Stage of the amphitheater.
Arjuna is on the stage, displaying his prowess with different weapons.
Vidura This is truly unbelievable. I have never seen anyone do such things. Lady Kunti, are you proud of your son?
Kunti I have three good reasons to be proud.
Karna comes into the stage, armed.
Vidura Who is this?
Bhishma I have never seen him.
Dhritarashtra What is happening?
Vidura My lord, a young warrior is coming up to the stage, that neither Bhishma nor I had seen before.
Arjuna stops his display.
Arjuna Who are you stranger?
Karna begins to display his prowess at weapons and surpasses everything that Arjuna did.
Bhishma This indeed is wondrous!
Dhritarashtra will no one tell me what is happening?
Vidura [To Dhritarashtra]
My lord, this young man is displaying such skill with weapons that surpass even that of Arjuna himself!
Arjuna [To Karna]
Who are you? How dare you meddle with my display!
Karna how now? Have you never saw a mirror? Or, perhaps, you only saw yourself.
Sit down, enjoy the show. Allow me to perform one or two tricks of the bow and sword.
Karna continues to perform even greater feats with the bow.
Arjuna Drona!
Drona Stranger, your skills are indeed impressive, but I think we have seen enough.
Duryodhana We have seen enough, no doubt!
[To Karna]
I welcome you, warrior! It is good fortune that bestowed you to me. Come – be as a brother to me.
Karna I only wish for your friendship.
Duryodhana my friendship is yours forever. Ask of me what you will.
Karna [To Duryodhana]
I only ask to battle against Arjuna.
Duryodhana All my fortune is yours, you shall enjoy my riches and the good life with me, you will govern my country as my scepter; you will vanquish our enemies!
Arjuna You are a wretch! Only miscreants intrude in the middle of things.
Karna The arena is not for you alone, but for all warriors of power and skill. Do warriors value petty regulations and ceremony, or the terrible strength and ability in battle? Kshatriyas are men of war; disputes are settled on the saddle and signed with the sharp edge of their quill sword. Are you a true knight or with trifles of administration protect yourself? Speak to me in arrows then!
Arjuna draws his bow and prepares to fight, Karna arms himself also.
Arjuna Tell me your name wretch! So I can remember who I killed on this day!
Karna Karna is my name.
Kunti suddenly faints.
Vidura The queen fainted! Bring water, quick! Are you well my queen!
Kunti I am… oh, look at the sky, half is painted with clouds of rain, and half is bright with sun.
Vidura The queen is not feeling well.
Kunti There is nothing I can do…
Arjuna and Karna arm their bows with arrows.
Kripa Karna, you have challenged the youngest son of Kunti to fight. Yet, before you commence your battle tell us who your father is, your lineage, and what is his kingdom, for only a royal prince is worthy to duel Arjuna.
Karna This you are asking me of all questions… I have no kingdom…
Duryodhana Kripa! Dear teacher! The scriptures affirm that a king can become in three ways, by way of blood, by way of heroism, and by way of appointment to command and army. So I now appoint Karna to be the king of Anga, to rule over it and command its army!
Bring the anointment, call the priests, the ceremony shall take place at once!
[Priests enter, with attendants.]
I dub you Karna — king of Anga.
Karna Finally, a name to fit my disposition! Duryodhana, what can I ever do to repay you?
Duryodhana I only wish for your friendship.
Karna it is yours forever!
Duryodhana and Karna embrace.
Adhiratha comes near the stage, sees Karna on the stage.
Adhiratha Karna! Karna? My dear son, what are you doing there?
Bhima Son? Is this your father? A charioteer! Ha! The king of Anga — the son of a charioteer! Must be the kingdom of horses!
Adhiratha Karna, what is all this?
Karna [Comes to his father and embrace him]
Father, I am a king now. Duryodhana has anointed me.
Adhiratha King? What? The ruler of land, of people? Go, go into your dream.
Bhima You! Son of a chariot! You think you even deserve to die at Arjuna’s hand? You should hold the whip, not the bow.
Duryodhana Are you a Kshatriya or a base coward! We are being valued and judged by power and might, and not be birth. What if the son of a king is born with a defect and his powers useless, what if his arms were so weak from disease he cannot fight? Can that person be king? We look up to those of power! Those who spread fear with the shade of their sword, we adore such ability and wish we to be even more powerful. This is the nature of warriors. But look now, the great Pandava warriors, ever boasting about their power, seeing this first challenge, run to hide in subtleties of rules and nuances of heraldry? You require a talk with the mother of every knight that challenges you? Who knows? Perhaps he was born of an egg, or an invalid father? I say fight, and the best warrior proves himself so with his sword!
Karna and Arjuna prepare to fight. The sun sets down.
Drona Hold! The sun has set, the day is gone. There shall be no more fighting today.
The Pandavas leave the stage.
Duryodhana light the candles and the lamps! Lets us have light to show our way back to the palace! Come Karna, take my hand. Give me light!
Duryodhana, holding a lamp in one hand and Karna in the other, exits with Karna followed by attendants holding lamps.