Karma yoga & Karna

Courtesy:Sri.M.R.Venkat

Based on Lord Kannan's advise, Kundhi Devi met Karnan (in this we are covering only the boons portion as other portions are known to us already).  She requested to grant the following two boons:

*         To use Nagasthram only once on Arjuna;

*         Not to fight or kill any other Pandavas (Dharma, Beema, Nakula & Sahadeva).

Karnan said :

"Granted these boons not as a son to a mother; but as a Yasagam to the person who asks;

On the face of it, it may look like that I am betraying Duriyothanan in these two boons; But note that No true warrior will use same astra for a second time if he fails to kill the person in the first astra itself;  If I am a real warrior, I will kill him in the first time astra use itself"

As regards second boon, I don't consider other Pandavas as equal fighters itself so it doesn't matter"

In return,  Karnan sought two promises from Kundhi Devi:

*         Not to reveal him as Pandava's brother till his death; as, when Pandavas come to know this now, they will give Karna the Kingdom itself and in turn, he will give to Duriyothanan as a Gift.  Karnan wanted to Fight, Win and Give the kingdom to Duriyothanan as a true warrior rather than getting it as a right and gift.

*      To keep him in Kundhi's laps at the time of his death as the world should know there is a known mother for Karna also.

LORD KRISHNA TAUGHT BHAGAVATH GITA TO ARJUNA; BUT ITS ONLY KARNA WHO FOLLOWED THE SAME;  KARNA KNOW ALREADY "PANDAVAS" ARE HIS BROTHERS BUT STILL HE FOUGHT VIGOROUSLY WITH THEM TO DO HIS KARMA YOGA; ON THE OTHER HAND, ARJUNA DOES NOT KNOW THAT KARNA IS HIS BROTHER; BUT STILL HE HESITATED TO START THE FIGHT AT THE TIME OF WAR INCEPTION.

(Based on Pulavar Keeran's Villibharatham discourse)