Karna is worshipped as a hero in Tamilnadu. He is praised as a great philanthropist (கொடைவள்ளல்), but was Karna really a philanthropist?
The Gosha Yatra Parva in the Vana Parva of Mahabharata gives a better understanding of the character of Karna. Per Vyasa Mahabharatam, Karna was not a nice person. He was a selfish person who was jealous of Arjuna. He used the friendship of Duryodhana to promote his self-interest.
According to the Gosha Yatra Parva in the Vana Parva of Mahabharata, after the Pandavas lost the game of dice and went to live in the forest, Duryodhana was itching to take pleasure in their sorry plight.
Karna suggested that under the pretext of inspecting cattle stations near the forests, they should pay a visit to the Pandavas and tease them. Karna’s idea was welcomed by Duryodhana and he easily obtained permission from King Dhritarashtra. The Kauravas entered the forest looking forward to meeting the Pandavas. They took their wives with them.
Duryodhana told his wife Bhanumathi, “Deck yourself in the finest clothing. Draupadi should burn with envy when she sees your fine jewellery and clothing.”
The Kauravas with Karna located the Pandavas and decided to camp near them. To their dismay, when they erected their tents, they were challenged by an army of Gandharvas led by the Gandharva King Chitrasena.
King Chitrasena was a friend of the Pandavas. He was annoyed to see that the Kauravas had arrived intending to torment the Pandavas. He ordered his army to attack the Kauravas and to capture Duryodhana.
A fierce battle took place between the Gandharvas and the Kauravas.
When the Kaurava army was surrounded by the Gandharvas, fearing for his life, Karna abandoned his so-called dear friend Duryodhana and ran away from the battlefield. He abandoned his chariot and getting into the chariot of Vikarna, he ran away from the battlefield! Karna abandoned his friend Duryodhana and decided to save his skin instead!
असिभिः पट्टिशैः शूलैर गदाभिश च महाबलाः
सूतपुत्रं जिघांसन्तः समन्तात पर्यवारयन
अन्ये ऽसय युगमच छिन्दन धवजम अन्ये नयपातयन
ईषाम अन्ये हयान अन्ये सूतम अन्ये नयपातयन
अन्ये छत्रं वरूथं च वन्धुरं च तथापरे
गन्धर्वा बहुसाहस्राः खण्डशॊ ऽभयहनन रथम
ततॊ रथाद अवप्लुत्य सूतपुत्रॊ ऽसि चर्म भृत
विकर्ण रथम आस्थाय मॊक्षायाश्वान अचॊदयत (Mahabharata, Vana Parva, Gosha Yatra Parva slokam 28 to 31)
Hearing about the plight of the Kauravas from Duryodhana’s wife Banumathi, King Yudhishtira sent Bhima and Arjuna to rescue the Kauravas. Arjuna and Bhima fought with the Gandharva army and easily defeated them. When the Gandharvas were exhausted, their leader Chitrasena called a truce.
“We imprisoned Duryodhana only to help you,” said the Gandharva king. “Duryodhana decided to camp here to rub salt in your wounds. We wanted to teach him a lesson. Since King Yudhishtira wants to free him, we will release Duryodhana into your care.”
Duryodhana felt humiliated. He wished he had lost his life while fighting with the Gandharvas. He took leave of King Yudhishtira and returned home. He decided to end his life by fasting. As he was making his way through the forest, he met Karna who was resting under a tree. Duryodhana vented his grief to Karna and informed him of his decision to end his life.
“There is no need to feel humiliated,” counselled the evil Karna. “After all, slaves must save their master. Aren’t the Pandavas your slaves?
Do not worry. I vow to kill Arjuna in a battle. Until I kill Arjuna, I will not allow my page to wash my feet. Until I kill Arjuna, I will not eat meat or drink wine! Till I kill Arjuna, I will donate anything anyone seeks from me!”
तम अब्रवीत तदा कर्णः शृणु मे राजकुञ्जर
पादौ न धावये तावद यावन न निहतॊ ऽरजुनः
अथॊत्क्रुष्टं महेष्वासैर धार्तराष्ट्रैर महारथैः
परतिज्ञाते फल्गुनस्य वधे कर्णेन संयुगे
विजितांश चाप्य अमन्यन्त पाण्डवान धृतराष्ट्रजाः (Mahabharata, Vana Parva, Gosha Yatra Parva)
Karna took a vow that he will never say “I have it not” when someone seeks something from him as a motivation to quickly kill Arjuna. Karna was not a philanthropist. His donations were incited by his rajo and tamo gunam.
