When we hear the word Mahabharata, we come across many names like Arjuna, Krishna, Karna, Bhima, Duryodhana, and many more. Arjuna is said to be the main hero of the epic. He is the main reason for the victory of the Pandavas in the great Bharata war: Mahabharat happened for 18 days. Every character is a lesson of how a man should live. But there is one man who was often less considered in the Mahabharata. He is none other than Karna.
Karna is a mighty warrior, great person, good friend, king, and many more. Compared to Arjuna, Karna is a less popular character in Mahabharata. He is a great warrior of Mahabharata and an equal to Arjuna. No one can defeat Karna, not even Arjuna, but why did he die in the epic battle? What is the reason?
Karna: Great Warrior of Mahabharata
Karna's Birth
Karna is the first son of Kunti, half-brother to the Pandavas, and eldest of them. Princess Kunti attended to the sage Durvasa for a year while he was a guest at his father's palace. The sage was pleased and granted her a boon. She could call upon any god of her choice and have a child in his image.
To test this boon, she called upon the Surya. Bound to the mantra, Surya granted her a son as radiant and strong as him. The child was born with a 'Kavacha' (armor) and a 'Kundala' (earrings). But Kunti was unmarried during that time. Unwilling to face the world as an unwed mother, she abandoned Karna.
She set him afloat in a box in a river. Later the child was picked up by 'Adhiratha' charioteer of King Dhritarashtra. Adhiratha couple raised Karna. The boy was named Vasusena (born with wealth) due to his natural armor and earrings.
Karna's Education
In his adulthood, Karna wants to become a warrior. Firstly, he approached Dronacharya, who was teaching both Kauravas and Pandavas. But Dronacharya refused to teach him as he was a 'Sutaputra' (son of a charioteer). Karna realized his caste would be a barrier in his quest for knowledge.
Later he decided to approach Parashurama, who only taught Brahmins alone. Karna appeared to Parashurama as a Brahmin and wanted to learn the arts of war from him. As a student, Karna was so diligent. Parashurama taught and trained him to the point where Parashurama declared Karna to have surpassed him in the arts of war.
Also read: What happened to Vanaras of Kishkindha after Ramayana?
Karna's Curses
Karna is known for his donations, whomever it is or whatever they ask. But at the same time, Karna was known for his curses, which were the main reason for his death.
Curse 1:
During the end of his training, Parashurama learned that Karna was not a Brahmin. One day, Parashurama requested Karna to bring a pillow to sleep on. Karna instead offered him his lap as a pillow, while Parashurama was sleeping, an insect alighting Karna's thigh and bit him.
Karna didn't move as it would disturb his guru. Parashurama felt the warmth of Karna's blood and woke up. He deduced that Karna was a Kshatriya as no Brahmin bears that pain. He cursed Karna that all his divine astras won't work when he needed them.
Curse 2:
After departing from Parashurama's ashram, Karna wandered for some time. He mistook a cow for a wild animal, shot an arrow, and killed it. The brahmin who owned the cow cursed Karna that he will die when you were weaponless. Because he killed his cow when it was helpless.
Curse 3:
One day, after Karna became the king of Anga. He was riding in the streets when he saw a boy carrying oil for his father. Mistakenly, the oil fell, and the boy was crying as his father will beat him if he know the matter. On enquiring about the situation, Karna offered the same amount of oil to the boy. But the boy refused the offer and insisted to want the same oil. Karna took the soil mixed with oil in his hands and squeezed it hard with all his might.
The oil droplets filled the bowl, but Karna heard the wails of the woman. Karna realized that the wails are coming from the soil in his hands. Mother Earth (Bhudevi) was infuriated by the pain caused by Karna for the mere bowl of oil. Bhudevi cursed Karna that at a crucial moment in his life, she would hold his chariot back in the same way he held in her fists.
Karna & Duryodhana's Friendship
One day, Dronacharya held a tournament at Hastinapura, to display the skills of the Kuru princes. At the same time, Karna wants to participate in the tournament so that he can show his skills and seek out a position at Hastinapura court. In the competition, all the Kuru princes have shown their skills in different aspects. But Arjun emerged in this tournament as a particularly gifted archer. Karna surpassed Arjuna's feats and challenged him to a duel.
However, Kripacharya refused it and asked Karna about his whereabouts like who he was and what's his clan. Karna replied that he was a sudra and the son of Adhiratha. According to the rules of the tournament, only Kshatriyas can participate in it. Then Duryodhana, the oldest of the Kauravas, offered Karna the throne of the Anga kingdom (present-day Bhagalpur in Bihar). So that Karna would get the eligibility to participate in the tournament.
When Karna, who is emotionally driven asked Duryodhana how he can repay him then Duryodhana tells him all he wants is his friendship. From there until his last breath Karna supported Duryodhana in every aspect whether it is good or bad. Karna was always there for Duryodhana in disguise and vice versa. This event established the key relationship in the Mahabharata. To date, their friendship is shown as the best example of friendship.
