Karna's Song

Book excerpt: India is a land of stories and songs. The Mahabharata is a literary masterpiece and well known around the world. But unlike other literary classics, around the world, the Mahabharata is a people’s epic as it is a story of human emotions and frailties. The cast of characters is vast and we can always find someone with whom we can identify. Karna, the tragic, the heroic and intriguing character is a favourite all almost all people who read the Mahabharata. His quest to find his identity engrosses us. His question, “who am I” is existential, which reverberates throughout the story and touches a chord among us. We are all seeking to find out who we are. This small book is a poetic interpretation of Karna’s thoughts at the end when he finds some answers. As usual, Radhakrishnan writes with simplicity, clarity and brevity and yet charms with these songs which lay bare the essence of Karna. Get this book to get an insight into one of the most intriguing and loved characters from the Mahabharata, Karna.