Karna: A Tragic Hero

Mahabharat is one of the most important Sanskrit epic initiating from the story of family’s succession quarrel and ending in a fierce battle. In this text, Karna has been figured to have defeated by circumtances of life. He was a son of Kunti and god Sun, but she abandoned him because she was unmarried then. He had grown up in the house of a Suta and his foster parents were Adhirata and Radha. As education in all arts of weaponry was limited to Brahmins and Kshatriyas at that time, he disguised as a Brahmin to seek knowledge. However the reality was accidently revealed. Hence his furious teacher Parshuram cursed him, saying that he would forget everything that he has learned at the time he will need them the most. He was very skilled and equal to Arjun in archery. But the curse came to a full circle and the final attempt to overpower Arjun ended in a disaster.

He had acquired the skills of a Kshatriya but couldnot master their value frame. He was struggling on behalf of his individual self. He only lagged behind because of his unknown identity. He didn’t know the truth about his birth and came to know about it when it was too late. Firstly, when Krishna proposed him to side with Pandavas in the battle after disclosing that he was a premarital son of Kunti and the eldest among Pandavas. As a result, he would be made the king, get enormous wealth and the fame which he longed for. But he refused because he didn’t want to leave Adhirata and Radha, who brought him up when Kunti casted him out. He didn’t even want to betray his patron, Duryodhan who supported him. Besides, he disagreed because he didn’t want to gain kingship from Yudhisthira as he would ultimately give it to Duryodhan. In another instance, when Kunti asked him to join his brothers, he negated. This is because she left him like a stillborn which deprived him of the name and fame he would have received born as a Kshatriya. Moreover, it would have been shameful on his part to change sides and desert Duryodhan. But, eventually he could not resist himself from her motherhood. He decided to honour her by promising to spare Pandavas except Arjun, because even if either of them fell, she would be left with five sons. In addition to this, he also repented insulting Draupadi and Pandavas to please Duryodhan.

All these events delineate that human efforts are fruitless and ends in frustration. Though Karna was perpicacious, yet he met a terrible fate. This was only because of his concealed identity. He faced numerous humiliations , outpowered them and achieved whatever he desired. But ended up being killed by his own brother. His life makes one feel dejected and afraid that the same might happen to oneself. This is one of the pivotal character that a tragic hero beholds, validating that Karna was the tragic hero of Mahabharat.