Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c5.114

v1.c5.114

Here the party of the Pāṇḍavas wins the victory ; from fear lest Arjuna, their pride, should be overcome by Karṇa, they trick Karṇa shamefully. But afterwards it would be a gift of heaven beyond price for the Pāṇḍavas, if they could win him. Kuntī herself then takes the step that is so painful for her : she goes to Karṇa, just when he is carrying out his worship of the sun god at the river’s shore, waits humbly in the burning glow till he is done, and then discloses to him that he is not the chariot-driver’s son, but her sun-god-begotten virgin-child, and strives to unite him with his brothers. But the mighty one first remonstrates with her for having treated him before in so unmotherly wise, and having ruthlessly deprived him of the warrior’s sacraments and the career laid down for him, while now she was seeking him out for her own ends. He declares both the words of his mother and the voice that comes solemnly from the sun, confirming and supporting what she had said, to be false. Then in a speech showing the inborn nobility of the soul of this the finest hero in all Indian literature he makes known his resolve to stay faithful until death to his lords and friends the Kauravas, although for him it were better otherwise.¹ But to the mother, filled with care about her other sons, he gives the great-hearted promise to spare them all in the fight; only with Arjuna will he fight a life and death struggle. Thus did Karṇa lose her for ever (v, 144 ff.; cp. xii, 1.18 ff.; 6.9 ff.).