Swarajya Logo
Swarajya Logo
Politics States Economy Society Business Culture Infra Defence World Books Ideas Science Technology Heritage Archives Legal Movies Sports
  • Our Views
    Politics States Economy Society Business Culture Infra Defence World Books Ideas Science Technology Heritage Archives Legal Movies Sports
  • Magazine
  • Store

About Swarajya

Swarajya is a publication by Kovai Media Private Limited.

Swarajya - a big tent for liberal right of centre discourse that reaches out, engages and caters to the new India.

editor@swarajyamag.com

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Subscriptions Support
  • Editorial Philosophy
  • Press Kit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism Policy
  • Refund & Cancellation Policy

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Subscriptions Support
  • Editorial Philosophy
  • Press Kit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism Policy
  • Refund & Cancellation Policy

Participate

  • Contact Us
  • Write for us
  • Style Guide
  • Jobs

Stay Connected

  • Artboard 2 Copy 6Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 10Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 7Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 9Created with Sketch.
  • Andriod Logo
  • IOS Logo

Culture

Why Karna Was Not The Hero Modern Retellings Of Mahabharata Make Him Out To Be

S KrishnanWednesday, July 12, 2023 5:28 pm IST
B R Panthulu's film Karnan (1964) was made with Villi Bharatha as the reference.
B R Panthulu's film Karnan (1964) was made with Villi Bharatha as the reference.
B R Panthulu's film Karnan (1964) was made with Villi Bharatha as the reference.
  • The original 'Vyasa Bharatha' is quite clear and unambiguous in treatment of Karna as an individual.
  • He was an epitome of philanthropy. But his noble deeds stop with that.
  • Karna, the enigmatic character in Mahabharata, was in news again recently. The reasons are not difficult to judge.

    There always has been a debate in terms of whether he was the right person in the wrong place. Many try to sympathise with him because of the notion that he was wronged all the times in the epic.

    Is it correct? Was he a noble person who was misunderstood simply because of the circumstances?

    The original Vyasa Bharatha is quite clear and unambiguous in treatment of Karna as an individual. He was a Dhana Veera for sure. An epitome of philanthropy. But his noble deeds stop with that.

    In all other circumstances he was portrayed as a wicked person like his friends Duryodhana, Dussasan and that’s the reason they are all called as ‘Dushta Chatushtaya’.

    It is not as if he had enmity with Pandavas just because of his friendship with Duryodhana. During the tutelage under Dronacharya, Karna approaches him in private and says, “I want to be acquainted with the Brahmastra, with all its mantras and the power of withdrawing it, for I desire to fight Arjuna”.

    So his intentions are clear right from the word go, which is to fight and kill Arjuna. Similarly his antics during Draupadi’s disrobing episode is also well known.

    Thus, Karna is an evil character as per the original version of Mahabharata. So where did all his good ‘deeds’ come about ?

    An epic with no parallel, Mahabharata, was translated, written in different perspectives, abridged and changed by several authors according to their viewpoint and ‘creative freedom’. This has distorted the character of Karna to a greater extent and gave him a bit of respect.

    One such text is the Tamil version of Villi Bharatha, written by the poet Villiputhurar.

    Born in North Arcot district of Tamil Nadu, he was named after the Vaishavite Saint Periyazhvar who was also known as Villiputhurar. While the Mahabharata was translated earlier in Tamil by few poets, none of those versions are available now. So the translation by Villiputhurar is considered as the best Tamil translation of the epic.

    He lived during the reign of the Vijayanagara kings which was known for revival of Hindu religion in Tamilagam after few decades of cruel rule under the Madurai sultanate. Hence his text became quite popular.

    Like the author of Ramayana in Tamil, Kamban, Villiputhurar also made few changes from the original Mahabharata while writing it in Tamil. Interesting to note that both of them took specific characters, embellished them and raised their stature.

    While Kamban took Kumbhakarna to greater heights in Kambaramayana, deviating quite a bit from the original Valmiki Ramayana, Villiputhurar did the same with Karna and made him a man of virtues.

