the story of karn - my favourite hero in mahabharat

5/28/2018 The Story of Karn - My Favourite Hero in Mahabharat

The story of Karna

Karna is one of the central figures in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was the first son of Kunti,and was thus half brother to the Pandavas, and the eldest of them. Although Duryodhana of theKauravas appoint him king of Anga, his role in the legend far exceeds the importance of a king.

He fought for the Kauravas in the great battle at Kurukshetra. As such, the name Karna (andvarious other spellings) is a common Indian first name.

The princess Kunti attended to the sage Durvasa for a full year, while he was a guest at herfather's palace. The sage was pleased with her service and granted her a boon whereby she couldcall upon any god of her choice, and beget a child in his image. Unsure of whether the boonwould actually be granted, Kunti, while still unmarried, decided to test the boon and called uponSurya the sun god. Bound by the power of the mantra, Surya granted her a son as radiant andstrong as his father, although she did not want a child (wishing only to test the power). Throughhis divine power, Kunti retained her virginity. Thus Karna was born. Surya gifted Karna with anarmour ('Kavacha') and a pair of earrings ('Kundala') which dipped in Amrit, which were

attached to him from birth.

Unwilling to face the world as an unwed mother, Kunti abandoned Karna, setting him afloat in abox in a river.

The child Karna was borne down the river and picked up by King Dhritarashtra's charioteer,Adhiratha, a sudra. Karna was raised by him and his wife Radha (not the same Radha who wasLord Krishna's Companion at Mathura) as their son and named Vasusena (born with wealth), dueto his natural set of armour and earrings. They knew something of his parentage by the jewelleryhe was found with, and never hid from him the fact that he was not their biological child. He wasalso known as Radheya because of the name of his mother Radha.

The bond between Karna and his foster family was one of pure love, respect and affectiondespite the lack of blood relationship. Adhiratha was honored by Karna in front of all the warriorkind, and Karna lovingly performed his duties as a son and brother within his foster family,despite his rise as king of Anga and the eventual revelation of his true birth.

As he grew into adulthood, Karna sought to be a warrior. He approached Dronacharya, who atthat time had established his school and was training the Kuru princes, requesting admission intohis school. Drona refused to teach him, as he was a 'sutaputra' or the son of a charioteer. Karnarealized his caste would continue to be a barrier in his quest for knowledge. He decidedeventually to approach Parashurama, who was known to teach Bramhins alone. Karna appeared

to Parashurama as a Brahmin and wanted to learn the arts of war from Parashurama and woulduse them to maintain order as Parashurama had done, and was accepted as his student. Karna isdescribed as a diligent student. Parashurama trained him to the point where Parashuramadeclared Karna to have surpassed him in the arts of war.

As Karna's training came to completion, Parashurama learnt the truth about Karna's origin. Oneafternoon, he requested Karna to bring a pillow for him to sleep outside in the shade. Karnainstead offered him his lap as a pillow. While Parashurama was asleep, an insect came by and


alighting on Karna's thigh, bit him. Despite the pain, Karna did not move as it would disturb hisGuru. The insect bit deep into Karna's leg, causing blood to flow out, the warmth and feel ofwhich woke up Parashurama. He deduced at once that Karna was a kshatriya as only a warriorcould withstand such pain without flinching. He cursed Karna, stating that when he required anastra (divine weapon) the most, he would be unable to recall its incantation. Radheya pleaded

with him and told him he was not a kshatriya (even though he was, he did not know it yet) andthis would have been the act of any student towards his guru. After a Parashurama heard his pleaParashurama said his curse was irrevocable, he would gift to him the Vijaya, Parashurama'spersonal bow, and that in the end, Karna would achieve what he wanted the most, everlastinghonor.

Departing from Parashurama's ashram, Karna wandered for some time. Mistaking a cow for awild animal, he shot an arrow and killed it. Incensed, the brahmin who owned the cow cursedKarna, stating that when Karna would fight the most crucial battle of his life his wheel would getstuck in the mud, rendering him vulnerable to his enemy.

Returning home, Karna informed his family of his training, keeping the curses a secret. Hesusbequently decided to seek out a position in the Hastinapura court.

Drona held a tournament at Hastinapura, to display the skills of the Kuru princes. Arjunaemerged in this tournament as a particularly gifted archer. Karna arrived at the tournament andafter surpassing Arjuna's feats, challenged him to a duel. However, Kripacharya refused Karnahis duel, asking first for his clan and kingdom - according to the rules of dueling, only a princemay challenge Arjuna who is a prince of the Kuru house. Duryodhana, the oldest of theKauravas, offers Karna the throne of Anga (today's Bhagalpur in Bihar), so that Karna would bea king and thus be more than eligible to duel his cousin. When Karna, who is emotionallyovercome at this, asks him what he can do to repay him, Duryodhana tells him all he wants is his

friendship. "I want your heart" he tells Karna, to which Karna says it is already his.

