Karnaparwa: The Tragic and Heroic Tale of Karna, the Son of the Sun
Karnaparwa is the 8th book in the Astadasaparwa series in the Mahabharata epic. This book focuses on the tragic and action-packed story of Karna, one of the central figures of the Bharatayudha war. After the death of Drona, the Korawa warlord, Karna was appointed as his successor. How does the story of Karna's life end?
Karna was Kunti's son, but because he was born out of wedlock, he was abandoned as a baby and adopted by a coachman. Despite his extraordinary talent, Karna faced discrimination because of his status. In order to protect the good name of her country, Kunti who gave birth before marriage was forced to throw her "son of Surya" whom she named Karna in the Aswa river in a basket. The baby was then carried away by the current until it was finally found by Adirata who worked as a train driver in the Kuru Kingdom. Adirata was happy to make the baby his son. Because he had been wearing battle clothes since birth, complete with earrings and a necklace given by Surya, the baby was given the name Basusena.
Karna's Birth (source : Personal collection)
Unaware of his origins, Karna vowed never to defeat a knight in war. This oath will be a dilemma for him in the future. Adirata also enrolled Karna in the school of Resi Drona which at that time was educating the Pandavas and Korawa, princes from the Kuru Dynasty. Drona refused because he only wanted to teach the knights. Finally Karna decided to look for another teacher named Bagawan Parasurama.
When the Kauravas and Pandavas showed off their skills when they reached adulthood, a mighty knight appeared who claimed to be named Karna. He challenged Arjuna, who was called the best knight by Drona. However, Krepa said that Karna should know his caste, so as not to carelessly challenge someone who is not his equal. After witnessing this treatment, Duryodhana defended Karna, then appointed him as king in the Anga Kingdom. Since then, Duryodhana was friendly with Karna. After the death of the great Korawa teacher, Drona, Karna, who had extraordinary abilities and strength, was officially appointed as the new warlord. With his skill in archery and knowledge of war strategy, Karna posed a serious threat to the Pandavas.
Karna Facing Arjuna (Source : Personal collection)
The battle between Karna and Arjuna was the culmination of the Kurukshetra war. The two of them were childhood friends who have now become enemies on the battlefield. The Kurukshetra War was an opportunity for both of them to prove who was the strongest. Since the start of the war, these two knights have faced each other several times, but neither has succeeded in defeating the other. Each of their meetings is always marked by fierce and tense battles. The Bharatayudha war became increasingly fierce and claimed many lives. The deaths of Abimanyu, Arjuna's son, and Gatotkaca, Bima's son, made the two Pandava warriors very angry and determined to take revenge. They launched an all-out attack on the Korawa troops. At the peak of his anger, Bima looked for Dushasana. With his great strength, Bima succeeded in killing Dushasana and fulfilled his vow to drink his blood as revenge for the insult that Dushasana had committed against Draupadi. After a long and tiring battle, Bima finally succeeded in defeating Dushasana. Full of anger, Bima opened Dushasana's chest and drank his blood, fulfilling the vow he had made.
One of the most crucial moments in the war was when Karna's chariot wheel fell into a hole. Because he didn't care, he recited a spell to mobilize his powers to balance Pasupati. However, the second curse also came true. Karna suddenly forgot all the knowledge he had learned from Parasurama. This was a golden opportunity for Arjuna to defeat his enemy who had long been considered comparable to him. Seeing his difficult situation, Karna asked Arjuna to restrain himself while he went down to push the chariot so that it could run normally again. It was at that time that Krishna urged Arjuna to immediately kill Karna because this was the best opportunity. Arjuna hesitated because at that time Karna was careless and at the bottom. In a state of urgency, Karna remembered his mother, Kunti, and begged Arjuna not to kill him. He revealed his identity as Arjuna's sibling, but Arjuna continued his attacks. Arjuna felt bound by his oath to kill Karna and Krishna reminded Arjuna that Karna had previously cheated because he joined in beating Abhimanyu to death on the thirteenth day. Could not ignore the orders of his guru, Krishna. Arjuna then released Pasupati's arrow which shot into Karna's neck. Karna died instantly.
Arjuna's Contemplation (source : Personal collection)
Finally, Arjuna succeeded in paralyzing Karna with his arrow. Karna's death was the end of an extraordinary warrior, but also a symbol of the end of an era. Karna's death brought deep sadness to many parties. Before he died, Karna felt deep regret. He regrets the decisions he has taken and longs for family love. Meanwhile, from Arjuna's side, even though Arjuna was Karna's mortal enemy, he also felt sadness. He realized that Karna was his half-brother and that they had been caught in an inevitable conflict. Karna's death made him reflect on the meaning of brotherhood and war.
