Parashuram was renowned for his anger that consumed the awesome Kartaviryarjun. Strength personified, he
had been living on the Mahendra parvat ever since he last won the earth
from the kshatriyas. On seeing Karna,
he was impressed. The young man in every inch looked like a god from the
heavens, determination and austerity overflowing from his personality. As he
prepared to rise from his seat, Karna lay prostrated at his feet.
The sage said in a voice that sounded
affectionate yet thunderous:
‘Get up my boy – I don’t remember having
seen you earlier. Tell me. Who are you? What brings you here, at a place where
even the gods fear coming?’
‘Pray, My Lord – I am from the far off
plains. My home is on the bank of the holy Ganges in the land of the Kurus. Your glory is great. You are the
slayer of the mighty Kartaviryarjun.
You are the guru of Bhishma and Drona. I come with the desire of being taught by you, Master - if
you grant me the privilege of addressing you thus. I have walked for days,
whose count I have lost, to seek your blessings. Please be kind to take me as
your student’.
‘But, tell me, why are you so keen to be my
student?’
‘Because my Lord, I want to be the greatest
archer of the planet.’
‘I appreciate the spirit, son. But you must
know I have nearly stopped teaching and do not consider any body for a disciple
unless sure of his background and capabilities. Which family do you come from?’
After a very brief silence that did not
seem to have happened at all, Karna
spoke, ‘My Lord, I am the son of a Brahmin but my soul craves to be a warrior,
better than the best. I am sure I can fulfill my dream if you bless and accept
me as your student’. Karna preferred
not to disclose his identity because he feared rejection if the sage knew of
his modest pedigree, and thus, consider him unfit for the art of warfare.
The young man seemed to deserve a special
hearing. Had it been someone else, Parashuram
would have dismissed him at once. In a tone that suggested the stranger’s
request was under consideration, the sage said:
‘Let me see. Meet me in the morning
tomorrow.’
The next morning a test was conducted. And Parashuram did not take long to agree to
take the young man as his student.
Over the next few years, Karna grew, grew immensely under
Parashuram’s watchful eyes. The Guru was happy to teach Karna array of divaystras including the Brahmastra, weapon of Lord Brahma, potent enough to destroy the
entire creation.
Thus began the story of a hero who was to
dominate the world with the prowess of his archery.
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