This event establishes key relationships in the Mah bh rata, namely, the strong bondbetween Duryodhana and Karna, the intense rivalry between Karna and Arjuna, and the enmityin general between the Pandavas as a whole and Karna.

Karna is spoken of as a loyal and true friend to Duryodhana. While he was later party to theinfamous game of dice to please Duryodhana, he was opposed to it to begin with. Karna dislikedShakuni, and advised Duryodhana continuously to use his prowess and skill to defeat hisenemies, rather than deceit and trickery. When the attempt to kill the Pandavas in the house oflac fails, Karna chides Duryodhana in his despondence, telling him the ways of cowards are

doomed to failure and exhorting him to be a warrior and obtain what he wants through valour.

As a king, warrior and friend of Duryodhana, Karna became part of the Hastinapura court. Hewent on to repeat Bheeshma's actions in bringing the princesses of Kashi to Duryodhana aswives, appearing at the Kashi court, seizing the princesses, and challenging the kings and princesto take them from him if they can.


Another instance was when Karna aided Duryodhana in marrying the princess of Chitragandha(not to be confused with Princess Chitrangada of Manipur). In her swayamvar, the princessrejected Duryodhana, who subsequently carried her away by force. The other kings present at theswayamvar pursued Duryodhana. However, Karna defeated them single-handedly. Among thekings present in the princess of Chitragandha's swayamvar were Jarasandha, Shishupala,

Dantavakra and Rukmi. As a token of his appreciation, Jarasandha gifted Karna a portion ofMagadha.

Karna was renowned in all the worlds for his generosity, surpassing even the Gods. Followinghis appointment as king, he took an oath : Anyone who approached him with a request atmidday, when he would worship the Sun, would go away with his request fulfilled. He wouldnever let anyone leave empty-handed. This practice contributed to Karna's fame as well as to hisdownfall, as Indra and Kunti took advantage of it.

Karna was one of the suitor for Draupadi at the famed swayamvar. Unlike other contenders, hewas easily able to wield and string the bow. Before he could take aim, however, Draupadi

intervened, stating she would not wed a suta.

Karna, furious over the insult, stormed out of the arena. The Pandavas were also present in theswayamvara, disguised as brahmanas. Following the failure of the other princes, Arjuna steppedinto the ring and successfully tackled the target, winning Draupadi's hand. He also fought a duelsubsequently with Karna, who expressed admiration for his skill.

When Arjuna's identity is later revealed, Karna's feelings of rivalry further intensify.

Karna was never happy with Shakuni's plan to defeat the Pandavas by trickery and deceit. Hepreferred the way of battle and repeatedly cajoled Duryodhana to choose that path. To please

Duryodhana, however, he chose to be a part of the game, leading to the disturbing Cheer-haranscene.

After Shakuni had won the game of dice by trickery, the Pandavas' queen Draupadi was draggedinto the court by Duhsassana who attempted to strip her, incited by Karna, Duryodhana and hiswicked brothers. Karna calls Draupadi a "whore", and goes as far as to say that whores have norights so it would not be wrong to bring her nude in front of everyone.

On the spot, Bhima vows that he will personally slaughter Duryodhana and his brothers in battle.

During the Pandavas' exile, Karna took upon himself the task of establishing Duryodhana as the

World Emperor. Karna commanded an army to different parts of the country to subjugate kingsand made them swear allegiance to Duryodhana, the king of Hastinapura or else die in battle.Karna succeeded in all the battles. In this military adventure, Karna is stated to have waged warsand reduced to submission numerous kingdoms including those of the Kambojas, the Shakas, theKekayas, the Avantyas, the Gandharas, the Madarakas, the Trigartas, the Tanganas, thePanchalas, the Videhas, the Suhmas, the Angas, the Vangas, the Nishadas, the Kalingas, theVatsa, theAshmakas, the Rishikas (i.e south-western Rishikas located in Maharashtra) andnumerous others including mlecchas and the forest tribes


Indra, king of the gods (Devas) and father of Arjuna, realized that Karna would be invincible inbattle as long as he had the golden armour suit and earrings that he was born with. During thePandavas' exile, when war was imminent, Indra took it upon himself to weaken Karna. Hedecided to approach Karna as a poor brahmin during his mid-day worship. He knew of Karna'smoral policy and that he would never refuse any request of a Brahmin or beggar at that time of

the day. Karna's father, the Sun god Surya, informed Karna in a dream that Indra would disguisehimself as a beggar and ask for Karna's armour and earrings as alms. Surya exhorted him not togive away his protection. Karna, who did not know that Surya was his father, does not heed thewarning. As Surya had predicted, a disguised Indra approached Karna and asked for his kavacha(body armour) and kundala (earrings) as alms. Karna, despite knowing that the armour andearrings were his protection, readily gives them away. In fact, he cuts off his birthsuit armourand earrings from his body without flinching. Indra, shamed into generosity by Karna's gesture,reciprocates by giving Karna the boon to use Indra's most powerful weapon, the Vasavi shakti,but only once.

