| Great Personalities |
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| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
KARNA |
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| "Be the Mother of Five
Children"
Next morning Karna was offering
prayer to the sun on the bank of the river. At that time Kunti came there. Krishna himself
had sent her there. He had asked her to get a promise from Karna that he would not kill
the Pandavas. The moment he saw Kunti, Karna respectfully touched her feet and saluted
her. Said Kunti, "Child, you are my son. The Pandavas are your younger brothers. You
have been thinking of your brothers as your enemies. You have vowed to kill them. Please
do not do so. Leave the camp of the Kauravas. Join your younger brothers. Am I not your
mother? Hear my words, Karna. Is it not the duty of children to carry out the wishes of
their parents?"
Replied Karna: "Mother dear, you are my mother, true. But till now people have been ignorant of this fact. Those who looked after me and brought me up are also my parents. How can ' I give them up? This is the time of war, a time when all those who have eaten Duryodhana's salt must fight for him, not rearing death. For the last thirteen years I have enjoyed all princely privileges with him. It was his friendship that brought me everything. All these days I haven't once said a word about my brothers. Suppose now, when war is imminent, I talk about them and go over to the Pandavas. The whole world will call me a traitor. Therefore my joining the Pandavas is unthinkable. But mother, I will comply with one of your requests. You desire that I should not kill the Pandavas. I agree; I will not kill any of the Pandavas except Arjuna. Whether I kill Arjuna or Arjuna kills me, it won't matter. In either case you will be definitely left with five children. Now let us part." With these words Karna saluted hismother and wished her good-bye. |
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