Karna

Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: Karṇa), also known as Vasusena, Anga-raja, and Radheya,
[2]
is one of
[3][4]
the main protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. He is the son of the sun god Surya and
princess Kunti (mother of the Pandavas), and thus a demigod of royal birth.

From the moment Karna drew his first breath, he was ensnared by the whims of fate. Born to the
sun god Surya and abandoned by his mother Kunti, he was raised as a charioteer's son. This dual
identity marked him as an outsider, straddling the worlds of royalty and servitude, yearning for
acceptance in a world quick to judge based on birth. Kunti was granted the boon to bear a child
with desired divine qualities from the gods and without much knowledge, Kunti invoked the sun god
to confirm if it was true indeed. Karna was secretly born to an unmarried Kunti in her teenage years,
and fearing outrage and backlash from society over her premarital pregnancy, Kunti had no choice
but to abandon the newly born Karna adrift in a basket on the Ganges, in the hope that he finds foster
parents.The basket is discovered, and Karna is adopted and raised by foster Suta parents named
Radha and Adhiratha Nandana of the charioteer and poet profession working for king Dhritarashtra.

Despite the hardships Karna grows up to be an accomplished warrior of extraordinary abilities. He

was always unhappy and miserable because he could not come to terms with what he was being
labeled as. Wherever he went, people referred to him as a suta or “low-born” because of his
ambitions. Throughout his life he complained about this. All the time, he nourished bitterness
within himself about his so-called low birth.This bitterness made a wonderful human being into
such a nasty and ugly character in the Mahabharata. He was a great human being and showed his
greatness in different situations, but because of this bitterness, in many ways it was he who
turned everything wrong.

It was amidst the hallowed halls of Hastinapur that Karna's fate became intertwined
with that of the Kauravas, particularly Duryodhana, who recognized in him a kindred
spirit - a fellow outcast, a brother-in-arms. Bound by ties of friendship and loyalty, Karna
pledged his unwavering allegiance to Duryodhana, even as whispers of his true lineage
haunted him like a specter.

For Duryodhana, it did not matter what Shakuni said or did, it was Karna’s advice which always
sealed the deal. After everything was decided, he would look at Karna, “What shall we do?”
Karna could very easily have turned the direction of the whole story.

The swayamvara of Draupadi stands as a poignant chapter in Karna's life, a moment

that encapsulates the depths of his internal turmoil. Though his heart stirred with
admiration for Draupadi's beauty and spirit, duty tethered him to his friendship with
Duryodhana, compelling him to remain silent as she was publicly humiliated before his
eyes. In that moment, the chasm between his desires and his obligations widened,
leaving Karna to grapple with the bitter fruits of his choices.

Mention about different incidents :

1) Caste thing he had to face multiple times cause he was a suta putra
2) Finding out about his mother and brothers, promises to his mother will kill only 1 of her son
and says that at the end of the war you will still have 5 sons. He keeps his war as many
instances in the war where he did have chance to kill yudhisthir sahdev but he didnt
3) Indra came to ask for his kavach and kundal and he gives it away, dharma
4) His dying at bsttlefield
5) Guru Dakshina
6) Him killing abhimanyu while knowing he is his nephew
7) Draupadi SwayamvarPublic
Humiliation, he wanted to marry draupadi but she refused
8) Constant insults from bheem and his strained relationship with pandavas
9) Fatal Flaw - over due of a virtue
10) Draupadi Vastraharan He called her Veshya
Why did he slut shame draupadi?
Firstly, He had a conscience, that something is happening wrong, Karna was a dharmic, in the
mahabharata he is considered the closest to Ram. So to justify that whatever happened was
not wrong he wanted to prove to his inner conscience, he said something to her. Secondly, he
wanted to prove his loyalty towards shakuni and duryodhan.

As the flames of war engulfed the land in the epic battle of Kurukshetra, Karna found
himself standing on the battlefield, his destiny entwined with that of his
brothers-turned-foes. Despite his allegiance to the Kauravas, a part of him longed for
reconciliation and a chance to rewrite the script of fate.