Kunti, fearing the war, approached Karna and revealed her identity as his mother to him. The

two share a touching moment together, when she tells him to throw aside the name 'Radheya' andcall himself 'Kaunteya' (Kunti's firstborn) instead, and he replies that that is the day he haswanted all his life. Upon her requesting him to come with her however, a request that Suryahimself reinforces from the sky, Karna refuses. He tells Kunti, that, had she been willing to callhim Kaunteya many years ago, when he appeared at the tournament, things might have beendifferent, but now it is too late. He owes Duryodhana too much, is Duryodhana's friend first andforemost, and must fight the Pandavas. However, he promises her that he will not kill any of thefive, save Arjuna. He and Arjuna have sworn to kill each other, and one of them must die. Hetells Kunti she can only dream of six sons. She will always have five sons, either him or Arjuna.He agrees to Kunti that he will use naga-astram only once against Arjuna.

Karna requests his mother to keep their relationship and his royal birth heritage a secret until hisdeath. Only then she may reveal to the world that he was actually her first born. It is noteworthythat Karna denies to reveal this secret which makes him, the eldest of the Pandavas, rightfulemperor.

Before the start of the war, Bhishma, the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava force, does not pickKarna as one of his key generals and instead assigns him to a less significant position (to curb hisundue hatred of the Pandavas). Insulted, Karna rebels against Bhishma, and refuses to fightunder Bhishma's authority. He is aghast when Duryodhana does not intervene to reinstate him.Duryodhana, the astute politician that he is, knows fully well the advantage of having Bhishmaon his side even though the grand patriarch of all the warriors, undefeated for several

generations, has openly declared that the Pandavas are also dear to him and that he would not killthem.

Karna only enters the battlefield on the 11th day, after Bhishma was struck down the previousday. It is also interesting to note that he does not capture any of the Pandavas even though he haddefeated them and had the opportunity of doing so.


On the thirteenth day of the battle, Dronacharya (Drona) organized a special formation for thephalanxes called the Chakravyuha/Padmavyuha. (Chakravyuh and Padmavyuha are 2 differentmilitary formations. While Chakravyuh denotes a circular arrangement, Padmavyuh means alotus formation). Only Krishna and Arjuna on the Pandavas' side knew how to break the scheme;however both were purposely taken away from the battle field by two kings on Duryodhana's

side. Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son had partial knowledge of the formation having heard it when hewas in his mother's womb when Arjuna, his father, was narrating the Chakravyuha arrangementto his mother, Subhadra, but could not hear all the information as his mother fell asleep inArjuna's lap. Hence he could enter the Chakravyuha, but did not know how to exit it. It wasdecided that Abhimanyu would lead the Pandavas into the Chakravyuha and then they wouldfight their way out. No one that day was able to defeat Abhimanyu, who had entered theChakravyuha a circular arrangement of soldiers. But Jayadratha, a king in the Kaurava army,prevented the other Pandavas from entering the formation. Abhimanyu was left all alone in themiddle of the enemy formation. Once inside, he fought valiantly and single handedly defeatedalmost all reputed generals of the Kauravas including Karna, Drona and Duryodhana.Duryodhana and Karna chose to assist to eliminate Abhimanyu as per the instructions of Drona.

Karna shot arrows that broke Abhimanyu's bow and the reins of his chariot, while the Kauravasoverwhelmed him. The battle ends with Abhimanyu's death. His father, Arjuna takes up a terriblepledge to kill Jayadratha the next day before the sunset, or he would sacrifice his own life byself-immolation.

On the fourteenth day, the battle uncharacteristically spilled over into the night and Ghatotkacha,the half-asura son of the Pandava Bhima began decimating the Kaurava forces (Asuras becameextraordinarily powerful at night). Duryodhana and Karna bravely stood and fought with him.Finally when it semmed that Ghatotkacha would decimate all the Kaurava forces that very night,Duryodhana requested Karna to salvage the situation.Thus,he was forced to use the Shaktiweapon on Ghatotkacha. This had been granted to him by Indra as a mark of respect for his

peerless generosity. However, Indra allowed Karna to use the weapon only once, after which itwould return to Indra. Karna was now without that weapon and his impregnable armour andearrings. Now Karna did not have a divine weapon that was a serious threat to Arjuna and wouldhave to rely primarily on his skills and prowess to take on Arjuna, who was equipped with awider range of divine weaponry. Still, Karna knew that he must face Arjuna in battle and one ofthe two would certainly die.

