Moral causation …
..................On a loop
Kunti is never considered as a spectacular or iconic character when
one discusses the Mahabharata. Her story is actually quite tragic.
Born as a princess,given away by her father to his childless
relative,
she does not even get an
opportunity to bid a proper goodbye
to her mother .But she dutifully respects
her father’s wishes with dignity.
She personally manages hospitality to Sage Durvasa during his visit
and is granted a divine boon. Unaware of its power, she ends
up giving birth to a baby (Karna). She is
forced abandon the newborn to avoid social ridicule. She offers to relinquish her royal life to raise the baby living incognito,. but she is prevented.
. This decision haunts her all her life. Then she gets
married to King Pandu . As dutiful wife
she graciously accepts her husband’s second wife .
Madri commits Sati on the to the funeral pyre of Pandu. Kunti is
left to raise five children all by herself. Under her care they grow up into courageous warriors. She comes back to Hastinapur
and becomes Queen Mother. But her troubles never end. . She endures the ordeals
of the Lakshagriha and agnyathavasa with her sons. She finally comes face to
face with her first born Karna whom she
had abandoned.Though she recognises him she cannot proclaim it. She endures the pain of watching him being humiliated repeatedly
for being of lower caste and not a Kshatriya ( even though he is one in reality ). Sadly her five sons are the ones who insult Karna
the most . They even become sworn enemies..
Kunti faced discrimination, humiliation, ridicule and
vilification throughout her life.
For Karma is so
powerful that it can nullify all the blessings & adulation one may
receive, protection that one may
have, wealth fame one may attain ,beauty
& virtues which one may be bestowed
with…..
If a mythological character like Kunti ,whose life story is an
endless saga of
misfortune , sorrow, grief & distress & without her there would be
no Pandavas , no Karna and consequently no Kurukshetra
War was not spared the repercussions of
Karma,
What about the mere mortals ?
It is ironical that we alone
create our Karma by our actions(doings)
which we are unable to regulate or
maneuver
Thus thinketh madasambrani
3 comments:
Very good ! Tragic indeed
Love this line
It is ironical that we alone create our Karma by our actions(doings) which we are unable to regulate or maneuver
Food for some thought and introspection . Karma Theory is both fascinating and confusing . Maybe will never get to understand fully how it works .
BTW , in the Mahabharata , all women suffer , Gandhari included , not just Kunti . Besides , Kunti had also many positives going for her - Dhritharashtra gave her refuge , her sons and nephews (Vidura and Krishna ) couselled and helped her. Karna’s birth was a conscious choice she made and had to face the consequences which cannot be outsourced to “Karma’” . Whatever later troubles came to her were not individualised , they happened to the whole family .
If everything is pre- ordained , why would Humans be given a thinking, reasoning brain and physical intelligence ? True, events beyond control do happen , because “things just happen”. How we react to them is still our Free Will ; lessons we learn as we live . Like, Kunti could have followed Madri into the pyre and nothing would’ve changed , but she Chose to face life.
In the Cosmic scale of Time and Space , we are insignificant dust-motes and its funny - and meaningless - how our Thoughts make us suffer! ………But we do ! We can call that Karma .!
Take comfort by blaming Karma when something goes wrong
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