11. Karna meets his would be Master

Although Karna had managed to keep it a closely guarded secret, he knew his destination clearly. He was prepared to travel very far to reach his coveted master in the distant mountain, Mahendra parvat. He heard about the proverbial sage warrior who had taught stalwarts like Bhisma and Dronacharya the art of using the divyastras. As he walked, high ambition and enthusiasm kept filling his heart. At the same time he also had a feeling of trepidation because the sage was equally known for his mercurial temperament.

After long days of journey, when he arrived at his Guru’s doors Karna was nearly exhausted. The sage, in his evening prayers, was seated in his asan in the courtyard. In the dying daylight his frame shone like the mid noon sun -an aura spread all around attracting awe and fear. On an extremely well-built body that stoutly defied old age, a mark of Tripundra adorned his forehead while ashes smeared on the other parts, A large glittering axe, a bow and a quiver lay near his seat. Karna sat up and waited for the sage to take notice of him.

Long hours passed before Karna would have his audience with the sage. As the Guru was slowly coming out of his meditation, Karna, both joyous and nervous at seeing the first movements, sat upright, with his palms joined.

10. Story of Karna is set to begin

As he ate, Radha, his mother, was serving the dishes hiding her emotion. Although her son had gone out intermittently in search of Gurus in the past, she knew he would be back soon. But this time, it was different. Her son had almost taken a vow either he will make it as the top-most archer of this world or never return. He was determined to move heaven and earth this time. But neither Adhirath nor Radha was sure that Karna would achieve his goal just by moving around without proper connections. But they could not dissuade him despite trying hard. Eventually they had to give in.

As Karna packed his modest belongings, Radha was unable to hold back her tears. The past years rolled past the memory lane in quick succession. It seemed only yesterday she and Adhirath found the beautiful casket on the stream of Bhagirathi. To them, a childless couple for long years, this joy of finding a divine child, was more than anything they could ever have imagined. Though certain that this child would be from a high royal family, they never tried to explore the matter lest this enormous happiness is snatched away from them. As the child grew, their happiness kept multiplying – seeing his actions of toddling, speaking in syllables. And then they themselves were not aware when he entered in his teens.

Although Radha knew Karna was not their biological son that never came in the way of her motherly feelings. She had poured out her entire love and affection on this child. At times the neighbours would whisper and gossip about their suddenly found son, but she would not care. Like his wife, Adhirath was also extremely caring about Karna and brought him up giving world of love and spending all his resources on his education and upbringing. Adhirath was a charioteer. His skill and expertise in his own profession had endeared him to King Dhritarashtra. Although he knew there was a limit up to which he can avail of a friendly relationship with a mighty king, he was prepared to take risk for the sake of his son – he would do anything. Once he put Karna under the tutelage of Kripacharya at Hastinapur by requesting Dhritarashtra. That was special favour. Immensely talented Karna finished his lessons quickly but his thirst for learning remained. He was not prepared to settle for anything ordinary in life. He had only one burning ambition – to become the greatest archer in the world. That fire within again set him on the search of a greater Guru.

Karna loved his parents immensely. Even though his father’s profession was far from a noble one, he never allowed it to affect his reverence for him. He knew that his father of modest means spent everything he had for his son’s upbringing and would do anything in his means to advance his son’s ambition. He loved his mother no less. She had put aside everything else in life to see her son’s happiness. Even though he was being erratic at times in leaving house and wandering places, his mother never showed anger or ill temper. She tried to empathize her son’s frustration and encourage him to keep trying to reach his goal. 

For sometime no one talked – it seemed the sound of words might hurt the deep emotions every one was carrying inside. Ultimately the hour of departure arrived. Karna saluted at the feet of his parents, picked up the bag and set out. The wider world and his mission were beckoning him.

