57. ATTACHMENT AND DUTY :

57. ATTACHMENT AND DUTY :


ANY ray of hope there might have been
of a peaceful settlement when Krishna
went to Hastinapura was extinguished
when he returned and narrated what
happened. Kunti was overwhelmed with
grief when she learnt that it was to be war
to the death.


"How can I" reflected Kunti, "give my
thoughts tongue and say to my sons, 'Bear
the insults. Let us not ask for any territory
and let us avoid war'? How can my sons
accept what is contrary to kshatriya
tradition?"


"At the same time," she thought, "what
can be gained by mutual killings in the
war and what happiness attained after the
destruction of the race? How shall I face
this dilemma?" Thus was she tormented
by the prospect of wholesale destruction
on the one hand and the claims of
kshatriya honor on the other.


"How can my sons defeat the mighty three
combined, Bhishma, Drona and Karna?
They are warriors who have never yet met
defeat. When I think of them, my mind
trembles. I do not worry about the others.
These three are the only people in the
Kaurava army capable of fighting the
Pandavas with any hope of slaying them.


Of these, Dronacharya might refrain from
killing my children from either love or
unwillingness to meet one's own disciples
in battle. The grandsire will certainly not
want to kill them. But Karna is the
Pandavas' chief enemy. He is anxious to
please Duryodhana by killing my sons.
Karna is a great man-at-arms. As I think
of him engaged in battle against my other
sons, my heart is consumed with agony
like a faggot in the fire. Now is the time
for me, to seek Karna out and tell him the
truth about his birth, on knowing which,
he is bound to abandon Duryodhana's
cause."


ormented by these anxious thoughts
about her children. Kunti went to the
banks of the Ganga where Karna usually
offered his daily prayers.


Karna was there at his devotions. Facing
east and with uplifted hands he was in
deep meditations. Kunti quietly stood
behind him and waited.


Karna was in meditation and was
unmindful of everything until he felt the
hot rays of the sun on his back.
His prayers over, Karna looked back to
find Kunti standing behind him and
holding the hem of his upper garment over
her head to shield it from the burning sun.
That Pandu's queen and the mother of the
Pandava princes should be there, waiting
patiently for him to finish his prayers,
filled him with great confusion and
amazement.


"The son of Radha and the chariot-driver
Adhiratha bows to you. I am at your
service. What can I do for you, O queen?"
asked Karna, according to the established
forms of respectful address.



"Karna," said Kuntidevi, "you are not
Radha's son, nor is the charioteer your
father. Do not think that you are a man of
the chariot-driver's caste. You are Surya's
son born out of the womb of Pritha of
royal blood, otherwise known as Kunti.
May good fortune attend you"!
She then narrated the story of his birth.



"You who were born with full armor and
golden earrings," said Kunti, "not
knowing that the Pandavas are your
brothers, have joined Duryodhana and
have come to hate them. To live in
dependence on Dhritarashtra's sons, does
not befit you. Join Arjuna and be one of
the kings of the realm. May you and
Arjuna put down the wicked! The whole
world will be at your feet. Your fame will
reach far and wide, like that of the
brothers Balarama and Krishna.


Surrounded by your five brothers, your
effulgence will be like that of Brahma
among the gods. In perplexing situations,
one must do what gives satisfaction to
loving parents. This is the highest dharma
according to our scriptures."


When his mother spoke thus to him at the
end of his devotions to the sun, Karna felt
a sign in his heart that the Sun god
endorsed Kunti's request. But he checked
himself and took it to mean that the Sun
god was testing his loyalty and strength of
mind. He should not be found wanting.
With an effort of the will, he controlled
alike the temptations of self-interest and
the prompting of natural affection. He said
sadly but firmly: "What you have said,
dear mother, is contrary to dharma. If I
swerve from the path of duty, I shall have
done myself much more hurt than any that
an enemy might inflict on me in the
battlefield. You deprived me of all that
was my birthright as a kshatriya when you
threw me, a helpless babe, into the river.
And now, you talk to me of my duties as a
kshatriya. You denied me the motherly
love, which blesses all life. And now,
thinking of your other children's good,
you tell me this story. If I now join the
Pandavas, will not the world proclaim that
I have done so out of fear? I have eaten
the salt of Dhritarashtra's sons, won their
confidence as their champion and enjoyed
all the consideration and kindness they
showed me. And now you want me, when
the battle is about to be joined, to be
untrue to my salt and go over to the
Pandavas. The sons of Dhritarashtra look
on me as the ark, which will enable them
to cross the deluge of war. I have myself
urged them into this war. How can I now
desert them? Could there be blacker
treachery and baser ingratitude? What in
life, or beyond it, would be worth a price
like that? Mother dear, I must discharge
my debt, aye, with life, if necessary;
otherwise, I shall be no better than a
common thief purloining my food all
these years. I shall surely use all my
followers against your sons in this coming
war. I cannot deceive you. Please forgive
me."


"But yet," continued he, "I cannot have
my mother plead completely in vain. Part
with Arjuna to me. Either he or myself
must die in this war. I will not kill your
other sons, whatever they may do unto
me. Mother of warrior sons, you will still
have five sons. Either I or Arjuna will
survive this war. And with the other four
sons, you will still have five".


When Kunti heard her first-born speak
thus firmly, adhering to the kshatriya
code, her heart was full of tumultuous and
contrary feelings and, without trusting
herself to speak. She embraced him and
departed in silence.


"Who can go against what has been
ordained?" she thought. "He has, at least,
offered not to harm four of my sons. That
is enough. May God bless him," and she
returned home.


NEXT :- 58. THE PANDAVA
GENERALISSIMO


Continues...