ARYAVARTA

chapter 19

After karna left, the relation between duryodhan and pandavas became worse especially with Bheem. The reason that it was Bheem who informed others about vrushali and the boastful nature of pandavas except yudhishtir only worsened the fragile relationship. Before Karn left he was the one who used to drag  away duryodhan from Bheem it also lead to Bheem once calling karn a coward. The pandavas especially Bheem who followed every instructions from Dakshin and his family and Arjun who love hearing praises from others hated karna.
Bheem for him being born as a bastard and Arjun for karna skill in archery. Before the pandavas arrive , there was not a single person who could beat him in archery . His skill in archery also strengthen his relationship with his father more than his brothers. But once they arrived hastinapur his skills were constantly compared to karna. But what angered Arjun the most was the doubt that karna may be the most talented one among them and the fact that a bastard being better than him hurt his pride.

After 2 months Karn left, the princes of kuruvansh begin their journey to champanagari. The gurukul was located near the banks of ganga . Kripi also went with his husband and son. When they reached gurukul everything has been setup by the servants. The servants whose loyalties belong to Dakshin and Shakuni.

It's been 2 months  karna left his family and hastinapur in search of guru Parusharam. In his journey he saw many incidents of powerful exploiting the poor. It was not only based on caste but  money also played an important factor. But what he saw in common was the acceptance in the eyes of the oppressed that it is their fate. The realisation dawned on Karna how lucky he was to be adopted by his mother or else his fate would have been even worse than these people in a society where your caste, family, money and power defines you , not your skill.

On his journey , karna spent most of his times among commoners and learned their crafts . He continued his journey to parushramakshetra the last known location of the mighty warrior. In south the cast system is more predominant. After the end of the Asura clan (the rulers of south) the religious fanatics took power on  the land once ruled by king Bali
The courts of kings in south is now filled with elites who strongly believe in caste system thus making the lives of commoners more gruesome. Kalinga the capital of the once famous suryavansh empire which ruled the aryavartha was the only region where the fanatics still hasn't establish their power in south. Karna saw shudras being displaced from their homelands. Most ventured to east to the valleys, where it says that the rebel brahmin carvakha build villages for the ones who believes in equality and humanity. But the journey to east is dangerous . The path is filled with forests where predators roamed freely and mountains with death traps .

Karna reached a village where guru Parusharam was last seen. The villagers were reluctant at first to disclose his location.  Parusharam lived near the forest away from the village. He visits the village once a month to buy food items and other necessary items. He lived in a small hut and karna saw a shivaling near a tree .karna spotted a old man sitting on a rock sharpening his axe . Without even looking at karna Parusharam asked

" What do you want ? "

" I am here to learn from you" replied karna.

" Are you a brahmin, ?"

" Right now I am here to gain knowledge so I am a brahmin"

" What does that mean, who are your parents"

" I am the adopted son of maharaj dhitrarashtra and maharani gandhari
My name is Karna"

" So you are neither a brahmin nor you are a kshatriya and yet here you are . Look kid even if you are a brahmin or kshatriya I will not teach you. You could learn from my disciples ."

" Guru drona rejected me because of my birth and mahamahim bhishm does not even consider me as his family"

" So what you seek is vengeance against drona and bhishm. "

" No, not vengeance but justice. I need to prove guru drona that even a bastard could become a great warrior"

" Leave me alone kid, Find someone else who is willing to teach you"

Parusharam left karna alone and entered his home closing the door.

But karna wasn't ready to accept defeat he spent 3 days outside his home. Parusharam everyday on morning offered prayers to shivaling and spent rest of his days either sharpening his weapons or reading. He didn't even glanced at karna but on the 3 day karna was surprised when lord Parusharam offered him a bowl of rice

" You haven't eaten anything healthy for 3 days except the unriped fruits "

Karna took the bowl from Parusharam and finished it one gulp.

" Kid even if you become a warrior there opinion about you will not change."

" You may be right., But at least I will have peace for trying"

" Peace, A warrior will never have peace in his life karna. I killed 21 people to avenge my family hoping I will have peace but I never find it. Then one day this kid came to my gurukul and tried to kill me. He was the son of a king whom I killed. He was younger than you. When I looked at his eyes I saw myself in him . The rage, anger, hate towards men who destroyed my family. I saw that emotions in his eyes accusing me. That was the moment I realized that I may have avenged my family but I also destroyed 21 families and in turn created more Parusharam's. That day I left my gurukul and exiled to here. So karna I am not a saint , I am just a old man living his life hoping that one day the burden I carry will leave me. "

" You are not a saint, but your actions proved to the high class that their crimes will be punished and they are not above anyone. I traveled days searching for you, the only common thing I saw in every kingdom I visited is the harsh life of commoners and their acceptance of their fate without even questioning it. If I could inspire one among them then that is my victory and I don't care the price I have to pay for it gurudev. All I ask from you is, to give me a chance."

" Your training will be harsh and difficult. I will teach you everything I know, I will help you to master every weapon and secrets of how to create weapons of massive destruction. But I am not sure even after all this you will able to achieve your dreams"

" Gurudev it's my actions decides my fate but I  give you my promise that you will always be proud of your pupil"

And from that day onwards karna
training with Parusharam begin