Right from my childhood days I have been fascinated with tales of mahabharat. I remember the days when the TV serial was aired, I must be studying in 4th or 5th standard at that time. I had a shorter version of the epic book at home and I used to read it just for the joy of knowing beforehand what was to be telecasted next. Childhood has a dream world of its own. I even used to play with the bows and arrows made from thin bamboo sticks. My cousins were the partners in crime and we often had earful of dose together.
I liked many characters in the story and my favorites were Bheeshm, Krishna and Arjun. I always fought to play Arjun whenever we role-played at backyard games. I had even mastered to hit a rotating fan right at its center and used it as a challenge for anybody who wants to replace me to play the archer's role.
All these memories were refreshed when I recently finished reading a wonderful book related to Mahabharat. The book is titled 'Mrityunjaya' (meaning - the death conqueror) and is written by Sivaji Sawant. It is based on the life story of Karna and is the best piece of character analysis that I have come across. The beauty of indian epics such as Ramayan and Mahabharata is that each of the character in them is an immense source of learning. Personalities such as Ram, Krishna, Lakshman, Pandavs, Rawan, Duryodhan, Bheeshm and many more teach us a lot. Perhaps, it may be due to the large number of characters in these epics that we do not see detailed analysis of each of them. Over a period of time, many lesser known characters are subdued by popular giants, especially in the common folklore. This is why a book like 'Mrityunjay' is a path breaker in its own.
Author has taken 'Karn', one of the unsung heroes, as the central character. As I read through the book, I couldn’t help but realize how tall this character was. Born to the sun god and a princess, he was destined to rule the world. But as luck would have, his life was marred with inhuman struggle and tests. Throughout his life time he was humiliated as he was known to be the son of a chariot driver. He was second to none in all the qualities associated with royal princes. Even when he knew that he is waging a lost battle, he never left Duryodhan. He finally gave up his life while knowingly fighting his own brothers. Not that he was any weaker; he was abiding by his own promise of not hurting any of them. There is a lot to his mesmerizing persona to conclude that he is the real hero of Mahabnharat. Thanks to the author for such a wonderful creation!
I am looking forward to find few more of the books from this author. Hope he repeates the magic in them!
PS: I am now reading ‘Rashmirathi’ a poem based on life of Karn by Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’.
6 comments:
Hey Debu,
Nice blog. In Telugu there is a a movie that focuses Mahabharat from Karna's point of view. Titled 'Daana Veera Soora Karna', it was potrayed by NTR in 3 different roles in the same film. :)
The real hero of Mahabharatha is none other than Arjuna. Lord Shri Krishana confirmed this on many occasions in Mahabharatha.
No doubt that Karna is a great warrior and one of unsung hero but in the tamil and telugu movie his character glorified to the extent that many thinks that Karna is superior hero. The fact is not so if you really care about the details of Mahabharath. If you really like to hear the facts then I have some to share as follows,
The idea of disrobing of Drupadi came from Karna is totally unacceptable behavior and also he was having too much jealous on Arjuna and his supremacy skills in Archery. Also in many occasions he was defeated by Arjuna ( War in Matsya, War in Forest against Ghandrva etc). Arjuna had Pasupatha weapon and he not even made any attpemt to use against Karna who has no active weapon against this. Karna attacked Abimanyu from back against the war dharama.
Dear VS,
With due respect to your viewpoint, Karna's story is a classic case of doing what's righteous Vs doing what's popular.
I'll surely deal with the facts you've put against Karna but one should see the not-so-obvious part of this legendary tale. Karna was in fact the first child of Kunti and Lord Sun, none less than any of the Pandavs. He was born to shine with his abilities, but fate had him known as a 'Soot-putr'. The first time he challenged Arjun in the arena while the young princes displayed their prowess with weapons learns, Krupacharya stopped him citing his lineage. The only person who saved his face and displayed solidarity was Duryodhan!
Karna bore the brunt of this event all his life! He knew he was on the wrong side and was well aware of the wrongdoings of Kauravs, but such was his devotion to friendship that he gave his life fighting for what he knew was wrong!
Lord Krishna himself tried to get him back to Pandav camp when he returned at his last attempt as messenger from Hastinapur. That is when he made Karna aware of his parental lineage. Bheeshma, Krishna, Kunti, Ashwathama were among Karna admirer.
I recommend you read the book 'Mrityunjay' and lets talk on it again :)
Cheers!
Hi,
Do I know You? No I don't! Do you know me? Nope!!! But You mentioned someone I Love... Some one I adore... and a Book I pray in front of!!! So that's what Led me to putting this comment...
I Adore the character of Karna!!! He is the Ultimate Warrior as i believe it to be...
So just to let you know, I share your view point about the Book. And I am happy that there are others who appreciate the greyer parts of the Epic... Thank You for appreciating the Unappreciated Hero.
And talking about the Episode with Draupadi's Disgrace and his reaction to it, are we forgetting the Insults Karna faced at the hands of draupadi... as a Man who believes in the Doership, is that not an insult that would have pricked him in his heart all his life???
And what did Arjuna do... follow Lord Krishna... then how is he the Hero?
I'm not going into any debate. But unlike the popular theory I don't believe The Mahabharata is just a 'celebration of war'. It speaks about so much more. And hence I think neither Karna nor Arjun is the Hero. They are interesting characters just as the war is an interesting part of the epic. But the 'Hero' of the Mahabharata is Yudhisthira. He is the one who faces the philosophical and moral dilemmas Mahabharata wants to discuss in details.
As for Karna, he was a great archer no doubt, but he wasn't quite the warrior Arjun was and he was if not anything else extremely jealous of him. It was out of his jealousy of Arjun that he told mother Kunti that he promised not to kill any other Pandav other than Arjun. But what did Arjun really do wrong with him? Nothing. throughout his miserable lifetime Arjun was probably one of the very few people who didn't do anything wrong by him. Drona, Bheesma, Kripa had all did wrong with him (if seen from his point of view) but his only target seemed to be Arjun.
Before Drona refused to teach him he did train under Drona with the Kauravas and Pandavas. And he was not being able to catch up with Arjun. Being the warrior he was we can suppose he was striving to be the best too. But he understood that Arjun's capabilities were going byond his reach. So one day he goes to Dronacharya when he's alone and says that he wants to learn the use of bramhastra ( how to release it and withdraw it) so that he can be equal to Arjun (who hadn't earned any daivastras yet).
Karna was a bragger who consistently overestimated his capability and lacked both patience and a clear mind (two most important qualities of a warrior.)
He was easily driven by others words. And was terribly weak in front of flattery. Sweet words easily clouded his judgement.
And about Draupadi's disgrace, even accepting that the insult Karna faced from Draupadi was a blow to the weakest part of his heart. But still it was no where near the insult he returned.
All in all, he was just a common man with some archery skills. He may have been born of royalty but being bred in a charioteer's family he lost it long ago. Like he rightly said to mother Kunti, "The boy you set afloat in the Ganges died as the vessel went out of your sight, I am the son of a charioteer..."
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