Karṇabhāram or The Anguish of Karna (literally: The Burden of Karna) Dr.G.K.Bhat, 1947. The problem of Karnabhara. Bombay University is a Sanskrit one-act play written by the Indian dramatist Bhasa, an Indian playwright complimented even by the Kalidasa in the beginning of his play Malavikagnimitram.Kashinath Pandurang Parab, 1924. The Malavikagnimitra of Kalidasa: with commentary of Katyavema (Ed.),(6th Ed.), P.4. Bombay The play describes the mental pain of Karna on the previous day of the Kurukshetra War. Karṇabhāram is essentially the retelling of an episode of the Indian epic Mahabharata but the story is presented in a different perspective in the play. It is perhaps the only potential tragedy in the classic Sanskrit literature, presented in a form that comes closest to the "Vyayoga" (Sanskrit: व्यायोग) form of one-act play.P. C. Dave and S. J. Dave, 2012. Mahakavi Kalidasa Virachitam Karnabharam (in Gujarati). Saraswati Pustak Bhandar, Ahmedabad That is so perhaps because the Natya Shastra ordains the playwrights to create plays for recreation, and essentially create happy endings.A. B. Keith, 1924. The Sanskrit Drama in its Origin, Development, Theory & Practice. P.110, Oxford University Press, Great Britain In Karnabharam, the tragedy does not occur on-stage (Unlike Urubhanga, a tragedy that shows Duryodhana dying - again, written by Bhasa). Karnabharam shows the valiant, generous, righteous Karna riding out towards the battle-ground, where his death under heart-wrenching circumstances is certain. The basic plot of this play is inspired by Mahabharata.
Karnabharam is known today as one of the 13 manuscripts of plays which are generally attributed to Bhasa with some dissent.Bhat, G.K., 1954. ‘The problem of the Mahābhārata plays of Bhāsa’. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 35, 73–83 The Malayalam script of these plays was found on 105 palm leaves, believed to be about 300 years old when found. Mahamahopadhyaya T. Ganapati Sastri made this discovery as part of his field research at the site called Manalikkar located in Kanyakumari district, which is now within the city of Trivandrum (now Thiruvananthapuram).Bhat, G.K., 1968. Bhāsa Studies. Kolhapur: Maharashtra Granth Bhandar The discovery of these manuscripts was made over a period starting from 1909 when ten plays and some parts of the eleventh play were found. None were carrying the name of their author.Unni, N.P., 1978. New Problems in Bhāsa Plays. Trivandrum: College Book House Soon after, two more were found and lastly, another intact play, ascertained as Dootavakyam was found - thus bringing the number of plays to 13.Brückner, H., 1999–2000. ‘Manuscripts and performance traditions of the so-called “Trivandrum Plays” ascribed to Bhāsa: a report on work in progress’. Bulletin d’Études Indiennes 17–18, 499–549
Synopsis Karnabharam is the shortest and the least action-oriented among the plays written by Bhasa.Bruckner, H. (?) Karnabhara - An Edition of the One-Act Play Ascribed to Bhasa Based on Three Manuscripts,
Major elements of this play are the Mangala Shloka, Prologue, Entry of the soldier, Anguish of Karna, Curse of Parashurama, Finding of inner brilliance by Karna, Donation of Kavacha and Kundala, Receiving of Vimala power and Bharat Vakya.Dave, P. C. and Dave S. J., 2012-13. Mahakavi Bhasa Virachitam: Karnabharam. Saraswati Pustak Bhandar, Ahmedabad (in Gujarati)
The play begins with a scene in which, a soldier sent by Duryodhana informs Karna that the time to go to the battlefield had arrived. Karna finds himself filled with extreme agony and grief that manifest themselves from his whole demeanor, which was ironic given that it was a day of great battle for him (Shloka-6). But, Karna cannot shake off his recent discovery of the fact that he was the eldest son of Kunti (Shloka-7), who did not want him to kill his arch enemy - and now also his younger brother - Arjuna (Shloka-8). Karna also remembers the event involving his Guru's curse. As he narrates these things to Shalya, the king of Madra and Karna's charioteer, Indra approaches Karna with a request for a great favor. Indra is in the attire of a Brahmin, and he does not reveal his identity. Karna offers him many things, all of which were refused by Indra, until the time when Karna offers his armor and earrings. Indra accepts and goes away. "Indra cheated you!", cries Shalya. "No, it was Indra who was cheated by me", responds Karna. This is a thought-provoking response, as the reader wonders how exactly did Karna cheat Indra. It is true that Indra was obliged, favored and even dwarfed, but how Karna thinks that Indra was cheated, is a question that does not have a ready answer.P. C. Dave and S. J. Dave, 2012. Mahakavi Kalidasa Virachitam Karnabharam (in Gujarati). Saraswati Pustak Bhandar, Ahmedabad
When Karna promises Indra to give him whatever he wants, Indra blesses him with 'undying glory'. Karna wonders why, as it was customary, the receiver did not give the usual blessing of 'live long' (). Karna is suspicious but goes ahead with the gracious act of giving unconditionally and with unshaken faith. A little while later, a messenger sent by Indra arrives and gives him what Indra sent in reciprocation - a weapon named Vimla, which never failed in killing the target. Karna again responds valiantly that "I never seek the return on what I have gifted." () But, the messenger insists that he keep it "because of the request from a Brahmin." () Karna accepts and asks Shalya once again to take his chariot to where stands Arjuna ().
