Mahābhārata · Sanskrit Epic
Karna and Kunti
कर्णः कुन्ती च
Mahābhārata · Udyoga Parva · Karṇa-Kuntī Saṃvāda (उद्योगपर्व) · Intermediate Sanskrit
Moral · धर्मः
मैत्री त्यागः च महान् धर्मः।
maitrī tyāgaḥ ca mahān dharmaḥ.
“Loyalty and selfless giving are the highest dharma.”
The Secret Son
बहु वर्षाणि पूर्वम् — कुन्ती अविवाहिता आसीत्। तया दुर्वासस्य मन्त्रेण सूर्यदेवः आहूतः। सूर्यस्य पुत्रः कर्णः जातः — कवचकुण्डलसहितः। कुन्ती भयेन तं शिशुम् नद्यां त्यक्तवती। अधिरथः — सारथिः — तं अपालयत्। एवं कर्णः "सूतपुत्रः" इति प्रसिद्धः अभवत्। कुन्त्याः हृदये रहस्यं वर्षाणि यावत् अवर्तत।
Many years before — Kunti was still unmarried. With Durvasa's mantra, she had invoked the Sun-god. The Sun's son, Karna, was born — with divine armour and earrings. Kunti, in fear, abandoned the infant child in a river. Adhiratha — a charioteer — raised him. Thus Karna became known as "the charioteer's son." The secret lived in Kunti's heart for all those years.
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