The Temptation of Karna Summary

The Temptation of Karna is from the Volume 3, Book 4: The Book of Virata (Udyoga Parva) of The Mahabharata.

Dhritarashtra eagerly asks Sanjaya what Krishna and Karna discussed between them. Sanjaya narrates their conversation with the king. 

Krishna and Karna have a friendly conversation. Vasudeva reveals to Kaunteya his kshatriya origin. Krishna entices him by offering him the crown and the wealth of Indraprastha.

However, Angraj rejects the offer because of his loyalty to his foster parents and Duryodhana. 

Radha and Adhiratha gave him a new life in his time of need. He cannot forget what they have done to him. Similarly, Duryodhana gives him recognition by offering the kingdom Anga.

Karna again denies the temptations when Kunti asks him to change his side. However, he remains firm in his word. 

In the palace of Hastinapur, Bhisma narrates his family origin. Bhisma tells him Pandu became the king because of Dhritarashtra’s lack of sight. Therefore, his sons also deserve half of the kingdom. 

Bhisma, Drona, Vidura, Gandhari, and Dhritarashtra demand them half the kingdom. Duryodhana does not listen to none of them. Having seeing, Krishna declares the war is unavoidable.

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The temptation of Karna 

In this Upa Parva, Krishna persuades Karna to leave the side of Duryodhana and join the Pandavas.

Krishna tempted Karna by using psychology. Krishna indirectly addresses Karna’s desires in life, such as identity and domination over Pandavas, especially Arjuna, and proffers him to fulfill them.

Krishna initially invites Karna to his chariot. Krishna starts the conversation with a compliment to Karna for being knowledgeable about the everlasting sayings of the Veda and the scriptures of the Law.

After mentioning Law, Krishna drags the conversation. He indirectly tells him he must know people consider a son before a woman’s pre-marriage and the son of her wedded husband similarly.  

Karna is born before Kunti’s marriage to Pandu. Therefore, based on this law, Krishna stresses Karna is the eldest Pandava. Krishna invites Radheya to be king, and the Pandavas will be by his side.

Keshava tries to make Suryaputra Karna visualize in his mind that the Pandavas will recognize him as their eldest brother. Krishna knows well that the mental image of clasping Karna’s feet with the Pandavas will please Karna’s mind.

Therefore, he says they will bow down to him as their brother. Not only them, the five sons of Kunti and son of Subhadra, Abhimanyu, and their allies, Andhakas, and Vrishnis, will do the same.

Furthermore, in the inauguration, the baronesses and daughters of kings will bring golden, silver, and earthen vessels, herbs, all seeds, all gems, and shrubs. All this is to lure Karna with the enjoyment of royal status.

Krishna knows that Karna always wants to beat his rival, Arjuna. Karna is jealous of Arjuna’s skill.

Therefore, Krishna tells him that if he becomes the king, then Arjuna will ride the chariot for him. Bhima, who once insulted Karna’s foster father for his caste, will hold the grand white umbrella for him. All of them will always be at his service.

Despite his identity as a suta, Vasusena has tried to associate himself with the Kshatriya in his life. Therefore, instead of learning about his foster father’s profession, expressed an interest in archery.

However, he receives a rejection from Drona for his caste. Krishna fills abates his feeling of being a low caste by telling him all the Brahmins, the priest of the Pandavas, will consecrate him.

Moreover, he gives another enticing prospect, which is sharing the bed with Draupadi. Karna participates in Draupadi’s swayamvar to win Draupadi. However, he cannot participate because of his caste. Now, Madhusudan also proffers him the same prize with no effort.

Krishna’s motive behind the temptation of Karna is to stop the Kurukshetra war. Karna is aware of the fact that Karna is a prime asset for Duryodhana. Karna himself tells during his conversation with Krishna that Duryodhana wants him to fight against Arjuna in the war.

This is the reason “The Temptation of Karna” is an important event in the epic.

Karna’s valor and mightiness are a threat to the Pandavas. He is an invincible Kshatriya whom Sun the God gives armor and a pair of earrings. Therefore, stopping him is crucial to the war.

But Krishna fails to tempt him. He smiles at Karna and says, “Does the offer of a kingdom not tempt you? (97).

The character of Karna

Karna is one of the most tragic characters. His life is full of struggles and conflicts. His life story makes the readers always feel empathy for him, though he is on the side of Duryodhana.

A Tragic Hero 

If we study closely his Karna’s life, it is full of misery. Fate plays a predominant role in his life and it leads him to his death as well.

Had Kunti given him the status, he would not encounter any curse in his life. Since Kshatriya is in his blood, demonstrated an interest in learning archery.

As a result, he approached Drona but Drona rejects him for being a suta but; he is so adamant. He conceals himself as Brahmin and learns from Parashuram, the greatest master of the time.

When Parashuram recognizes his true identity, he curses him in a rage that he will forget his mantra to use the Brahmastram in his time of need. He curses Karna for lying to him, but from one point of view; he has no fault.

He lies to learn archery, not to damage anyone. He knows if he tells his identity, then there is a high probability that his guru will reject him because Parashuram teaches only to Brahmins. Karna does not deserve such a harsh punishment, behind which he has a good motif.

Discrimination

Karna has faced humiliation in his life because of his low caste. For instance, at Draupadi’s swayamvar, Draupadi ignores Karna because he is a son of a suta.

She rejects him for his caste. In another instance, he once challenges Arjuna, but their guru does not allow him because of his low caste.

