Mahabharata – 178
by
Sankar Mukherjee
&
Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
    Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Birth of Karna

Sura the foremost of the Yadavas,was the father of Vasudeva. And Sura  had a daughter called Pritha. She was famous for unparalleled beauty on earth.

King Kuntibhoja was the son of Sura’s paternal aunt.Thus he was Sura’s cousin. And he was a very close friend of Sura.He was childless.Sura promised to Kuntibhoja that he would bestow his first born child upon Sura for bringing up. Accordingly Sura kept his word.His firstborn child was a daughter  Pritha by name.Sura gave away Pritha to Kuntibhoja. Hence Pritha had another name in Kunti.

And Kunti in the house of her foster father was engaged in looking after the duties of hospitality to Brahmanas and other guests. Once she pleased the angry brahmana Durvasa by her attention and with her service.Durvasa was well versed in the truths of religion. He had great attainments. Gratified with her attentions,the sage, anticipating by his spiritual power the future distress in bearing sons,imparted to her a mantra to appeal for summoning any of the celestials she liked to give her children.And the rishi said ---Those celestials that you shall summon by this Mantra shall certainly approach you and give you the children.

Thus addressed by the Brahmana, the amiable Kunti became curious, and in her maidenhood she summoned the Sun god. And as soon as she pronounced the Mantra, she saw that dazzling deity.The Sun god who is the on looker of everything in the world, showed up. And seeing that extraordinary sight, the faultless maiden was overcome with surprise.But the Sun god said to her --- Oh black-eyed girl! Here I am,Tell me what I am to do for you.

Hearing this,Kunti said --- Oh! slayer of foes! a certain Brahamana who knows the truth gave me this mantra as a boon for calling the celestials. Oh lord! I have summoned you only to test its efficacy. For this offence I bow to you.A woman, whatever be her offence,always deserves pardon.

 The Sun god replied --- I know that Durvasa has granted this boon. But cast off your fears,Oh timid maiden!, and cohabit with me. Oh amiable one!, my presence cannot be futile.It must bear fruit. You have summoned me, and if it be for nothing, it shall certainly be regarded as breaking the law.

The Sun god thus spoke to her many sweet words to pacify her fears.

But,the amiable maiden, from modesty and fear of her relatives and  maidenhood did not give her consent to the request of the Sun god.

The Sun god again said to her --- Oh princess, trust me.It shall not be sinful for you to grant my wishes. After the birth of the  child, immediately you will regain your maidenhood.On this Pritha agreed to gratify the Sun god. Immediately she gave birth to a heroic son because of the union with the Sun god. He was known all over the world as Karna. He was  clothed with natural armour and decked with  bright ear-rings. Karna was the first of all wielders of weapons,blessed with good fortune and endowed with the beauty of a celestial child. Then  the illustrious Sun god granted Pritha her maidenhood and ascended to heaven.

Kunti beheld with sorrow the son born to her and reflected intently upon what was to be done. And from fear of her relatives she resolved to conceal that evidence of her folly She cast her offspring into the waters.Then the well-known husband of Radha, of the Suta caste, took up the child from the waters. They did not have a child. So he and his wife brought up the child from the waters as their own son. And Radha and her husband bestowed on him the name of Vasusena  because he was born with a natural armour and ear-rings. Karna was born with great strength. As he grew up, he became skilled in the use of all weapons. Possessed of great energy, he used to worship the Sun from dawn to midday. During the hours of worship, there was nothing  on earth that the heroic and intelligent Karna would not give away to the Brahmanas.

Later Indra the king of heaven had a human son named Arjuna. Indra was desirous of benefitting his own son Arjuna and planned to take off the natural armour and ear-rings of Karna in the disguise of a Brahmana. The Sun god seeing into the future cautioned Karna beforehand in a dream. But Karna softly disagreed with the Sun god because of his vow. He vowed that he would give away to a brahmana whatever the latter asked for. The Sun god then advised Karna to pray for the most powerful weapon called ‘Shakti’ as a boon from Indra the king of gods in return. On one occasion Indra  approached Vasusena and begged of him his natural armour with ear-rings. Thus asked Karna took off his natural armour,and joining his hands in reverence gave it to Indra in the guise of a Brahmana. The chief of the celestials(Indra) accepted the gift and was exceedingly happy with Karna's heroic act. He therefore, granted the  weapon ‘Shakti’ as a boon.Saying  ... That one (and one only) among the celestials, the Asuras, men, the Gandharvas,the Nagas and the Rakshasas, whom you desire to conquer, shall be certainly slain with this ‘Shakti’. Saying this Indra ascended to heaven. The son of Sun god was earlier known by the name of Vasusena. But since he cut off his natural armour, he came to be called Karna alias Baikartana (the cutter or peeler of his own ear-rings).