THE DIGVIJAY CONQUEST OF KARNA

Digvijay of Karna from Critical Edition of BORI

Karna was the only warrior of mahabharata who single handedly conquered entire earth in all four direction just by using one ordinary bow and one chariot. Being finest archer of epic, it was easy task for karna.

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Authentic Proofs for Digvijay conquest of Karna

[Image Source (Google) : Mahabharat Starplus]

1) Narration by Bhishma

BORI Critical Edition -

Drona Parv, Section-4

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Bhishma to Karna]

You went to Rajapura and killed the Kambojas. You went to Girivraja and vanquished the kings, with Nagnajit at the forefront, and the Ambashthas, the Videhas and the Gandharas. O Karna! In earlier times, you brought those who dwelt in the Himalayas and Kiratas, who were harsh in battle, under Duryodhana’s suzerainty. In every such place, you fought for Duryodhana’s welfare. O brave one! O Karna! You conquered many greatly energetic ones.

Bhishma himself narrated part of Digvijay conquest where karna had conquered many kingdoms in the different directions. Below is the list of kingdoms conquered by karna in his conquest

• Rajapura
• Kambojas (1st proof)
• Girivraja
• Nagnajit
• Ambashthas
• Videhas
• Gandharas
• Kiratas (Defeat of bhagadatta)

BORI Critical Edition -

Karna Parv, Section-4

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Sanjaya to Dhritrashtra]

Bhagadatta was the lord of the kiratas and those who dwelt along the shores of the ocean.

According to Bhishma, Karna had defeated the kiratas who lived in moutainous region of himalaya. Bhagadatta was the king of kiratas army (lived in himalaya) and mlecchas army (lived on the boundary of eastern ocean). Thus karna beat bhagadatta during his digvijay conquest

2) Narration by Sanjaya

BORI Critical Edition -

Drona Parv, Section-66

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Sanjaya to Dhritrashtra]

They followed the great-souled one, as he penetrated your army. O great king! Jaya, Satvata Kritavarma, the king of Kamboja and Shrutayu countered Dhananjaya. They had ten thousand rathas as their followers—the Abhishahas, the Shurasenas, the Shibis, the Vasatis, the Machellakas, the Lalitthyas, the Kekayas, the Madrakas, the Narayanas, the Gopalas and masses of Kambojas. They were revered as brave ones and had earlier been vanquished by Karna.

Sanjaya also narrated kingdoms conquered by Karna during his digvijay conquest as follows

• King jaya
• King satvata
• King Kritavarma
• King of kamboja (2nd proof)
• King shrutayu
• Abhishahas
• Shurasenas
• Shibis
• Vasatis
• Machellakas
• Lalitthyas
• Kekayas
• Madrakas (1st proof for defeat of king shalya)
• Narayanas (2nd proof for conquering dwarka)
• Gopalas (2nd proof for conquering dwarka)
• Kambojas (Other tribes)

BORI Critical Edition -

Udyoga Parv, Section-7

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Krishna to Duryodhana]

There is a large number of one hundred million cowherds, equal to me in strength. They are famous as Narayanas and all of them are warriors who have fought in battle. These warriors, who are unassailable, will be the soldiers on one side. I will not bear weapons and will not fight in the battle. I will be on the other side.

Krishna had offered Duryodhana 10 crores cowherds (known as gopalas as per sanskrit) and Narayana army of dwarka. Karna had conquered Narayana army and Gopalas (more than 10 crores) during his digvijay conquest sanctioned the fact that Karna had conquered the dwarka of lord krishna in the batle. Lord krishna was defeated or not is not clearly mentioned but narayana army of dwarka was conquered by karn

3) Narration by Satyaki

BORI Critical Edition -

Drona Parv, Section-87

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Satyaki to Yudhistira]

They have been born in the lineage known as Anjana and are valorous. They are mounted by many mlecchas, who are armed and find delight in battle. O king! These elephants have the complexion of clouds and are exuding like clouds. If they are urged by the elephant-riders, they never retreat. O king! They cannot be vanquished until they have been killed. O king! You can see the rathas. These maharathas are princes and have the name of Rukmarathas. O lord of the earth! They are skilled in fighting on chariots and on elephants. They are supreme in knowledge of fighting and are skilled in fighting with their fists. They are accomplished in fighting with clubs and also skilled in fighting at close quarters. They have swords as weapons and can attack with the sword and the shield. These brave ones are skilled in knowledge and seek to rival one another. O king! They always vanquish a large number of men in battle. O king! They were vanquished by Karna and follow Duhshasana. They were applauded by Vasudeva as supreme rathas

