God of War

Money vs friendship

After the sabha, Karna returned to his house to inform Adhirath and Radha about the decision and asked them to join him in Anga. Though Adhirath and Radha to some extent knew that Pandavas were not as good as they or the Kuru elders portrayed themselves but Adhirath was adament that Bheesm was his master and he was loyal to him, so he would never, ever leave him. Karna smiled, 'Father, I respect your loyalty to him but do you think he really did his duty to his people? Do the Pandavas really that good? Why do then the great sages and Dwarka royals are not supporting them? Why the avatar of Vishnu himself did not help them? Father please take off the blind faith from your eyes and look properly. Then you can see who are the real evils and who are the good omens.'

Adhirath, 'Karna I understood what you are saying and I am not supporting the Pandavas blindly but I cannot leave mahamahim. When we have nothing, he is the one who helped me. I know he did many wrong thing but he himself is confused and blinded. Even if he is the Mahamahim but actually he is the lonliest man. That is why I don't want to leave him. But if your mother wants, she can go with you.'

But Radha did not want to leave her husband alone, so Karna reluctantly left but them he gave an eagle to his parents saying that if they felt any difficulties, then the eagle, 'Agnipankh' would inform him as he was the fastest flyer.

While they were talking, Kaustav went to Bheesm's chamber.

Kaustav, 'Pranipat Mahamaim, I am here to express my concern. Now you need a new charioteer as Adhirath will leave for Anga. I know that you like him very much as he is very loyal to you.'

Bheesm, 'No Maharaj, Adhirath already informed me that he will not leave me and Hastinapur.'

Kaustav, 'That is great Mahamahim, but I was wondering it will be difficult for him and his wife to stay alone at this age. I have an idea, why don't we convince Karna to join the Pandavas. As you know, he is very intelligent, in fact far more intelligent and knowledgeable than Vidur. So why don't we make him the chief advisor of Yudhishthira. As we all know that it was he and Aditya who helped the Kauravas to achieve the impossible. So why don't we make him a part of our kingdom?'

Bheesm was thinking deeply, then Kaustav again said,'Mahamahim, I know he is a Suta but now we need to see the talent, not the caste. Even Aditya the savior, we have no idea about his lineage but still everyone in Aryavart is familiar with his strength. We have no idea who Aditya or Rakshaks are but at least we can bring Karna to our side.

Bheesma, 'But Maharaj, it is almost impossible to bring him to our side. Pandavas already had made a great enmity with him.'

Kaustav, 'Leave that to me.'

Next day, Kaustav planted some spies to watch over Karna's movements, to deal with the enemy, one should know about him first. So Kaustav's spies were watching over on Karna like a Hawk. As it would take some time to get everything ready for the division, Karna and the Kauravas except Yuyutsu stayed at HP. Dury had sent Yuyutsu back to Anga to take care of the kingdom. 

After a few days the spies came back and inform Kaustav, Priyamvada and Kunti about Karna's activity. From them they came to know that Karna was not Adhirath and Radha's biological son but they found him in a basket floating on the river of Ganga. They also came to know from the neighbors that when Adhirath took the boy out of the river, he had a golden armor like thing on his body but it was vanished when they took him out. Hearing that Kunti became skeptical. Her firstborn who was the boon from Suryadeva also had an armor like thing on his body. It was not present before but when he was placed on the basket, then the armor appeared suddenly. But it was almost impossible for the baby to be alive. That too floating for a whole day from Kuntibhoj to Hastinapur which was quite far away. She did not even feed the boy, then how could he survived?