The Pandava-s and their cousins Kaurava-s were growing up together in Hastinapura. A resentful Duryodhana saw them as a threat to his kingship and poisoned Bhima twice but he survived. Annoyed by the constant quarrels, Dhritarashtra sent all the princes to learn weaponry under Kripacharya. An accomplished Brahmana named Drona later became their Guru too.
Apart from the Pandava-s and Kaurava-s, many others including the Yadava-s and a Suta named Karna came there to learn too. Supported by Duryodhana, a jealous Karna frequently defied Arjuna who ignored the provocations and continued learning. As their Guru, Drona’s instructions were the same for everyone, but Arjuna was easily his best student. He predicted that Arjuna would be the best archer in the entire world.
When the princes’ training was over, Drona told Hastinapura’s assembly that they could now display their skills. After Arjuna’s dazzling display, Karna entered the arena and displayed the exact same skills. A delighted Duryodhana granted Karna a wish. Karna said he desired his friendship and a contest with Arjuna. Kunti fainted seeing her 2 sons facing off each other. Just before the fight was about to begin, Kripa said Arjuna would fight only against a Kshatriya (warrior) and not any ordinary citizen. Duryodhana then made Karna the king of Anga with a basic ceremonial ritual. Kunti was pleased that his son had become the king of Anga. When an indebted Karna was about to face off against Arjuna, the sun went down and the fight did not happen. Karna was to remain a loyal ally of Duryodhana in all his wicked schemes. Yudhishthira left the arena with the improper belief that there is no other warrior like Karna.
As Guru-dakshina (fees), Drona asked his youthful disciples to defeat Panchala’s King Drupada who had insulted him earlier. Duryodhana wished to go first but the brave Drupada inflicted a heavy defeat on the Kaurava-s and their accomplice Karna. Then the Pandava-s attacked, with Bhima wreaking havoc on the Panchala forces. After a fierce battle, Arjuna defeated Drupada, and Drona took over half his kingdom.
Arjuna and Karna were talented, but both failed in Madra’s Princess Lakshmanaa’s swayamvara. This involved hitting a covered and spinning fish target’s eye and looking at its reflection in a pond below. God Krishna succeeded and Lakshmanaa became his 8th wife.
Back in Hastinapura, Duryodhana conspired with Dushasana, Shakuni, and Karna to get the Pandava-s burnt alive in a Lakshya-griha. They managed to escape and hid in the forest. Arjuna then won the hand of Panchala’s Princess Draupadi in her swayamvara. Dhritarashtra was forced to grant the Pandava-s a part of the kingdom which became known as Indraprastha.
Later through the Rajasooya yagnya, the 4 younger Pandava brothers went in the 4 directions to establish Vedic Dharma around the world. Either the kings had to accept Yudhishthira’s superiority or fight a battle. In the east, Bhima defeated Anga’s King Karna. Arjuna went west and then north. Nakula won in the west and Sahadeva in the south. Yudhishthira became an Emperor whose prosperity Duryodhana could not bear to see. He conspired with Dushasana, Shakuni, and Karna and got Yudhishthira to play a gambling match. Yudhishthira lost miserably and the Pandava-s were sent to a forest exile.
During their exile, Arjuna acquired powerful celestial weapons from God Shiva and Deva-loka. When a travelling Brahmana shared this update back in Hastinapura, Duryodhana was saddened, Shakuni suggested that they go to their jungle abode and display their prosperity. Duryodhana and Karna liked this idea as it would increase their enemy’s grief.
Their huge entourage reached the forest and indulged in sport and merriment. The celestial Gandharva-s requested them not to proceed further to their sacred lake. The arrogant Kaurava-s refused and engaged in a fierce battle with the Gandharva-s. Karna was defeated and forced to run away. Duryodhana, Dushasana, and many others were captured. At Yudhishthira’s urging, his brothers confronted the Gandharva-s and freed their cousins.
Duryodhana wanted to give up his life out of disgrace. Fierce Daitya-s and Danava-s teleported Duryodhana to their lower world. They told him that the soul of the slain Narakasura had already taken over Karna. The deadly Samsaptaka Asura-s would slay Arjuna in the impending Mahabharata war. A satisfied Duryodhana relapsed back into his wicked self.
Meanwhile, Karna was embarrassed by his action of running away from the field of action. He went out and won many kingdoms on behalf of the Kaurava-s. Karna then took a vow that till he has killed Arjuna he will not let anyone wash his feet out of respect and he will give anything that is asked of him. Thus, he became famous in the world as a daana-veera (doer of many charities). But this last vow would prove expensive for him. Before the war, Indra would take away his kavacha (armour) and kundala (earrings) that made him immortal, and give him the invincible Shakti-astra instead.
The Pandava-s lived in King Virata’s kingdom of Matsya during their exile’s 13th year of disguise. There, when General Kichaka harassed Draupadi, Bhima killed the tyrant. The Trigarta-s resolved to attack the weakened Matsya kingdom to loot its riches and cows. In the Kaurava camp, Karna and Duryodhana had similar thoughts and decided to ally with the Trigarta-s. The Kaurava-s also thought that only Bhima could have killed the mighty Kichaka, and thus could uncover them.
The Pandava-s decided to help their hosts on both fronts. The heroic Bhima entered the fray to humble Trigarta’s king and rescued Virata. Arjuna rescued the cows first and then covered Karna’s entire body with arrows that drained his blood, making him retreat. After subduing Kripa, Arjuna covered Drona’s chariot with an arrowy shower but allowed his Guru to escape. One after another, Arjuna singlehandedly defeated Ashwatthama, Karna again, Dushasana and his 3 brothers. Arjuna then made Bheeshma unconscious. Arjuna also made Duryodhana vomit blood and run away from the battlefield. Bheeshma instructed the Kaurava-s to withdraw to Hastinapura. A triumphant Arjuna returned to the city of Virata. Thus, we can see that Karna suffered many losses on the battlefield even before the epic Mahabharata War started.
This article is an excerpt from the book ‘Mahabharata: A World War’ by Gaurang Damani. The book is available at Padhega India and other online stores.
This article first appeared on the Hindu Post website.