Karna abusing Madra women

Om Namaḥ Śivāya and Hare Kṛṣṇa

On the 17th day Karṇa insulted the Madra women because Shalya taunted him. But I feel that this does not justify the sexist comments Karṇa gave to the Madra women. Let us see what he said

#Karṇa’s first comment on the Madra women

Those women that, intoxicated by spirits, cast off their robes and dance, those women that are not attached (to particular individuals) in the matter of intercourse and that they do as they please without owning any restrictions, I say, that being as thou art the child of one of those women, how canst thou, O Madraka, be a fit person for declaring the duties of men? Those women that live and answer calls of nature like camels and asses, being as thou art the child of one of those sinful and shameless creatures, how canst thou wish to declare the duties of men? When a Madraka woman is solicited for the gift of a little quantity of vinegar, she scratches her hips and without being desirous of giving it, says these cruel words, 'Let no man ask any vinegar of me that is so dear to me. I would give him my son, I would give him my husband, but vinegar I would not give.' The young Madraka maidens, we hear, are generally very shameless and hairy and gluttonous and impure. These and many other things of a like nature, in respect of all their acts, from the crown of their heads to the tip of their toes, are capable of being asserted of them by myself and others.

Points to be noted:-

1. Madra women are impure because they intoxicate themselves in alcohol and have intercourse with many men. But, Karṇa has no problems with a man copulating with many women, infact he donated women. Example; he said that he will give 100 young women to anyone who finds Arjun[1]
2. Madra women who answer, the natures call, the way animals do are sinful and their children are impure. By saying this he is insulting his step-mother (Madri).
3. If women have hair on their body then they are impure.

# Karṇa’s second comment

The Madraka is always a hater of friends. He that hateth us is a Madraka. There is no friendship in the Madraka who is mean in speech and is the lowest of mankind. The Madraka is always a person of wicked soul, is always untruthful and crooked. It hath been heard by us that till the moment of death the Madrakas are wicked. (Amongst the Madrakas) the sire, the son, the mother, the mother-in-law, the brother, the grand-son, and other kinsmen, companions, strangers arrived at their homes, slaves male and female, mingle together. The women of the Madrakas mingle, at their own will, with men known and unknown. Of unrighteous conduct, and subsisting upon fried and powdered corn and fish, in their homes, they laugh and cry having drunk spirits and eaten beef. They sing incoherent songs and mingle lustfully with one another, indulging the while in the freest speeches. How then can virtue have a place amongst the Madrakas who are arrogant and notorious for all kinds of evil acts? No one should make friends with a Madraka or provoke hostilities with him. In the Madraka land there is no friendship. The Madraka is always the dirt of humanity.

Points to be noted:-

1. Madraka (It includes women also) are crooked and wicked souls.
2. Madraka women who copulate with someone else are wicked and sinful. As discussed above, Karṇa donated women to men. But these people are not sinful!!
3. Madraka population are evil because of the food they eat. Every country has different cousins and one must respect it.
4. Finally Karṇa calls the Madraka population the dirt of humanity.

Footnotes

[1] Karna Parva: Section 38