Birth of Karna

Mahabharata Adiparva Sambhavaparva section 110-112

Sri Sadgurbhyoh namah

Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura grew up under the care of Bhishma. Pandu became king as Dhritarashtra was a blind person.

Dhritarastra marries Gandhari who was a virtuous and chaste lady. She blindfolds herself as her husband is blind.

In the clan of Yadavas , There was a chief by name Sura, who is the father of Vasudeva. His daughter is Pritha. He gave her for adoption to his childless friend Kuntibhoja. Pridha grew up in the house of Kuntibhoja with name Kunti.

Once, Sage Durvasa came to hosue of Kuntibhoja. Kunti was appointed to host him and look after him. She gratified Durvasa by her respect and humbleness. The sage looking into future knows that her future husband Pandu will be cursed by a muni, has imparted a secret mantra to her that can summon any celestial to her and can give her a child.

Kunti, out of curiosity uses that mantra on sun god Arka. He immediately appears before her, and gives her a male child while she is still a maiden. That child is like a Sun himself, covered with natural armour. She gets afraid that her relatives might come to know that she became a mother while still a maiden, and she throws that child into a river. That child is rescued by husband of Radha, a person of suta caste and who brought him up with name Vasusena.

Vasusena grows to be a generous person, who was used to donate in charity huge sums to anybody who asked him.

Once, Indra came to him begging for his natural armour that he is born with, and Vasusena removes his armour by peeling it off of his skin. Hence he is called Karna (Peeler of his own cover).

Indra, gratified by the generosity of Karna, gives him an astra that can kill anybody he likes.

Later Kunti is married to King Pandu.

Peace

Prasad