Snake Ashwasena and a lesson on Karna's principles and character

All of us hate Karna for the following reasons.

01. Instigating Duryodhana to make Draupadi sit on his thigh during the game of dice.

02. Encouraging Duryodhana to perform Draupadi's cheerharan (Stripping of clothes)

03. Insulting Draupadi's character saying "You have married to 5 Pandavas. What will happen if Duryodhana becomes your 6th husband?"

04. Killing Abhimanyu in an unrighteous manner by breaking Abhimanyu's bow from behind.

We conviniently forget that Kunti is the reason why we hate Karna. Inspite of taking Duryodhana's side and being a party of all Duryodhana's evil designs against the Pandavas, he was a great warrior, an epitome of generosity and a man of principles. Wanted to highlight an example of Karna's principles.

But before narrating the war between the 2 great rivals of Mahabharata Karna and Arjuna, I would like to narrate the story of Kandhava Dahana (The destruction of Khandava forest)

We are given to believe that Agni , the god of fire had wanted to consume Khandava forest. He approaches Lord Krishna and Arjuna for assistance to satisfy his hunger to which Arjuna readily agrees to assist Agni. Indra, the father of Arjuna wants to stop the destruction of Khandava forest at any cost. Agni gives Arjuna, his famous bow, the Gandiva and gives him 2 inexhaustible quivers for his task. Arjuna displaying his exceptional archery skills, builds a bridge of arrows so as to prevent the rain and sets the Khandava forest on fire. During the task, the mother of Ashwasena, who was the son of Snake king Takshaka is decapitated by Arjuna's arrow when she was trying to escape from the fire. Ashwasena escapes from the fire but he wanted to take revenge on Arjuna for his mother's death by killing him.

During the 17th day of the great battle of Kurukshetra, Arjuna and Karna are fighting fiercely. The snake Ashwasena without the knowledge of Karna quietly slips into his quiver waiting for his turn for Karna's use. Karna takes out the Nagastra (It was not actually Nagastra but a snake shaped arrow). He was so sure of killing Arjuna with this weapon. Karna who was proud of his archery skills aims his Nagastra at Arjuna's neck. Shalya who was the charioteer of Karna taunts him by saying "Aim your astra at Arjuna's chest or else fire another arrow". Karna tells that I am not going to change my aim. Karna releases the Nagastra from his bow and Lord Krishna who was Arjuna's charioteer in the great war saves Arjuna from certain death by pressing the chariot lightly with his feet. This ensures that Karna's nagastra strikes Arjuna's beautiful crown causing it to burn.

From the spot where Arjuna's crown was burnt there emerges a vicious snake going to Karna. Karna asks "Who are you?". The snake says "My name is Ashwasena. I am the son of Takshaka. During the destruction of Khandava forest, Arjuna had killed my mother. I had been waiting for this opportunity to take revenge on Arjuna by killing him. Please shoot me again at Arjuna. I will definitely kill Arjuna this time."

Karna tells that I cannot accept you again. If you are so desirous of taking revenge on Arjuna, you can do it all by yourself. I do not want the world to mock at me saying that Karna has depended on some 1's strength to kill Arjuna. If I accept you again, my reputation will be stained.

Disappointed with Karna's refusal to shoot him again, the snake Ashwasena flies in air to kill Arjuna but Arjuna's arrows hit the target with lethal precision resulting in Ashwasena's demise.

Karna could have easily killed Arjuna as a golden opportunity was presented to him by Ashwasena. But Karna choose not to shoot the Nagastra again at Arjuna. This story teaches us a lesson how much ever we hate our enemy, we should stick to righteousness and never allow our reputation to be tainted.