Story of Karṇa

The eldest son of Kuntī. Though he was the brother of the Pāṇḍavas he joined sides with the Kauravas and became the King of Aṅga. So the name of Karṇa comes in the genealogy of the Aṅga royal family.

Genealogy.

Descending in order from Viṣṇu:—Brahmā-Atri-Candra-Budha-Purūravas-Āyus-Nahuṣa-Yayāti-Turvasu-Vahni-Bharga-Bhānu-Tribhānu-Karandhama-Marutta-(Marutta had no son and he adopted Duṣyanta)-Duṣyanta-Varūtha-Gāṇḍīra-Gāndhāra-Kola-Druhyu-Babhrusetu-Purovasu-Gharma-Ghṛta-Viduṣa-Pracetas-Sabhānara-Kālanara-Sṛñjaya-Purañjaya-Janamejaya-Mahāsāla-Mahāmanas-Uśīnara-Titikṣu-Ruṣadratha-Paila-Sutapas-Bali-Aṅga-(The Aṅga dynasty begins)-Dadhivāhana-Dravīratha-Dharmaratha-Citraratha-Satyaratha-Lomapāda-Caturaṅga-Pṛthulākṣa-Campa-Haryaṅga-Bhadraratha-Bṛhatkarmā-Bṛhadbhānu-Bṛhadātmā-Jayadratha-Bṛhadratha-Viśvajit-Karṇa.

Birth of Karṇa.

Pāṇḍu, a King of Candravaṃśa, married Kuntī, daughter of King Śūrasena. This girl was brought up even from childhood by a King called Kuntibhoja. She grew up in the palace of the King. She was once put in charge of attending to the welfare of those engaged in religious duties. The sage Durvāsas came there then and stayed for four months as the king’s guest. Kuntī served the sage during his stay there with so much care, patience and devotion that the sage was immensely pleased and gave her at the time of his departure a divine mantra. If she called upon any god repeating that mantra once, that god would manifest himself to her and bless her with a son equal to him in glory. The mantra was to be used only five times. Kuntī was young and wanted to test the power of the mantra. So she recited the mantra meditating on the Sun. Instantly she felt she saw a divine person coming to her from the sun. She was perplexed. But the divine form embraced her and consoled her saying that she would never lose her virginity even if she bore a son from him. None excepting her step-mother knew about this. In due course Kuntī delivered a male child and with the help of her step-mother she put that child in a box and floated it on the river Aśvā.

That box leaving the river Aśvā entered the Yamunā river and leaving Yamunā it entered the river Gaṅgā. Drifting slowly the box reached Campāpurī, a country of Sūtas. Adhiratha born of the Sūtavaṃśa and an ally of the Kauravas, saw a box floating on the river while he went for his bath and took it home. Rādhā, wife of Adhiratha, who was childless was greatly pleased to see a babe inside the box and they adopted it and brought it up. The boy was named Vasuṣeṇa. It was this babe that became the celebrated Karṇa afterwards. (Four chapters from 305, Vana Parva).

Education of Karṇa.

Karṇa grew up in the house of Adhiratha in the country of Aṅga bearing the names Vasuṣeṇa and Vṛṣa. Kuntī knew this through spies. When the time came for imparting education to Karṇa Adhiratha sent him to Hastināpura to the presence of Droṇa for teaching him archery. Karṇa studied under Kṛpa and Paraśurāma also. After his education he entered into a treaty with Duryodhana. (Chapter 309, Vana Parva).

Karṇa is cursed.

Karṇa was cursed by a brahmin and Paraśurāma. The story is given below.

Even while they were studying archery Arjuna and Karṇa vied with each other. Karṇa once requested Droṇa to teach him in private the secret of the Brahmā missile to fight against Arjuna. But Droṇa did not accede to his request.

Karṇa then went to Mahendragiri and bowed before Paraśurāma and represented himself as a member of the Bhṛgu family. He said he had come to him to be his disciple and learn the secret of the Brahmā missile from him. Paraśurāma believed him and accepting him as his disciple taught him many new techniques in archery. Once Karṇa was wandering in the vicinity of the āśrama when he saw a lonely cow grazing there and Karṇa without knowing that it belonged to a brahmin sent an arrow and killed it. The brahmin got furious and cursed Karṇa thus "Oh, sinner, the wheel of your chariot would go down in the mud when you face the enemy to fight against whom you are now taking training. Then, when you stand perplexed, your opponent would cut off your head." Karṇa requested for a removal of the curse but the brahmin refused to show any mercy.

