Relevance of Karna’s Task in the Contemporary Context

 Relevance of Karna’s Task in the Contemporary Context

Dr Swati Joshi

Gujarat 

Karna’s Task is a completely based on the character of Karna. Here we see Karna as the individual character that is having his own problems, situations, name, fame, emotions, relations and most important a place in the society. The character of Karna shows relevance with the contemporary society. In modern time everybody face the same problem everyday but the means of problems changed. The description of battlefield, asking of Indra, the politics behind that, the advisory in form of Salya all are the internal part of contemporary time but it come to us in different form. Let’s discuss the character of Karna.

1 Karna

Bhasa’s Karnabharam has also it appeal and relevance in the contemporary context. Karna is the mythological hero who throughout his life suffers, faces injustice and dies for no fault of his own. Karna was the senior most Pandava but lived the life of a discarded and insulted human being. The contemporary times have many such people who find themselves in the same type of condition as is the condition of this mythological hero. The character of Karna can be seen on two bases as his weakness as a part of his personality and his strength and dedication. Karna’s personality is shaped by the childhood incident. He was an abandoned child and he never comes over this thinking of being abandoned by society, friends, family and everybody. This resulted in mental struggle and in search of his self identity. 

Relevance

Troubles hardships and insults which Karna has to undergo are the troubles of every ill legitimate child in the contemporary context. In other words Karna’s pain is the pain of thousands of illegitimate children who suffer for no fault of their own. The insults and setbacks which Karna come across during his life time on the ground of caste are highly relevant in the contemporary context. It’s relevance in the contemporary context is that every illegitimate has to become the victims of social injustice and torture and to run away from the torture the illegitimate children tries to hide their original identity to find out education, benefits and respectful place in the society  as Karna did.

“Karna lied about his lineage in order to study under another great teacher Parsuram.”39 

2 Karna’s Burden

The Burden of Karna is “to give or not to give” Everybody wants recognition in society so does Karna. He wanted to discard his inferiority complex to find the place in the society.  The inferiority was his burden and Karna wanted to come out of it because he was an abandoned child, discarded by his mother, his teacher and by society. This inferiority turns into anxiety.  

“The Neurotic Striving for Power however is born out of anxiety, hatred and feelings of inferiority.”40 

The name of the play itself present the burden of Karna and this burden is released by Karna when he gives his Kavach and Kundal. Kavach and Kundala symbolises his guilt and the feeling of discarded and insulted human being. The armour of Karna was just the means to come out from his emotions or to release emotions. 

Relevance 

The guilt, anger, love, care, cry, hate, acceptance, rejection, hope, expectations; these are the different emotions of humans. These emotions need outlet to maintain mental health, ways may vary. 

“The Neurotic striving for power, prestige and possession serve not only as a protection against anxiety but also as a channel through which repressed hostility can be discharged.”41 

The modern contemporary society is very complex and difficult to deal with. These days it is very difficult to release these emotions in the proper way or correct directions, if they are not released properly will lead to crime or extremist way.

“The Person’s perceptions of experiences are influenced by the “need for positive regarding”. (to be valued by others) The need for positive regard is seen as a universal need in every person. Out of the variety of experiences of frustration or satisfaction of the need for positive regard, the person develops a “sense of self regard” that is a learned sense of self that is based on the perception of the regard he has received from others.” 42

  Many people are desperate, in frustration, in anger but they are releasing these emotions on family members.  Karna has done the same work to come out from the guilt he chooses his death. This is again releasing of one emotion into weird way. This act can be considered as the extremist act. 

Dr Swati Joshi

Gujarat