batch.motif.hindu-mahabharata-dutt-gutenberg-l5654-l5797
---
record_id: batch.motif.hindu-mahabharata-dutt-gutenberg-l5654-l5797
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK IX / DRONA-BADHA / BOOK X / KARNA-BADHA; lines 5654-5797
start: '5654'
end: '5797'
translation: Maha-bharata
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: Arjun apologizes to Yudhishthir for drawing his sword after being told
to yield his weapon, and Yudhishthir forgives him. Arjun, driven by Krishna, returns
to battle against Karna, whose chariot is driven by Salya. In their final duel,
Arjun's bow-string breaks and Karna attacks him despite Arjun's appeal to the
rules of war. Later Karna's chariot wheel sinks in the earth; Karna asks Arjun
not to attack a helpless foe, but Krishna rebukes Karna by recalling earlier wrongs.
Karna wounds Arjun, Arjun recovers, remembers Abhimanyu, and kills Karna. After
Karna's death, Kripa warns Duryodhan that the Kuru forces are leaderless and urges
an end to the battle.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Arjun sheathes his sabre, joins his hands, bows his head, and asks Yudhishthir
to pardon his disrespect and his drawing of the sword.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Yudhishthir sheds tears, lifts Arjun to his heart, says he wronged Arjun,
and asks that his own hasty words be forgiven.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Arjun mounts the battle-car, and Krishna drives milk-white horses toward the
battle ranks.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:4
text: Karna advances with chiefs and armed men while Salya drives his horses with
whip and loosened rein.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: Arjun and Karna are described as life-long rivals who come together not to
part until one is slain.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The duel includes repeated arrow exchanges; Arjun's arrows are compared to
a flood and Karna's shafts to hissing serpents.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: Arjun's bow-string breaks, and he calls on Karna to observe the rules of war
by not attacking a disabled warrior.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Karna ignores Arjun's appeal and showers arrows on the bowless Arjun, striking
him in the chest with a dart.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: Karna's chariot wheel sinks in the soft earth, and Salya cannot move the tilted
chariot.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:10
text: Karna leaps down to lift the sunken axle and asks Arjun not to wage impious
war on a helpless, carless foe.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: Krishna answers Karna's appeal to virtue by listing earlier wrongs involving
Yudhishthir, Draupadi, Krishna's embassy, and Abhimanyu.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:12
text: Karna fires a final arrow that strikes Arjun's chest; Arjun falls fainting
while warriors and gods watch.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:13
text: Arjun rises, remembers Abhimanyu, draws Gandiva, and shoots the fatal arrow
that kills Karna.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:14
text: After Karna lies lifeless, Kripa tells Duryodhan that the Kuru forces are
leaderless and urges that the battle cease.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Arjun
description: Younger brother of Yudhishthir; bearer of the bow Gandiva; warrior
who duels and kills Karna.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:9
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Yudhishthir
description: Righteous elder and monarch who forgives Arjun and is recalled as dispossessed
and insulted in Krishna's rebuke.
role_refs:
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:7
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Krishna
description: Driver of Arjun's horses and speaker who answers Karna's appeal to
honour.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:7
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Karna
description: Fiery archer and life-long rival of Arjun; his chariot wheel sinks,
and he is killed by Arjun.
role_refs:
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:6
- ev:9
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Salya
description: Driver of Karna's coursers who tries to move Karna's tilted chariot.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Kripa
description: Warrior who speaks to Duryodhan after Karna's death and advises ending
the battle.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Duryodhan
description: Kuru leader addressed by Kripa after Karna's fall.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Sakuni
description: Named by Krishna as the one who robbed Yudhishthir of empire and gold.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Draupadi
description: Named by Krishna as insulted in Hastina's council hall.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Abhimanyu
description: Youthful hero whose killing is recalled by Krishna and whose memory
kindles Arjun's anger.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Gods in sky
description: Divine watchers who anxiously watch when Arjun falls fainting.
role_refs:
- role:15
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Kuru forces
description: Collective army described by Kripa as leaderless after Karna's death.
