The story of Karna has got to do a lot with how a girl’s curiosity for a “gift” led her to a miserable life which became a curse not only for her but also for her great son whose life was plagued with injustice. It can aptly be said that it is a story of a tragic hero who had royal blood in him but was never considered royal; leave aside the respect and honour he deserved. It is a story in which a warrior gave his life for friendship, even though it meant being on the opposite side of his brothers the Pandavas(who knew nothing of karna’s existence till he was killed by one of them, namely Arjun).
More notably it is a story of a great soul who was a great philanthropist and in one instance gave away his very protective body armor (‘Kavacha’) and a pair of earrings (‘Kundala’), which he was born with.( which the sun god, his father had given to him so that he could not be killed by anyone.)
Kunti:
The story of karna cannot begin or end without Kunti being the central character. She was Karna’s biological mother. The best metaphor to represent her in this present era are those girls who are from well to do families and want “freedom” but end up with teenage pregnancies and then abandon their new born, not letting anyone know in the process as to what occurred, thereby manifesting a life of misery for the child.
Kunti’s other sons Yudhistra, Bhim and Arjun were sons by various other gods as Pandu was cursed that he cannot have physical relations with his wives or any women.(since pandu accidentally killed a Rishi in forest hunting who had taken the form of deer and was enjoying with his mate. The Rishi cursed Pandu that he would similarly die whenever he would mate with his wife therefore can never bear sons as per a curse by a sage).
In short Kunti was quite the matriarch, I bet modern feminist would be so proud of her achievements of having kids with whoever she wanted, though it is been reported in Mahabharata that she had a mantra that she could call upon any god for a “gift”.)
Karna’s Birth :
When Kunti called Sun god with a mantra to test the validity of the mantra, which was provided to her by a sage who was happy with her service towards her when the sage came to her palace (after all the women empowerment and liberation are key factors here) she got scared and wanted the Sun God to go away, but he pleaded his helplessness against the power of mantra. (she was one with captivating spell)
Surya dev (or Sun God) however assured Kunti that even after being blessed with a son, she would still remain a virgin and would not have to suffer any opprobrium. And so Karna was born with kavach and kundal (armor which would make him invincible). Kunti was nevertheless afraid of social stigma and therefore she abandoned the child. She put Karna in a basket and placed the same in the Ganges river, the basket was seen by Adhirath, a charioteer, who had no issues. He picked up the baby and brought him up. That is why Karna is also sometimes referred to as Sarathiputra. Thereby karna became the illegitimate eldest son of Kunti. (the irony of the situation is that there are many karnas born even today).
On a personal note one would never forgive Kunti for what she did to Karna,even though many feminist can go gaga over her problem. The point however would remain that she never owned up her responsibility and her fault till the very end. So even though she was karna’s mother, from my view point she was the reason that karna had to suffer so much in life and one would rarely sympathies with such a character, her “pain” was nothing compared to the pain endured by karna throughout his life. (though many would disagree with my viewpoint)
Teachings and the curse by Parshuram:
As Karna grew up, he became more interested in the art of warfare than in merely being a charioteer like his father Adhirata. Karna met Dronacharya, who was an established teacher in the art of warfare. Dronacharya taught the Kuru princes, but refused to take Karna as his student, since Karna was a son of a charioteer and Dronacharya only taught Kshatriyas, or warriors. (another case of elitism in education system and deep arrogance)
After being refused by Dronacharya, Karna sought his brother Shona’s help. But in Indian culture, to learn an art you must have a teacher, so Karna appointed the sun god as his first taecher, learned to wield his weapons during the day by gathering information about the various weapons and practiced with them after sundown.
Karna was keen to acquire the Brahmastra mantra from the great teacher Parshuram. However, he knew that Parshuram gave instructions to Brahmins (the priestly tribe) only (call it elitism in education system). So he disguised as a Brahmin and beseeched Parshuram to accept him as a disciple. Parshuram accepted him as such and started giving him instructions.
One day when Parshuram was resting in Karnas lap, it so happened that a bee stung Karna on the lower portion of his thigh (It was Lord Indra who did that by taking the form of a bee). It was very painful and he started bleeding. However, fearing that if he moved his legs, he would awaken Parshuram, he did not move at all and continued to suffer. When Parshuram woke up, he saw Karna bleeding.
He cursed him immediately as he believed that a Brahmin cannot suffer so much physical pain. Only a kshatriya (the warrior tribe) can endure so much discomfort. Karna was obliged to disclose his identity. Parshuram was greatly annoyed because he was a sworn enemy of Kshatriyas. He therefore cursed Karna that as he had learnt through deceit, he shall forget the skill which Parshuram had taught him at the crucial juncture.
Karna pleaded that any student would have acted in the same way and that he was the son of Vasusena, a mere charioteer and not a Kshatriya. But while Parashurama regretted cursing Karna in a moment of anger, his curse was irrevocable (This shows how 2nd misjudegment after kunti’s resulted in the downfall of karna). In order to subside the curse Parashurama gave to Karna as a gift the celestial weapon called Bhargavastra, along with his personal bow called Vijaya, for being such a diligent student.
