Mahabharata by Vignes Chandran

Author:Vignes Chandran
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Notion Press
Published: 2020-07-07T00:00:00+00:00

Karna Promises

Kunti’s revelation stung Karna into a pang of helplessness as he struggled with the many emotions that he felt at that very moment – relief of finally knowing his birth parents, delighted with the knowledge that he was son of the mighty Surya, and anger towards Kunti for abandoning him when he was a baby, though at the same time he felt pity towards his mother and her plight during her teens.

To an extent, Karna also felt guilt and remorse for attempting to hurt his brothers in the past, and possibly in the future. Without realizing tears started to roll down Karna’s eyes, wetting his upper garments as he stood like in a trance, his hands forced to hold his almost-bursting head while he struggled to absorb the revelations of the day.

While Karna was struggling emotionally, Kunti embraced her first born and between tears, continued, “Enough of this enmity against your brothers. Come back to us, forget what had happened in the past, and claim your rightful place within the kingdom. Naturally you are my firstborn and the rightful king. I know Yudhisthira, he will be more than happy to give up kingship once he knows that you are my firstborn, and together with your brothers you can rule the kingdom wisely. Just as you have transformed the kingdom of Anga under your rule, imagine what you can accomplish with your brothers under the guidance of wise teachers such as Vidura and Bhishma.”

How little did she understand Karna. Not only is he fiercely loyal to those that stood by him, he is also an absolute advocator of dharma. Kunti’s words brought him back to his senses, and he finally understood why Kunti sought him out just before the war.

To her words, Karna replied, “O mother, while your earlier words generated happy tears in my eyes, you have now shown me your true vile purpose of why you have made your way here today. If I was indeed as precious to you as you claim, why did you not proclaim this truth of my birth all those years ago when I was insulted in the assembly who refused to allow me to release my arrow simply because I was not a prince? Instead you let me suffer the ignominy of being laughed at by hundreds of inferior archers, something that only my friend Duryodhana saved me from.”

In anger, Karna continued, “What kind of a person would leave his true friend the night before battle to join his enemies? I would be branded as not only a traitor but also a coward, and I have no intention of forsaking brave Duryodhana who was my only solace when I needed a friend most. To abandon him now would not only be a taint on my character, but would also be completely against the qualities I have always lived for. Now is not the time to leave Duryodhana and his brothers, not when they need me most in battle, especially not for someone who has forsaken me all these years but only now has sought me out to fulfil her own needs.

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