One thousand Princes Rukmarathas (of mleccha army) were defeated by karna. These mlecchas warriors were praised by Krishna for their power. Bhagadatta was the king of these mleccha army lived on the boundary of ocean again sanctioned that bhagadatta was conquered by karna

4) Narration by Dhritrashtra

BORI Critical Edition -

Karna Parv, Section-5

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Dhritrashtra to Sanjaya]

He is the one who defeated powerful enemies who were extremely difficult to vanquish—the Gandharas, the Madrakas, the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Tanganas, the Shakas, the Panchalas, the Videhas, the Kunindas, the Kashis, the Kosalas, the Suhmas, the Angas, the Pundras, the Nishadas, the Vangas, the Kichakas, the Vatsas, the Kalingas, the Taralas, the Ashmakas and the Rishikas. In earlier times, using his strength, the brave one defeated all of these in battles. Just as Uchchaihshrava is supreme among horses, Vaishravana is supreme among yakshas and the great Indra is supreme among gods, Karna was supreme among those who could strike

King Dhritrashtra himself narrated about all kingdoms conquered by karna during his digvijay conquest. Digvijay at it’s peak

• Gandharas
• Madrakas (2nd proof for the defeat of shalya)
• Matsyas (Defeat of keechak/Virata)
• Trigartas (Defeat of samsaptakas led by susharma)
• Tanganas
• Shakas
• Panchalas (Defeat of Draupad)
• Videhas
• Kunindas
• Kashis
• Kosalas
• Suhmas
• Angas (Defeat of another Angraa)
• Pundras
• Nishadas (Defeat of eklavya)
• Vangas
• Kechakas
• Vatsas
• Kalingas
• Taralas
• Ashmakas
• Rishikas

BORI Critical Edition -

Drona Parv, Section-66

Translated by B.Debroy 

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[Sanjaya to Dhritrashtra]

There were three thousand Trigartas, skilled in fighting. They surrounded him with a large army of chariots. They had resolved to fight and had sworn to be samshaptakas

Karna had conquered the trigartas kingdom and susharma was the ruler of trigartas kingdom. In kurushetra, small portion of trigartas army became samsaptakas. We can safely conclude that arjuna faced only exhausted army of trigartas (known as samsaptakas) unlike karna alone who faced entire army of trigartas during digvijay conquest. Irony is that some samsaptakas defeated and captured arjuna and when arjuna fell in the danger as usual Krishna saved him from samsaptakas soldiers

BORI Critical Edition -

Udyoga Parv, Section-47

Translated by B.Debroy -

He was challenged by Ekalavya, the king of Nishadha, who was thought to be invincible. But Krishna killed him and robbed him of his life, forcefully smashing him against a rock, like Jambha.

Apart from King Susharma and King Draupad, Karna single-handedly defeated great archer Eklavya as eklavya was the king of nishadas who were defeated by karna

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Supreme Vaishnava Sacrifice Of Duryodhana

[Image Source (Google) : Mahabharat Starplus]

a) Karna conqueing entire earth for the sake of duryodhana

BORI Critical Edition -

Karna Parv, Section-5

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Dhritrashtra to Sanjaya]

For the sake of Duryodhana’s prosperity, the lord .conquered the earth

BORI Critical Edition -

Drona Parv, Section-106

Translated by B.Debroy 

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[Sanjaya to Dhritrashtra]

The valiant son of a suta conquered the entire world on a single chariot.

b) Duryodhana had conducted supreme sacrifice as karna donated entire earth to duryodhana

BORI Critical Edition -

Vana Parv, Section-226

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Karna to Duryodhana]

O lord of men! O king! All the kings of the east, south, west and north pay tribute to you.

BORI Critical Edition -

Vana Parv, Section-242

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Karna to Duryodhana]

All the lords of the earth have now been brought under your subjugation. Summon the foremost among brahmanas and collect offerings, in accordance with the prescribed rites. O best of the Kuru lineage! Let all the ingredients and requirements for the sacrifice be collected. O king! O destroyer of enemies! Let the summoned officiating priests, learned in the Vedas, perform the rites in accordance with the sacred texts. O bull among the Bharata lineage! Let your great sacrifice have plenty to eat and drink and let it also be extremely prosperous, with all the qualities.”

