It was Harihara Murti that did all the slaying in the Mahabharata battle - Skanda purana

[V Subrahmanian]

In this chapter Bhima's grandson Barbarika recounts a wonderful scene he had witnessed:

स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः १ (माहेश्वरखण्डः)/कौमारिकाखण्डः/अध्यायः ६६

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/gxj

Yudhishthira says to Lord Krishna: We won the war by your grace. Bhima disagreed and asked, 'How can you say this leaving me, Arjuna, Dhrishtadyumna, Satyaki - all of us who had actually done the slaying?':

युधिष्ठिरो ज्ञातिमध्ये गोविंदं समभाषत ।।

पुरुषोत्तम संग्रामममुं संतारिता वयम् ।। ८२ ।।

त्वयैव नाथेन हरे नमस्ते पुरुषोत्तम ।।

श्रुत्वा तस्यापि सासूयमिदं भीमो वचोऽब्रवीत् ।। ८३ ।।

येन ध्वस्ता धार्तराष्ट्रास्तं निराकृत्य मां नृप ।।

पुरुषोत्तमं कृष्णमिति ब्रवीषि किमु मूढवत् ।। ८४ ।।

धृष्टद्युम्नं फाल्गुनं च सात्यकिं मां च पांडव ।।

निराकृत्य ब्रवीष्येव सूतं धिक्त्वा युधिष्ठिर ।। ८५ ।।

Then Arjuna says: Not so Bhima, you do not know the glory of Sri Hari. It was not we who killed the enemies I saw a wonderful figure on the battlefield. I know not who he is. He is the one that killed them all:

।। अर्जुन उवाच ।। ।।

मैवं मैवं ब्रूहि भीम न त्वं वेत्सि जनार्दनम् ।।

न मया न त्वया पार्थ नान्येनाप्यरयो हताः ।। ८६ ।।

अहं हि सर्वदाग्रस्थं नरं पश्यामि संयुगे ।।

निघ्नंतं शात्रवांस्तत्र न जाने कोऽप्यसाविति ।। ८७ ।।

Bhima replied: Not so Arjuna. No one else killed them all. Barbarika, was witnessing everything. Let's ask him:

।। भीम उवाच ।। ।।

विभ्रांतोऽसि ध्रुवं पार्थ नात्र हंता नरोऽपरः ।।

अथ चेदस्ति त्वत्पौत्रमुच्चस्थं वच्मि हंत कः ।। ८८ ।।

उपसृत्य ततो भीमो बर्बरीकमपृच्छत ।।

ब्रूह्येते केन निहता धार्तराष्ट्रा हि शत्रवः ।। ८९ ।।

Then Barbarika says:

।। बर्बरीक उवाच ।। ।।

एको मया पुमान्दृष्टो युध्यमानः परैः सह ।।

सव्यतः पंचवक्त्रः स दक्षिणे चैकवक्त्रतः ।। 1.2.66.९० ।।

सव्यतो दशहस्तश्च धृतशूलाद्युदायुधः ।।

दक्षिणे च चतुर्हस्तो धृतचक्राद्युदायुधः ।। ९१ ।।

सव्यतश्च जटाधारी दक्षिणे मुकुटोच्चयः ।।

सव्यतो भस्मधारी च दक्षिणे धृतचंदनः ।। ९२ ।।

सव्यतश्चंद्रधारी च दक्षिणे कौस्तुभद्युतिः ।।

ममापि तद्दर्शनतो महद्भयमजायत ।। ९३ ।।

ईदृशो मे नरो दृष्टो न चान्यो यो जघान तान् ।।

इत्युक्ते पुष्पवर्षं तु खादासीत्सुमहाप्रभम् ।। ९४ ।।

सस्वनुर्देववाद्यानि साधुसाध्विति वै जगुः ।।

विस्मिताः पांडवाश्चासन्प्रणेमुः पुरुषोत्तमम् ।। ९५ ।।

I saw a man. He was at war with others. The left side of his body had five heads, the right side had one head. Ten hands holding the trident, etc. weapon to the left, four hands holding Chakra, etc, to the right. Jatadhari (matted hair) to the left, crown to the right.

Bhasmadhari to the left,adorned with Chandana (sandal paste) to the right. Chandradhari (crescent moon) to the left, Kaustubha's lustre to the right. I was also scared to see him. I did not see anyone except this fiery man who was killing everyone.

As soon as Barbarika said this, flowers rained from the sky. The divine instruments rang out. The Pandavas were amazed and saluted Lord Krishna.

Krishna has said to Arjuna in the 11th chapter of Bhagavad Gita:

मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वमेव

निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्।।11.33।।

I have already annihilated everyone myself. You fight just for the sake of it (be just the instrumental cause).

In the Mahabharata Krishna tells Arjuna after the battle:

http://tinyurl.com/mxbb8g2

मया त्वं रक्षितो युद्धे महान्तं प्राप्तवाञ्जयम्।।

यस्तु ते सोग्रतो याति युद्धे संप्रत्युपस्थिते।

तं विद्धि रुद्रं कौन्तेय देवदेवं कपर्दिनम्।।

कालः स एव विहितः क्रोधजेति मया तव।

निहतांस्तेन वै पूर्वं हतवानसि यान्रिपून्।।

अप्रमेयप्रभावं तं देवदेवमुमापतिम्।

नमस्व देवं प्रयतो विश्वेशं हरमक्षयम्।।

यश्च ते कथितः पूर्वं क्रोधजेति पुनः पुनः।

तस्य प्रभाव एवाग्रे यच्छ्रुतं ते धनंजय।।

A brilliant one was walking before you on the battlefield. It was none other than Paramashiva. He is the one that killed everyone. You killed only those he had already slain. Pay your devout obeisance to Umapati, the impregnable and powerful Lord of the universe.

The combination of these two incidents (of the Bh.Gita and the Mahabharata) in the narration of the Skanda Purana is very interesting indeed.

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Yes, Subbuji,

However, Lord Krishna gave one last chance to Karna, by privately talking to Karna, before the war began, but Karma did not take that opportunity. Lord Krishna advised Karna to leave the evil Kauravas and join his brothers, the Pandavas, as the head. But Karna refused.

Regards

Sunil KB

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