Karn's performance is Draupadi Swayamwar

 

Draupadi Swaymwar is one of the most misunderstood events in Mahabharat. A lot of fake TV serials change the storyline and narrative to support their Propaganda. Today, we will try to see whether Karna was actually rejected and insulted by Devi Draupadi in her Swaymwar. We would divide the blog into 2 parts; Part one being on what the authentic sources and certain popular Translations state about the incident and Part two being whether rejecting Karna (If it had happened) was right or wrong.

 

Part 1:- What do the Sources say about Karna's performance in Draupadi Swaymwar 

1.1 BORI CE

Let's start with what the BORI CE states about the incident (Note:- If someone wants to download BORI CE then one can go to this link:- https://hinduismepics.blogspot.com/2021/03/bori-ce-mahabharat-downloadbibek-debroy.html) 

1.1.1 BORI CE English Translations by Dr Bibek Debroy

The BORI CE clearly states that Karna lost the Draupadi Swayamwar. There are 3 refernces for the same. The first Reference is from Adi Parva Section 179 that all the kings failed the Swaymwar. Now, before anyoen states that Karna was not present Section 177 states that Karna was there to win the Swaymwar 

Section 177:-  

 

‘Dhrishtadyumna said, “Duryodhana, Durvisaha, Durmukha, Dushpradharshana, Vivimshati,Vikarna, Saha, Duhshasana, Sama, Yuyutsu, Vatavega, Bhimavegadhara, Ugrayudha, Balaki,Kanakayu, Virochana, Sukundula, Chitrasena, Suvarcha, Kanakadhvaja, Nandaka, Bahushali,

Kunduja and Vikata—these and others are the immensely powerful sons of Dhritarashtra.

These warriors have come with Karna for your hand.

Section 179:-  

 

Vaishampayana said, ‘When all the kings gave up attempting to string the bow, the great souled Jishnu arose from among the Brahmanas.

 

• In this section, Vaishampayana says that Jishnu (or Arjuna) get up from the group of Brahmanas to take part in Draupadi’s Swayamvar when all the kings gave up and failed in the task.

• Now section 177 says that Karna was among the participants (kings) & section 179 says that all the kings failed in the task. It clearly indicates that Karna also failed in the task as he is one of the kings.

The second reference for Karna's defeat is from Swaymwara Parva

 “O Brahmanas! If Kshatriyas like Karna and Shalya, who are famous in the world, have great strength and are well versed in Dhanur Veda,22 could not string the bow, how can this weakling Brahmana, with no knowledge of weapons, succeed?

1.1.2 BORI CE Hindi Translations by DR. Satwalkerji 

 

1.1.3 Prof. Vishnu Sitaram Sukhtanker (General Editior of BORI Institute) in his Book Prolegomena

 The situation is, undoubtedly, full of dramatic possibilities. Just at the moment when the prize was going to be snatched away from the heroes of the epic by an upstart, the brave little Draupadī comes to the rescue and snubs openly, in the presence of the assembled princes, the semi­divine bastard, the understudy of the Villain of the piece, the unwanted suitor, who thereupon withdraws discomfitted; and everybody breathes a sigh of relief. A tense scene!

Unfortunately, this melo­dramatic interlude, to judge by the documentary evidence, appears to be the handiwork of a very late Vyāsaīd, as it is found only in K * Ñ2, Dn D2.4. c, that is, one manuscript of the K group, one Nepali manuscript, and three composite Devanāgarī manuscripts, besides the Nīlakaṇṭha version! All of these are late and inferior or conflated manuscripts. It is missing, on the other hand, not only in the Śāradā version and the Southern recension (as in the case of many of the interpolations of the Vulgate ), but for once, also in the entire Bengali version.

1.1.4 According to the BORI institute, the rejection theory is not available in Southern, Bengali, Sarada and the majority of Sanskrit Texts (According to Vishnu ji the Director-General at BORI out of 1256 Sanskrit Scriptures on 6 have the rejection theory). Mr MB Mehendale, an employee at the BORI institute also states that Karna was not rejected in his Book "Interpolations of Mahabharat" 

 

 1.2  M L Dutt's Translation 

M L Dutt also states that KARNA failed in the Swaymwar. The narrative is as follows:- 

"The bow which Rukma, Sunita, Vakra, Radha’s Son (Karna), Duryodhan,Salya, and many other kings, accomplished in the science and practice of arms, could not string, even with great exertion, was stringed within the twinkling of an eye"

1.3 C. Rajagopalachari  Translations 

C. Rajagopalachari was the last Governor-General of India. He had translated all the texts related to Mahabharat from Tamil and Sanskrit to English. 

“When Karna came forward, all assemblage expected that he would be successful but he failed by just a hair’s breadth and string slid back flashing and the mighty bow jumped out of his hands like a thing of life”

1.4 Madhawacharya Commentary 

prAyo gatAstamanu bhUpatayo.atha karNo

duryodhanArtham anugR^ihya dhanushchakarshha |

rAmAdupAttashubhashixitamAtrato.asau

romAvashishhTamakarod.h dhanushho.antamAshu ||

Translation:

After some kings followed Jarasandha and left, Karna for the sake of Duryodhana, tried to string the bow, using the training given by Parashurama and could only muster until the gap is a hair-wide and he also gets hit by the bow.

1.5 Malayalam version Cherusseri Bharatham 

According to another Malayalam version Cherusseri Bharatham (Bharatagatha) Authored by Ponathil Sankaran Nambidi during the reign of Udyavarman Kolathiri - M.E 621 to 640 (A.D 1446 to 1465) -

For an instant, Draupadi looks at Karna with desire. Looking for Arjuna, She confuses Karna (Kunti's son is the word used here) for Arjuna. Karna fails in his attempt because of Krishna's act (no elaboration of what this act is)

1.6  Sarala Das Mahabharata 

According to Sarala Das Mahabharata (15th-century poet Odia poet)- Karna went to participate on behalf of Duryodhana and failed to hit the target. The reference I have is not the original text. I have reference to the blog of a researcher who researched Sarala Das Mahabharata and written several posts on different aspects.

1.7 Indonesian Mahabharat 

According to the Indonesian Mahabharata, it was Bhima who wins the hand of Draupadi by defeating an uncle of Draupadi in a duel. 

https://sobokartti.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/variations-in-indonesian-mahabharata/

Part 2:- Was Drupadi's decision right or not?

The Term Swayamwar means one's on Groom or Var (Var means husband). So, from this, it is pretty clear that in a Swayamawar the wife or the women used to decide whom she would marry. There are 2 types of Swaymwar, one in which the wife directly marries the man she loves and the other where the women organise a competition between the potential spouses to see who is the best. In the second case, the women are in no relation and desires to marry someone (No one forces the women to marry, it is the decision of the women only). But what is important is that in both cases the women have the right to chose her Husband. 

So, if Draupadi rejects Karna then is it wrong? The answer is a big fat No

 Moving forward, rejection on the basis of caste is self-contradictory to the Geeta Gyan and Vedas. The caste system was based on one's actions or KARMA and not on the basis of Birth. I have written an article on it, please read it to understand it. The link:-The original Caste system as mentioned in the Scriptures

Also, the texts clearly state that Karna was a Kshatriya, so this theory is not only baseless but self-contradictory to the events that took place in the Swaymwara