Then there was another curse in which he accidentally killed a poor bhramin’s cow who cursed him helpless in the same way the innocent cow had become, by his chariot wheels getting stuck to his ground. (The reason on his death he was not on his chariot when Arjun killed him)
Draupadi and karna
The problem with Draupadi was that she was as flawed as Kunti but with loads of EGO inside her. (It seems to me that it was karna’s fate to have such flawed women in his life even though his quality as man was what women always desire in a son or a husband)
It is said that when Draupadi was once praying for a husband, she asked that her husband be:
1) Righteous and good
2) Strong and brave
3) A great warrior
4) Good looking
5) Handsome
Lord Shiva told her that no one man can have all the 5 qualities. But as usual Drupadi highly stubborn and egoistic would not relent, Lord Shiva granted her wish. Except she had to be the wife of 5 brothers- each Pandav brother had one of the qualities she desired.
Yudhistra (righteous and good)
Bheem (strong and brave)
Arjun (a great warrior)
Nakul and Sahdev (good looking/handsome).
However it is said, Karna had all these 5 qualities- he was after all technically the eldest of Kunti’s son .
When he went for her swamwar (where a woman is allowed to choose her husband, yes it was very liberating experience back then in ancient India too), where Pandav were dressed as Brahmins or Priests. She insulted him by calling him a mere son of a charioteer who DARED to think of marrying a princess, being true to her egoistic nature (after all she considered herself to be very EDUCATED and she believed that she knew everything about karna, another case where her arrogance was at best, as in reality karna was of Royal Blood and eldest brother of 5 Pandav, so in short was the perfect husband for her, Krishna here too played his spoiler game by misguiding Draupadi)
Karna and Arjun
It would be right to say that their fight was much like two tigers fighting for their pride , only that in this case Karna knew the truth but Arjun didn’t. The hostilities between Karna and Arjun were since childhood were in when he heard his brother shone tell about Arjun piercing through the eyes of a fish. Karna retaliated that he could pierce through two eyes of the fish with just one shot.
The Arjun’s humiliation of karna again and again by calling him the son of a mere charioteer or shurdra ( lowly ranked Servant ) who DARED to fight the kshatriyas or warrior tribe men made the blood of karna boil. Then the biggest reason fight between them is Draupadi (who I think was born just to get Mahabharat started with absolute egoism)
Many have said Karna was wrong in calling Draupadi a whore while she was being stripped by Durshasan. He said that saying that a women having more than one husband is a whore (as Draupadi had five Pandavas to be called as Husbands).
Though one would like to bring a different perspective here. Karna’s attempt to humiliate Draupadi and damage her spirit can be seen as revenge act. Draupadi too humiliated karna and damaged his spirit and kept on doing so till the end, by calling a shudra ( son of a servant). If a woman’s pain and humiliation is taken into account then why shouldn’t a man’s pain be considered, after all earlier he gave her full respect and wanted to love and honour her as his bride but she called him names ?
Karna’s Death:
His death was a result of a series of curses which he received in his life. Those curses were due to the misjudgment of the ones giving them. It was also due to his mother who did not care about her eldest son but was content with her 3 sons and 2 step-sons, though she came to plead to him before the day he was suppose to fight Arjun to not fight,but Karna said it was too late for her to recognize him as her son.It was also result of his giving up of his body Armour and earning with which he was born to Lord Indra who came disguised as a poor Brahmin. Karna use to pray to Sun God at every noon and he was famous for giving away anything that some asked from him at that time even if it may lead to his death. Indra capitalized on that nobility of karna and asked for his armour to save his son. Indra, shamed into generosity by Karna’s gesture, reciprocated by giving Karna the boon to use his most powerful weapon, the Vasavi shakti, but only once. It was then that Karna earned the name Vaikartana, as he cut the armour off his body without flinching.
During kurushetra war,while fighting against Arjun, karna’s chariot wheel sank into the ground in loose, wet soil. Descending from his chariot to remove the wheel, he requested Arjuna to wait, as the etiquette of battle allowed. However, Krishna instructed Arjun to kill Karna while he was weaponless even though rules of war state that no warrior will raise his arms against an opponent who is without his weapon. But Krishna knew that in a fair war, Arjun would not be able defeat Karna. His rationale was that killing Karna was critical to win the war and hence a necessary evil.
The real deal and Karna on management:
The real deal is that world did not deserved a great and noble warrior as karna. His defiance, fight against odds, anger, philanthropy, courage, hunger for knowledge, honorable conduct, devotion to teacher and loyalty towards friend, all are traits for deep admiration. The world never recognized while he was alive his greatness. In corporate world there will be karnas who will keep on doing their duty because it shall be done, even though it means fighting against all odds. In the end they may or may not get RESPECT for their efforts.
Karna in today’s world:
They are all around you, the only thing is that those of the likes of Bhishma or Krishna can see right through them. For rest, it is no need to know who is Karna as their life of arrogance will get affected and so will Karna’s charm.
PS: for those who want a woman’s perspective on karna can visit http://seema-suchislife.blogspot.in/2010/05/complete-man-karna.html
Loved this post , thank you for putting it up. It is true that the pandavs won the war with a lot of deciept and Krishna played a big role in all those Unfair means ..
