Yesterday’s episode of Bhakti Thiruvizha (Vijay TV) moved me to tears.
Professor Ilampirai Manimaran has been talking for the past four days on different stories from The Mahabharata. It is always very nice to hear the stories of Mahabharata.
Being Bhakti Thiruvizha, it has been basically about Lord Krishna’s part in the epic, but today, the concluding episode was about Karnan. It was not his full life history, but in general about what he is famous for – his generosity.
Arjunan has beaten Karnan, but he is still alive. Arjuna is tired of piercing Karnan with his arrows, but he is not yet dead. Arjunan says so to his sarathy, Lord Krishna. Krishna with his mysterious smile says he will sort out the problem. He takes the form of an old Brahmin and goes to Karnan for alms. When Karnan feels sorry for his inability to give the Brahmin anything in the battlefield, Lord Krishna asks Karnan to give away all his good karma as alms. Without hesitation Karnan not only gives away all his good karma as dhaanam, but also gives away the good karma he will get because of giving away all his good karma when he is about to die! The Lord gives Karnan darshan and grants him his wish - how many ever janmas Karnan takes, he will be as generous as he is in this janmam as Karnan!
Lord Krishna comes back to Arjunan and instructs him to aim an arrow at Karnan now.
The Professor went on to explain how pathetic Karnan’s life was
The most important persons in one’s life are Maatha (Mother), Pitha (Father), Guru (Teacher) and Deivam (God).
In Karnan’s life, his mother Kunti deserted him right after birth by putting him in a box and leaving it in the Ganges river
Father Surya Deva is in the sky and not of much help
Teacher Parasuramar taught him everything, but cursed that he will forget the most important asthra prayogamGod, Lord Krishna, joining the opposition, took away his good karma
She also mentioned about the song by Kaviarasar Kannadasan in the Tamizh movie Karnan about his charity
மன்னவர் பொருட்களைக் கை கொண்டு நீட்டுவார் மற்றவர் பணிந்துக் கொள்வார்
மாமன்னன் கர்ணனோ தன் கரம் நீட்டுவான் மற்றவர் எடுத்துக்கொள்வார்
வலதுகை கொடுப்பதை இடது கை அறியாமல் வைத்தவன் கர்ண வீரன்
வறுமைக்கு மறுமையை வைத்ததோர் மாமன்னன் வாழ்கவே வாழ்க வாழ்க!
Usually when people give anything, the donor’s hand is above and receiver’s below. But Karnan will hold things in his hand and the beneficiary can pick up what he needs from him. Such was his generosity!
Karnan will always be remembered for his charity and Mahabharata is incomplete without his story!