BORI Critical Edition -

Vana Parv, Section-243

Translated by B.Debroy -

[Reaction of jealous pandava followers from epic]

Sprinkling fried grain and sandalwood powder over him, the people said, “O king! It is through good fortune that your sacrifice has been completed without any impediments.” There were others present, who were not careful in speech. They told the king, “Your sacrifice has not been equal to Yudhishthira’s sacrifice. It does not equal a sixteenth part of that sacrifice.” Thus some, who were voluble, spoke to that lord of men. However, his well-wishers said, “Your sacrifice has surpassed all the others.

Karna himself mentioned all kings from all 4 directions used to pay income tax to the Duryodhana sanctioned the Digvijay conquest by Karna. It’s Karna who suggested Duryodhana to conduct sacrifice as he brought all kings under the subjugation of his friend. Some holy brahmanas asked him to conduct ‘Vaishnava Sacrifice’ which was equal, perhaps superior to ‘Rajsuya Sacrifice’ of Yudhistira because only Lord Vishnu was capable to perform Vaishnava Sacrifice. As per instructions, Duryodhana had performed Vaishnava sacrifice successfully and most of people among the public were happy for their favourite king. As usual some pandavas followers among the public began to cry as if Rajsuya was superior to Vaishnava. However all well-wishers of Duryodhana publicly announced that Vaishnava sacrifice to be superior to Rajsuya and as usual those few followers pandava became silent and vanished from there (this sanctioned that these jealous followers fled away in shame by covering their face)

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Overview of Digvijay Conquest of Karna

[Image Source (Google) : Mahabharat Starplus]

a) List of all kings/kingdoms conquered by karna

Map of ancient bharatvarsha -

1. Rajapura
2. Kambojas (1st proof)
3. Girivraja
4. Nagnajit (King of kosala)
5. Ambashthas
6. Videhas
7. Gandharas
8. Kiratas army (1st proof for Defeat of bhagadatta)
9. Mleccha army (2nd proof for Defeat of bhagadatta)
10. King jaya
11. King satvata (Prince of bhojas of mrittikavati)
12. Kritavarma (Commander of Dwarka)
13. King shrutayu (King of kalinga)
14. Abhishahas
15. Shurasenas
16. Shibis (kingdom of jaydratha)
17. Vasatis
18. Machellakas
19. Lalitthyas
20. Kekayas
21. Madrakas (Defeat of king shalya)
22. Narayanas (1st proof for conquering dwarka)
23. Gopalas (2nd proof for conquering dwarka)
24. Kambojas (Other tribes)
25. Gandharas
26. Matsyas (Defeat of keechak/Virata)
27. Trigartas (Defeat of samsaptakas led by susharma)
28. Tanganas (Mlechcha tribe of kingdom Yavana)
29. Shakas (Mlechcha tribe of kingdom Yavana)
30. Panchalas (Defeat of Draupad)
31. Videhas
32. Kunindas
33. Kashis
34. Kosalas
35. Suhmas
36. Angas (Defeat of another Angraa)
37. Pundras
38. Nishadas (Defeat of eklavya)
39. Vangas
40. Kechakas
41. Vatsas
42. Kalingas
43. Taralas
44. Ashmakas
45. Rishikas

b) Location Of Major Kingdoms A/C to Map

North – Kambhoja, Bahlika, Gandharas, Kekayas, Madrakas, Panchalas, Matsyas, Kiratas (nation of bhagadatta), Trigartas, Vatsas, Rishikas

East – Pundras, Angas, Vangas, Videhas, Kashis, Kosalas, Videhas, Suhmas

South – Kalingas (Dantputra and Rajpura capitals), Bhojas (king satvata), Girivraja, Kunindas, Ashmakas, Taralas

West – Dwarka, Abhishahas, Vasatis, Machellakas, Tanganas, Shakas, Nishadas

Four Corners of Bharatvarsha Empire (Check out map)-

• Kambhojas (North Corner)
• Pundras (East Corner)
• Kalingas (South Corner)
• Dwarka (East Corner)

All of them were conquered by vaikartana Karna

Most powerful warriors conquered by karna -

• Bhagadatta
• Eklavya
• Kritvarma
• Shalya
• Draupad
• Jaydratha
• Paundraka vasudeva
• Krishna (its debatable)
• Keechak

Hands down …Digvijayi Radheya Karna..!!

SOURCE : BORI CRITICAL EDITION OF VED VYASS MAHABHARATA