Karna is one of the heroes i admire a lot and his luck did not side with him
you are right true people who do everytthing as it should happen never get recognition while others get evertyhing …
Karna was Danveer & Brave but not justice because he killed Abhimanyu with six maharathi
what about when his two sons were killed by “justice oriented” Pandavs, who ganged against them and killed them one by one. Only one survived the entire kurukshetra war. Nobody like to mention or talk about Karna’s sons. Why is that ?
The only reason people talk about Abhimanyu is that he was Arjun’s son.
What about other sons, do they require no mention are they not honorable enough ?
Or a son of a BASTARD or sutputra (servant) as he was called deserves no mention…
why is that Indian historians are obsessed with Abhimanyu only, why no body talks about Vrishasena ?
Pandavas were victims of Kaurav – and Karna’s – mischief for the best part of their life.
In the end, they decided to fight back and no longer be the victims of “due process of law”.
Read my post to understand why Karna and Kauravas were wrong –
http://www.pushti-marg.net/bhagwat/Mahabharata/hypocracy-1.htm
yes, If ever there is a side I need to pic up in war of kurukshetra. I will always fight with karna even if guarantees certain death.
After all Arjun had everything. He was pretty much like a 90% kid who goes to Ivy league and is loved by all and has a beautiful wife, but karna only thing he had was his friends and he was a loyal friend, who would die for them. So fighting for such a friend is far better than fighting along with deceitful relatives and brothers (of the likes of Pandav) who are manipulative and are there just because of goodie goodie gestures they give since they could earn something out of you..
Though Duryodhan was real issue there, who wanted just power.
Duryodhan .. Yeah he needed power but i dont blame him for wnting it after all his father was the king, even if he was doing it for someone else.. the boy was raised like that , that one day he will be king.. I would have done the same.
Yet he did not do anything wrong at the level pandavs did .. he fought the war fair and sqare
Did the Kauravs ever fight fair ?
Duryodhan gained Shalva’s army by deceit.
He fought behind the shield of Bhsihma and Drona, knowing Arjun would never fight fully against them.
Duryodhan and his ilk killed Abhimanu and various others by unfair means.
The night war was also illegal.
Ashwastham’s murder of sleeping warriors was totally wrong.
Yes, Pandavas used some unfair means but that’s because they were fed up of being victims any more. How long should victims remain victims ? Why shouldn’t a victim fight back ?
Anyone who thinks Kauravas were right needs to re-read the text to figure out which side they support.
As Kauravas began to loose in the battle, they began to complain that Pandavas were using unfair means to win the war.
http://www.pushti-marg.net/bhagwat/Mahabharata/hypocracy-1.htm
For all his “good traits”, Karna was flawed in many ways – including pride, ego, revenge, decite and hate.
Lets not forget, he lied to Parshuram to get his weapons.
He took part in every crooked scheme of Duryodhan and Shakuni.
He insulted Draupadi AND wanted to see her striped her naked in public !
He lost to Arjun a number of times, yet kept boasting he could beat him.
He was always rude to his elders and never accepted their advice.
He was responsible for killing Abhimanu by ganging up on him.
Why than complain about Arjun firing at him from a point of advantage ? Had Karna led a blameless life, his death would be sad. But he was far from pure.
http://www.pushti-marg.net/bhagwat/Mahabharata/karna.htm
Arjun was NOTHING had Guru Dronacharya not asked EKLAVYA for his thumb. Karna was FAR superior. Arjun had everything going for him He never faced any problem . He is the 90% kid who has loads of arrogance. Karna FOUGHT his way up. ARJUN and the likes of him would have DIED, had they been in his situation.
Point by point rebuttal :
1. Lets not forget, he lied to Parshuram to get his weapons.
Then how does he get education in that ELITIST environment. Nothing wrong in gaining education in the way he did. You sound like an ELITIST who thinks only certain people should get so and so right rest should just die, especially the BASTARDS. Pashuram when he gave the curse later felt sad too. The real CURSE should be ON kunti for ABANDONING Karna.She LET him DIE.
2. He took part in every crooked scheme of Duryodhan and Shakuni.
Pandav took part in every scheme to insult him and humiliate him. They made no menace in the fact to make sure that karna’s spirit was broken. They encouraged their WIFE to keep on humiliating Karna. Their BELOVED mother KUNTI who was having Fun. Never cared to tell Pandavs that Karna is your brother donot insult him. She never told them that he is not a son of a charioteer but rather son of SUN GOD. Did the pandavas spare karna when he was vulnerable, NO they did not. They did not CARE about ethics. All that mattered was there higher CLASS.