role_refs:
- role:16
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Bhima
description: Warrior whom Kripa says will seek fulfilment of a dreadful vow.
role_refs:
- role:17
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Satyaki
description: Warrior whom Kripa says will wreak vengeance for his slain sons.
role_refs:
- role:17
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
roles:
- id: role:1
label: penitent younger brother
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Arjun asks pardon from his elder after drawing his sword.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: forgiving elder king and brother
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Yudhishthir embraces Arjun, admits fault, and asks forgiveness.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: charioteer of Arjun
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Krishna drives the milk-white horses when Arjun returns to battle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:4
label: life-long rival archer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:4
basis: The passage calls Arjun and Karna life-long rivals who meet until one is
slain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: helpless warrior with sunken chariot wheel
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Karna's wheel sinks, and he asks not to be attacked while helpless and carless.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:6
label: charioteer of Karna
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Salya urges Karna's horses and tries to move the tilted chariot.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: role:8
label: avenger of Abhimanyu
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Arjun's memory of Abhimanyu motivates the fatal shot at Karna.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: role:9
label: rebuking counselor
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Krishna answers Karna's appeal to virtue with a catalogue of past wrongs.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:10
label: counselor urging peace
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Kripa tells Duryodhan to bid the battle cease.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:11
label: Kuru leader addressed after Karna's fall
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Kripa addresses Duryodhan about the state of the Kuru forces.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:12
label: accused deceiver in past dispossession
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Krishna says Sakuni robbed Yudhishthir of empire and gold.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:13
label: insulted woman recalled in accusation
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Krishna recalls insults heaped on Draupadi in the council hall.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:14
label: slain youthful hero
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: Krishna says Abhimanyu was killed by six marauders; Arjun remembers him before
killing Karna.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
- id: role:15
label: anxious divine watchers
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The gods in the sky watch anxiously when Arjun falls.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: role:16
label: leaderless army
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: Kripa describes the Kuru forces as leaderless after Karna's death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: role:17
label: future avenger predicted by Kripa
assigned_to:
- fig:13
- fig:14
basis: Kripa says Bhima will fulfill a vow and Satyaki will avenge slain sons.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Gandiva bow
literal_form: Arjun's bow Gandiva
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- ev:9
- id: sym:2
label: sabre drawn against elder
literal_form: Arjun's flashing sabre
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: battle-car or chariot
literal_form: Arjun's battle-car and Karna's chariot
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:6
- id: sym:4
label: sunken wheel
literal_form: Karna's chariot wheel stuck within the soft earth
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:5
label: serpent-like arrows
literal_form: Karna's shafts compared to hissing serpents and a cobra-like dart
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: sym:6
label: fire and flaming light imagery
literal_form: Arjun compared to flame or newly lighted fire; Karna's fall compared
to meteor; army compared to wood consumed by fire
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- ev:10
- id: sym:7
label: water and flood imagery
literal_form: Ocean billows, summer flood, and summer-dried river images used for
battle and army loss
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:10
- id: sym:8
label: milk-white horses
literal_form: Milk-white coursers driven by Krishna
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Arjun's apology and Yudhishthir's forgiveness
summary: Arjun repents for drawing his sword against Yudhishthir, and Yudhishthir
responds with tears, embrace, and self-reproach.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Rivals enter the final duel
summary: Arjun returns to battle with Krishna driving; Karna advances with Salya,
and the life-long rivals meet for a decisive combat.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: scene:3
label: Broken bow and attack on a disabled foe
summary: Arjun's bow-string breaks, he asks Karna to hold according to warrior rules,
but Karna attacks the bowless Arjun.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Karna's sunken chariot and Krishna's rebuke
summary: Karna's wheel sinks, he asks not to be attacked while helpless, and Krishna
rebukes him by recalling earlier violations of honour.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: scene:5
label: Arjun falls, rises, and kills Karna
summary: Karna wounds Arjun with a final arrow; Arjun falls, recovers, remembers
Abhimanyu, and kills Karna with a fatal dart.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:9
- id: scene:6
label: Kuru despair after Karna's fall
summary: Karna lies dead, and Kripa warns Duryodhan that the Kuru forces are leaderless
and should cease fighting.
figure_refs:
- fig:4
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:12
- fig:13
- fig:14
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Repentance and forgiveness between brothers before battle
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Arjun apologizes for drawing his sword, and Yudhishthir embraces him and
admits his own fault.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: high
cautions: This is a passage-level relational motif, not tied to an available taxonomy
family.
