Unluckiest Character in Mahabharat? - Page 5

Originally posted by: RamKiSeeta

Well said!

It really beats me how many people defend Karna without true knowledge of the epic, solely based on shows and movies who glorify him meaninglessly. Karna LOST in Draupadi's swayamvar. He was never denied the chance to try as shows/movies show. Draupadi never said she wouldn't marry a sutaputra. Karna actually tried and lost. He was also one of Drona's students. It's mentioned twice in the text that Drona accepted him despite him not being a Kuru prince, because he was a good student. He was denied Brahmastra knowledge because he wasn't capable of receiving it at the time. No one but Arjuna received it, none of the other Pandavas or Kauravas. So how can Karna claim it was unfair when the other princes didn't receive the knowledge? He did not respect his teacher's decision and decided to go to another because he was so stubborn to receive that knowledge, so in a way, he deserved the curse that came out of a lie.

He was also involved in Bhima's poisoning. He's lucky he wasn't punished for the crime.

Karna was actually one of the luckiest characters. He didn't get punished for many misdeeds.

Completely agreed!

In addition, he was a part of Lakshagriha, he was also the one who proposed cheerharan. He was the one who said he won't fight till Bhishma remains.

Apart from the fact that he was made to learn about his birth later and wasn't called Kunti's son, I don't see any reason to call him unlucky. Rather, he got a good childhood, good parents, he did get shiksha, a friend and a kingdom in gift. If we compare this to Pandavas, we will know even they had more misfortune that him.

Originally posted by: CaptainSpark

Completely agreed!

In addition, he was a part of Lakshagriha, he was also the one who proposed cheerharan. He was the one who said he won't fight till Bhishma remains.

Apart from the fact that he was made to learn about his birth later and wasn't called Kunti's son, I don't see any reason to call him unlucky. Rather, he got a good childhood, good parents, he did get shiksha, a friend and a kingdom in gift. If we compare this to Pandavas, we will know even they had more misfortune that him.

Exactly; like every other character in the epic, he had ups and downs, but comparatively he had a lot happier life. The Pandavas suffered far more misfortunes starting from their childhood. Even Duryodhan was less fortunate in some ways. From his birth, his status in the royal family as 'heir' was in question. Karna was given a free kingdom without really doing anything to earn it, whereas Duryodhan despite being born in royal family was never truly a King.

Originally posted by: CaptainSpark

I think they were friends in Gurukul if we go by KMG. But their friendship only grew and developed later after the Angdesh giving I guess.

Yeah, they were always friends from early childhood, because Karna's father Adirath was the charioteer of Dhritarashtra. Karna participated in all of Duryodhan's antics against the Pandavas, including the poisoning and varnavat incident. Their friendship did grow later on after the Angdesh giving, but that wasn't the first incident they met like shows/movies show.

Originally posted by: Wistfulness

Those humiliation stories are made up and popularized by writers and tv serials.

Suta wasn't a low charioteer caste as shown by serials. Karna was Drona's student.

If he was Drona's student then what about Parshuram? And that Brahmin curse?

Originally posted by: Mannmohanaa

If he was Drona's student then what about Parshuram? And that Brahmin curse?

As far as I remember, Karna studies at Drona's gurukul when he was younger and became good friends with Dury then only. (He isn't mentioned in poisoning of Bheema, I guess that's because he wasn't in the inner circle then).

When Drona began giving the divine stuff like Brahmastra etc to Arjun and Ashwatthama, he went to Drona asking for it and Drona refused to give him those.

So then, he left Drona's place and went off to Parashuram.

Originally posted by: Mannmohanaa

If he was Drona's student then what about Parshuram? And that Brahmin curse?

Read the posts above.

He asked Drona for knowledge of Brahmastra because he wants to kill Arjun. This is a weapon of mass destruction that can only be taught to people who are capable of it and will NOT USE IT for personal gains but when it is needed for greater good. Hence, Drona said he would not give Karna this knowledge.

Hence, he went to Parashuram to get knowledge of celestial weapons, particularly Brahmastra. He lied to him and got the knowledge of it. Parashuram realized and cursed him.

Originally posted by: proteeti

As far as I remember, Karna studies at Drona's gurukul when he was younger and became good friends with Dury then only. (He isn't mentioned in poisoning of Bheema, I guess that's because he wasn't in the inner circle then).