3. He insulted Draupadi AND wanted to see her striped her naked in public !
Draupadi was fit to be insulted. She cannot hide behind her gender and get away all the time. Who ever in this world says that a woman has a BIRTH RIGHT to call names to innocent men and never be punished for her “outrages” inflammatory actions is nothing but turning blind eye to EVIL. There are many women in present world who think that they can get away with murders too as the law and ETHICS of the world will SPARE her, since she is A WOMAN. (shame on such Hippocracy, shame on such justice, shame on such CLASSISM,shame on such SEXISM, shame on such men who protect them and shame such women). The woman like Draupadi gives BAD name to womanhood. There were many women in Mahabharat but Draupadi was the MOST FLAWED. (Those who idealise Draupadi as “the”, SHAME on them)
The only reason there is an uproar when people justify her stripping is that she had a Woman’s BODY, had it been a man NOBODY would have cared . That is the only reason there is an outcry. Some writers in their BIASED mindsets against karna, always say that Draupadi is a victim. She is not a victim she is the INSTIGATOR, the real HUMILIATOR and the one who thinks she can STRIP men of their honour,their self respect, their DIGNITY, show men their CLASS and walk away BOASTING that she is Pandavs wife or a woman and that she will get those killed who DARE cross her path. She is the most CUNNING character in Mahabharat. Such women can never be victims. For those who say that she is a victim, certainly have never crossed the path of real life draupadis.
Being a woman does-not guarantees you to be absolved of anything. She gets sympathy ONLY because of her GENDER that her body was that of a WOMAN. Rest she was plain egoistic woman who cannot be even called lady. She was a female Duryodhan if we can put it that way.
4. He lost to Arjun a number of times, yet kept boasting he could beat him.
Who says he lost to ARJUN, what is ARJUNS standing in front of Karna. Arjun shaked at the sight of karna in battle and asked Krishna the following lines and krishna gave him reply to calm him:
“What will you do if Karna is able to kill me?” Arjun asked Krishna. Krishna smiled and replied, “The sun will fall, the earth shatter into a thousand fragments, and fire lose its heat before he kills you. But if he does, it is a sign that the end of the world has come. As for me, I shall kill him with my bare hands.”
Arjun knew only Karna apart from Bhisma was the one who could kill him. Most importantly where was Arjun’s ethics when he brought Shikhandi to KILL bhishma. Arjun didnot have the spine to stand tall like KARNA and fight all odds. Only odds he was fighting was the one bestowed by either Dronacharya or Krishna.
5. He was always rude to his elders and never accepted their advice.
This one makes me LAUGH and that too LOUD. which “self-serving” elders do YOU talk of ?
A mother who abandoned her son, who refuses to recognize him and LIVED like a QUEEN.
A father called SUN god who was self obsessed, who just WATCHED his son suffer.
A charioteer who adopted him , who said that be INFERIOR to others and NEVER question authorities.
A teacher who cursed him without knowing his story.
A God called krishna who tried to manipulate him.
who do you talk of,these ELDERS faced NOTHING what karna went through and only because a princess wanted to TEST something, such a SELFISH act ?
All “elders” in his life were “self-serving” people who cared about themselves more…. they didnot care if karna dies.They just wanted the BASTARD out of their life.
6. He was responsible for killing Abhimanyu by ganging up on him.
Grossly misrepresentation of fact. Dronacharya was responsible for that when he build that trap. Duryodhan was responsible who along with his brother killed Abhimanyu. It is easy to say and cry about the death of Abhimanyu because he was ARJUN’s son. What about karna’s sons, are they not worth to be talked about… Since they were sons of a “ROYAL BASTARD“, were their stories not important… This is just self obsessed pseudo intellectual talk. Your view is focused upon certain things and neglect the whole picture.It reflects a DEEP rooted bias against Karna.
7. Why than complain about Arjun firing at him from a point of advantage ? Had Karna led a blameless life, his death would be sad. But he was far from pure.
First of all as far as PURE is concerned.
Karna didnot SHARE his wife with his brothers.
Karna did not put his wife at stake in gamble.
Karna didnot ask his teacher to make him the greatest warrior and make sure no one better
(there by leading to the condition of Eklavya with a thumb cut).
Karna didnot humiliate others by calling them “non-kshatriyas” without knowing the entire story.
Karna did not have a EGOISTIC wife who fought with EVERYONE and called them names and then used her gender to PROTECT herself and avenge herself.
Karna did not use shikhandi to kill Bhishma, infact when a snake said should I bite Arjun, he said no.
Karna did not throw his Kshatriya status at other people’s faces.
If Karna wanted Arjun would have been dead long ago. He spared the life of Yudhistra as latter was uncapable of fighting, but Arjun Killed Karna when he was most vulnerable.
Very well said……..arjun cannot stand infront of the greatness of karna…..the only reason arjun is justified is bcoz krishna stood with him and he was prince ……and karna was not royal in the eyes of people and karna had the ability to defeat arjun even without his kavaj and kundal………
Forget Mahabharata/ Karna,
Assume yourself to be highly talented. Yet if a girl criticises you in public by calling you a “Sutra” and “a person who doesnt know his birth” what will you do to her?
For me – Karna’s act on Draupadi was (a bit too much), yet understandable given his talent and valor.
You know one thing – Draupadi also humiliated Duryodhan – the reason why he wanted to strip her. Thats again a long story.
Draupadi should have been killed (but not stripped ofcourse).
Dear reader, the post is on Mahabharat and the answers will be as per post.
