Karna’s Arrows of Questions on Kunti.
Karna pleaded in a broken and an acidic tone,
“Tell me Rajmata Kunti, how do you have the right to call yourself my mother? Why should I see you as my Mata? What have you done so far to deserve this title?”
Kunti collapsed on her knees, for she had no answers to this child’s questions. Although a grown up legendary warrior now, his questions were revealing a toddler….. His oddity was justified….. No words came out of her mouth. Only guilty tears flowed.
He continued brashly,
“Even Krishna was born out of Devaki and raised by Yashodhra. Yet he is addressed as Devaki Nandana. You know why? Not only because she held him in her womb for months but also because she let go of him for his safety, and not for her own protection. That is a courageous act, isn’t. But you, Pandu Jananni, were coward to accept me, and more coward to not kill me. Instead of discarding me away in the river, you should have killed me. At least my birth wouldn’t have been shamed. That death would have been better, than this life filled with dilemmas about my belonging and birth.”
Kunti retorted,
“YES! YES! I was a coward. I still am one. That is exactly the reason why I come to meet you in hiding even today. I accept your accusations Putra. But please for god sake, please come to me now. I am standing here with open arms to embrace you, ready to face all. I want to announce you as my first born, my eldest son.” Pleaded Kunti.
“DON’T! PLEASE don’t call me your son. I am Radhey. Radha MA’s son. My heart is filled with memories of her. It was she who ran her fingers on my cheeks to wipe the tears. Those were the hands that ran on my forehead to sooth the creases of tensions. Her delicacies have built these muscles. And above all, those were her prayers which were filled with my name. It makes me wonder Rajmata, how do these tears flow from your eyes? Is your mind conditioned to evoke emotions when it hears the word Mata? Don’t fake it Rajmata. Motherhood isn’t an entitlement. It’s a journey to be lived and felt and above all to be shared. Without knowing the dharma of a mother, without performing any Karma of a mother, you want to be my Mata now. Please call me Karan, that’s my name for outsiders.” Karna shrugged her as a mother.
“I was a young girl putra. I didn’t have the courage to face the world as a single, unwedded mother. It was my curiosity that led me to test Rishi Durwasa’s divine mantra. That I could summon any God with the Mantra jaap. I didn’t know what to do my child. I am sorry! I am really sorry!” Kunti sobbed.
Hearing her reasons, Karna mocked,
“So I am actually a result of an experiment. Right? Isn’t this too harsh to hear Rajmata? And now after years you want the entitlement to the result of that experiment. Standing at the threshold of Kurukshetra war, you suddenly want to accept me as a son. Isn’t this far from truth? Doesn’t this request display your love for your five sons and not me? Why are you here? To accept me as a son…..give me the throne of Indraprastha or to save your sons from being killed by my arrows…. Please go away Rajmata. This Daanvir Karna has nothing to offer you except the rain of his questions.”