    The first of such change comes when Kunti meets Karna before the war and tells him that she is his mother. Here Villiputhurar gives some examples of why Karna considers Duryodhana as his best friends.

    Once Karna and Bhanumathi, wife of Duryodhana were playing dice. Bhanumathi was about to lose the game. At that time Duryodhana enters the palace. Seeing him, Bhanumathi gets up.

    Unaware of his friend’s entry, Karna tries to pull her saying, ‘Don’t run in the midst of the game’. That time, all the gems in her dress fall. Only then, Karna is aware of the presence of Duryodhana and was embarrassed. However, Duryodhana diffuses the awkward situation by asking ‘can I take all these and put them together in string?’

    Aram tikaḻum ēkānta iṭamtaṉil purintē nāṉ ayarntu iruppa,

    "eṭukkavō? Kōkkavō?" Eṉṟāṉ

    Seeing that Karna wouldnt come to Pandava’s side, Kunti asks him two boons which is also not there in Vyasa Bharatha. She asks him not to kill the other brothers apart from Arjuna.

    Further, Kunti tells Karna not to use Nagaastra more than once.

    Pārttaṉ veñ camaril niṉṉuṭaṉ malaintāl,

    pakaip perum pāntaḷ am pakazhi kōttalum,

    piḻaittāl, maṟittum, nī viṭuttuk kōṟal

    These two boons constrained Karna during the great war and Villiputhurar reasons that the reason why he didn’t use the Nagaastra second time was due to the boon given to Kunti.

    Karna also asks two boons in return. He asks Kunti not to tell the Pandavas about his birth. During the war if he is killed by Arjuna, he requests Kunti to tell everyone that Karna is her son. This is also not found in Vyasa Bharatha.

    In Karna Parva, during the final battle between Karna and Arjuna, Villiputhurar makes Karna a symbol of Dharma due to which Arjuna couldn’t defeat him despite a fierce war.

    Muttarukku ellām mūlamāy,

    vēda mutal kozhuntu ākiya mukuntaṉ,

    cittirac cilaik kai vijayaṉai, 'ceru nī oḻika!'

    Eṉat thērmisai niṟutti,

    Mey tavap paṭiva vēdiyaṉ āki,

    veyilavaṉ putalvaṉai adaintāṉ

    Seeing Arjuna getting tired in the war, Krishna asks him to stop the fight. Krishna changes himself as a brahmin and reaches Karna. He asks Karna for a Dhana. Karna tells him he is in the middle of a war and hence requests him to ask for something which he can give. Krishna requests him to give him all the 'Punya' obtained by his good deeds

    Iratamēl viḻuvōṉ, 'naṉṟu!' Eṉa nakaittu,

    'tarat taku poruḷ nī navilka!' Eṉa, nāṉ maṟaiyavaṉum,

    'oṉṟiyapaṭi niṉ puṇṇiyam aṉaittum utavuka!' Eṉṟalum, uḷam makizhntāṉ

    Itayattu ampiṉvāy ampāl aḷittalum,

    aṅkaiyāl ēṟṟāṉ- muṉṉam ōr avuṇaṉ ceṅ kai nīr ēṟṟu

    mū'ulakamum uṭaṉ kavarntōṉ

    Karna pulls an arrow from his body, uses the blood oozing from the wound to give the Pala, all the Punya he had obtained. Krishna was quite pleased with this and grants him the boon of Moksha after showing his Viswaroopa.

    This is a marked difference from the original as Karna gets moksha from the Lord himself.

    So it is no surprise that when B R Panthulu decided to make a movie of Karna, portraying him as a hero, he chose Villi Bharatha as the reference. Most of the scenes in the movie are, in fact, taken from the Tamil version of the epic.

    While Mahabharatha as a great epic allows for such variations and deviations, it is important to understand the portrayal of the characters as per the original epic before celebrating or degrading someone.

    It is all the more important in this age where the new age mythologists and media gurus try to give their own version of the epics.

    Tags
    Mahabharata
    Hindu Epics
    Karna in Mahabharata
    Villi Bharatha
    Karnan (1964)

    Comments ↓

    An Appeal...