- id: motif:2
label: Final duel of life-long rivals
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Arjun and Karna are explicitly described as life-long rivals who meet not
to part until one is slain.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: No specific supplied taxonomy reference directly matches this heroic-duel
pattern.
- id: motif:3
label: Warrior code invoked by a helpless combatant and violated
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Arjun first asks not to be attacked after his bow-string breaks, but Karna
attacks; later Karna asks the same when his chariot wheel sinks.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The motif is based on reciprocal appeals to combat rules within the passage.
- id: motif:4
label: Retributive judgment before death
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Krishna rejects Karna's appeal to virtue by listing prior wrongs and declares
that death has come in the shape of Arjun.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The rebuke functions as moral judgment, but the passage itself does not
explicitly label Krishna's speech as divine judgment.
- id: motif:5
label: Vengeance for a slain son or youth
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Arjun's memory of Abhimanyu, described as a murdered youthful hero, kindles
his anger before he kills Karna.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:9
confidence: high
cautions: No supplied taxonomy reference directly matches filial vengeance.
- id: motif:6
label: Leaderless army after champion's death
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: After Karna lies dead, Kripa says the Kuru forces are leaderless and lost
like moonless midnight.
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
confidence: high
cautions: This is a martial aftermath pattern rather than a supplied mythic motif
family.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 5654-5671
quote_or_summary: Arjun sheathes his sabre, joins his hands, apologizes to Yudhishthir,
says Gandiva is dearer than life, and asks forgiveness for drawing the sword.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 5672-5683
quote_or_summary: Yudhishthir weeps, lifts Arjun to his heart, admits hasty words
after shame at fleeing Karna, and asks Arjun to forgive him.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 5684-5689
quote_or_summary: Arjun mounts the battle-car; Krishna drives the milk-white horses;
Karna advances with chiefs while Salya drives his coursers.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 5690-5701
quote_or_summary: Arjun and Karna are called life-long rivals; they fight until
one must fall, exchanging arrows likened to floods and hissing serpents.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 5702-5717
quote_or_summary: Arjun's bow-string breaks; he asks Karna to observe rules of war
and hold, but Karna showers arrows on the bowless Arjun and strikes his chest.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 5718-5733
quote_or_summary: Arjun renews combat; Karna's chariot wheel sinks into soft earth;
Salya cannot move it; Karna tries to lift the axle and asks Arjun not to attack
a helpless, carless foe.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 5734-5751
quote_or_summary: Krishna answers Karna by recalling Sakuni's robbery of Yudhishthir,
insults to Draupadi, refusal of justice after exile, and the killing of Abhimanyu;
he says death has come in the shape of Arjun.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 5752-5763
quote_or_summary: Karna fights frantically and sends a final arrow to Arjun's chest;
Arjun falls fainting while warriors and gods watch, then rises like newly lighted
fire.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 5764-5771
quote_or_summary: Remembering Abhimanyu, Arjun draws Gandiva and shoots the fatal
dart; Karna falls among the dead like a red flaming meteor.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: 5772-5797
quote_or_summary: After Karna lies lifeless, Kripa tells Duryodhan that the Kuru
forces are leaderless like moonless midnight, warns that Arjun, Bhima, and Satyaki
will destroy them, and urges the battle to cease.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/hindu/project-gutenberg/mahabharata-dutt.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal events and named figures are clear in the supplied passage. Motif
labels are passage-level candidates; only one taxonomy linkage is used, with caution.
No comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not establish
cross-textual comparison.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Extraction limited to the provided passage and metadata; no external Mahabharata context was used.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:hindu-mahabharata-dutt-gutenberg__l5654-l5797
passage_sha256=81ebe9f081111b0da0c0857b605fe88da9c455e263672be03384a75549cc2ba3