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Lord Krishna & Karna are undoubtedly, the 2 most intriguing and fascinating characters from the epic Mahabharat ...
adapted from http://paraggup.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/insights-from-the-mahabharata-krishna-karna/ ... complies starkly comparisons, contrasts and similarities between the 2 ... making it an interesting read ... have picked out only some parts!
Insights from the Mahabharata - Krishna & Karna
Alas, The Mahabharata is no ordinary story' per se. It is an Irony,' or as some appropriately call it Krishna's Swan Song, and most importantly historical fact.
- Krishna is the sole actor & everyone else is indeed his pawn/puppet
- Everything perishes in this epic, except for the Gita.
- Immediately after Krishna's birth, he was transported across the river by his father, Vasudeva to be brought up by his step-parents ... Nanda & Yasoda
- Karna's given name was ... Vasusena
- Krishna was also called ... Vasudeva
- Krishna's mother was Devaki, his Step-Mother, Yasoda, His Chief Wife, Rukmini, yet he is remembered mostly for his lila with Radha. Radha-Krishna'
- Karna's prowess was most feared by the Pandavas
- Krishna's presence was most feared by the Kurus
- Krishna was asked by his people ... Yadavas- to become, King. Krishna refused and Ugrasena was King of the Yadavas.
Krishna/Karna were both looked upon as Outsiders' in the Mahabharat war
Krishna/Karna never sought titles, wealth or accolades of praise. Both were extremely generous to their family and friends
- Krishna vowed to Kunti that all 5 Pandavas were under his protection
- Krishna was born in the Kshatriya caste, yet he played the role of Arjuna's charioteer in the WarKarna was raised in the Suta (Charioteer) caste, yet he played the role of a Kshatriya in the War
- Karna was cursed to his Death by his Guru - Rishi Parusharam for deceiving him for being a Brahmin (In actuality, Parusharam knew about Karna's true heritage - however, he also knew the big picture that was to be played out later. Aside from that - along w/ Bhishma Dev, Karna was his favorite disciple)
- Krishna was cursed to his Death by Gandhari as she felt he allowed the War to unfold and could have done more to prevent it.
- Prior to the War, Krishna was looked upon with great respect and reverence. Even among the Yadavas, they knew Krishna was great, nay The Greatest...yet, they didn't know his Divinity. Very few knew for sure who Krishna was. After the War, many Rishis and people were angry with Krishna as they felt he could have prevented the atrocity and millions of deaths.
- Prior to the War, Karna was looked upon as an instigator and right-hand man of Duryodhana - jealous of the Pandavas. After the war, Karna was looked upon with reverence by the Pandavas, Dhritarashtra & Gandhari. For his endless sacrifice & they were all sad that Karna had to face such ignonimity his whole life
By Birth, Karna had a closer relationship to Arjuna (Brothers) than Krishna had with Arjuna (Cousins). But Spiritually, Krishna-Arjuna are the closest. They were the ancient twin Rishis same souled - Nara & Narayana
Krishna/Karna - Everything they did they did for others, not for themselves. Two selfless souls always acting for the betterment for others, while needing nothing themselves is Freedom.
adapted from http://paraggup.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/insights-from-the-mahabharata-krishna-karna/ ... complies starkly comparisons, contrasts and similarities between the 2 ... making it an interesting read ... have picked out only some parts!
Insights from the Mahabharata - Krishna & Karna
Alas, The Mahabharata is no ordinary story' per se. It is an Irony,' or as some appropriately call it Krishna's Swan Song, and most importantly historical fact.
- Krishna is the sole actor & everyone else is indeed his pawn/puppet
- Everything perishes in this epic, except for the Gita.
- Immediately after Krishna's birth, he was transported across the river by his father, Vasudeva to be brought up by his step-parents ... Nanda & Yasoda
- Immediately after Karna's birth, his Mother, Kunti placed him in a basket on the river. He was transported to his step-parents ... Adhiratha & Radha ... by the watchful eye of his father, Surya Dev
- Karna's given name was ... Vasusena
- Krishna was also called ... Vasudeva
- Krishna's mother was Devaki, his Step-Mother, Yasoda, His Chief Wife, Rukmini, yet he is remembered mostly for his lila with Radha. Radha-Krishna'
- Karna's birth mother was Kunti, and even after finding out she was his mother ... He told Krishna that he will not be called ... Kaunteya ... son of Kunti, but will be remembered as Radheya ... Son of Radha. Till date, the Mahabharata refers to Karna as Radheya'
- Karna's prowess was most feared by the Pandavas
- Krishna's presence was most feared by the Kurus
- Krishna was asked by his people ... Yadavas- to become, King. Krishna refused and Ugrasena was King of the Yadavas.
- Krishna asked Karna to become Emperor of India (BharataVarsha- Extending to Pakistan, Bangladesh & Afghanistan at the time), thereby preventing the MahaBharat War. Krishna argued that Karna being elder to both Yudhisthira & Duryodhana ... he would be the rightful heir to the throne. Karna refused the Kingdom on account of principle
Krishna/Karna were both looked upon as Outsiders' in the Mahabharat war
Krishna/Karna were often pre-judged and ridiculed by others. Krishna as a Cowherd' and Karna belonging to the Suta' caste
Krishna/Karna exhibited 100% loyalty to Arjuna/Duryodhana respectively
Krishna/Karna never sought titles, wealth or accolades of praise. Both were extremely generous to their family and friends
- Krishna vowed to Kunti that all 5 Pandavas were under his protection
- Karna vowed to Kunti that he would spare the lives of 4 Pandavas and battle Arjuna (In the War, Karna had a chance to kill ... Yudhisthira, Bhima, Nakula & Sahadeva at different intervals. Yet, he spared their lives)
- Krishna was born in the Kshatriya caste, yet he played the role of Arjuna's charioteer in the WarKarna was raised in the Suta (Charioteer) caste, yet he played the role of a Kshatriya in the War
- Krishna/Karna both wanted Yudhisthira to become Emperor. Karna called Yudhisthira the embodiment of Truth' and that he deserved the Kingdom
- Karna was cursed to his Death by his Guru - Rishi Parusharam for deceiving him for being a Brahmin (In actuality, Parusharam knew about Karna's true heritage - however, he also knew the big picture that was to be played out later. Aside from that - along w/ Bhishma Dev, Karna was his favorite disciple)
- Krishna was cursed to his Death by Gandhari as she felt he allowed the War to unfold and could have done more to prevent it.
- Prior to the War, Krishna was looked upon with great respect and reverence. Even among the Yadavas, they knew Krishna was great, nay The Greatest...yet, they didn't know his Divinity. Very few knew for sure who Krishna was. After the War, many Rishis and people were angry with Krishna as they felt he could have prevented the atrocity and millions of deaths.
- Prior to the War, Karna was looked upon as an instigator and right-hand man of Duryodhana - jealous of the Pandavas. After the war, Karna was looked upon with reverence by the Pandavas, Dhritarashtra & Gandhari. For his endless sacrifice & they were all sad that Karna had to face such ignonimity his whole life
By Birth, Karna had a closer relationship to Arjuna (Brothers) than Krishna had with Arjuna (Cousins). But Spiritually, Krishna-Arjuna are the closest. They were the ancient twin Rishis same souled - Nara & Narayana
Krishna/Karna - Everything they did they did for others, not for themselves. Two selfless souls always acting for the betterment for others, while needing nothing themselves is Freedom.
The last tidbit is this, all the letters of K-A-R-N-A are in the word KRISHNA.