On the fifteenth day of battle, Dronacharya, the guru of the warriors on both sides, is killed byunfair means. Yudishtra, who could not tell a lie, names an elephant ashwathatmma, the son ofDrona and kills the elephant. He then announces that Ashwathama, the elephant has been killed,with the word elephant drowned out. Drona is killed in his sorrow and Karna is appointed as the

commander-and-chief of the Kaurava forces. In individual confrontations on the battlefield,Karna defeats all the Pandavas, except Arjuna, but chooses to spare their lives, keeping hispromise to his mother Kunti.

On the seventeenth day of battle, the much anticipated confrontation between Karna and Arjunafinally takes place. They were evenly matched during the spectacular combat. Karna had beengifted a bow by Parashurama called Vijaya(pinakin), one designed by Vishwakarma himself. AtDuryodhana's request, Shalya, who was a maternal uncle to Pandavas, reluctantly agreed to drive


Karna's chariot, hence he had a charioteer to equal Krishna (Shalya had mastered theAshwahridaya - "Art of Horses")

Without the Shakti weapon, Karna had no particular way to kill Arjuna. He had to rely upon hisown garnered skill. In a wondrous, intense display of amazing archery, valour and courage,

Karna and Arjuna engaged and exhausted all their brilliance, knowledge and passion. Karnadevised an intelligent strategy based upon his personal prowess. He stunned Arjuna with apowerful volley of arrows that struck his chest. And the instant in which Arjuna was dazzled,Karna let loose another powerful volley intended at killing his powerful foe. King Shalya ofMadra, Karna's charioteer (Shalya, who was the uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva, had been trickedinto fighting on the Kaurava side, but had promised Yudhisthira that he would not allow Karnato kill Arjuna), told Karna to play safe by aiming the {naga-astram} arrow at Arjuna's chest.However, Karna refused to heed that advice and aimed the arrow at Arjuna's head. But LordKrishna came to his friend and devotee's rescue, plunging the chariot into the earth by his power,causing the fatal arrow to miss Arjuna by a few miserable inches and strike Arjuna's crowninstead.

During the course of combat, one of the Karna's chariot wheels got stuck in loose soil, apparentlybecause of a curse put on Karna by a Brahmin whose cow Karna had mistakenly killed. KingShalya, who was his charioteer, refused to get down and remove the wheel from the mud . HenceKarna asked Arjuna to disengage in combat, while he got off his chariot and removed the wheelfrom the mud. Arjuna agreed. But Krishna recalled Karna's previous lapses in honourableconduct and ordered Arjuna to shoot at Karna while he was attempting to lift his wheel out of themud. The chariot wheel remained stuck and the curse of Parashurama ensured that Karna couldnot recall the mantras necessary to unleash the more powerful weapons of mass destruction - TheBrahmastra. Krishna reminds Arjuna of Karna's ruthlessness against Abhimanyu whenAbhimanyu was similarly left without a chariot or weapons.

All of Arjuna's tears, pain and anger swelled up within him as he aimed the fatal shaft Anjalika ata desperate Karna and beheaded him.

After Karna's death, Kunti informed the Pandavas that she was Karna's mother and that he wasthe eldest of the Pandavas. The Pandavas grieved for Karna. Yudhisthira, particularly, wasincensed on hearing that his mother had kept secret from him and his brothers Karna's trueidentity, whom it would have been their duty in life to serve and revere as their elder, as his fourbrothers had served and revered him. He cursed all women, stating that henceforth they wouldnever be able to keep a secret.

Karna remains a tragic figure for millions of Hindus and Indians to this day. He remains a bravehero, a courageous spirit who braved impossible odds in his whole life, and died with terrificcourage, valor and honor, to rise to immortality in fame. He is especially famous for hisgenerosity. He is also an example of misjudgment and how that renders all the fine qualities ofan individual futile.

The city of Karnal in Haryana, near Kurukshetra, is named after Karna.


Karna serves as an excellent example of a gifted, righteous and brave individual who was stilldoomed because of his loyalty towards the evil Duryodhana. Karna's blind affection forDuryodhana led him to, albeit unwillingly, assist his dear friend in all his immoral and unjustactions against the Pandavas. Karna was aware of Duryodhana's malicious plans against thePandavas. Karna was also aware of his own imminent downfall for assisting the evil against the

good. The blemish to his name is his treatment of Draupadi, and his role in the killing of theunarmed and outnumbered Abhimanyu.

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the story of karn - my favourite hero in mahabharat

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