As far as my condition, well One would show the female in question what TRUE ROYALTY is and will keep on showing that till the end of the times. (I suppose you got the answer)
One can only say that a LADY should never have to go through it. A lady who is a true woman in all sense. (which includes if she is a brave and fierce warrior but is NOT egoistic)
Are you saying that if someone calls you paki or brown or golly wog – you will kill them for it ?
seriously ?
So Sai, if a woman rebuffs your approaches or a man refuses to be your friend, you advocate physical injury or death for them ?
Seriously ?
Draupadi was at her svayamvar – her own svayamvar – where she could chose to marry who she wanted. She did not want to marry Karna. Big deal. She referred to him as everyone was referred to in those days – by their parentage.
Duryodhan was allowed to compete and he nearly hit the mark – but missed it.
He had no reason to feel aggrieved.
Draupadi was a women. A talented, accomplished, beautiful princess. She, like any other woman in the world, had the right to chose her life partner. If she did not chose Karna, that was a choice he had to respect.
And it doesn’t really matter who you are, if you can’t control your temper, what sort of values are you displaying ? Plenty of talented people have had plenty of insults thrown at them. They have retaliated by showing how magnanimous they are – not how vindictive ! Men of valor – true valor – do not go around striping women or insulting wives of other men. Nor fo that go around killing women for spurning their approaches. Vengeance of the sort you are calling for would show the person to be worse than suta.
Just stop calling Draupadi talented, accomplished, beautiful princess. There were more beautiful princess out there..
For eg:
1. Ganga was far more pure (but she could be called child killer by some).
2. Gandhari was far more devoted to her husband, that she blinded her self with a cloth.
3. Amba was very pretty princess in love and she became the reason for Bhisma’s death.
4. Rukmani was far more talented,accomplished and Beautiful and not egoistic. She knew her husband Lord Krishna was god but never ever she threw that at other’s faces or was egoistic.
5. Even Kunti for that matter was ok baring what she did to Karna.
6. Satyawati,who married Shantanu father of Bhisma look at the way she behaved, she was flawed in some ways but she maintained her grace, dignity and poise.
The only reason we debate here about Draupadi is that she was a woman and she was “attempted” to be stripped (as Krishna “saved” her )PERIOD. Her behavior and anger was not how a princess ought to be.
She was highly egoistic. The way you put it, it seems you encourage young girls to be like Draupadis…. I just wonder for the poor men who will have to face such a woman’s ill-tempered judgement which would propagate EGOISM to the core.
Stop angelising her. She was no angel, but yes she was a woman who was attempted to be stripped. So from that point of view there comes the issue of ethics.
A woman needs to be a lady just as according to your definition a man needs to behave and show valor.
In reality Draupadi was PERFECT match for Duryodhan. Both egoistic, they would have lived happily ever after.
When you say in swamvar, a woman has right to choose whom she marries, ok fine. But she doesnot have any right to humiliate. The moment she does that, she ceases to be a princess in a true way and becomes WORSE than SUTRA.
The point where you said :
if you can’t control your temper, what sort of values are you displaying ?
I think Lord Krishna himself lost control and in a fit of rage he went after to kill Bhishma (even though he did not kill him). Do you wish to say that Lord Krishna had LOW values ?
The another point:
Plenty of talented people have had plenty of insults thrown at them. They have retaliated by showing how magnanimous they are – not how vindictive.
For starters this is not Ramayana, where Ram would forgive everything but would still be called “Oppressor of woman“. In Mahabharata it is dark.
Even though you may be right a man should not do that, but a woman who insults a man is NO better. If you wish to propagate “equality” then JUSTICE must be equal, otherwise it is pseudo-intellectualism.
Amba took her REVENGE didn’t she, she took rebirth as Shikhandi and killed Bhisma. Do you care to tell her. DONOT do that…. forgive Bhishma, be a woman of valor or be lady… as the world knew Bhisma had taken a VOW. Why did Amba not pay heed to reason ?
Why did she became the REASON for his death ?
i want to no that where the hell did karan kavach kundal suddenly vanished or inder god had kept to protect his life !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lolz reply me lolzzzz
Your pathological dislike for Draupadi is amazing ! That as maybe – you are entitled to it – no matter how illogical.
Your surname – even now – tells people where you came from, what job your ancestors may have done, what honours they may have earned etc. This is the same in the east as west – hence you have plenty of Patels, Shahs, Trivedi, Singh, Hajji, Ali, Yamin, Amir, Khan, Smith, Knight, Huntly, Cohen, Levi etc. So when you call a CEO of a financial company “Mr Smith” – are you insulting them by reminding them of their origin ? Ofcourse not ! It is a term of reference as to who they are.
Suta-putra was a term of reference as to who Karna was brought as. Draupadi did not know Karna at the svayamvar – this was the first time she had met him in person ! As a woman who was given the chance to choose who she marries – she chose not to marry Mr Suta. She didn;t like that surname. Her choice. She was entitled to it ! Maybe she didn’t like the way he looked. Maybe she didn’t like what she heard about him from others. Her friends would have given her the resume of all the suitors at the svayamvar for sure. Remember – Karna was there when the Kauravas tried to conquer Panchal and were defeated and maybe she didn’t like what she heard from that war.
