Week 10 Storytelling: Karna's curse

Karna kneeled in front of Arjuna, begging him for mercy. Everything was going against Karna on that battlefield. First, his chariot's wheel got stuck in the mud and now he was unable to remember the mantra needed to use the Brahmastra weapon against Arjuna. Karna wept and said to Arjuna and Krishna, "Please forgive me. I have been a fool to pick a battle against you. You are the almighty and I will owe my life to you if you allow me to live." 

Krishna, talking to Arjuna, said, "Don't listen to Karna. These problems have come to him due to the curse place on him by his guru, Parasurama." Krishna began to tell Arjuna the story:

 One day his guru had fallen asleep in Karna's lap. He was fast asleep and had warned Karna to not awaken him for any unnecessary reasons.  It was a beautiful day so Karna sat on the park bench with his guru in his lap, just enjoying the view of the birds and other beautiful creatures. While this was going on, he realized there was something crawling on him. If he were to move, it would wake his guru up and anger him. So, he sat there as still as possible, looking at the creature. It was a centipede. When he focused more on it, it was a demonic centipede that had pincers. As soon as the centipede found a good spot on Karna’s leg, it used those pincers to draw blood and create a meal out of it. The blood just kept oozing out and eventually created a big enough puddle that Parasurama was lying in it. Parasurama, feeling the blood, woke up.

 At first not realizing what had happened, Parasurama asked Karna, “ What is going on? Where is all this blood coming from?” 

 Karna explained himself, “This demonic centipede bit me and I didn’t want to wake you, so I let it.” 

 Parasurama relied, “ How were you able to bear all this pain? You had told me you were a Brahmin. There is no way you are a Brahmin. A Brahmin wouldn’t be able to bear such a pain.  You have lied to me and deceived me. Tell me who you are at once.” 

 Karna, seeing Parasurama in anger, replied, “Okay, I might have told one small little lie to benefit from your teachings. I am the son of Surya, the sun god, and I am no Brahmin. I was told that you only taught to Brahmins and therefore, I portrayed myself as a Brahmin. I was in a real need of the Brahmastra to defeat Arjuna and that is why I did all of this.”

 Parasurama, angrily, replied, “You have deceived me for this weapon and for this you will forget it when in the need of it the most.”

 After finishing the story, Krishna looked up at Arjuna and said, “ This is just Karna’s karma, coming back to him. He deceived his guru and that is why he is paying for it now. Do not feel sympathy for Karna. These are just the causes of his own actions.”

 

Karna asking for Arjuna's mercy. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography
Narayan, R. K. (1978). The Mahabharata. Author’s Note

Author's Note

I chose to write about this story because one of the most interesting topics to me is karma and this was a really great example of how karma came back to hurt Karna. Karma is when actions in the present or past come to affect the future and that is exactly what happens in the story. This topic has always been something that interests me and something I would like other people to know about. I feel as though this story would also be a great lesson for children. It teaches children that you should never lie or cheat some one because it can always come back to hurt you.  Karma is something that whether you are Hindu or not you still kind of believe in. It's like when parents teach their children you should act towards others the way you want people to act towards you. This is basically what Karma is saying except Karma is looking at long term whereas this lesson is more like a short term thing. Karna lies to his guru, or teacher, to receive his skill and in turn gets killed by that same skill. This should teach children that lying and being deceitful is never a great thing and can hurt you in the end.

Week 10: Reading Diary B

Krishna goes to Hastinapur to plea for the peace and justice. Duryodhana hears about this and thinks about taking Krishna hostage, but realizes that it is impossible to take them hostage. Krishna also goes to Kunti and gives her the news about her sons.

The battle begins. Yudhisthira appoints Draupadi's brother as the commander in chief of his army, whereas Duryodhana appoints Bhisma as his Chief commander. The battle is supposed to take place Kurukshetra. Before the battle actually takes place, Krishna recites the Bhagavad-Gita, which tells Arjuna and the others to detach themselves from material objects. This is due to the fact that Arjuna is having a hard time thinking about attacking his own cousin brothers.

Krishna is attacked by Bhishma and he draws blood. This angers Arjuna, who shoots and wounds Bhishma. Bhishma no longer able to continue the war, Karna now joins in. Drona is now made the commander in chief of Duryodhana's army. Abhimanyu is requested to break the formation of the enemy. He breaks the formation, but is unable to escape. He is then killed by Duryodhana's son-in-law. Arjuna vows and completes this vow with the help of Krishna to kill Duryodhana's son-in-law.

Drona is killed by a lie that was told to him that his son was killed. Karna was killed by Arjuna when Karna's chariot got stuck in mud. Slowly, everyone is killed off, even Duryodhana is killed.

 After the war, the Pandavas return to Hastinapur. Dhritarashtra wants to kill Bhima in anger, so Krishna places a metal statue and Dhritarashtra crush this statue thinking its Bhima. Gandhari curses Krishna. Narada explains to Yudhishthira the causes of Karna's death. They perform a ritual for the dead. Yudhishthira after a lot of compeling agrees to become King.

Yudhishthira goes to Bhishma about learning about how to be a King. He passes away after lecturing Yudhishthira. Krishna is killed by a hunter as Krishna laid on the banks of the river. The Pandavas die one by one and Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu takes over the Pandava's line.

Week 10: Reading Diary A

In this part of the Mahabharata, Duryodhana looks foolish because he is captured by the gandharvas, who were sent by the gods and had to be saved by the Pandavas, who he was trying to outsmart and look foolish.

During their time in the forest, they meet a brahmin who had his possessions stolen by a deer and ask for the Pandavas help. The Pandavas runs after the deer and on their way, stop at a lake to get some water. Before drinking the water they are asked to answer some questions, but due to their failure to comply they all die except Yudhishthira. He is told this was a test from his father, Yama the god of death, and his brothers are then restored.

After their years in exile, they must spend one year in disguise and so they began this in king Virata's kingdom. They were all living there peacefully until one day when Draupadi gets raped by the King's general. Bhima kills this general and shocks the whole kingdom. The death of the general opens up the kingdom for attack and that is exactly what happens. During the attack , King Virata gets captured and Bhima fortunately saves him.King Virata's son, Uttara hears about a cattle raid that is going to go own and takes Arjuna as his charioteer. Out of fear Uttara wants to turn around, but Arjuna takes over the war and wins in behalf of Prince Uttara. King Virata apologizes to the Pandavas after learning their true identity an offers his daughter to Arjuna's son for marriage.

Krishna sends an urge to Duryodhana, that half of the kingdom be given to the Pandavas. During this process the Pandavas and Duryodhana prepare for war. They both go to Krishna for his support. Krishna says one can have his one million soldier where as the other one would get him. Arjuna asks that he be supported by Krishna and that Duryodhana have the allies of Krishna's million soldiers.

Many ask for the war to be stopped and Yudhisthira be accepted as the heir to the throne, while Duryodhana be exiled. King Dhritarashtha wanted to accept this, but couldn't do it in front of his son Duryodhana. Duryodhana compels him that he will win the war because he has a bigger and more powerful army.