     

    Dear Reader,

     

    As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.

     

    Our business model is you and your subscription.  And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.

     

    We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.

     

    Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.

    Get Swarajya in your inbox.


    Magazine


    Swarajya Magazine Cover Image
    Merchandise

    Merchandise


      Politics

      'Cash For Query' Row: Ethics Panel Report Recommending Mahua Moitra's Expulsion To Be Tabled In Lok Sabha Today

      'Cash For Query' Row: Ethics Panel Report Recommending Mahua Moitra's Expulsion To Be Tabled In Lok Sabha Today

      Swarajya Staff
      2h

      'Crooked View That Bhartiya Culture Can Be Promoted Only When Hindu Marries Muslim': Kerala Muslim Leader As He Slams CPM

      Bhuvan Krishna
      18h

      No Question Of ‘Equitable Treatment’ To US, Canada In Alleged Assassination Plots Against Khalistani Terrorists: EAM Jaishankar

      Swarajya Staff
      20h

      Economy

      Enough Of Big Bang Reforms? No Major Announcements In Next Budget, "Wait Till July 2024", Says Nirmala Sitharaman

      Enough Of Big Bang Reforms? No Major Announcements In Next Budget, "Wait Till July 2024", Says Nirmala Sitharaman

      Nishtha Anushree
      20h

      ₹58,378 Crores! Govt Set To Open Taps On Additional Welfare Spending With 2024 In Mind

      Swarajya News Staff
      1d

      India Anticipated To Be Fastest Growing In Next Three Years, Set to Become Third Largest Economy By 2030: S&P

      Nishtha Anushree
      3d

      Defence

      Indian Army Sets Sight On Future: Developing AI And Cybersecurity Tech; Can Now Interpret Enemy's Electronic Order Of Battle

      Indian Army Sets Sight On Future: Developing AI And Cybersecurity Tech; Can Now Interpret Enemy's Electronic Order Of Battle

      Swarajya Staff
      29m

      Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster-III Transport Aircraft Successfully Drops DRDO-Developed Heavy Airdrop Platform

      Swarajya Staff
      2h

      India's Strategic Forces Command Conducts Training Launch Of Agni-1 Short Range Ballistic Missile

      Ujjwal Shrotryia
      16h

      World

      PM Modi Can't Be Forced Into Acting Against National Interests Of India: Putin

      PM Modi Can't Be Forced Into Acting Against National Interests Of India: Putin

      Swarajya Staff
      3h

      "Would Want Them To Face Legal System": MEA On Pakistan-Based Terrorists Being Killed By 'Unknown Gunmen'

      Nishtha Anushree
      18h

      Indian Ambassador Met Eight Navy Veterans Sentenced To Death In Qatar, Two Appeal Hearings Till Now: MEA

      Nishtha Anushree
      18h

      Culture

      ‘Garba Of Gujarat’ Declared As Intangible Heritage By UNESCO

      ‘Garba Of Gujarat’ Declared As Intangible Heritage By UNESCO

      Arun Kumar Das
      1d

      Gujarat's Garba Is Now In List Of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

      Swarajya News Staff
      1d

      'Celebrate At Home': Champat Rai Of Ram Janambhoomi Trust Urges Hindus Not To Visit Ayodhya On 22 January

      Bhuvan Krishna
      3d
      States

      infrastructure


      Arun Kumar Das
      1

      Make-In-India Initiatives Are Driving Growth In Manufacturing Sector, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw

      3 Mins Read
      Arun Kumar Das
      2

      Further Delay In Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project As Japanese Consortium Seeks More Time To Submit Rolling Stock Bids

      2 Mins Read
      Amit Mishra
      3

      Gujarat Government Partners With AAI For Building 11 New Airports, PM Modi's Hometown Also Under Consideration

      2 Mins Read
      Amit Mishra
      4

      Mumbai: Six Bidders Evince Interest To Build Rs 16,621 Crore Coastal Road Extension, Linking Versova To Dahisar

      2 Mins Read