Story of Karn

Kuntee was the daughter of Raajaa Shoorsen (Krishn's paternal grandfather) and Krishn's real Buaa. There her name was Prithaa. Raajaa Kuntibhoj was a good friend of Raajaa Shoorsen, so he gave his daughter to him. Thus she was brought up by Raajaa Kuntibhoj and was called then Kuntee.

Once Durvaasaa Rishi came to Kuntibhoj's house. Kuntibhoj introduced his daughter to him and handed over Muni to her for his care. Kuntee served him very dearly and carefully. Durvaasaa Muni got very pleased with her and while leaving asked her to ask for anything she wanted. Kuntee was very polite, she said - "Mahaaraaj, You know everything, past, present and future. Give me such a thing which can be useful to me in future." Then Durvaasaa Muni gave her a Mantra and said - "This Mantra is very powerful. You may call any Devtaa by pronouncing this Mantra. He will have to come to you and give what you will want." Kuntee greeted him and Muni went away.

Once Kuntee was standing in her room. She saw at Soorya Dev. Soorya Dev was shining with his full glory. She got attracted to him. Then she moved her eyes from there. But next day again she saw Soorya Dev and got attracted. This time she pronounced Durvaasaa Muni's Mantra to test it with her childlike feelings.

As she finished her Mantra, the whole room filled with Sun light and Soorya Dev came there in person. Kuntee got scared to see him. She didn't expect him to see there. Soorya Dev asked - "Devee, Why have you called me?" Kuntee got confused, she did not know what to say, so she said - "Mahaaraaj, I was just testing the Mantra Durvaasaa Muni gave to me, I don't need anything. Please you go away from here."

Soory Dev said - "Devee, That cannot happen. Muni's Mantra cannot go waste. If you do not ask for anything, I will give you a son." Kuntee got more scared and said - "Prabhu, I am unmarried, I will get defamed." Soorya Dev said - "This boy will be very glorious. Nobody will be able to defeat him. He will have his own security in the form of Kavach (armor or protector) and Kundal (earrings). He will be called Daanveer Karn (the greatest alms giver) and nobody in the world could be comparable to him in it." When Soorya Dev went away, and everything got cleared Kuntee found herself with a beautiful son.

But what she could do of this son? After a long thought she flowed him keeping in a box in Gangaa River. Some distance down the river Adhirath was taking bath. He and his wife Raadhaa didn't have child. When he saw a box flowing in the River, and heard a child's cry, he grabbed it and opened it. He was so happy and surprised to find a beautiful baby boy in that basket. He brought him home and both took care of him as their own child. Because of his mother's name was Raadhaa, he was called as Raadheya.

At the age of 16 years, when Adhirath wanted to teach him to drive chariot, he asked his mother that what was the secret behind it that he was a son of a charioteer but never wanted to learn driving chariot, he always wanted to be an archer. Then Raadhaa told him his story.

So Adhirath took him to Drone. Drone asked him his name, he said - "Raadheya." Drone immediately said - "Your name doesn't match with the shine of your face, your name should have been Karn. And I cannot take you as my disciple because this Gurukul is for Kshatriya and princes." Adhirath brought him back. Then Karn himself went in search of a Guru who could educate him. He found Parashuraam to get educated.

So Karn got trained under Parashuraam. Parashuraam was very pleased with his progress and he blessed him to become the best archer, but he said this also - "If you did not use these arrows carefully, then I will take my all education and training back from you at that time when you will need it most, therefore you will go back from here without paying any Guru Dakshinaa." And thus Karn came back from there without paying any Guru Dakshinaa.

Shaap to Karn

One day Parashuraam was sleeping keeping his head in his lap, that a scorpion started stinging in the same thigh of Karn. Lest Guru's rest is disturbed and he wakes up, Karn did not move his leg at all. After some time, when Parashuraam woke up and saw blood flowing from his thigh, he asked him - "Why didn't you protect yourself from this scorpion?" Karn said - If I did, I had not been able to protect my Guru's sleep."

Hearing this Parashuraam got very angry, he said - "A Braahman cannot be so tolerant, you must be a Kshatriya, why did you lie to me?" Karn said - "I wanted to be educated by you." Parashuraam said - "Whatever education is taken by lying, it cannot be useful to to the disciple. So whenever you will need your education most, you will forget it." And he went away. Karn remained seated stunt. [When Karn wanted to use Brahmaastra on Arjun, he forgot it.]

Another Shaap

Once a Braahman's cow was killed by Karn by his chariot's wheel by mistake. That Braahman gave him Shaap - "On whichever chariot you are sitting and you killed my cow, that chariot's wheel will stuck in the ground and you will not be able to take it out when you will need it most." [When Karn was fighting with Arjun and was at the peak of showering his arrows at Arjun, his chariot's wheel stuck in the ground, and when he wanted to take it out, he couldn't bring it out and Arjun killed him.]