The Greatest Giver

The Story of the Hindu Hero Karna

Assembled by Mrs. Sommer 3/2011

Radheya, also known as Karna, was known as “the greatest giver”-- even by his foes. He never refused a request.

The story of Karna is related in the Mahabharata.

The sage Durvasa gave the lovely young princess Kunti a mantra, which he said would call any of the gods. She repeated it with her mind on the beautiful golden sun and Lord Surya appeared before her. As he was leaving he prophesied that their son would be famous as the greatest of all givers - and that no one would equal in goodness of heart.

She bore his child, but from shame and confusion hid the child's birth and set her son's cradle into the river Ganga. The child was beautiful and wore the golden earrings, kundala, and armor, kavacha, given by his father.

Ganga allowed the baby to be found by a charioteer whose wife, Radha, brought up the foundling as her own son. Radha explained to him how he came to be hers, but could not tell him who his original parents were.

As he grew up, Karna wanted to learn archery and to become wise. Drona called him a sutaputra, or one of low birth, and refused his request for tuition. So, when Karna went to Bhargava's ashram to learn archery, he pretended to be brahmin. His ruse succeeded and for many months he pleased his master and learned all the great weapons, astras, which made him the supreme warrior of his time.

One day Bhargava fell asleep with his head resting in Karna's lap. a blood sucking insect came and bit at Karna's thigh. The pain was unbearable for Karna but he bore the pain not wanting to disturb his teacher's sleep. When Bhargava awoke, he looked at the blood stained thigh of Karna, and asked him why he didn’t defend himself. Bhargava got furious and said, "No brahmin can bear such pain. You are definitely a Kshatriya, high-born warrior, you lied to me. I curse you that you will forget all you have learned when you will need it most.” Karna despairingly realized two things: 1. that he should not have deceived his master, and 2. that in this life fate was against him.

 At the competition, Kunti recognized Karna due to his earrings and armor. She fainted from the weight of her emotions, but did not acknowledge her first-born.

Drona organized a great tournament to show off the skill of his royal students, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. One of the Pandavas, Arjuna, showed off his skill as an archer. Karna appeared, glowing like the sun, and repeated all of Arjuna's feats with immeasurable grace. A duel between the two young men was proposed, but the insult 'sutaputra' was hurled again at Karna and he was told he was unworthy to fight the nobly born Arjuna.

Duryodhana, prince of the Kauravas, recognized that Karna was a hero who could beat his rivals, the Pandavas. He argued that the bravery and nobility shown by Karna qualified him as a kshatriya, or high born warrior. In front of the multitude, he gave the country of Anga to Karna. Karna was overcome with gratitude and asked what he could give in return. Duryodhana said that all he wanted was Karna as his friend. Karna pledged himself in eternal friendship to Duryodhana. This spontaneous gift of allegiance and affection was ultimately tragic for Karna, as he would not withdraw his word. Karna practiced generosity of spirit.

Lord Surya, the sun god, understood Karna’s generosity and appeared in a dream to his son to warn him of a plot. He said, "I know you have taken a vow to grant the request of whomever comes to you at midday after your worship of the sun. I know you have never broken this vow. Indra will come in disguise and ask you for your kundala and kavacha. If you remove the kundala from your ears, your life will be shortened and the kavacha is armor against fate itself. If they are severed from your body, you will be defeated and killed." Karna was overcome with this proof of affection, for Surya was his ishta devata, his chosen form of God. Karna replied, “I cannot repay your kindness in warning me, and I cannot break my vow. I have never feared death, but I fear untruth. I must be true to myself." Surya was proud that his son would not give up dharma, the path of righteousness, but departed sadly, knowing all would happen as he had foretold.

The eldest Pandava prince, knew that Karna was the only one who could defeat Arjuna. He feared for his brother and, not wanting the horrors of war to be experienced in the kingdom, implored Sri Krishna to intervene. When Krishna went as a final ambassador of peace to the Kaurava court, he took Karna aside and said, "Karna, you are a good man, always righteous. Why do you uphold Duryodhana when you know he is a sinner?" Karna replied, "Duryodhana is my friend. When everyone insulted me, he uplifted me and said, "All I want is your heart." I gave him my heart. He and my mother Radha are the only two who ever loved me. I cannot judge him." Then Krishna told him of Kunti and Lord Surya and the circumstances of his birth, explaining that, as the elder brother of the Pandavas, he was the rightful inheritor of the whole kingdom.

When Karna asked, "Why are you telling me this now?" Lord Krishna smiled, saying, "Your days of darkness are over. Come and be reunited with your mother. The noble Pandavas will be your affectionate brothers, you will be the emperor, and the world will be yours." Sighing, Karna said, "Kunti abandoned me. Duryodhana declared war on the Pandavas trusting in me as his champion. I owe a debt of love. You offer me a great name, fame, and affection from a noble family, but I have promised Duryodhana. Even though I know we are doomed because the Pandavas are under your protection, I will die for him. You know I will not abandon my friend. You also understand that now I cannot fight wholeheartedly knowing the Pandavas are my brothers. Your aim to protect the Pandavas has been achieved.

Kunti appeared before her son the next day at midday after he had worshipped the sun to ask a boon of him. When she approached him, he half recognized her from his dreams and she confessed that she was his mother. He was happy she had come and asked what she wanted. "Mother, what is the boon you want me to give you?""Your days of darkness are over," Kunti replied. "Come with me. As my eldest child, the Pandavas will love you as their elder brother, and you will inherit the world. You must leave Duryodhana and not fight with your brothers any more." She did that, claiming his affection as his true mother. Karna wept. He said, "I thought I would

find no other friend than Duryodhana who loves me. Now I find you, and I could go and claim my place with my brothers! I feel my heart is bursting but I have to stay with my friend Duryodhana. He has been more than a brother to me. I can't shatter his dreams even though they lead us to death. I must give you a boon. I promise you that Four of my five brothers will be safe from me; more than that I can no longer promise."

During the war, Karna defeated all of his brothers in single combat. He had them at his mercy, but refrained from killing them. He himself was killed by Arjuna, who was protected by Sri Krishna and aided by fate.  They say a glow of light rose from Karna's body when he died and ascended toward the heavens.

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