When that terrible poison intended for the destruction of Bhima failed of its effect, Duryodhana. Karna and Sakuni, without giving up their wicked design had recourse to numerous other contrivances for accomplishing the death of the Pandavas. And though every one of these contrivances was fully known to the Pandavas, yet in accordance with the advice of Vidura they suppressed their indignation.

Karna Parva, Krishna again recalls everything Karna was a part of. Here too Bheem's poisoning is mentioned.

"Sanjaya said, 'Then Vasudeva, stationed on the car, addressed Karna, saying, "By good luck it is, O son of Radha, that thou rememberest virtue! It is generally seen that they that are mean, when they sink into distress, rail at Providence but never at their own misdeeds. Thyself and Suyodhana and Duhshasana and Shakuni, the son of Subala, had caused Draupadi, clad in a single piece of raiment, to be brought into the midst of the assembly. On that occasion, O Karna, this virtue of thine did not manifest itself. When at the assembly Shakuni, an adept in dice, vanquished Kunti's son Yudhishthira who was unacquainted with it, whither had this virtue of thine gone? When the Kuru king (Duryodhana), acting under thy counsels, treated Bhimasena in that way with the aid of snakes and poisoned food, whither had this virtue of thine then gone? When the period of exile into the woods was over as also the thirteenth year, thou didst not make over to the Pandavas their kingdom. Whither had this virtue of thine then gone? Thou didst set fire to the house of lac at Varanavata for burning to death the sleeping Pandavas. Whither then, O son of Radha, had this virtue of thine gone? Thou laughedest at Krishna while she stood in the midst of the assembly, scantily dressed because in her season and obedient to Duhshasana's will, whither, then, O Karna, had this virtue of thine gone? When from the apartment reserved for the females innocent Krishna was dragged, thou didst not interfere. Whither, O son of Radha, had this virtue of thine gone? Thyself addressing the princess Draupadi, that lady whose tread is as dignified as that of the elephant, in these words, viz., 'The Pandavas, O Krishna, are lost. They have sunk into eternal hell. Do thou choose another husband!' thou lookedest on the scene with delight. Whither then, O Karna, had this virtue of thine gone? Covetous of kingdom and relying on the ruler of the Gandharvas, thou summonedest the Pandavas (to a match of dice). Whither then had this virtue of thine gone? When many mighty car-warriors, encompassing the boy Abhimanyu in battle, slew him, whither had this virtue of thine then gone? If this virtue that thou now invokest was nowhere on those occasions, what is the use then of parching thy palate now, by uttering that word? Thou art now for the practice of virtue, O Suta, but thou shalt not escape with life. Like Nala who was defeated by Pushkara with the aid of dice but who regained his kingdom by prowess, the Pandavas, who are free from cupidity, will recover their kingdom by the prowess of their arms, aided with all their friends. Having slain in battle their powerful foes, they, with the Somakas, will recover their kingdom. The Dhartarashtras will meet with destruction at the hands of those lions among men (viz., the sons of Pandu), that are always protected by virtue!'"

Do read the whole bit. It's Krishna himself, confirming what Karna has been a part of.

Originally posted by: CaptainSpark

When that terrible poison intended for the destruction of Bhima failed of its effect, Duryodhana. Karna and Sakuni, without giving up their wicked design had recourse to numerous other contrivances for accomplishing the death of the Pandavas. And though every one of these contrivances was fully known to the Pandavas, yet in accordance with the advice of Vidura they suppressed their indignation.

Ooh so he was there. Ookie. 😆

As mentioned above, Drona taught Karna every knowledge he taught the Kuru princes. He only refused the knowledge of the Brahmastra because Karna did not deserve it based on his ambition. Arjuna wanted to learn Brahmastra for the greater good, to protect humanity. Karna wanted to learn it to kill Arjuna. He never hid his desire to kill Arjuna. That was his greatest ambition, born out of rivalry. So Dronacharya refused that knowledge which would have been learned for all the wrong reasons.

This story gives us all a lesson about education. Anything that is learned with the wrong intention/ambition is cursed knowledge. In the end, that knowledge will be of no use to us, just as Karna learning the Brahmastra was no use in the end.