Title: The Birth of Great Karna: A
Tale of Destiny in the Mahabharata. An epic child born without any intercourse
in a normal and moral sense (post marital etc) and with congenital problems
which turned out to be boon to him, when grown up.
The Indian epic, the Mahabharata, is
an encyclopedic coverage of ancient history (?).
“Whatever
is here, may be found elsewhere; what is not, cannot be found anywhere else,”
The Epilogue to the Mahabharata
exclaims with pride (18:56-33).
As
we all might agree that The Mahabharata, one of the greatest epic narratives of
all time, unfolds a multitude of fascinating characters and intricate
story lines. Among these characters, Great Warrior Mahamati Karna stands out as
a figure of profound complexity and unwavering loyalty. Karna's birth is
shrouded in mystery and carries an undeniable sense of destiny. Let us delve
into the captivating story of the birth of Karna and understand the
circumstances that shaped his extraordinary life.
The
Divine Origins: Karna's story begins with the princess Kunti, the mother of the
Pandavas, who received a boon (in a form of mantra,
which is to be chanted by her, to call upon the desired God) from the sage
Durvasa.The boon bestowed upon Kunti enabled her to invoke any deity of her
choosing and bear a child with their blessings. Getting child from her chosen
Deity just by blessings? The God has just to say “putraya bhava” as a blessings
and Kunti will get that child into her womb? Is this a shear miracle or magic?
Or it is altogether a different methodology, different science which is yet to
be found to be by us? It is undoubtedly sure, as on date, there are huge
portion of couples all over the planet, who curve for a child of their own (can’t
expect a child from a God), yet they do not have any such blessings or boons for
them to fulfill their long standing desires and dreams. We have however
achieved to have child through in-vitro fertilization, induction of ovulation etc.
But these special technologies are also not full proof. The health of both new
born and mother remain at risk till the pregnancy matures successfully.
SUN GOD GIVES BLESSINGS TO KUNTI
Overwhelmed
with curiosity, Kunti tested the boon and called upon the Sun God, Surya. As a
result, she conceived a radiant and divine child. The word conceive is much
interesting phrase in the line. In our customary practices, the blessings given
either by touching the head, forehead or at best chin. Then how the blessings
of The Sun God got into the virgin and unpracticed womb of Kunti? In
Mahabharata, nowhere it is mentioned that after receiving the child as blessing
from The Sun God, Kunti Devi had restricted her daily chores of life. She was unmarried
princess, staying with her father in her palace. Nobody in the palace (out of
hundred people at least, other than her parents, personal servants, friends) could
observe her pregnancy growth and body deformation! Or, was it instant, then and
there? If it is so, which might be the possible and plausible case, in her
case, then it was the marvel of science, first time experienced by a Earthling.
Pritha was originally the daughter of Surashena and Marisha of Kunti Kingdom.
During that time, Jarasandha, king of Magadah, was the most powerful king of
Bharat. Surashena and Marish left their kingdom in his fear and given their
child Kunti to King of Bhoja who was named as KuntiBhoja.He re-named Pritha as
Kunti.
Vaisampayana
told King Janmenjaya (fourth generation after King Yudhisthir) that Karna came
in Kunti's womb in Shukla paksha of the tenth month of the year.
"Vaisampayana said, 'O Lord of the earth! In Shukla paksha of the tenth
month, like the Lord of the stars in the sky, a child was conceived in Pritha's
womb. "I personally emphasize upon the time period of tenth month (i.e. in
a normal pregnancy of any human, the gestation period is Nine months nine days
since conceiving, which is definitely falls in the tenth month). So the period
of 289-290 days time span, during Princess Kunti’s pregnancy, passed away as a
few hours or may be as few moments?
|
So
according to the epic, the age of Karna was around 100 when he died at
Kurukhestra battle field on 17 th day of the war. He was killed by third
Pandava Arjun.
|
Although Karna was a portion of Surya, but he was the rebirth
of Dambhodbhava (demon)
|
It
is high time; we must process in our thinking, with scientific knowhow to corroborate
the stories / histories/ myths or something real extra ordinary, in this great
Epic written by Rishi Veda Vyas. But, how? Recently National Institutes of Health,
2016 has attempted the magical births of major character’s of the Epic, through
Reproductive Endocrinology studies and its effects on the new born.