When you were looking for a wife, if your relatives tried to arrange a “meeting” and the woman rejected you – for whatever reason – would you take it out on her years later by asking the people of your building to strip her and incite them to rape her just because she turned you down all those years ago ? Or would you take it out on a girl who refused to dance with you at a college party or refused to share a bus seat with you because she didn’t like the way you were looking at her – or whatever her reasons for rejecting your advances ?
To feel the “insult” of the svayamwar years later and to take it out on her by saying – strip her in public and ask her to sit on your naked thigh – is way below what a man of honour should do.
Of the other great women you have mentioned, Gandhari utterly failed in her duty as a wife and a mother. She volunteered to share her husband’s blindness rather than be his eyes and help him. She failed to control her brood and teach them how to share and be kind to their unfortunate cousins who were fatherless and in need of family support. Remember – Pandavas kept Gandhari and Dhrutarastra in royal comfort even after their sons were dead. Kauravas, Gandhari and Dhrutarastra did not extend the same kindness to Kunti while her sons were in exile.
Amba came back to kill Bhishma. Fine – it was her choice to do so – call it karmic retribution. BUT – what a waste a life long taapa and darshan of Shiva to ask for revenge ! She could have asked for moksha instead.
I can go on about others too – but why waste my breath – you wont listen to reason or logic as you have a pathological dislike for Draupadi and Pandavas.
Here again, the WAY you put it, it is Karna’s fault, he is the one who is wrong to have been born in this world. Those around are all righteous, pious and honorable people. So what if they called him names so what if they tore his spirit apart , so what if they WRONGED him, so what if they killed him and humiliated him.
He will always be wrong in other people’s eyes who wish to see Draupadi as victim…..Draupadi only claim to fame was Pandavs and “Krishna” whom she called him “brother”
(as he said no to her marriage proposal from her, very shrewd move…..)
Karna was a great warrior and will always remain so. It is the reason that people give their sons’ name Karna but they think twice before giving their daughters draupadi (Though some ignorant buffoons do that without understanding the havoc it would cause in the life of those associated with the egoistic woman).
You can keep on WRONGING karna and I will keep on fighting for him The reason the WORLD was with Draupadi since start and even when she was horribly wrong most of the times, but there was No-one with Karna (barring Duryodhan), even though on many occasion he was always RIGHT.
The irony of today is that these FEM-NAZIS like to IDEALIZE Draupadi, they think that her misjudgement and her ego is the correct way forward for “WOMAN EMPOWERMENT”.
You maybe also of the crop.
So keep on doing so because those of the likes of me will keep on fighting of karnas of today, for Son of “SUN” god.
Good post with thoughtful, patient and concerned comments. Good discussion.
Thank you for reading my blog and pinging me, otherwise i would have never read this post. Thanks for the post.
Karna gets the sympathy votes. He was not as great as some people think. He was a great warrior but not the best warrior of Mahabharata. Kripa and Bhima insulted Karna when he entered in rangshala without invitation and challenged Arjuna. Arjuna never harmed him. It was Karna who always challanged him but failed to defeat him everytime in wars. He was suffering from inferiority complex. Karna even conspired with Duryodhana and Shakuni to kill pandavas in lakshagrih. Was it proper for Karna to kill a person just because his brother had called him son of a suta? His act of humiliation of a helpless woman in public is also not not justified. He could not defeat Abhimanyu and cut down Abhimanyu’s bow from behind. He was one of the six maharathis who unitedly attacked Abhimanyu.
Karna was not invincible. He lost to Bhima and Satyaki on 14th day of battle. Bhima again defeated him on 17th day. Karna could not save Jayadratha and Duryodhana’s brothers on 14th day. Arjuna defeated Karna twice in Kurukshetra before their final encounter. Karna’s so called inpenetrable kavach and kundal seems to be only a myth as Karna lost to Chitrasena and again to Arjuna before the kurukshetra war, when Karna had his ‘kavach and kundal’.
could you mention the sources of your points ?
1. Point where you say that Arjun never harmed him. It depends upon your definition of harm. If you mean physical harm then Arjun was too arrogant in fighting Karna in the first place. When Karna tried to challenge him, Bhishma and kripacharya protected Arjun in rangshala. Arjun harmed him by his words of humiliation ( and if that does not comes into your category of harm, then let me point out that many wars have begun because such harms were not taken into consideration)
2. Karna who always challenged him but failed to defeat him everytime in wars:
I mean this point has been going on and on for like centuries (much like an egoistic person’s drum), many authors have also said that Arjun was nothing if Eklavya’s thumb was not cut. Arjun’s plus point was that many were there to “protect” him. There was Krishna always there to help him, then his brother. In short Karna and Arjun came face to face in full blow on 17th day of the war in which Karna was killed ( due to deception and his kavach was taken by Indra, father of Arjun).
3. Karna even conspired with Duryodhana and Shakuni to kill pandavas in lakshagrih. Was it proper for Karna to kill a person just because his brother had called him son of a suta ?