9. Karna, the son of the Sun salutes his father

The dawn was about to break over Champa Nagari. The darkness that had so far enveloped the earth was bidding hasty retreat. On one ghat upon the bank of the river Bhagirathi, a boy in his late teens- just bathed, stood facing the east. The Sun was just about to ascend – in the meanwhile it was sending advance signals to the horizon of his arrival. It seemed dusts of crushed red ochre sprinkled the eastern sky giving it a pinkish glow. Soon the sun rose and its dancing image shone in the clear streaming water making it a resplendent sight. The tender sunlight fell at the tall, lean, handsome bare body of the boy. The complexion of his skin put the glitter of pure gold to shame. His facial features bore definite marks of a noble prince. But he wore a simple dhoti and that could be perplexing to any onlooker.

 

Completely unmindful of the surroundings, the boy saluted the Sun God and with folded hands reverently chanted:

          Jabakusum-o- sankasham Kashyapeyong mahaduyotim

                   Dhantarim sarbo-papoghnam prnotohosmi Divakaram

His strong, firm yet melodious voice reverberated all around. So intense and sincere were his prayers that even Sun seemed to stop for a moment, acknowledge, and then resume his journey across the sky. At that wee hours there were very few people present around. But those present were almost regulars in that ghat and witnessing this daily ritual was an attraction for them.

By the time he was finished with the ritual, his mother Radha came to call him. Her voice sounded a mix of sadness on account of an impending separation from a dear one and anxiety of the unknown:

-‘Son Karna, hurry up, must have enough food before you start. Also have to check up what to carry’

Those around knew that the young boy was set to leave Champa Nagari in search of a Guru. The profession of his adopting father Adhirath had never interested him. Though he was not aware, the blood of the loftiest of the Khsatriya royalty ran in his veins. Not only did he master the scriptures from local scholars, driven by instinct he learnt the art of warfare and archery from a number of teachers. However, the thirst of sea could obviously not be met with a cup-full of water. Every bit of his existence prompted him to go out to the wide expanse of the world in search of the right Guru. He had all the makings of a world great and he always felt an urge to be one in life.

8. Conspiracy hatched

In one evening, all princes returned to the palace except two senior Kaurava brothers. Duryodhan and Dushashan were seen in a desolate place under a banyan tree discussing something serious. It looked the matter was also secret one. They were hatching a plot to get rid of Bhim, if necessary, forever. They reckoned they would not be able to match up to the might of the middle Pandava in an open fight, even if all one hundred of them joined hands. As such they planned to host a feast and serve sweet poison to him. They knew Bhim had a soft corner for food and they wanted to silence him forever through his stomach. As they were discussing the finer points Jujutsu Raj, Dushaha, Dushal and Jalasandha – four other brothers – was seen heading towards the spot followed by a group of palace guards. Seeing Duryodhan so late in returning to palace, the anxious parents had sent the other princes to search him out. Duryodhan sent back the guards. Then he called his brothers in, narrated the plot, assigned specific responsibility to each one and cautioned them against disclosing it to others. By the time they set their foot on the path to the palace, evening was already subsumed by night. It was dark half of the lunar month. A badly truncated moon scarcely provided light. Few distant teeming stars hardly improved the matter. Walking more with the help of familiarity with the road than sight, they reached the palace. The princes tiptoed into their rooms to avoid giving any clue to their parents to the dangerous plan they had just hatched.   

7. Unhappy Kaurava brothers

Of all Kaurava royals, Duryodhan was the one most agitated – more so because these assaults were mostly one-sided. He had to see his brothers being beaten up but was not able to protect them. Another brother Dushashan shared his feelings. Dushashan was shrewd, cunning and cruel. He revelled in intrigues and conspiracies even as a child. He was daredevil type - many times committing acts of indiscretion.  But he loved his brothers, more particularly the eldest Duryodhan to whom he also showed profound loyalty. Duryodhan in turn had lots of appreciation for his brother’s advice and opinion. Two of them felt that ‘enough was enough’ and they must address the issue.