Bharathi199
Active Member
With Star Plus retelecasting its' version of the Mahabharat, unfortunately many, many wrong ideas that were shown in this show are also spreading all over again. The most horribly wrong of these was that Karna was denied education by Drona because of caste. This is absolutely wrong and Karna WAS actually Drona's disciple and he learned battle skills from Drona long with the pandavas and Kauravas.
In fact, right from that time Karna was friends with Duryodhana. Later, Karna also participated in the war against Drupad. It was only LATER that Karna asked Drona to give him a Brahma weapon (perhaps Bhramashira) that the Guru had given to Arjuna earlier after testing his discipline and his prowess. Drona refused, knowing that Karna only wanted it to kill Arjuna, which is not a good reason to ask for a weapon. Drona refuses and Karna decides to go to parashurama and see if he will give it to him but there, he approaches Parashurama with a lie that he is a Brahmana.
You can see all of this in the original epic by Vyasa:
Mention in Adi parva of Karna being Drona’s student
O bull of the Bharata race, many other princes also flocked to that best of Brahmanas for instruction in arms. The Vrishnis and the Andhakas, and princes from various lands, and the (adopted) son of Radha of the Suta caste, (Karna), all became pupils of Drona. But of them all, the Suta child Karna, from jealousy, frequently defied Arjuna, and supported by Duryodhana, used to disregard the Pandavas.
Mention of Karn being Drona’s student in Santi Parva
For this, a child was conceived by Kunti in her maidenhood, capable of provoking a general war. Endued with great energy, that child came to have the status of a Suta. He subsequently acquired the science of weapons from the preceptor (Drona), that foremost descendant of Angirasa's race.
Mention of Karna in gurudakshina war with Drupad: Adi Parva: Sambhava parva: SECTION CXL
Those bulls among men, smiting the Panchalas on their way, laid siege to the capital of the great Drupada. And Duryodhana and Karna and the mighty Yuyutsu, and Duhsasana and Vikarna and Jalasandha and Sulochana,--these and many other foremost of Kshatriya princes of great prowess, vied with one another in becoming the foremost in the attack. And the princes, riding in first class chariots and following the cavalry, entered the hostile capital, and proceeded along the streets.
.
And careering over the field of battle like a fiery wheel, king Drupada with his arrows smote Duryodhana and Vikarna and even the mighty Karna and many other heroic princes and numberless warriors, and slaked their thirst for battle.
There was no caste based rejection of Karna at all as many of these TV shows tell us, nor did Drona refuse to take Karna as his student. It was, in fact, Karna who left Drona's school.
In fact, right from that time Karna was friends with Duryodhana. Later, Karna also participated in the war against Drupad. It was only LATER that Karna asked Drona to give him a Brahma weapon (perhaps Bhramashira) that the Guru had given to Arjuna earlier after testing his discipline and his prowess. Drona refused, knowing that Karna only wanted it to kill Arjuna, which is not a good reason to ask for a weapon. Drona refuses and Karna decides to go to parashurama and see if he will give it to him but there, he approaches Parashurama with a lie that he is a Brahmana.
You can see all of this in the original epic by Vyasa:
Mention in Adi parva of Karna being Drona’s student
O bull of the Bharata race, many other princes also flocked to that best of Brahmanas for instruction in arms. The Vrishnis and the Andhakas, and princes from various lands, and the (adopted) son of Radha of the Suta caste, (Karna), all became pupils of Drona. But of them all, the Suta child Karna, from jealousy, frequently defied Arjuna, and supported by Duryodhana, used to disregard the Pandavas.
Mention of Karn being Drona’s student in Santi Parva
For this, a child was conceived by Kunti in her maidenhood, capable of provoking a general war. Endued with great energy, that child came to have the status of a Suta. He subsequently acquired the science of weapons from the preceptor (Drona), that foremost descendant of Angirasa's race.
Mention of Karna in gurudakshina war with Drupad: Adi Parva: Sambhava parva: SECTION CXL
Those bulls among men, smiting the Panchalas on their way, laid siege to the capital of the great Drupada. And Duryodhana and Karna and the mighty Yuyutsu, and Duhsasana and Vikarna and Jalasandha and Sulochana,--these and many other foremost of Kshatriya princes of great prowess, vied with one another in becoming the foremost in the attack. And the princes, riding in first class chariots and following the cavalry, entered the hostile capital, and proceeded along the streets.
.
And careering over the field of battle like a fiery wheel, king Drupada with his arrows smote Duryodhana and Vikarna and even the mighty Karna and many other heroic princes and numberless warriors, and slaked their thirst for battle.
There was no caste based rejection of Karna at all as many of these TV shows tell us, nor did Drona refuse to take Karna as his student. It was, in fact, Karna who left Drona's school.