The myth that after Karna fell in the battle, the punyas he had accumulated by donating prevented him from dying and Krishna in the guise of a Brahmin sought the punyas from Karna as a donation is a fabrication. This story is neither part of Vyasa’s Mahabharatam nor is it part of Villiputhur Bharatham. According to the Villiputhur Bharatham, the karma accumulated by Karna when he made donations with ulterior motive put him in a grey area when he fell on the battlefield. He could neither die and nor could he attain good abodes that waited for people who made donations according to the shastra.
After the Swayamvara of Draupadi, the Duryodhanas were considering attending the wedding of Draupadi when Karna interfered. The only goal of Karna was to beat Arjuna in war. He was envious of Arjuna and could not tolerate the fact that Arjuna was a better warrior. Karna did not care about the strength and weaknesses of Duryodhana. He was not concerned about bringing victory to Duryodhana and nor was he worried about Duryodhana facing defeat. Karna’s only intention was to pick a fight with Arjuna. He urged Duryodhana to wage a war with the Pandavas. “I have learnt that Krishna has returned to Dwaraka to convey the news about the Pandavas to His family. He will return later with a big troop. This is our chance. We should attack the Pandavas before Krishna returns to support them,” urged Karna.
The innocent Duryodhana, unaware of Karna’s true agenda, immediately prepared for battle. They besieged the capital city of King Drupada. The king immediately gave battle. In this battle, Duryodhana’s sister’s husband Jayathradha and Karna together fought against Arjuna.
Karna fought in that battle with his two sons Vrishasena and Sudama. This shows that Karna was quite older than the Pandavas. Attracted by the beauty of Draupadi, Karna had participated in the Swayamvaram of Draupadi with his sons, thinking that if he won she will become his wife and if one of his sons won she will become his daughter-in-law; such was the character of Karna!
King Drupada also fought with his sons Shikandi, Drishtadyumnan, Soumitran and Priyadarshan.
When Soumitran and Priyadarshan arrived to support Arjuna, Jayathradhan and Karna killed those two sons of King Drupada in battle. Till the death of the two brothers of Draupadi, Arjuna was fighting defensively. The moment his brothers-in-law were killed, Arjuna fought fiercely and killed the two sons of Karna and also the sons of Jayathradhan. Arjuna killed the sons of Karna and Jayathradha in a fair fight, but the two of them held a grudge against Arjuna for many years and were waiting for an opportunity to inflict heartache on Arjuna.
The vengeful Karna and Jayathradha planned and executed the death of Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu in battle. When Arjuna killed the sons of Karna, he was not aware that they were his nephews, but when Karna planned the murder of Abhimanyu, he knew very well that Abhimanyu was his nephew. Abhimanyu was fighting fiercely and the Kauravas were unable to face his arrows. Dronacharya informed Karna that they were helpless as long as Abhimanyu had his bow. Karna immediately sneaked behind Abhimanyu and cut off his bowstring making Abhimanyu weaponless. It was Karna who orchestrated the murder of the young Abhimanyu!
When Karna was made the commander by Duryodhana during the Mahabharata War, Karna was jealous that Lord Krishna was Arjuna’s charioteer. He complained to Duryodhana that he too deserved a king to drive his chariot and forced King Salya to drive his chariot.
When Karna’s chariot wheels got stuck in the mud, Salya abandoned Karna and left the battlefield. At that time, Karna asked Arjuna to wait till he could free his chariot from the mud.
Krishna told Arjuna that Karna did not deserve mercy. Perumal informed Arjuna that Karna used dharmam according to his convenience. Lord Krishna asked Karna, “Where was your dharma when you insulted Draupadi in the Royal Court? Where was your dharma when you asked her to take a sixth husband? Where was your dharma when you treacherously cut off the bowstring of Abhimanyu in battle? Arjuna, I am telling you, kill Karna now. He will never be able to free his chariot wheel because he is facing his last moments on Earth. “
Directed by Krishna, Arjuna shot and killed Karna. The fallen Karna returned to the abode of Lord Surya from whence he had come. After reaching Lord Surya’s abode, he complained to Lord Surya that he had been mistreated by Krishna.
Lord Surya seeing that his son had still not learnt a lesson told him that it was Karna who had acted deceitfully. Yes, one must give importance to honouring friendship, upholding truth etc. These acts are called “saamaanya dharmam” i.e ordinary dharma. When saamaanaya dharma contradicts Perumal, one must always choose Perumal the Visesha Dharmama(superior dharma). Child Prahaladan knew that he must not listen to the words of his father who was trying to convert him into an atheist. The five-year-old child had the knowledge to differentiate between saamaanya dharma of obeying one’s parents and the visesha dharmam of always staying devoted to Perumal. Likewise, Vibhishana rightfully chose Lord Rama over his brother Ravana and Bharatazhwan stayed true to Lord Rama and disregarded the evil counsel of his mother Kaikeyi. “Karna, it is you who acted deceitfully by standing against Perumal who is the embodiment of dharmam!” concluded Lord Surya.
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