Well, this answer I have given in above comments, plus fighting since Arjun called him son of Sutra. Well yes, it was proper for him to do so because you see for some honor is of more importance. By calling him such words,Arjun challenged karna’s honour. (people who understand what honour is will not bring this topic again. Additionally didn’t Arjun got all charged up when Karna called Draupadi a whore. Why did he get so upset, will he kill a person just because someone called his wife a WHORE ? Think about it)
4. His act of humiliation of a helpless woman in public is also not not justified:
I presume that you have not clearly analyzed Karna’s actions in that situation. Many writers and thinker have said and it was mentioned that Karna had taken a stand in his heart that if draupadi asks for his help then he would help her. Instead she insulted him there too, then he choose not to help her. I fail to understand, why such a crucial piece of information is not shown or written about often. Everybody is just pounding on the opportunity to demonize karan. (If this point would have been mentioned then, the egoistic angle of Draupadi would have come into fore front. Through certain preachers choose to ignore it, as it would have diluted there “larger” point of protecting a women. Thereby subsiding the egoistic woman’s actions)
5. He could not defeat Abhimanyu and cut down Abhimanyu’s bow from behind. He was one of the six maharathis who unitedly attacked Abhimanyu.
I accept that Abhimanyu was ganged up and killed but Karna was not to be blamed, Alone. Why do the writers absolve dronacharya (because he is teacher of Arjun and it would put him in bad light and again play with the larger message, imagine your own teacher responsible for the death of you beloved son. A teacher whom you treated like a god. Just because the teacher wanted to prove a point ) ?
Yes he did cut Abhimanyu’s bow from behind, but barring that nothing more. He did it to protect Duryodhan who was on the verge of getting killed by Abhimanyu. He did not kill Abhimanyu, rather it was the Kauravas who did it. Why did Kripacharya, Dronacharya or any other “wisemen” not stop them ? Why is their action not fallacious in nature ? Infact I believe that their actions are far more condemnable.
Duronacharya built that chakravyuh, which killed Abhimanyu (shouldn’t he be held accountable for Abhimayu;s death ?)
6. Karna was not invincible. He lost to Bhima and Satyaki on 14th day of battle. Bhima again defeated him on 17th day. Karna could not save Jayadratha and Duryodhana’s brothers on 14th day. Arjuna defeated Karna twice in Kurukshetra before their final encounter.
Let me get back to you on these points. In order to address it I might have to write a post.
7. Karna’s so called inpenetrable kavach and kundal seems to be only a myth as Karna lost to Chitrasena and again to Arjuna before the kurukshetra war, when Karna had his ‘kavach and kundal’.
My dear if that is so, then why did Krishna advised Indra to get it from Karna ? Please explain.
1. It was Bhima and Kripa and not Arjuna who called Karna the son of a charioteer(sut putra).
2.These small issues can not be a valied reason to take someone’s life. The actual reason behind the Karna’s animosity for Arjuna was his jelousy.
3. I do not support Draupadi as she had done many wrong things. But that does not mean that kaurava should molest her.
4. Karna was a great maharathi, perhapes better than even Drona at times. But his over all performence in Mahabharata does not prove that he was better than Arjuna.
5. Karna lost to Arjuna in Virat war when he had his kavach and kundal and Arjuna was not with Krishna.
6. Karna along with Duryodhana and his brothers lost to Gandharvas. Arjuna defeated them without the help of Krishna.
7. Karna and Duryodhana could not defeat panchalas for the sake of Drona. Arjuna and Bhima defeated panchalas.
8. Karna lost to Bhima on 17th day of battle.
9. All great warriors whether Karna or Arjuna can not be successful everytime when they fight with other great warriors.
10. There are few interpolations in Mahabharata. The story of Karna’s Kavach kundal and Arjuna defeating Indra seems to be myths.
11. Though Karna’s charector had some grey shades, I agree that he had also many positive qualities.
12. Pandavas had also done some mistakes like gambling with Duryodhana. They had to pay for this.
Dear Sheokhanda, I feel that Karna was a great charector of Mahabharata, but his hatred for pandavas had blinded him. He never tried to show the right path to his friend Duryodhana.
It is right that for Abhimanyu’s killing, Drona was more guilty. He was the mstermind behind Abhimanyu’s murder. In view Drona only pretended to be a good man. In reality he was an evilhearted and over ambititious person. What he did with Eklawya was shameful. Arjuna only complained to him that how someone has become more skilled in archery.
Drona used kauravas and pandavas to take his revenge from panchalas. He was the main reason behind the animosity between kurus and panchalas. Drona was an elderly person but he did not stop Duryodhana when he was trying to molest Draupadi, who was the daughter of his childhood friend and wife of his student. Drona relation with pandavas turned 180 degree when pandavas married the daughter of Drupada. Perhapes he did not like pandavas closeness with panchalas. He did not care even for the son of his pupil to take his revenge.
Invinciblity of Drona is certainly a myth. Many warriors such as Arjuna, Karna and Abhimanyu had surpassed him in archery. It is clearly written in Mahabharata that Arjuna did not want slay his guru. Drona himself accepted 12th day of battle that he was unable to capture Yudhishthira when Arjuna was with him. So he made plan to keep Arjuna away from Yudhishthira. Drona along with other kaurava warriors was unable save Bhishma from poor Shikhandin. Bhima and Arjuna successfuly checked their advanc’ on 10th day. Once Bhima pierced Drona’s body with 15 arrows and Drona fainted and had to be taken away from battle field. Drishtidyumna also made him swoon at one occasion in Bhishma parva.