In the final throes of battle, fate beckoned with outstretched arms, and Karna answered
her call with grim resolve. In a fateful duel with Arjuna, his sworn enemy and brother,
Karna met his end upon the blood-soaked earth of Kurukshetra. Yet, even in death, he
found a sense of peace, knowing that he had fought with valor and died with dignity.

Thus ends the tale of Karna, a warrior whose journey is a testament to the indomitable
spirit of the human soul. Though his name may fade into the mists of time, let it be
known that Karna faced his fate with courage and defiance, leaving behind a legacy that
transcends the boundaries of time and space.

He is a tragic hero in the Mahabharata, in a manner similar to Aristotle's literary category of "flawed
[8]
good man". He meets his biological mother late in the epic, and then discovers that he is the older
[6]
half-brother of those he is fighting against. Karna is a symbol of someone who is rejected by those
who should love him but do not given the circumstances, yet becomes a man of exceptional abilities
willing to give his love and life as a loyal friend.

Contemporary relevance -

Karna, like the other heroes in the Mahabharata, forces us to look at ourselves and at our frailties.
When Karna is not allowed to train in weaponry because he is a suta, it makes one ask, ’What if my
child had been denied entry into college because of her birth?’ [...] We want them [our children] to
feel secure and confident about their position. We want them to be treated with respect as equals.
The Mahabharata is not content simply to point out the weaknesses of human beings. It criticizes
society's flaws. It raises the question whether a person's social position should be defined by birth or
by some other criterion, such as accomplishment of some sort. [...] Karna challenges their traditional
understanding of dharma – as inherited status – and offers a new notion of dharma as deserved
status.

Karna, one of the central characters in the Mahabharata, has a rich and complex
narrative that is filled with various incidents. Here are some key incidents from the
Mahabharata related to Karna:

​ Birth and Abandonment: Karna was born to Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas,
before her marriage to King Pandu. Following her instructions, Kunti tested a
boon she received from the sage Durvasa and invoked the sun god Surya,
resulting in the birth of Karna. Fearing societal stigma, Kunti placed the newborn
Karna in a basket and set him afloat on the river Ganga, where he was found and
adopted by a charioteer named Adhiratha.
​ Guru Dakshina: As a young warrior, Karna approached Dronacharya, the guru of
the Kuru princes, to receive military training. However, Dronacharya refused to
accept him as his disciple due to Karna's low caste. Undeterred, Karna sought out
Parashurama, who was known for imparting divine knowledge. Disguising
himself as a Brahmin, Karna gained Parashurama's tutelage. When Parashurama
eventually discovered Karna's true identity as a Kshatriya, he cursed him for his
deception.
​ Friendship with Duryodhana: Karna formed a strong bond of friendship with
Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, who accepted him without prejudice.
Recognizing Karna's martial prowess and unwavering loyalty, Duryodhana offered
 him kingship of Anga (modern-day Bihar) and showered him with wealth and
honors, cementing their friendship.
​ The Humiliation of Draupadi: During the infamous game of dice, where the
Pandavas lost their kingdom to the Kauravas, Karna supported Duryodhana in the
disrobing of Draupadi. Despite knowing the impropriety of the act, Karna
remained silent, driven by his allegiance to Duryodhana and his animosity
towards the Pandavas.
​ The Kurukshetra War: Karna played a pivotal role in the Kurukshetra War, fighting
on the side of the Kauravas against the Pandavas. His martial skills and valor on
the battlefield were legendary, and he engaged in several epic duels with
prominent Pandava warriors, including Arjuna, whom he considered his rival.
​ The Death of Abhimanyu: Karna's role in the death of Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, is
significant. During the battle of Kurukshetra, Karna, along with other warriors,
attacked Abhimanyu simultaneously, ultimately leading to his demise. This act
incurred the wrath of Arjuna and added to the deep-seated animosity between
him and Karna.
​ The Final Duel with Arjuna: On the seventeenth day of the war, Karna faced his
ultimate showdown with Arjuna. Despite being disadvantaged by a series of
curses and divine weapons used against him, Karna fought fiercely, showcasing
his unparalleled skill and valor. In the end, Karna was defeated and killed by
Arjuna, fulfilling the prophecy of his demise.

These incidents from the Mahabharata illustrate the pivotal role that Karna played in the
epic saga, highlighting his complex character, unwavering loyalty, and tragic destiny.