Why we hesitate?

                                                               Karna

Reading about karna (from Mahabhartha) is indeed very interesting. Karna is known for his loyalty, principles and skills that he possessed. His face resembled like the thousand petals of a lotus flower. His tale is filled with many questions that are being put forth to the reader in the modern world, which gives many answers and also creates dilemma.

He was the son of kunti which she got from the god ‘Surya’ hence he was called Surya putra Karan. His story starts when his mother kunti drained him off on top of a river due to her insecurities. Received by a charioteer’s family, thus the child who was meant to be a royal prince was destined to live the life of a low caste man. But we all know this didn’t happen. He didn’t let his ‘caste’ decide who he will become. Which certainly answers to those unenthusiastic people in the modern world who believe that they are not capable. its fine that we can’t control some events in the human journey but yes we can make efforts to steer ourselves in those events to become the person that we want not the persons that are hopelessly situation driven.

Being a low caste he was denied many privileges. As we expect he was ranked according to caste rather than his zeal to learn. Which has changed drastically now, All Thanks to the social reforms.

But how appropriate was that he was cursed by a Brahmin for not revealing that he is a sut putra (charioteer’s son). Who willingly enrolled in a Kshatriya school to learn martial arts and other skills.

Yes we know at that time it was a crime and also this curse becomes the reason for his defeat against Arjuna. Its just like a child who wants to learn but is being expelled from the school due to his dirty uniform. Maybe its true than hindu mythology sometime is all driven by boons and banes.

We see that a rich plot is being made by legendary characters, situations and suddenly all is ruined due to a previously announced boon or bane. In contemporary world, to be precise we say this as destiny or luck. Nevertheless, social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy made sure that what happened with karna doesn’t happened with any child when it comes to education.

To his luck he learned all before he was being cursed. And we know that what the curse was.

Karna grew upto be a fierce warrior who made his presence felt. Wherever he go he made sure that people recognize his great skills with the bow and sword. The attitude he possessed was a consequence of ‘status anxiety’ that was built in him. we all want to be recognized and the opinion of society matter to us. How people think of us…. this is status anxiety.

When Draupadi refused to accept him as a husband due to his caste though he won the swayamwara. Its just like the remote thinking of the society that a capable person has to face.

Which does no good to the society too as we saw in Draupadi’s case that when she was being robbed off her clothes in the assembly. The hatred filled karan didn’t uttered a word against what was happening at that time.

Karna believed that dharma is not to follow the path that is being paved in front of you as Yudhisthra believed but to make your own path buy putting efforts, struggles that guides you to the glory. And which should certainly be followed practically. What makes him different from Ekalavya is his choice.

Yes, unlike Ekalavya he didn’t choose the path led to a ‘passive glory’ but his spirit that always motivated him to make a mark or to become ‘somebody’. And we don’t need Eklavyas in the modern world. It would rude if he is being called gullible but what’s the use of passive glory, it is just like a ‘garland on a corpse’.

Coming back, karna made a vow that he will never deny what a Brahmin asks to him. And this set the roots of the conspiracy against him. Now he had his chance when his godly father Surya warned him that Indra(king of gods) would deceive him as a Brahmin and for his Breastplate and earrings with whom he was born. Now the mighty Karan knowingly donated his armour, knowing the fact that Indra was on Arjuna’s side. Also karna’s biggest ambition was to defeat Arjuna and prove himself.

This incident certainly help us to get a detailed insight of karna’s conscience. For him his word was more important than his biggest ambition. Are we in our lives good enough to not compromise with our principles on the path of ideology?

Every person should understand that making their presence felt in this world is very important. Don’t let your Kundli decide who you will become. Have a zeal to learn, make up your mind to struggle for yourself. Karna’s life indeed symbolised these things.