By Sri Chiraan 2009/05/14
Karna was a demon by name Dambhodbhav in his previous birth. Dambodbhav did penance to Sun for many years. Pleased with his penance, Sun
appeared before him and asked him to partake a boon. Dambodbhav asked for
immortality. Sun said no one can become immortal, as all those who have taken
birth should die, this the law of the nature set by NARAYANA, thus he can ask
for something else.
Dambodbhav asked something that would be akin to immortality. He asked "oh Lord Sun kindly give me a 1000 KAvach – Kundal that should not
break for at least 1000 years, and one who breaks it should die immediately". Sun grants him the boon.
Dambodbhav smitten with pride created havoc in the world, and
none could kill Dambodbhav, and none dared to fight as that would mean definite
death. So when the world was besieged with the cruelty of Dambodbhav, sages
and devatas went to Lord Narayana asked for the relief.
Lord Narayana took the form of two sages along with NARA.
NARA-NARAYANA. The sages confronted the Demon, Narayana sat in meditation
tapasya, for a 1000 years with mrit sanjeevani vidya, while nara would fight
with Dambhodbhav. After 1000 years Nara would break the kavach and die,
Narayana would bring him back to life and continue the fight. Nara would
complete the tapasya for 1000 years as Narayana fought the battle and break
another kavach, thus each would alternatively fight and practise tapasya and
cut the kavach. This continued for 999 times in 1000000 years. The fight went
on for 1000000 years, and when the last Kavach was left, Dambhodbhav fled the
battle field and hid behind SUN in surya mandal, Sun gave him shelter. Nara
Narayana demanded the demon to be handed over but SUN pleaded on behalf of him. Thus Nara cursed SUN to be born along with the demon and be killed.
For having given shelter to Demon and going against Narayana, Sun took the birth as KARNA along with suryavarman demon [ Dambhodbhav].
This time he was born with the 1000th kavach kundal naturally by the grace of previous boon by SUN.
Nara and NARAYANA were born again as Arjun and Krishna.
This kavach whoever breaks it would die and hence, had to
be begged back by Indra. As demon would not give it, Karna had SUN also born in
this birth as Amsa. With the quality of giving dana readily, SUN gave back
the KAVACH he had been tricked to offer by DAMBHODBHAV, and created havoc in
the world. Thus Indra tricked Dambhodbhav, and SUN rectified his mistake.
The presence of Dambhodbhav and Narkasur in the Karna made
him undergo untold misery and misfortunes. But his previous tapasya and
presence of SUN made him a hero as well. Apart from that due to immense
devotion that Sugreeeva had done in Ramayana. Krishna himself manifested in
KARNA to make him unparalleled due to Parshuram’s chariot and Bhargava astra.
Whenever the whole Pandava ARMY trembled on account of KARNA, it was actually
Krishna in him that made the balance in the WAR. At all such times, Karna won
and became difficult to conquer like swayamvar of Jarasandha’s daughter, use
of Bhargav astra, use of shakti, use of Bramhastra, riding Chariot of
Parshuram etc.
As with Kavach on, had Arjun killed Karna, even Arjun would
have lost his life, just like previous birth fight. Thus Kavach was taken
away and returned to Suryaloka. Now Sun had to be released from runanubandha
of Indra, on account of shelter to demon and also on account of killing VALI.
Thus he was killed unarmed to set right the score and make
way for sun to go back to Surya Loka and NARA NARAYANA to return to
NARAYANAASHRAMA in upper Badri .
Krishnarpanamastu