We approach the
Mahabharata through the prism of reproductive endocrinology, searching for
examples of reproductive health and related disease in this voluminous text. We
limit ourselves to endocrine episodes described in the Mahabharata as published
by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. Descriptions of episodes related to
reproduction are listed here, to provide fodder for the endo-crinologically
minded brain. Through this, we hope to stimulate interest in ancient Indian
literature and encourage a literary “forensic endocrine” analysis of events
relevant to our specialty.
In the
Mahabharata, it is clearly mentioned that Karna, son of Kunti and Surya, the
sun god, was born with natural armor and earrings. This
phenomenon suggests a congenital anomaly. However, Karna grew up to into
a handsome and capable prince warrior, with no
suggestion of any of the disabilities associated with most congenital
syndromes. Rishi Ved Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata, has provided
detailed word pictures of events and personalities. It is hard to believe,
therefore, that he would have confused “natural armor” with a congenital
ichthyosis. Was it not a Precocious Growth? Which might have been developed on
the child due to unhealthy copulation? Karna was not responsible for his abnormality!
” Plausible abnormality include thick
vernix caseosa, ichthyosis vulgaris, and external
earlobe anomalies.[15]
(courtesy Dr. V Srinagesh, Dr. Mudita Dhingra).
Adjective: precocious
1.
(of a child)
having developed certain abilities or inclinations
at an earlier age than is usual or expected.
Inclinations measures a person's natural tendency or urge
to act or feel in a particular way; a disposition. [Dictionary Definitions from
Oxford Languages]
2.
Vernix caseosa is a white,
creamy, naturally occurring bio-film covering the skin of the fetus during the
last trimester of pregnancy. Vernix coating on the neonatal skin protects
the newborn skin and facilitates extra-uterine adaptation of skin in the first
postnatal week if not washed away after birth.
For premature babies today even, a congenital
disease is mostly associated called as Autosomal Recessive Congenital
Ichthyosis (ARCI). The mythological “Kavach-Kundala” of Mahavir Karna might be a
result of this disease. We actually do not know from the Epic, how much month’s
matured baby was Karna, at his birth moment? How an ignorant virgin girl either know this? Especially
when she was afraid of social backlash! Question on her princess hood? Her
father’s stature? She was just got time to abandon her unwanted child at the
earliest.
PRINCESS KUNTI Children
with ARCI are often born prematurely encased in a collodion membrane, a
taut, shiny, transparent membrane formed by the thickened cornified layers of
the skin, resembling plastic wrap. In the rarest form of ARCI, harlequin
ichthyosis, babies are born prematurely covered in
thick, hard, armor-like plates of cornified skin separated by deep fissures.
The taut skin results in deformation of facial features, microcephaly, lack of
eyelashes and eyebrows, and sometimes alopecia.
Microcephaly is a condition where a baby's head is much smaller than
expected. During pregnancy, a baby's head grows because the baby's brain
grows. Microcephaly can occur because a baby's brain has not developed properly
during pregnancy or has stopped growing after birth, which results in a smaller
head size.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (.gov)
https://www.cdc.gov
› ncbddd › birthdefects › microcep...
In
the methodical search to the Epical fact of Great Warrior Karna, I have reached
to the point of understanding that the illegal child of Princess Kunti, Karna
was a congenital sufferer due to his mother’s improper pregnancy. He was
probably be a harlequin ichthyosis patient, but could able to survive
with that, after his abandonment, till the charioteer Adhirath had picked him
up from the river flow. Observing the ornaments and dress materials, Adhirath
understood, this is an child from the higher status of the then society. They
had no children of their own. So, it is absolutely natural, he had not made any
hue and cry. Accepted and made the child as bonafide son being his father. A
relatively common man and not that educated, Adhirath could not identify the
child’s congenital problems possibly.
This
line of thought through the angle of endocrinology related to pregnancy, while
extending to understand the very uncommon birth marks or birth possessions of
Karna might generate, out of box thinking, amongst my ardent readers.
There
is a more intrigue unknown things still looms overhead- I will write about it
soon.
Till then Chow……