Drona was helpless against Abhimanyu on 13th day. Satyaki and Bhima defeated him on 14th day of battle. That day he was unable to capture Yudhishthira in the absence of Arjuna, Bhima and Satyaki. Yudhishthira frustrated Drona’s attempt by cutting down Drona’s celestial weapons with his celestial weapons. Drona was unable to stop Ghatotkacha that night and Karna had to rescue kauravas from Ghatotkacha. Only Karna could slay Ghatotkacha.
According to Mahabharata, Drona did not left fighting even after Yudhishthira lied about Ashvatthaman’s death. His arrows exhausted after a long battle. Dristidyumna nutralized Drona’s celestial weapons his own celestial weapon and came close to Drona with a sword. Dristidyumna was a great swordsman and mastet of close fights. He beheaded Drona when Drona had no weapon left. I do not think that Drona would have been practicing yoga at that time that too in a battlefield. Drona was never known for his austerities. He was slaying ordinary warriors using celestial weapons so far. The story of Drona practicing yoga was perhapes created in later days to glorify him.
dude plese see mahabharat 10 times then only you can understand matter.Sorry to say you you have only 2 % of knowledge. don’t behave like duryodhan.
Dear Sheokhanda, to know more about Karna and other charectors of Mahabharata you can go through the Mahabharata of Gita press or KM Ganguly’s English translation of Mahabharata. Mahabharata scripture is different from what we see in BR Chopra’s TV soap Mahabharat, where we see that Karna did not Kill Arjuna on 16th day of battle due to sunset.
I donot know if it offends you. But I would rather read books from other authors than from Mr Ganguly. I have issues there. He “might” be the first one to translate the Mahabharat but that doesnot mean that he is “authentic”. It is a possibility that he might have missed many points while writing it or that he might have interpreted the book as per his requirements. The more writers you would read the more interpretations you will find.
Just as many people interpret Quran or Holy Bible, likewise many people interpret Mahabharat.
As far as Mr BR Chopra’s TV show is concerned, same statement would imply to it too. It is his interpretation of Mahabharata.
Writers and entertainers have been writing about Mahabharata and interpreting it, I feel that a gross injustice has been done to Karna , as karna has been demonized.(and many other priests, writers and thinkers think alike).
If you feel that it is not the case then it is your view point. If you feel Draupadi is an Ideal woman, then again it is your view point (a view point which I consider deeply fallacious and misguiding to the womenfolk who read it). Mahabharat has grey shades and no black and white characters, kindly keep that into account.
Yes, one thing I will accept that Karna drew power from sun god, he was an invincible warrior in the presence of Sun. Therefore he preferred fighting under the sun.
a worrier whom realy live his life hard cor from his childhood which nobody wants to live if hi born again god pl z blase him all he love & care miss form his mother and father and in his next birth pl z karna can lives better life then Arjuna cozy in all Mahabharata happens only one man & worrier is stand out who is really a iconic person for me and riders like me i am the biggest fan of him plz god can u give karna which hi miss in Mahabharata his place in his 5 brothers becoz hi is elder then others can you give him that remember god hi is the better person then Matt kunti we love to see that plz give send him back for us coz fight against antigods his better person & a worrier
sheokhanda, thanks for the post.
After reading about Karna, even I was thinking why would such a great man have such a fate until I read the other part of the story (which is very convincing and fits well too with the killing of karna), which I believe even you must have read and if not then it is a post by Tarkshya on http://seema-suchislife.blogspot.in /2010/05/complete-man-karna.html
P.S. Thanks to you again for directing to that blog for the female version
certain points are missed here:
1. No where in Mahabharata , Karna described as beautiful ( no where means no where)
2. This guy boast a lot , from early childhood , like the example of piercing 2 eyes with single arrow
3. Bhishma, The greatest warrior in Mahabharata, called Karna as ArdhaRathi i.e. He is not equivalent of sons of Dhritrashtra.
4.On Many occassions, Arjun defeated this boasting personality, even with his invincible Kavach and Kundala, notables are:
Virat Yuddha : whole army of Duryodhana, along with Karna, Bhishma and Dronacharya was defeated by Arjun.
During Exile, when Duryodhana was captured by king of yaksha, whole army of Duryodhana along with Karna was unable to save him. Arjun single handed defeated Chitrasen and bring Duryodhana back.
5. In war of Mahabharata, Karna was defeated by Arjun atleast 5-6 times in Drone parva.
Karna was good but he was not at all dharmik, He gives Brahmins a lot but was not humble or kind towards his subjects. The films are portraying wrong image of Karna here.
you people always get your own view. pls read veda vyas original mahabharat. Don’t be a god. first thing twice & then speak dude. Only karan called DAAN-VEER Karan . IN MAhabharat nobody is daanveer. may be he is daani (donateror) charity Or veer (brave). But both qualities have single person namely karan.