Paraśurāma taught Karṇa the secret of the Brahmā missile. One day tired after a day’s fast and a walk around the āśrama with his disciples Paraśurāma slept resting his head on the lap of Karṇa. Then a beetle named Alarka attacked Karṇa and started sucking blood from his thigh. Blood was oozing from his thigh and still Karṇa did not stir from his position lest it should disturb his guru in his nap. Suddenly Paraśurāma awoke and stared at the beetle and the beetle fell dead. It then took the form of a demon and rising up in the air said "Svāmin! I was once a demon called Daṃśa. Once I carried away by force the wife of the sage Bhṛgu and the angered sage cursed me and made me a beetle. When I craved for pardon he said that I would be given my original form by Paraśurāma."

When the demon disappeared saying so much Paraśurāma turned to Karṇa who stood with respect, his dress all covered with blood. Paraśurāma said: "No brahmin can bear so much pain with such patience. Surely, you are not a brahmin. Let me know the truth." Trembling with fear Karṇa revealed his identity and then Paraśurāma cursed him saying "You will forget the secret of the Brahmā missile at the time when you want to use it against your enemy." (Chapters 2 and 3, Śānti Parva).

How Karṇa became the King of Aṅga.

The Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas were studying archery under Droṇācārya together and Karṇa also was among them. When their education was complete a day was fixed to exhibit the skill of the students. The public also was invited to see the skill of the princes. Everybody showed his best and Arjuna displayed super-human skill so that the vast assemblage was lost in wonder and admiration. Then strode Karṇa to the scene and not only did he duplicate with ease Arjuna’s feats but he did show something more. The assemblage was dumbfounded. Arjuna turnned pale. At this moment Kṛpa stood up and questioned the right of Karṇa to compete with those with royal blood in them. Then rose Duryodhana and said: "If the combat is not in order simply because Karṇa is not a prince it is easily remedied. I crown Karṇa as the King of Aṅga". Then there came to the scene the aged Adhiratha, the foster-father of Karṇa, and as Karṇa saw him coming he went and bowed before him and Adhiratha embraced him with tears in his eyes. (Chapters 134 to 136, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).

Karṇa’s armour and ear-rings.

Karṇa was born with an armour on his body and rings in his ears. Chapter 99 of Adi Parva says thus: "To Kuntī was born of Sūrya the mighty Karṇa. Even at his birth he was adorned with an armour over his body and rings in his ears."

Sūrya had ordained that as long as Karṇa wore the armour and ear-rings he would be unconquerable. Indra knew this and wanted to get Karṇa rid of these so that Arjuna, his son, might gain a victory over Karṇa. Karṇa was reputed for his charity and Indra under the garb of a brahmin went to Karṇa and begged of him his ear-rings and armour. The Sun god had already warned him in a dream that Indra would thus try to deceive him. Still Karṇa could not bring himself to refuse any gift that was asked of him and so he cut off the ear-rings and armour with which he was born and gave them to the Brāhmaṇa. The only request that the noble Karṇa did make was that in separating the ornaments from his body no wound should be made. Indra did it with great skill neither hurting him nor making even a scratch on this body. Indra bade Karṇa ask for any boon he wanted. The Sun god had also advised him to ask for a good weapon in return in case he gave away his assets and so he requested Indra the best of the weapons he possessed. Indra gave him his weapon, the Śakti, called Vaijayantī also. Karṇa had to use that weapon to kill the great Ghaṭotkaca in the Mahābhārata battle.

Other details.

(i) Karṇa was present at the Svayaṃvara of Draupadī. (Śloka 4, Chapter 185, Ādi Parva).

(ii) Bhīma defeated Karṇa once in a single combat. (Śloka 20, Chapter 34. Sabhā Parva).

(iii) Karṇa took part in the Rājasūya of Yudhiṣṭhira. (Śloka 7, Chapter 34, Śānti Parva).

(iv) Karṇa defeated Jarāsandha once in a single combat. Chapter 44, Sabhā Parva).

(v) Karṇa defeated in his victory march many kings like Drupada, Bhagadatta and Kerala. (Chapter 254, Araṇya Parva).

