Karna: Kunti’s Firstborn Son
Kunti’s first child, raised by Adhiratha and Radha. Duryodhana’s friend. Arjuna’s other self.
Also called Radheya · Vasushena · Adhiratha’s son · Surya-putra · Anga-raja
King of Anga
Who Karna is
Karna is Kunti’s first child, begotten by Surya when she was still unmarried, then set on the river in a basket. Adhiratha the suta and Radha raise him. The world calls him suta-putra. The recitation also calls him Radheya, Vasushena, Anga-raja.
He is Duryodhana’s friend before he is anyone’s brother. The tournament makes him a king for an hour so he can fight Arjuna as an equal. He dies on the seventeenth day with the wheel stuck, the armour long gone, and Kunti’s name finally spoken aloud.
Names and spellings
Canonical name in this graph: Karna. Common Mahabharat spellings and titles stay in the aliases rather than being repeated in every heading.
Spouses
Teachers
In the recitation
- Ghatotkacha — the Shakti is spent on him, not Arjuna
- Arjuna — the seventeenth day
- Parashurama — the curse for the hidden birth
- Kunti — the basket on the river
- Indra — takes the armour as a begging brahmin
- Duryodhana — friendship; Anga is the gift
Narrative role
Adi Parva — the basket Durvasa’s mantra works. Surya leaves a son already wearing armour and earrings. Kunti is afraid of her relatives and puts the child in the water.
The tournament He matches Arjuna. Kripa asks his line. Duryodhana gives him Anga so a king can fight a king. Adhiratha comes down into the lists. Kunti, in the women’s hall, knows the earrings and says nothing.
Before the war Indra, as a begging brahmin, takes the armour. Kunti names him on the eve of battle and asks that four brothers be spared. He promises everyone but Arjuna.
Karna Parva — day 17 The wheel sticks. He reminds Arjuna of dharma. Krishna reminds him of the sabha. The arrow ends the rivalry the epic was built around.
How Karna is related
How is Karna related to Arjuna? Half-brothers, unknown to each other as such for most of the recitation. The path is mother, then rivalry, then the seventeenth day. Arjuna
How is Karna related to Kunti? She is the birth-mother who sends him away and the queen who names him when naming him can no longer make him a Pandava in the world’s mouth. Kunti
How is Karna related to Duryodhana? Friendship, not blood. Anga is the gift. Karna stands in the sabha with him and dies in his war. Duryodhana
How is Karna related to Adhiratha? The foster-father. Whenever someone says suta-putra, this is the man they mean. Adhiratha
Source notes
Mahabharata text (Adi Sambhava, the tournament, Udyoga, Karna Parva), Ganguli. Birth-parents (Kunti, Surya) and foster-parents (Adhiratha, Radha) are both recorded, and kept distinct. Last reviewed 12 September 2026.
See the methodology for how foster, niyoga, divine, and story-bonds are labelled. Send a correction via About.