Karna the tragic hero of Mahabharat

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Swetha

@Swetha-Sai

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+ 48

Posted: 12 years ago

#11

Fab post by u, Nandini. 👏

Tfs dear.

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Nandini

@NandiniRaizadaa

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+ 4

Posted: 12 years ago

#12

Originally posted by: -ShrNi-
Hello Nandini-good to see you here 😃

Loved your topic...Karnas character beautifully explained
And i agree too

Karna was a soft hearted charitable man-but owing to the fact that he was rejected by almost everyone
He craved for acceptance,which he got through Duryodhan
However his loyalty to Duryodhan landed him on the wrong side,which is one of the primary reasons why he had to be killed...

Karna i feel is a very human character,hes someone who you can identify with...

Karna was a victim of circumstances

Yet somewhere i feel that somewhere down the line he too was a cause of what all happened to him...

As you said him Publicly humiliating Draupadi-not coming forward to help a hapless woman
I think that there his ego,selfish nature came forward-all his charity is of no use if he couldn't even protect a woman,not to forget here he even doubted her character publicly

Karnas behavior here propelled him into the "bad gang"

Secondly,i feel Karnas Vengence towards the Pandavas-being able to go to any heights to defeat Arjun,or the Pandavas was also a reason for his downfall

Not that he was wrong,he was wronged-but at one point of time he forgot that he was crossing lines,going the wrong way just to achive that-not to forget him siding Duryodhan n he in turn fueling Karnas fire to his advantage didn't help either
He too broke some rules-like cheat Parshuram etc
He wasn't all innocent to me atleast

But i guess thats what makes Karnas character intresting-a good man who got on the wrong side,with wrong people in bad circumstances

PS:-i close my eyes n still think if Pankaj Dheer as Karna
The new actor is going to have a pretty tough job at hand!

very well said Shruti

Karna's Path to destruction started on the day of the trial of the princes

He was humiliated by the entire Royalty. He wanted to compete but was not allowed to

From here started a feeling that he is superior warroer but is never given a chance to show it

The seed of hating Arjun and other Pandavas was sown here

Arjun more then others for he was the direct competitor

Duryodhan who had already lost the competition saw an oppurtunity here and befriended Karna. I am not saying Duryodhan's friendship was not pure

it was

but if Karna was not a wartier who could challenge the mighty Arrjun then I wonder if he would have befriended him

Second humiliation of Karna came with Draupadi Swayamvar again he was not allowed to compete and again Arjun took the prize

This feeling of injustice was given steam by the rememberance of his two curses

Curse of his Guru that in the most important battle of his life he will forget his education

Curse of a brahmin that in the most important battle of his life his charriot will be sucked in my the earth

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Nandini

@NandiniRaizadaa

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+ 4

Posted: 12 years ago

#13

And on top of it all Karna knew he is a royal born

it is said he used to dream of a princess who used to sit at his pillow and cry

So the fact that he knew his Mother was a princess and yet he was always dented any competition

his Guru was the only one who recognized he was a kshatriya and hence cursed him. So all this resulted n an increase of antagonism

he had greatest respect for Krishna. Infarct he knew Duryodhan is in the wrong. Still he refused the offer of the throne

reason being he wanted to repay Duryodhan in this life only

Still that does not absolve him from his sins... The two sins that i mentioned

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anamika_0

@anamika_0

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+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

#14

tfs...but whoz playing karna in MB?

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Nandini

@NandiniRaizadaa

Trailblazer

+ 4

Posted: 12 years ago

#15

We dont know that as yet

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Siona

@.m.a.r.y.s.i.o.

Sparkler

+ 6

Posted: 12 years ago

#16

oh my thats pretty lot of information man...got an idea abt karna n the war in small parts

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

#17

OK, Even if we were to accept that circumstances were against Karna, there were some decisions that he took for which he and he alone is responsible.

First mistake was approaching Parashurama for advanced training in warfare, knowing very well that Parashurama detested Kshatriyas. He lied that he was a brahmin and got himself admitted. Lying to one's Guru is an unpardonable offence. Karna ought to have known it by then. He made a cardinal mistake there and incurred Parashurama's wrath. IMHO, there is nothing 'tragic' here.

It was not as if there were no other Gurus in Aryavarta to teach warfare. Even if Dronacharya refused to admit Karna, there was always the Sandipani ashram which was open to students from both brahmin and kshatriya castes, from royal or ordinary backgrounds.

So why did Karna have to go all the way in search of Parashurama, knowing very well he will have to tell a lie in front of his Guru?

Second mistake- why did Karna take it upon himself to redefine ' generosity' ? Indra comes and asks for his Kavacha and Kundala and Karna just gives it away?

Lucky that Indra just asked for the Kavacha and Kundala. What if Indra had, like Dronacharya, asked Karna to donate his right thumb? There is a limit to being generous. And even if Indra had come in the guise of a brahmin, the shastras clearly state what a brahmin may ask and what not. Mistake number two - being over generous- to the point of stupidity.

Third - who asked him to give a promise to Kunti that he will not kill any of the Pandavas other than Arjuna? By giving such a promise, he is already diluting his loyalty towards Duryodhan. If he claims his loyalty is towards Duryodhana, then he had no business giving such a promise to Kunti. If he could bring himself to kill Arjuna- he could have very well tried to kill the other Pandavas too. He should have just sent Kunti back with a flea in her ear. Mistake number three : misplaced fraternal love

All there were mistakes which costed him his life and which he could have very well avoided.

The only incident which was truly tragic in his life-was- being unable to compete in Draupadi's swayamvara.

Edited by varaali - 12 years ago

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varaali

@varaali

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

#18

Pulling this topic in the forefront in the hopes of rekindling the debate...

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Vrish

@Vr15h

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 12 years ago

#19

I actually weighed in on Karna in my first post in this thread (pg 1)

Lord krishna--real hero or villain of mahabharat??

Aside from what I wrote there, I agree w/ the others. Lying to Parashurama was an unpardonable sin - as is pointed out, he could have approached anyone. Also, he could have asked Kunti to prove her maternity of him - and sent her back w/ a flea in her ear. In fact, this whole business of him giving away anything if asked at the right time i.e. after his daily pujas was ridiculous.

In fact, talking about his loyalty to Duryodhan, it's now even fair to question that. I mean, if he was really loyal to Duryodhan, he should have allowed the Pandavas to turn over to him all claims, and in turn, he could have turned that all over to Duryodhan. Now, that would have been loyalty. Also, had Karna killed Yudhisthir in the war, he would have put Duryodhan in an advantage, although it's very likely that in such an event, Bhima would have claimed the throne at least to prevent Duryodhan from getting it, and continued w/ the revenge campaign.

In fact, had Indra asked Karna for his head - Karna is said to have boasted that in this situation, he'd give up his life to anyone who wanted it - that would have been it for Karna. He'd have died, and his threat to the Pandavas would have been extinct forever.

But bottom line - while Karna was somewhat overrated and responsible for much of his actions, I do blame Kunti for 90% of what he had to go through. And Krishna as well for keeping her secret.

Edited by .Vrish. - 12 years ago