The Forgotten Son of the Sun God ☀️
I was always fascinated by one major character in the holy epic Mahabharata. I feel that the most deserving individual, yet the one deprived of everything, was the great Karna.
He was unjustly punished by everyone, time and again. He was treated harshly for no fault of his own. Yet, the morals in his blood never allowed him to turn into a villain — he always walked on the path of righteousness.
I feel so sad whenever I read or watch anything about him. He was abandoned by his own mother, grew up with someone else believing them to be his parents, and was deprived of the education he yearned for because of the lower-caste label. He was treated as a slave by his own clan without even knowing his true origin.
He never questioned his birth, never complained about the caste he was adopted into; he simply wanted to prove to the world that an individual’s worth is not determined by birth but by talent and hard work. He wanted to be respected for his skills, not disrespected because of his caste.
He worked tirelessly, struggled immensely, and finally showcased his brilliance to the world. Yet, he got entangled with the wrong section of society — people who treated him as an asset for their gain rather than as a friend. Everyone around him faked friendship with smiles, but everything was deceitful.
When he realized that he was surrounded by venomous snakes, it was already too late. He was bound by his word, and the same morals he was born with did not allow him to part ways.
Even when he had the chance to walk away and live with his family in pride and luxury, he chose instead to stand by his word and remain loyal to his friend. He could not betray him, and so he went to war against his own brothers.
Whenever I read his side of the story, I become deeply emotional!!
He suffered more than anyone — but in silence. Who would ever want a life where he is treated as a slave despite being born into royalty? To struggle for education when it was his birthright, to fight against his own brothers without knowing the truth of his lineage, to stay silent while his helpless mother shed tears but couldn’t reveal his identity, to kill his own brother’s son after learning the truth because he was bound by his promise, to be killed by his own brother who didn’t know he was the eldest — and finally, to see his mother crying over losing a son to her own son.
He was never able to enjoy the royalty or luxury that was rightfully his — not even till his death.
He was a true warrior till the end. Even when he sacrificed everything for others, he gave away his life and his very being in charity. He was truly a hidden gem who never got the chance to shine because of the mistakes of others.
He had every reason to become a villain, yet he chose to remain righteous in every step of his life. He deserved happiness — at least for a short while.
I’ve learned many lessons from the Mahabharata and its characters, but Karna’s story will remain deeply rooted in my heart forever.
❤️
📩 Write to me at write2dugo@gmail.com
📷 Follow me on Instagram: @dugo_writings | @savory_stories_1850
Comments
Post a Comment