Karna Conquering World
Karna's Mighty Donation
Karna has a policy that whoever asks anything after his mid-day worship to Surya, will give anything and everything. Indra, king of the gods and father of Arjuna, realized that Karna would be invincible in battle as long as he has the golden armor and earrings that he was born with. During the Pandava's exile, when war was certain to happen soon, Indra took it upon himself to weaken Karna.
Indra as a Brahmin decided to approach Karna during his mid-day worship. He knew his policy that he would never refuse to respect any Brahmin or a beggar at that time of the day. Karna's father Surya informed about Indra's insidious plot of stealing his KavachaKundala as a disguised Brahmin. As the same said by Surya, Indra disguised as a Brahmin came to Karna and asked for his KavachaKundala as alms.
Knowing that the Brahmin was Indra, Karna gave his KavachaKundala by cutting his birth suit and earrings. Indra shamed into generosity by Karna's gesture, reciprocates by giving a boon to use Indra's most powerful weapon, the Vasavi Shakti, but only once. Because of his givings and alms, Karna was also called Daanaveera.
The Truth of his Birth Mother
Kunti, fearing the war, approached Karna and revealed her identity as his birth mother. Kunti also asks Karna to spear his sons in the mighty war. Karna promises Kunti that he will not kill any of her sons except Arjuna. As they were sworn to kill each other. He tells Kunti that she will always have five sons, either him or Arjuna.
Karna also requests Kunti to keep their relationship a secret until his death. Only then that she may reveal that he was her firstborn. It is noteworthy that Karna denies revealing this secret that makes him the eldest of the Pandavas, and rightful emperor.
Role in Mahabharata War
Before the start of the war, Bhishma, the commander of the Kaurava forces, does not pick Karna as one of his key generals and instead assigns him to a less significant position. This made Karna rebel against Bhishma and refused to participate in the battle under Bhishma's authority. Karna only entered the battlefield on the 11th day after Bhishma was struck down the previous day. It is also interesting to note that he did not capture any of the Pandavas even though he defeated them because of his word given to his mother Kunti.
Role in Abhimanyu's Death
On the 13th day, Dronacharya organized a special formation known as Chakravyuha/Padmavyuha to capture Yudhistira. Only Krishna and Arjuna know to break the formation, however, both are purposely taken away from the battlefield to make the task easier.
Abhimanyu son of Arjuna knows entering the Chakravyuha but doesn't how to break it. It was decided that Abhimanyu would lead the Pandavas into the Chakravyuha and then they fought their way out. No one was able to defeat Abhimanyu, but Jayadratha prevented all four Pandavas from leaving Abhimanyu alone in the Chakravyuha.
Knowing that it was a suicide mission, Abhminayu didn't hesitate a bit, and single-handedly fought with mighty warriors like Dronacharya, Duryodhana, Dushasana, Karna, and Kripa and defeated them. Duryodhana assisted Karna to eliminate Abhimanyu as per the instructions of Dronacharya. Karna's arrows broke Abhimanyu's bow and his chariot's reins. The battle ends with the death of a great warrior of Mahabharata, Abhimanyu.
Karna's Death
On the 17th day, the most anticipated confrontation between Arjuna and Karna finally takes place. They were evenly matched during the spectacular combat. Karna has been gifted a bow by Parashurama called Vijaya (Pinakin) and Arjuna has been gifted by Agni Deva (god of fire) with Ghandiva. Without the Shakti weapon (used to kill Ghatotkacha), Karna had no particular way to kill Arjuna. He had to rely on his own garnered skill. Karna stunned Arjuna with powerful arrows that struck his chest.
In that instant in which Arjuna was dazzled, Karna let lose another powerful volley intended to kill his mighty foe. King Shalya, a charioteer of Karna told Karna to use naga-astram and aim at Arjuna's chest. However, Karna refused the advice and aimed the arrow at Arjuna's head. But Lord Krishna rescued Arjuna by plunging the chariot into the earth with his power, causing the fatal arrow to miss Arjuna by a few inches and strike his crown instead.
During combat, one of Karna's chariot wheels got stuck in the soil. Karna asked King Shalya to help him to remove the wheel but Shalya refused to do that. Hence, Karna asked Arjuna to disengage in combat, when he got off his chariot to which Arjuna agreed. But Krishna recalled Karna's previous lapses in honorable conduct and ordered Arjuna to shoot at him. Arjuna shot him, seeing this rigorous action, Karna started to fight from the ground. But Parashurama's curse worked on Karna, he forgot the mantras for the divine astras.
Krishna reminds Arjuna of Karna's ruthlessness against Abhimanyu when Abhimanyu was similarly left without any weapon or chariot. All of Arjuna's pain, tears, and anger swelled up and he aimed the fatal shaft Anjalika at a desperate Karna and killed him.
Karna's curses are the reasons for his death during the mighty Mahabharata war. This is the end of a great warrior of Mahabharata. Karna was a man of word and donations or alms. He is the greatest example of a true friend.
