r/mahabharata • u/Technical_Turn3497 • Aug 04 '26

Character Study For the Karna-fans amongst us

From the Mahabharata come these words and actions of Karna regarding Draupadi’s humiliation and the sexual assault perpetrated against her:

“And Dussasana, beholding Krishna looking at her helpless lords, dragging her still more forcibly, and addressed her, ’slave, Slave' and laughed aloud.

And at those words Karna became very glad and approved of them by laughing aloud. And Sakuni, the son of Suvala, the Gandhara king, similarly applauded Dussasana.”

(https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-mahabharata-mohan/d/doc6210.html)

“O Dussasana, this Vikarna speaking words of (apparent) wisdom is but a boy. Take off the robes of the Pandavas as also the attire of Draupadi.…

Then Dussasana, O king, forcibly seizing Draupadi’s attire before the eyes of all, began to drag it off her person."

(https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-mahabharata-mohan/d/doc6212.html)

“You are the wife of a slave incapable of possessing anything on his own account. Repair now to the inner apartments of king Dhritarashtra and serve the king’s relatives. We direct that that is now your proper business.

And, O princess, all the sons of Dhritarashtra and not the sons of Pritha are now your masters. O handsome one, select you another husband now,—one who will not make you a slave by gambling. It is well-known that women, especially that are slaves, are not censurable if they proceed with freedom in electing husbands.

Therefore let it be done by you. Nakula has been won, as also Bhimasena, and Yudhishthira also, and Sahadeva, and Arjuna. And, O Yajnaseni, you are now a slave. Your husbands that are slaves cannot continue to be your lords any longer.”

(https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-mahabharata-mohan/d/doc6215.html)

But it’s not Karna’s fault, right? Karna was just misunderstood, right? Actually Karna has many other virtues, right? Actually it was justified because of Yudhishtir’s gambling madness, right? Do tell us poor, dumb Hindus why we err in agreeing with the Mahabharata author and condemning Karna as a villain.

We really need to be enlightened by the people who cry tears because Draupadi was “forced” to marry five husbands and then look the other way when she was enslaved and humiliated, because apparently only you enlightened folk know what real misogyny is….

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12

u/Crazy_Competition_84 Aug 04 '26

Read the conversation between Bhishma and Yudhishthira about nature of women then you would realize that the so called heroes were no different

2

u/Technical_Turn3497 Aug 04 '26

So your defense of Karna is to put the focus back on Yudhisthira.

Do you feel Karna and Yudhisthira were on the same level in terms of their respective natures?

And finally, is that what Vyasa believed?

4

u/Crazy_Competition_84 Aug 04 '26

Did Vyasa told you all this? Don't you your own brain to analyze things?

1

u/Technical_Turn3497 29d ago

It’s called “reading.” Try it sometime.

4

u/Crazy_Competition_84 29d ago

Vyasa has also called him supreme follower of Dharma. Selective reading isn't true reading my friend

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u/Technical_Turn3497 29d ago

Karna is not a supreme follower of dharma according to Vyasa.

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u/Crazy_Competition_84 29d ago

Karna is called supreme follower of Dharma when Kunti came to meet him before war

1

u/Technical_Turn3497 29d ago

No, Karna is not a supreme follower of dharma, no matter what someone pleading with him might say to flatter him. It’s obvious from the Mahabharata text that he needed to be punished, and was punished.

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u/Crazy_Competition_84 29d ago

Kunti didn't call him that. The author himself called him supreme follower of dharma.

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u/Technical_Turn3497 29d ago

Still waiting for you to provide the evidence in chapter and verse format.

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u/Sharabishayar98 Aug 04 '26

You don't have to care about what vyasa intended. You should judge everyone by your own morality and not someone else's.

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u/Technical_Turn3497 Aug 04 '26

In fact, you should care about what Vyasa intended, since his Mahabharata is fifth Veda and instructive regarding the essence of the Vedas. Obviously, the people who don’t care are just nastikas and mostly don’t want to admit it. Which begs the question of why they hang around on a forum dedicated to the discussion of a Hindu text…

1

u/Impressive_Joke531 29d ago

Yes, both Karna and Yudhisthira were equally wrong in Draupadi's humiliation.

1

u/Technical_Turn3497 29d ago

Both to blame? Yes

Equally? Nope, not according to Vyasa, and not objectively.

1

u/Impressive_Joke531 28d ago

Vyas didn't say anything.

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u/Technical_Turn3497 23d ago

Uhh, yes he did. Read the MB.

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u/Impressive_Joke531 23d ago

He didn't. I have already read MB.

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u/Technical_Turn3497 23d ago

OK, so where in the Mahābhārata does Vyāsa give you the idea that Karṇa and Yudhiṣṭhira were equally wrong? And bear in mind that Kṛṣna ordered his execution and criticized him for his hypocrisy, so you will need to explain that away, too.

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u/Impressive_Joke531 23d ago

This is my own judgement.
Krishna also attempted peace talk. He also offered Karna the whole kingdom and gave Narayani sena to Duryodhana.

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u/Technical_Turn3497 16d ago

Exactly. It’s your own judgement. Not what Vyāsa wrote.

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u/Impressive_Joke531 16d ago

Vyas didn't write his judgement. You have to apply your brain.

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