A Story of Dvapar Yuga in Prose (Part-19)

A Story of Dvapar Yuga in Prose (Part-19)

By Lokanath Mishra

The Birth of Karna

Long before her marriage to King Pandu, Princess Kunti had once lived in the palace of her foster father, King Kuntibhoja, known for his hospitality and virtue. One day, the fiery sage Durvasa, famous for his unpredictable temper but also for his divine powers, visited the kingdom.

Kunti, humble and devoted, served the sage with utmost care — washing his feet, preparing his meals, and tending to all his needs with reverence and patience. Pleased with her purity and service, Durvasa blessed her with a rare and secret mantra, saying,

“Child, by chanting this incantation with faith, you may invoke any god of your choice, and through him, bear a son equal to the divine in power and glory.”

Kunti, young and innocent, did not yet grasp the gravity of such a boon. One bright morning, out of curiosity and wonder, she stood upon her palace terrace, gazing at the radiant sun rising above the eastern hills. Mesmerized by its brilliance, she thought, What would happen if I called upon Surya, the Sun God himself?

Out of simple curiosity and the innocence of youth, she recited the sacred mantra taught by Durvasa. Instantly, the air grew still, and a flood of golden light enveloped her. Before her appeared Surya Deva, the radiant lord of the sun, shining with a splendor that the human eye could scarcely behold.

Kunti trembled and folded her hands in awe. “O Lord,” she said, “I meant no offense. I only wished to test the truth of the sage’s words. I am yet an unmarried maiden — how can I bear a child?”

But Surya, bound by the power of the mantra, gently replied,

“Fair princess, the boon of Durvasa cannot be undone. You shall bear a son born of divine light — he shall be blessed with armor and earrings from birth, making him invincible to all weapons. Fear not, for though you bear a child, your virginity shall remain pure as before.”

With those words, the divine radiance entered her heart. Soon, Kunti gave birth to a child as radiant as the rising sun, adorned with natural armor (Kavacha) and earrings (Kundala) that gleamed with celestial light. The child’s beauty and divine presence filled her with both wonder and fear.

But in her heart, Kunti trembled with despair — for she was yet unmarried. What would the world say of a maiden with a child? Her mind clouded with shame and fear of dishonor. After days of sleepless agony, she placed her newborn son in a small wooden basket, lined with soft cloth, and whispered through her tears,

“O my beloved child, may the gods protect you wherever this river carries you. Forgive your mother, for fate has bound her with fear.”

With trembling hands, she set the basket afloat upon the gentle current of the Ganga. The river, as if moved by divine compassion, bore the child safely downstream, where he was found by Adhiratha, a humble charioteer of Hastinapur, and his wife Radha, who had no children of their own.

Seeing the divine child shining like a god, they took him as a blessing from heaven and raised him with boundless love. They named him Karna, meaning “the one born with earrings.”

Thus was born Karna, the son of the Sun God — destined to live as a mortal of humble birth, yet possessing the heart, courage, and glory of the divine. His life, woven with both light and tragedy, would one day cross paths with his unknown brothers — the sons of Pandu — upon the field of Kurukshetra.

⸻( to be continued)

A Story of Dvapar Yuga in Prose ( part-18)

A Story of Dvapar Yuga in Prose ( part-17)

The Story of Lord Venkateswara – The Eternal Protector of Tirumala

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