Sons of Gods: The Mahabharata Retold

 This interview was originally posted on Hindu Blog Hindu Blog - Karna is often referred as the unsung hero of Mahabharata. Some call him antihero. There are many books glorifying his character, the main reason being his abandonment by his mother as a child. But am more concerned here is about a major character flaw in Karna. He is obsessed with Arjuna, the archer. How do you see this aspect of Karna? Is not Karna insecure throughout the Mahabharata that he might come second to Arjuna in the list of the greatest archers in the world? We see all around us people who are jealous of their colleagues, family members and neighbors. Don’t you think Karna is a representation of this jealousy and insecurity? S. Aruna - You are right: insecurity and jealousy are the source of Karna’s obsession with Arjuna. But let’s take a closer look at these obvious character defects; let’s view them separately, and the connection between them. To me, insecurity is a forgivable flaw, especially in this c...