A Study of Karna from the Mahabharata: A Misfortune Invites Death

Abstract

One of the Mahabharata's most nuanced and tragic figures, Karna, is an actual example of how a life molded by adversity can end in an unmerited death. Karna's life is a sequence of calamities, including desertion, social rejection, misdirected allegiance, and cruel fate, which culminate in his death on the battlefield. He was born with divine ancestry but denied his identity. This paper examines how Karna's fate was shaped by both karmic and circumstantial tragedy and considers the epic's larger philosophical repercussions.