At the consecration ceremony, Bhima insults Adhiratha for his status. It makes naturally Karna have contempt for the Pandavas.

This would never happen if Kunti does not abandon him after his birth. This is an act of fate. He will certainly be doomed.

If we compare Karna’s life with the life of another archer, Arjuna, we find Arjuna leads a privileged life. He enjoys the prestige of a Kshatriya and the god, Krishna, is himself with him to guide him.

Unlike Arjuna, Karna is an abandoned child who has not got the privileges that he deserves. To learn, he deceives his guru, Parashuram. He has earned his glory through sheer sacrifices, determination, and perseverance.

Once Karna mistakenly kills a cow thinking that a deer or other animal. When the owner of the cow finds the dead cow, the Brahmin recognizes that Karna that he is a kshatriya.

Therefore, the Brahmin curses him that his chariot will submerge in the earth during a major battle of his life.

No doubt Karna has done some mistakes in his life. However, the injustice and wrongs that fate has done to him are comparatively nothing.

His life is a series of misfortunes. It is his conspiracy of fate against him right from his birth to the end of the Kurukshetra war that makes him a true tragic hero.

The benevolent Karna

Once, Karna defeated Bhima and spared Bhima. His mercy on the Pandavas, except Arjuna, is apparent by sparing them. He could have attacked them but because he promised Kunti, he spares them. He does not use the Nagastram weapon in Arjuna more than once, because he promised Kunti.

Karna is invincible, and without his armor, no one can defeat him. Therefore, Indra disguises himself as a Brahman and asks him for his armor and kundal (earrings) as a gift.

Karna has a habit of donating to people, hence he is called Daanveer Karna. Though he knows the repercussion of the donation, he happily gives it to Indra. This is an act of trick of the god to defeat him.

Ethical Dilemma of Karna 

His ethical dilemma is that despite knowing his wrongdoings with Duryodhana, he does not change his side before the war.

Both Krishna and Kunti tell Karna about his birth and suggest him to change side. But Karna refuses to leave Duryodhana.

The first reason for his refusal is Karna does not want to deny the identity that his foster parents have given him. When Kunti carelessly leaves, he and Adhiratha find a box in which he finds baby Karan.

He becomes extremely happy because he is childless and takes him to his home. It elates his wife Radha to have him. She breastfeeds him and brings him up with love and care. She accepts his “piss and shit” (94) with no hesitation.

Adhiratha performs Karna’s birth rites. Adhiratha has done everything as a responsible father. He had the Brahmins name him and marry him to wives. Karna’s heart has already bound with them. Therefore, he cannot leave them.  

He expresses his gratitude to his parents to Krishna in the following words:

“How could a man like me deny her the ancestral offering? A man who knows the Law and always took care to listen to the scriptures on the Law? Adhiratha, the suta, thinks of me as his son, and my love demands that I think of him as my father.” (94)

He is grateful for their sacrifices, he cannot ignore them and accept a royal identity. This proves he is not a selfish person.

Guilty Conscience

Karna reveals his dream to Krishna during their conversation

In the dream, he sees Krishna “drape the blood-fueled earth with entrails.” He also sees “Yudhisthira mounted a pile of bones and joyously ate rice mixed with ghee from a gold platter. I saw Yudhisthira swallow the earth which you had served him” (99-100).

It suggests he is sure there will be a war and that he, with other kings, will die because of their wrong deeds. Amid their conversation, he clearly states he regrets insulting the Pandavas.

Karna thinks he deserves punishment, and war is his punishment. He wants to get rid of his sins soon. Therefore, he rejects the temptation.

If others discover his origin, the war might not happen, which he does not want. Therefore, he wants Krishna to keep their conversation private.

Relationship with Duryodhana

The next reason for his refusal is his lifelong loyalty to Duryodhana. Duryodhana gives him what none has given.

Once there is trial competition among the pupils of Drona. Karna wants to partake in the competition, but he cannot challenge Arjuna because of his lineage.

Duryodhana finds it a perfect chance to humiliate his enemy. Therefore, he soon confers the title of king of Anga by offering him Anga.

Hence, people also know him as Angaraja. The benevolence of Duryodhana makes him a lifelong, loyal friend to him. When everyone rejects him because of his lineage, Duryodhana stretches his helping hand to Karna by offering his friendship.

He enjoys the royal lifestyle because of Duryodhana for thirteen years. Duryodhana is prepared for war because he relies on Karna. Therefore, he chooses Karna to fight against Arjuna in the battle. He is a man of words. He cannot be a traitor. Therefore, he declares,

He will never break his promise to Dhritarashtra. He also says,

These factors that we have discussed above make Karna a tragic hero.

Kunti 

Kunti is the queen of King Pandu and the mother of the Pandavas. We find Kunti as a selfish woman based on our reading of the Upa Parvas.

When she was young, Rishi Durvasa gave a boom to her. Out of curiosity and childishness, she tested her boon. As a result, she gets a baby from the Sun. 

The baby is Karna. Kunti soon regrets her actions. She abandons the baby to avoid humiliation.

Kunti worries about the family war because of Karna. She knows he is a threat to her five sons. Therefore, she meets him secretly and tries to soothe his heart with the truth.

Kunti reveals who he is and asks him to be with his brothers. She tells him not for his benefits but for her own.

She needs Karna to stop the war. She has done nothing as a mother, and later, she goes for her motif of saving her sons.

References

Buitenen, J A B van, translator. The Mahabharata. By Vyasa, Worldview Publications, 2016.