Character

Karna

कर्णKarṇa

verses
3,515
books
12
chapters
449
Student of
Parashurama
Child of
Surya, Kunti
Slain by
Arjuna

What the texts say

In the Mahabharata, Karna is a great warrior born to Kunti, then still a maiden, from Surya, the Sun god, with a natural cuirass and shining earrings. Mahabharata 1.57.82Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.63.98 Fearing her kin, Kunti set the infant adrift on the water, and the charioteer who was Radha's husband took him as his own son. Mahabharata 1.104.13, 1.104.14 Karna later says he gained his mastery of weapons from Parashurama, Jamadagni's son. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 3.305.9Mahabharata 8.51.101 Karna was consecrated king of Anga, a kingdom, and he is found at the side of Duryodhana, a Kuru prince, when the Kurus arrive at Draupadi's svayamvara. Mahabharata 1.127.4, 1.127.16, 1.176.13 Indra, disguised as a brahmin, begged Karna's earrings and armour, and in exchange an unfailing spear was granted. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.67.144Mahabharata 5.54.52 In the war, Karna fell to Arjuna, his brother by the same mother, after the earth seized his chariot wheel. Mahabharata 12.1.35, 8.66.59, 11.21.11

Where to read

Every verse that names Karna, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    3,444 verses · 406 chapters

    All 3,444 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 4,611 verses

    • 8.66.60

      Karn ka rath ka pahiya phans gaya tha. Woh gusse mein aansoo bahane laga. Usne Arjun se kaha, 'Arjun, ek minute ruk jao.'

    • 6.117.4

      Phir Karna, jiska gala aansu se bhar gaya tha, us veer ke paas gaya jiski aankhen band thi. Woh uske paon mein gir gaya. Karna bahut bada yodha tha.

    • 7.47.24

      Phir Karna Drona se bola, Arjun ke bete ke teeron se maar kha ke. Main yahin khada rehta hoon soch ke ki mera sthan chhodna nahi hai. Abhimanyu mujhe bahut daba raha hai.

  2. Devi Bhagavatam

    18 verses · 10 chapters

    • 2.6.10

      Kunti ne jab tak baat pakki nahi hui thi, tab bhi Surya bhagwan se ek beta hua. Uska naam Karna rakha. Woh bada sundar tha. Baad mein uski shaadi Pandu se hui.

    • 2.7.54

      Kunti boli, Vyas ji, mera beta Karna maine sirf tab dekha jab woh paida hua tha. Mera dil bahut dukhta hai. Aap mujhe usko dikhao na.

    • 2.10.22

      Harishchandra aur Karna bhi apna naam banane ke liye bahut kuch diye. Yeh raja jahar ki aag mein jal raha hai. Main kaise usko chhod sakta hoon?

  3. Bhagavatam

    14 verses · 8 chapters

    • 1.15.15

      Mere bhagwan Krishna aage chal rahe the. Bheeshm, Karn, Dron, Shalya jaise bade yoddha the. Unki sena bahut strong thi, rath aur sab kuch perfect lag raha tha. Lekin Krishna sabse aage tha. Woh sabki jaan, dimaag aur taakat le gaya. Itne…

    • 3.1.14

      Vidura ne jo baat kahi, woh achhi thi. Duryodhana gusse mein phool gaya, uske hooth kaanp rahe the. Usne Vidura ko bura bola. Karna, bhai aur mama Shakuni sab uske paas khade the.

    • 3.3.13

      Karna, Dushasan, Shakuni ki buri salaah se Duryodhan ka sab kuch barbaad ho gaya. Uski jaan bhi gayi. Woh apne aadmiyon ke saath zameen par pada tha, taangein tooti hui. Bhagwan ne use dekha lekin khush nahi hua.

  4. Skanda Purana

    13 verses · 10 chapters

    • 1.2.43.74

      Karna isi tarah Surya ko arghya deta hai. Isliye woh Pritha ka beta Surya ko bahut pyaara hai, apni jaan jaisa.

    • 1.2.65.20

      Usne target maara tha. Usne Karn aur dusron ko haraya tha. Usne Khandav van ko jala diya tha. Yagya mein usne rajaon ko bhi haraya tha.

    • 1.2.66.6

      Drona ne kaha pandrah din mein. Ashvatthama ne kaha das din mein. Karna ne kaha chhah din mein. In sabki baat sun ke mujhe hamesha dar lagta tha.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Karna matters most.

  1. Arjuna-Karna Astra-Engagement and Dharmic Appeal

    Mahabharata 8.66 · 48 verses

    Kaurava champion who matches Arjuna astra-for-astra, stakes…

  2. Bhīṣma-Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म-कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)

    Mahabharata 6.117 · 27 verses

    Supplicant-hero seeking acknowledgment, then choosing loyalty…

  3. Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 47: Abhimanyu’s rapid exchanges, counsel to disable his chariot-system

    Mahabharata 7.47 · 19 verses

    Primary Kaurava striker and tactical executor of Droṇa’s…

  4. Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 181 · Svayaṃvara Aftermath: Arjuna-Karna Exchange and Bhīma-Śalya Contest

    Mahabharata 1.181 · 17 verses

    Foremost kṣatriya challenger

  5. Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 114: Karṇa-Bhīmasena Missile Exchange, Disarmament, and Arjuna’s Intervention

    Mahabharata 7.114 · 75 verses

    Dominant duelist who converts missile mastery into total…

  6. Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words

    Mahabharata 8.27 · 72 verses

    Kaurava champion asserting dominance through vow, generosity…

  7. Adhyāya 17: गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः (Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva-Duhshasana clash; Nakula-Karna encounter)

    Mahabharata 8.17 · 59 verses

    Kaurava champion who defeats Nakula, restrains himself due to…

  8. Karṇa and Arjuna’s Intensified Engagement

    Mahabharata 7.134 · 56 verses

    Kaurava spearpoint whose pride and performance become the…

  9. Chapter 26: Śalya appointed as charioteer; Karṇa’s departure; portents

    Mahabharata 8.26 · 44 verses

    नव-निर्णायक योद्धा

  10. Karna-Indra Exchange of Kavaca-Kuṇḍala for the Vāsavī-Śakti

    Mahabharata 3.294 · 39 verses

    Central moral agent

Key episodes

  1. The Birth of Karna

    Mahabharata 1.104

  2. Draupadi's Svayamvara

    Mahabharata 1.176-1.182

  3. Draupadi Dragged into the Assembly

    Mahabharata 2.60-2.63

  4. Bhishma Falls to the Bed of Arrows

    Mahabharata 6.114-6.117

  5. Abhimanyu and the Chakravyuha

    Mahabharata 7.33-7.48

  6. The Death of Karna

    Mahabharata 8.66-8.67

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q2727397