| Great Personalities |
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| Biographies of Great Indians & Hindus |
KARNA |
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| "Come,
Karna, Be the Emperor"The Kauravas and
the Pandavas decided to wage a war for the kingdom. Krishna went to Hastinavati to prevent
the war and bring about an agreement between the two. In the king's court he advised
Duryodhana not to wage a war. Duryodhana did not heed the advice. When he left Hastinavati
Krishna took Karna a little distance with him. He made him sit by his side in the chariot.
Karna was diffident and uneasy. He thought: Krishna is a great man. Compared to him who is
I-a low caste man! Why does he make me sit next to him? Krishna realised this. He said
with a smile: -
"Karna, you need not be embarrassed. You think that you are the son of a charioteer, don't you? But no, it is not true. Adhiratha is your foster-father; not the real father. You are Kunti's son. Kunti gave birth to you when she was not yet married. Fearing that people would blame her, she put you in a basket and sent you floating on the river Ganga. Adhiratha found you. Karna, you were born by the grace of the Sun God; you are a Kshatriyas, and the eldest of the Pandavas. As you are my aunt Kunti's son, you are related to me also. Come with me. I will take you to the Pandavas. Because you are the eldest among both the Kauravas and Pandavas, you will be the emperor of the Kaurava Empire. The Pandavas will also be very happy when they come to know that you are their eldest brother. Both Duryodhana and Dharmaraja will accept you as the emperor. There will be no war and thousands of people will escape death. You belong to a great family, but all these days you have been regarded as the son of a charioteer. Enough of such humiliation! You should live as the emperor obeyed by the Kauravas, the Pandavas and the Yadavas, but you have been begging alms of Duryodhana!" |
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