Thread:Valeth/@comment-118.70.177.74-20170801015239/@comment-28209103-20170803055109

This is an excerpt of Khrisna motivating Arjuna right after Karna killed Ghatotkacha using Wasabi Candy. I'll just point out the part from the source I given.

["Indeed, if that bull among men had his armour and ear-rings, neither thyself, bending the Gandiva, nor myself, uplifting my discus, called Sudarsana, could vanquish him in battle.]

Thus Khrisna acknowledge that Karna cannot be beaten by him and Arjuna in battle if he still had his K&K

["From that time, O mighty-armed one, when the high-souled Sakra gave that dart unto Karna in exchange for the latter's ear-rings, and celestial armour, that dart, viz., which has slain Ghatotkacha, from that time, Vrisha, having obtained it, had always regarded thee as slain in battle!"]

Thus Khrisna said that as long as Karna hold Shakti, Arjuna is as good as dead guy.

''[Deprived, however, of his armour as also of his car-rings, O son of Pandu, and divested also of the dart given him by Vasava, Karna is now like a man (and no longer like a god). There win occur one opportunity for his slaughter. When his car-wheels will sink in the earth, availing thyself of that opportunity, thou shouldst slay him in that distressful situation. I will make thee a sign beforehand. Warned by it, thou shouldst act. The vanquisher of Vala himself, that foremost of heroes, wielding his thunder, is incapable of slaying the invincible Karna while the latter stands weapon in hand. Indeed, O Arjuna, for thy good, with the aid of diverse contrivances I have slain, one after]''

Now that Karna loses his K&K and that he can no longer use his Wasabi Candy against Arjuna, he's no longer invincible, however Khrisna still warn Arjuna that it's near impossible to beat him with weapon in hand, thus he advise Arjuna to use the opportunity given by his curse.

this is part of Drona Purwa, the next excerpt I given, the one you quote is part of the warning Khrisna given to Arjuna to not get cocky on Karna Purwa, that while Arjuna is the strongest of the strongest, Karna AT THE VERY LEAST equal to Arjuna and perhaps are superior to him, however this happened after he loses the boon he's born with, lost the Wasabi candy, are bound by multiple curses, bound by oath not to use same Astra twice against Arjuna, and generally had the whole cosmics entity possible against him.

You're free to hold to the so called authenticity  of the critical edition but as far as I concerned that book are only valuable for literaly scholar. At the very least Mahabharata is more than an epic and actually part of the hindu culture sphere, even without ever reading the original manuscript those poeple already understand the gist of the plot and the character within it, and most people already hold the believe that Karna is the strongest of the duo but fall because he's part of Adharma, at least that's what people I know said, it's part of their religious teaching. It's also because he's generally wicked man in his previous life,, thus he had to paid for it.

For the Sahadeva scolding part, I don't know what is written on the critical edition however what I know and i'm sure this is right cuz it's part of the moral lesson, is just bunch of time Karna decided to let injustice went past him, However he did so because he's loyal Dhuryodhana. Both Bhima, Drona and Karna failed cuz they stand silent against Kurava's adharma. While he appeal for Arjuna to hold the dharma when he never advocated the same to his faction the Kauravas, there's no single time Karna violated the dharma under his own violition.. However Karna did violates regulation when Drona is the commander,, cuz Y'know, Drona just keep violating rules after rules.

Oh and both Karna and Arjuna violated the rules on their duel, I'm sure when Nagaastra missed cuz Khrisna intervene by sunking the chariot to earth, Karna keep attacking Arjuna even tho it should be prohibited to attack when chariot wheel are sunken or something.. well at least Arjuna still held his weapon and Khrisna is the one who lift the wheel up, unlike Karna who are defenseless and weaponless.