Karna was known as the greatest giver who never refused a request. He was born to Kunti and the sun god but was abandoned as an infant and adopted by a charioteer. As an adult, Karna wished to learn archery but was denied by his teacher due to being a sutaputra (of low birth). He later learned from another teacher but was cursed when his deception was discovered. During a competition, Karna's skill impressed Duryodhana, who made him king of Anga and a friend. However, Karna's loyalty to his vows and Duryodhana ultimately led to his death in battle against his brother Arjuna.

1. The Greatest Giver
The Story of the Hindu Hero Karna
Assembled by Mrs. Sommer 3/2011
Radheya, also known as Karna, was known as “the greatest giver”-- even by his foes.
He never refused a request.

2. The story of Karna is related in
the Mahabharata.
The sage Durvasa gave the
lovely young princess Kunti a
mantra, which he said would
call any of the gods. She
repeated it with her mind on
the beautiful golden sun and
Lord Surya appeared before
her. As he was leaving he
prophesied that their son would
be famous as the greatest of all
givers - and that no one would
equal in goodness of heart.

3. She bore his child, but from shame and confusion hid the child's birth and
set her son's cradle into the river Ganga. The child was beautiful and wore
the golden earrings, kundala, and armor, kavacha, given by his father.

4. Ganga allowed the baby to be found by a charioteer whose wife, Radha,
brought up the foundling as her own son. Radha explained to him how he came
to be hers, but could not tell him who his original parents were.

5. As he grew up, Karna wanted to learn archery and to become wise.
Drona called him a sutaputra, or one of low birth, and refused his
request for tuition. So, when Karna went to Bhargava's ashram to learn
archery, he pretended to be brahmin. His ruse succeeded and for many
months he pleased his master and learned all the great weapons,
astras, which made him the supreme warrior of his time.

6. One day Bhargava fell asleep with
his head resting in Karna's lap. a
blood sucking insect came and bit at
Karna's thigh. The pain was
unbearable for Karna but he bore
the pain not wanting to disturb his
teacher's sleep.
When Bhargava awoke, he looked
at the blood stained thigh of Karna,
and asked him why he didn’t defend
himself. Bhargava got furious and
said, "No brahmin can bear such
pain. You are definitely a Kshatriya,
high-born warrior, you lied to me. I
curse you that you will forget all you
have learned when you will need it
most.”
Karna despairingly realized two
things: 1. that he should not have
deceived his master, and 2. that in
this life fate was against him.

7.
At the competition, Kunti recognized Karna due to his earrings and armor. She
fainted from the weight of her emotions, but did not acknowledge her first-born.
Drona organized a great
tournament to show off the
skill of his royal students, the
Pandavas and the Kauravas.
One of the Pandavas, Arjuna,
showed off his skill as an
archer. Karna appeared,
glowing like the sun, and
repeated all of Arjuna's feats
with immeasurable grace. A
duel between the two young
men was proposed, but the
insult 'sutaputra' was hurled
again at Karna and he was
told he was unworthy to fight
the nobly born Arjuna.

8. Duryodhana, prince of the Kauravas, recognized that Karna was a hero who could beat
his rivals, the Pandavas. He argued that the bravery and nobility shown by Karna
qualified him as a kshatriya, or high born warrior. In front of the multitude, he gave the
country of Anga to Karna. Karna was overcome with gratitude and asked what he could
give in return. Duryodhana said that all he wanted was Karna as his friend. Karna
pledged himself in eternal friendship to Duryodhana. This spontaneous gift of allegiance
and affection was ultimately tragic for Karna, as he would not withdraw his word. Karna
practiced generosity of spirit.

9. Lord Surya, the sun god, understood Karna’s
generosity and appeared in a dream to his son to
warn him of a plot. He said, "I know you have
taken a vow to grant the request of whomever
comes to you at midday after your worship of the
sun. I know you have never broken this vow. Indra
will come in disguise and ask you for your kundala
and kavacha. If you remove the kundala from your
ears, your life will be shortened and the kavacha
is armor against fate itself. If they are severed
from your body, you will be defeated and killed."
Karna was overcome with this proof of affection,
for Surya was his ishta devata, his chosen form of
God. Karna replied, “I cannot repay your kindness
in warning me, and I cannot break my vow. I have
never feared death, but I fear untruth. I must be
true to myself." Surya was proud that his son
would not give up dharma, the path of
righteousness, but departed sadly, knowing all
would happen as he had foretold.

10. The eldest Pandava prince, knew that Karna
was the only one who could defeat Arjuna. He
feared for his brother and, not wanting the
horrors of war to be experienced in the
kingdom, implored Sri Krishna to intervene.
When Krishna went as a final ambassador of
peace to the Kaurava court, he took Karna
aside and said, "Karna, you are a good man,
always righteous. Why do you uphold
Duryodhana when you know he is a sinner?"
Karna replied, "Duryodhana is my friend. When
everyone insulted me, he uplifted me and said,
"All I want is your heart." I gave him my heart.
He and my mother Radha are the only two who
ever loved me. I cannot judge him." Then
Krishna told him of Kunti and Lord Surya and
the circumstances of his birth, explaining that,
as the elder brother of the Pandavas, he was
the rightful inheritor of the whole kingdom.

11. When Karna asked, "Why are you telling me
this now?" Lord Krishna smiled, saying,
"Your days of darkness are over. Come and
be reunited with your mother. The noble
Pandavas will be your affectionate brothers,
you will be the emperor, and the world will
be yours."
Sighing, Karna said, "Kunti abandoned me.
Duryodhana declared war on the Pandavas
trusting in me as his champion. I owe a debt
of love. You offer me a great name, fame,
and affection from a noble family, but I have
promised Duryodhana. Even though I know
we are doomed because the Pandavas are
under your protection, I will die for him. You
know I will not abandon my friend. You also
understand that now I cannot fight
wholeheartedly knowing the Pandavas are
my brothers. Your aim to protect the
Pandavas has been achieved.

12. Kunti appeared before her son the next day at midday after he had worshipped the
sun to ask a boon of him. When she approached him, he half recognized her from
his dreams and she confessed that she was his mother. He was happy she had
come and asked what she wanted. "Mother, what is the boon you want me to give
you?"
"Your days of darkness are over," Kunti replied. "Come with me. As my eldest
child, the Pandavas will love you as their elder brother, and you will inherit the
world. You must leave Duryodhana and not fight with your brothers any more."
She did that, claiming his affection as his true mother.
Karna wept. He said, "I thought I would find
no other friend than Duryodhana who loves
me. Now I find you, and I could go and claim
my place with my brothers! I feel my heart is
bursting but I have to stay with my friend
Duryodhana. He has been more than a
brother to me. I can't shatter his dreams
even though they lead us to death. I must
give you a boon. I promise you that Four of
my five brothers will be safe from me; more
than that I can no longer promise."

13. During the war, Karna defeated all of his brothers in single combat. He had them at his
mercy, but refrained from killing them. He himself was killed by Arjuna, who was
protected by Sri Krishna and aided by fate.
They say a glow of light rose from Karna's body when he died and ascended toward
the heavens.

14. Resources
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Radha and Adhiratha adopt the child karna, the sun god's son [Image]. Retrieved March 11, 2011, from: http://media.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_06/01AUG08/05-avatars.htm .
Royal competition [Image]. Retrieved March 11, 2011, from: http://www.funonthenet.in/forums/index.php?topic=100123.10 .
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