Storytelling Week 7: Karna, You Are the Brother

Shikhandin, a warrior born a woman, but transformed into a man, sought Bhishma in battle.  Bhishma could not bare to fight a woman, even if she was a man now.  He refused to bring his A game and was not expecting much out of this encounter.  However, Shikhandin had every intention of battling Bhishma.  Within minutes of their battle Shikhandin struck him with multiple arrows and he immediately fell to the ground near his death.

Everyone was called to come visit Bhishma as he lied on his death bed.  Most visitors he wished to speak with one on one.  He had several visitors including all of the princes and princesses in the land, but there was one visitor in particular he knew he had to have a serious moment with, and he wanted this visitor to be the last to bid him farewell.  Bhishma called young Karna to come visit him before he passed, to tell him some news he would never be prepared to hear.

When Karna heard the news that Bhishma had summoned him his stomach was in knots.  He wondered what in the world he could have to tell him that was so important that he wanted it to be his last words on Earth.  Karna nervously walked to see him.  His jaw was clinching, he was profusely sweating, and a million thoughts were running through his head.  As he approached Bhishma lying in a pile of leaves, he took a deep breath and said, "to what do I owe the honor, Bhishma?"

Bhishma was weak.  He could not sit up, he could hardly talk, and his face was as white as snow.  "Come closer, boy,"  he said as he signaled to Karna to take a seat next to him on the ground.  "I urge you to make peace, my boy," he said, "I promise you, you do not want to fight Arjuna.  He is like family to you."

"Family to me?  I cannot stand the man and I am going to take him down!" Karna said angrily, "Why would you even suggest such a thing?!" Bhishma had tears in his eyes, and Karna knew it must be very serious.  "Tell me the news, Bhishma.  I cannot wait any longer, just tell me."

Bhishma put his hand on Karna's shoulder while looking at him in dismay.  "You mustn't fight Arjuna for he is your brother.  The charioteer was nothing but a foster father to you. You were the first born son of Kunti, but she had to give you away.  Arjuna is your family, and you can't kill family.  Please, do not kill your family." And with that Bhishma peacefully passed away.

Battle (Wikimedia Commons)

Karna was upset, but more furious.  Why would nobody tell him this until now?  Why would his mother give him away?  Was he supposed to feel differently about killing Arjuna?  Because right now he didn't.  He ran through the woods looking for the rest of the Pandavas, trying to find an explanation for the madness.  He finally came across none other than Arjuna.  Karna approached him, and for the first time he had the feeling like he could not be angry with him.  "Arjuna, we cannot go through with this battle,"  he said.

"What? You're chickening out? HA! I had a feeling you weren't as tough as you pretend to be,"  Arjuna said laughing.

"No..."  Karna said, "We can't go through with this because you... you are my brother. I was the first born son of Kunti, but she could not raise me at the time, so she gave me away.  Bhishma just told me this on his death bed.  His last dying wish was for us to end the battle and bring peace again."

Arjuna was silent for what seemed like an eternity.  "This is not possible,"  he said, "you are a savage, you are not my brother."  And with anger in his heart Arjuna turned around and struck Karna, instantly killing him.   He stood above Karna as he passed away, and realized what he had done.  "My brother," he wept, "I just killed my brother.  What kind of man am I?"  Arjuna lied there next to his brother Karna crying, begging for the forgiveness of the gods and his family.  He knew he had done a horrible thing.



Author's Note:  This reading came from Wilson's Five Tall Sons of Pandu.  I chose to base my story off of section 9 of this reading.  I stuck with the same general plot of the original story, but I knew I wanted to change it up a bit.  First of all, in the original story the Pandavas shoot the arrow that killed Bhishma, not Shikhandin.  I also made a bigger emphasis on Bhishma's death.  I wanted to make it seem that it was a much bigger deal, so I elaborated on his visitors.  I made the scene of Bhishma summoning Karna and breaking the news to him much more dramatic because I felt that it should have been.  I also changed the ending up a bit.  I decided I wanted Karna to see the light and decide he did not want to fight his brother.  In the original story Karna is still determined to fight Arjuna, they go to battle without Karna telling him they are brothers and Arjuna kills him.  I felt this story would be a great addition to my portfolio because it is dramatic like many of my other stories.  I love taking intense scenes from our reading and making them a little more detailed and dramatic.  


Five Tall Sons of Pandu