wanted to run to his son but was held by Adhiratha who along with Parshuram assured her Karna was fine. But being a mother she was worried.
Then mace fight started here karna has clear upper hand as they both being Devputra but kurna has eaten 12 years of food from Mata annapurna Parvati along with boon of lord Hanuman. Both Duryodhana and Bheem was enchanted by karna strength and skills. They were sure that they were no match for either of them especially not katna as he was over powering their pitamah. Karna used unarmed combat techniques and disarmed Bheeshma.
Then last match of Archery started. Both of them excels and love this particular weapon. Bheeshma summoned his bow and karna summoned his usual boy not Vijaya. Both fighters attached using normal arrows while firing divyastra in between to confuse opponents. Both were attacking and countering each other arrows at rapid speed. Arjun saw this and realised how empty his claims of being best archer was. He was clearly not the match of either of them. He would loose pretty pathetically with both of them. His pride was hurt and ego was bruised but he still took it as lesson and tried to learn as much as possible. Suddenly Bheeshma fired surya ulka astra at Karna but karna didn't counter it soon the arrow was about to pieces karna. A divine yellow glow appeared from karna and his kavach formed. Now karna was standing in his place but his bare torso was now covered with a golden kavach with Sun's symbol on it. Bheeshma asked about it to which karna replied bit was with him since birth along with kundals. Everyone realised why karna didn't wore a kavach, it wasn't that he was poor or arrogant but he has a natural kavach on him since birth.
Everyone was busy looking at fight so they didn't see kunti's reactions but Bhagwan Parshuram saw this furrowed his brow all things became clear to him since first talking with Karna he was always sceptical about him being Suta. Everything about him screamed divine especially his kavach and kundals. Suryadev sudden interest in karna final test now made sense to him. He sighed at complicated life of his Guru bharata. He saw karna's birth mother distress and silence , he also saw his foster mother's care and love for him. The duel stated again this time karna was even more aggresive and not only disarmed Bheeshma but held him in naag paas. He the released him after declared as winner.
Dronacharya was stumped he didn't knew archer was karna calibre were still there, he has declared Arjun as best archer in world in order to satisfy his ego. Arjun was shocked at display and vows to be the best. Kauravas were happy seeing Arjun down from his high pedestal. Ashwatthama though shocked seeing Karna talent was pleased that his father finally got to know the better archer than his favourite student Arjun that in their age group as Karna was mostly 4-5 years elder than arjun it was simply icing on the cake.
The crowd was awestruck. Suddenly one person started clapping soon whole arena stated clapping. The matches came to end. Both Bheeshma and Karna knew they didn't gave their best in these duel.
Dhritarashtra stood up and congratulated Karna. He declared him as king of Ang desh and coronation ceremony will be held in Rajyasabha. The whole crowd stated shouting “ Angraj ki jai.”