Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.3074

c7.3074

8) *Kuntī before Karṇa.* War clouds grew thick and fast, and Kuntī at Vidura’s house got restless. Her heart trembled at the disasters of war as described by Vidura. She went alone to the banks of the Gaṅgā where just then Karṇa was engaged in Japa with his hands raised and face turned to the east. Kuntī waited for some time after which they began to talk. With tears in her eyes Kuntī told Karṇa that he was her son and implored him to return to the Pāṇḍava side to which Karṇa replied as follows : “Oh! noble lady, that is quite impossible. I have vowed to kill Arjuna. I will not kill the other four Pāṇḍavas. You shall always have five sons alive. If Arjuna were to be no more I would be there for you in his stead.” Kuntī shuddered at those terrible words of Karṇa, and thus did both of them part with each other. (Udyoga Parva, Chapters 145 and 146).