(vi) Karṇa conquered the cities of Mālinī and Campā and annexed them to the country of Aṅga. (Chapter 5, Karṇa Parva).

(vii) Karṇa prompted Duryodhana to tease the Pāṇḍavas living in the forest. (Chapter 7, Vana Parva).

(viii) Karṇa swore that he would kill Arjuna. (Chapter 257, Vana Parva).

(ix) Karṇa lost his clothes during a fight against the king of Virāṭa. (Chapter 65, Virāṭa Parva).

(x) Kāṇḍapṛṣṭham īs the name of Karṇa’s bow.

Karṇa and the Kurukṣetra battle.

The great battle of Mahābhārata lasted for eighteen days and some of the incidents touching Karṇa during that period are given below:

(i) Before the great war started Kuntī went alone to the shores of Gaṅgā and met Karṇa. She then confessed to him that she was his mother and that the Pāṇḍavas were his brothers. She advised Karṇa to join sides with the Pāṇḍavas and the Sun god approved of it. But Karṇa refused to do so. He said he would never forsake Duryodhana who had brought him up from his childhood at a time when he was in peril. But he promised his mother that he would never kill any of her other four sons but would kill Arjuna in the battle-field. (Chapter 146 Udyoga Parva).

(ii) Karṇa started his fight against the Pāṇḍavas after taking blessings from Bhīṣma. (Chapter 3, Droṇa Parva).

(iii) Karṇa fought against the princes of Kekaya, Arjuna, Bhīma, Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Śātyaki in single combat. (Chapter 32, Droṇa Parva).

(iv) Abhimanyu defeated Karṇa in a single combat. (Chapter 40, Droṇa Parva).

(v) Karṇa made Bhīma unconscious. (Chapter 139, Droṇa Parva).

(vi) Karṇa once withdrew a bit when hit by the arrow of Arjuna. (Chapter 139, Droṇa Parva).

(vii) Karṇa insulted Kṛpācārya at one time. (Chapter 158, Droṇa Parva).

(viii) Karṇa killed Ghaṭotkaca with the weapon Śakti which Indra had given him in exchange for the armour and ear-rings which he had given Indra. (Chapter 180, Droṇa Parva).

(ix) Karṇa ran away from the battlefield when he heard that Droṇa was dead. (Chapter 193, Karṇa Parva).

(x) Karṇa was made the Generalissimo of the Kaurava army when Droṇa died. (Chapter 10, Karṇa Parva).

(xi) Śalya became the charioteer of Karṇa (Chapter 86, Karṇa Parva).

(xii) The beautiful headwear of Arjuna fell down to the ground by the snake-faced arrow of Karṇa. (Chapter 90, Karṇa Parva).

(xiii) When Arjuna was fighting against Karṇa the chariot-wheels of Karṇa sank into the ground. (Chapter 90, Karṇa Parva).

(xiv) Arjuna slew Karṇa. (Śloka 50, Chapter 91, Karṇa Parva).

(xv) Karṇa had three sons named Citrasena, Satyasena and Suṣeṇa. All the three were killed at Kurukṣetra by Nakula. (Ślokas 19 to 50, Chapter 10, Śalya Parva).

Karṇa goes to heaven.

After his death Karṇa went to heaven and merged with his father, the Sun god. (Śloka 20, Chapter 5, Svargārohaṇa Parva).

Names of Karṇa.

(i) Because Karṇa was born with an effulgence (Vasu) he was first given the name Vasuṣeṇa.

(ii) Because he was born with Kuṇḍalas (ear-rings) in his Karṇas (ears) he was called Karṇa. (Chapter 302. Araṇya Parva).

(iii) Besides these two he had many other names. A few are given below:

Ādhirathi, Ādityanandana. Ādityatanaya, Aṅgarāja, Aṅgeśvara, Arkaputra, Bharatarṣabha, Goputra, Kaunteya. Kuntīsuta, Kurūdvaha, Kurupṛtanāpati, Kuruvīra, Kuruyodha, Pārtha, Vṛṣātmaja Rādhāsuta, Rādhātmaja, Rādheya, Ravisūnu, Sauti, Sāvitra, Sūryaja, Sūryaputra, Sūryasambhava, Sūta, Sūtanandana, Sūtaputra, Sūtasūnu, Sūtasuta, Sūtatanaya. Vaikartana, Vaivasvata and Vṛṣa.