Thus, the play starts with a messenger of Duryodhana and ends with a scene involving the messenger from Indra.
Karna Karna was the Grey Character warrior of ancient India as given in the Mahabharatha. He was the king of Anga kingdom. According to Mahabharatha, Karna, along with Arjuna, were the only warriors who had the capacity to conquer the entire world.
Depiction of Karna The play depicts Karna's mental agony a day before the Kurukshetra War, as he thinks about his past and his faith. The play projects the mortal anguish of a man unsure of his identity. Karna, the protagonist is heroic and pathetic at the same time as he tries to find his place between the mocking and adulation of social forces on one side and the taunting challenges of fate on the other.
The treatment of the play takes it beyond reality, beyond the caricature of farce into a realm that transcends the space and time and gets related to the social realities of today. Karna lingers in one’s consciousness as the symbol of Universal man in search of his own self-the ultimate dilemma of existence.
Plot The time and space of action is from the eleventh day in the war-field of Mahabharata.
The great warrior Karna, the son of Surya is seen disturbed and depressed in the war-field instead of being mighty and powerful. The play analyses the reasons.
He is worried of his birth, his caste and his social status. Whether he is the son of Kunti and Surya, or Radha and Adhiratha? The mockery and adulation of the society moulds his person and fate. For a while he is moved by the meaninglessness of the war where men kill each other. He says that irrespective of his victory or defeat, war is a real waste. This vision adds to his turbulence.
Karna tells Shalya about the curse given by his Guru, Parashurama. This episode is enacted by correlating the narration of the present with the enacting of the past. The astra advised by Parashurama is found powerless at the needed hour.
The entry of Indra disguised as a Brahmin, follows, who cunningly takes away the divine Kavacha and Kundala from Karna. He understands that the whole plot is masterminded by the shrewd Krishna and accepts his fate. The messenger from Indra offers a powerful weapon Vimala which can destroy one among the Pandavas.
Accepting the challenge from Arjuna and Krishna the revitalized Karna proceed to this ultimate fate heroically. Thus ends Bhasa’s play Karnabharam.
Sources of the play Jay bharata by Vyasa Shanti Parva. Chapter 3. The story of Karna learning the 'Astravidya' (art of warfare) and divyastras (divine weapons) from Parasuram. The curse of the guru. Vana Parva. Chapter. 310. The visit of Indra and the giving away of the armour and the ear rings in exchange for a magic power. Udyogaparva. Chapter 146. Kunti’s request that her children may be spared. Karna’s promise (exception Arjuna) Karna Parva: Karna’s march to the battlefield with Salya as the charioteer.
Title of the play 'Bhara' or burden is the central theme. The word 'bhara' in the title may refer to
The weight of the armour and the ear rings The thought of killing his own brothers. The thought of the three curses. The thought of his weapons becoming useless at the crucial time. The loss of the ear rings and the armour at the crucial time which increased his bhara or responsibility as the commander of the army.
Deviation from Vyasa's Mahabharata The play has many deviations from the original Mahabharata and all deviations are purposeful. Three major changes are:
First, the play is characterized by a friendly dialogue between Karna and Shalya, his Charioteer.Dave, P. C. and Dave S. J., 2012-13. Mahakavi Bhasa Virachitam: Karnabharam. Saraswati Pustak Bhandar, Ahmedabad (in Gujarati) Shalya is consistently empathetic towards Karna, and even concerned about his interests - he warns Karna not to give away his armor and earrings to the brahmin-looking stranger. In the original story, Shalya was the king of Madra, and sympathetic towards the Pandavas. Karna had accepted to be a General of the Kaurava army provided Shalya drove his chariot. Shalya could not deny Duryodhana's request, but keeps a condition of his own - that Karna would say or do nothing in response to whatever he said to him. Karna accepts, and on the battlefield Shalya continually criticizes Karna, reminding him of his low birth and other failures in life. The Karna of the Mahabharata (in Karnaparva) fights bravely in spite of nagging criticism of Shalya. The Karna of Karnabharam finds an ally in Shalya.
Second, in the original, Surya - Karna's father visits him in his dream and warns him of a possible cheating by Indra (Vanaparva). Karna of Karnabharam is not aided or supported by anyone from his family, and it appears ironic that Indra, Arjun's biological father goes to Karna to protect his son, while Surya, the biological father of Karna, watches on from the sky. In the original, Indra feigning as a brahmin asks for the armor and earrings, and Karna obliges. In Karnabharam, Karna offers one thing after another, refused by Indra and in the end, offers on his own, his armor and earrings. Karna of Karnabharam is a compulsive giver. Also, in the original, when asked by Indra to get something in return for a great act of charity, Karna asks for the ability to kill the enemy. In Karnabharam, a guilty Indra sends the weapon, which Karna refuses to accept, saying that he does not seek the return on charity. Bhasa's Karna is gallant and very, very generous.
Third, the mental agony experienced by Karna is an exploration and presentation by Bhasa. Although Karna's story appears in various parts of Mahabharata, all of them appearing together and serving the backdrop for Karna's intense stress, feeling of being let down in life and un-auspicious omens pointing at impending fate, Bhasa's Karna tells Shalya,
"हतोSपि लभते स्वर्गं जित्वा तु लभते यश: उभे बहुमते लोके नास्ति निष्फलता रणे ॥ १२॥
[Meaning: If killed, one attains heaven and if victorious, gains glory. Both are highly esteemed in this world - there is nothing like failure in war.]