|
11.KARNA
When she saw Karna, Kunti knew him as
her first born and fainted away. Vidura
instructed the maidservant to attend upon
her and she revived. She stood stupefied
with anguish not knowing what to do.
As they were about to join in battle,
Kripa, well-versed in the rules of single
combat, stepped between them and
addressed Karna:
"This prince, who is ready to fight with
thee, is the son of Pritha and Pandu and a
scion of the Kuru race. Reveal O mighty
armed thy parentage and the race rendered
illustrious by thy birth. It is only after
knowing thy lineage that Partha can fight
with thee, for high-born princes cannot
engage in single combat with unknown
adventurers."
When he heard these words, Karna bent
down his head like a lotus under the
weight of rainwater.
Duryodhana stood up and said: "If the
combat cannot take place merely because
Karna is not a prince, why, that is easily
remedied. I crown Karna as the king of
Anga." He then obtained the assent of
Bhishma and Dhritarashtra, performed all
the necessary rites and invested Karna
with the sovereignty of the kingdom of
Anga giving him the crown, jewels and
other royal insignia.
At that moment, as the combat between
the youthful heroes seemed about to
commence, the old charioteer Adhiratha,
who was the foster-father of Karna,
entered the assembly, staff in hand and
quaking with fear.
No sooner did he see him, that Karna, the
newly crowned king of Anga, bowed his
head and did humble obeisance in all filial
reverence. The old man called him son,
embraced him with his thin and trembling
arms, and wept with joy wetting with tears
of love his head already moistened by the
water of the coronation.
At this sight, Bhima roared with laughter
and said: "O he is after all only the son of
a charioteer! Take up the driving whip
then as befits thy parentage. Thou art not
worthy of death at the hands of Arjuna.
Nor shouldst thou reign in Anga as a
king."
At this outrageous speech, Karna's lips
trembled with anguish and he speechlessly
looked up at the setting sun with a deep
sigh.
But Duryodhana broke in indignantly:
"It is unworthy of you, O Vrikodara, to
speak thus. Valor is the hallmark of a
kshatriya. Nor is there much sense in
tracing great heroes and mighty rivers to
their sources. I could give you hundreds
of instances of great men of humble birth
and I know awkward questions might be
asked of your own origin. Look at this
warrior, his godlike form and bearing, his
armor and earrings, and his skill with
weapons. Surely there is some mystery
about him. For how could a tiger be born
of an antelope? Unworthy of being king of
Anga, didst thou say? I verily hold him
worthy to rule the whole world."
In generous wrath, Duryodhana took
Karna in his chariot and drove away.
The sun set and the crowd dispersed in
tumult. There were groups loud in talk
under the light of the lamps, some
glorifying Arjuna, others Karna, and
others again Duryodhana according to
their predilection.
Indra foresaw that a supreme contest was
inevitable between his son Arjuna and
Karna. And he put on the garb of a
brahmana and came to Karna, who was
reputed for his charity and begged of him
his earrings and armor. The Sun god had
already warned Karna in a dream that
Indra would try to deceive him in this
manner.
|
|