ANY ray of hope there might have
been of a peaceful settlement when Krishna
went to Hastinapura was extinguished when he returned and narrated what
happened. Kunti was overwhelmed with grief when she learnt that it was to be
war to the death. "How can I" reflected Kunti, "give my thoughts
tongue and say to my sons, 'Bear the insults. Let us not ask for any territory
and let us avoid war'? How can my sons accept what is contrary to kshatriya
tradition?" "At the same time," she thought, "what can be
gained by mutual killings in the war and what happiness attained after the
destruction of the race? How shall I face this dilemma?" Thus was she
tormented by the prospect of wholesale destruction on the one hand and the
claims of kshatriya honor on the other. "How can my sons defeat the mighty
three combined, Bhishma, Drona and Karna? They are warriors who have never yet
met defeat. When I think of them, my mind trembles. I do not worry about the
others. These three are the only people in the Kaurava army capable of fighting
the Pandavas with any hope of slaying them. Of these, Dronacharya might refrain
from killing my children from either love or unwillingness to meet one's own
disciples in battle. The grandsire will certainly not want to kill them. But
Karna is the Pandavas' chief enemy. He is anxious to please Duryodhana by
killing my sons. Karna is a great man-at-arms. As I think of him engaged in
battle against my other sons, my heart is consumed with agony like a faggot in
the fire. Now is the time for me, to seek Karna out and tell him the truth
about his birth, on knowing which, he is bound to abandon Duryodhana's
cause."
Tormented by these anxious
thoughts about her children. Kunti went to the banks of the Ganga
where Karna usually offered his daily prayers. Karna was there at his
devotions. Facing east and with uplifted hands he was in deep meditations.
Kunti quietly stood behind him and waited. Karna was in meditation and was
unmindful of everything until he felt the hot rays of the sun on his back. His
prayers over, Karna looked back to find Kunti standing behind him and holding
the hem of his upper garment over her head to shield it from the burning sun.
That Pandu's queen and the mother of the Pandava princes should be there, waiting
patiently for him to finish his prayers, filled him with great confusion and
amazement. "The son of Radha and the chariot-driver Adhiratha bows to you.
I am at your service. What can I do for you, O queen?" asked Karna,
according to the established forms of respectful address. "Karna,"
said Kuntidevi, "you are not Radha's son, nor is the charioteer your
father. Do not think that you are a man of the chariot-driver's caste. You are
Surya's son born out of the womb of Pritha of royal blood, otherwise known as
Kunti. May good fortune attend you"! She then narrated the story of his
birth. "You who were born with full armor and golden earrings," said
Kunti, "not knowing that the Pandavas are your brothers, have joined
Duryodhana and have come to hate them. To live in dependence on Dhritarashtra's
sons, does not befit you. Join Arjuna and be one of the kings of the realm. May
you and Arjuna put down the wicked! The whole world will be at your feet. Your
fame will reach far and wide, like that of the brothers Balarama and Krishna. Surrounded by your five brothers, your
effulgence will be like that of Brahma among the gods. In perplexing
situations, one must do what gives satisfaction to loving parents. This is the
highest dharma according to our scriptures." When his mother spoke thus to
him at the end of his devotions to the sun, Karna felt a sign in his heart that
the Sun god endorsed Kunti's request. But he checked himself and took it to
mean that the Sun god was testing his loyalty and strength of mind. He should
not be found wanting. With an effort of the will, he controlled alike the
temptations of self-interest and the prompting of natural affection. He said
sadly but firmly: "What you have said, dear mother, is contrary to dharma.
If I swerve from the path of duty, I shall have done myself much more hurt than
any that an enemy might inflict on me in the battlefield. You deprived me of
all that was my birthright as a kshatriya when you threw me, a helpless babe,
into the river. And now, you talk to me of my duties as a kshatriya. You denied
me the motherly love, which blesses all life. And now, thinking of your other
children's good, you tell me this story. If I now join the Pandavas, will not
the world proclaim that I have done so out of fear? I have eaten the salt of
Dhritarashtra's sons, won their confidence as their champion and enjoyed all
the consideration and kindness they showed me. And now you want me, when the
battle is about to be joined, to be untrue to my salt and go over to the
Pandavas. The sons of Dhritarashtra look on me as the ark, which will enable
them to cross the deluge of war. I have myself urged them into this war. How
can I now desert them? Could there be blacker treachery and baser ingratitude?
What in life, or beyond it, would be worth a price like that? Mother dear, I
must discharge my debt, aye, with life, if necessary; otherwise, I shall be no
better than a common thief purloining my food all these years. I shall surely
use all my followers against your sons in this coming war. I cannot deceive
you. Please forgive me."
"But yet," continued
he, "I cannot have my mother plead completely in vain. Part with Arjuna to
me. Either he or myself must die in this war. I will not kill your other sons,
whatever they may do unto me. Mother of warrior sons, you will still have five
sons. Either I or Arjuna will survive this war. And with the other four sons,
you will still have five". When Kunti heard her first-born speak thus
firmly, adhering to the kshatriya code, her heart was full of tumultuous and
contrary feelings and, without trusting herself to speak. She embraced him and
departed in silence. "Who can go against what has been ordained?" she
thought. "He has, at least, offered not to harm four of my sons. That is
enough. May God bless him," and she returned home.
Share this article with your Network : 
No comments:
Post a Comment