Son of Fire, daughter of the Sun

Chapter 12: Austerity and its fruits

"Thus, the son of the Sun became the keeper of the secret of his teacher," Vishnu continued the story again.

-"From time to time being in the vicinity of Hastinapur or Indraprastha, he watched with pain how the confrontation between the Pandavas and Kauravas developed, and things moved towards war. Karna could not bear the thought that the split of the Kuru dynasty and the flaring enmity between the brothers could have been prevented if not for the decision of Arundev to remain silent about his true origin. Karna himself did not understand why he was so worried: after all, he himself decided to get away from palace intrigues, rejecting the friendship of the sons of Pandu and the son of Dhritarashtra. He tried to remain detached and unaffected by these events, but to stand aside and do nothing did not work. Something impelled him to intervene, especially when various rumors flew up to Mount Mahendra from passers-by and foot wanderers. For example, that Prince Duryodhana decided to starve himself to death, unable to bear the humiliation in Indraprastha during the Rajasuya Yagya. Hearing of this, Karna suddenly mounted his horse and rode away, and when he returned, Arundev only shook his head, seeing the gloomy expression on his face. Karna silently went to his dwelling, located near the teacher's hut. Then a similar story repeated itself when they heard the news of the dice game, the humiliation of the Empress Indraprastha and the expulsion of the Pandavas. Again Arundev saw on the face of his disciple unbearable suffering. And again the same story was repeated: departure without explanation and a gloomy return back."

***

"What's going on with you?" asked Arundev softly, arriving at Karna's hut in the evening. They lit a fire and sat shoulder to shoulder, as in the good old days, when there was still a connection between a guru and a disciple between them.

“It’s all wrong,” Karna said bitterly as he tossed wood on the fire.

“People hate each other, people are going to take revenge and kill, and it even seems to them that they know the reasons for this, but I can see that their reasons are false. Prince Duryodhana claims that the Pandavas hurt his pride and dream of taking the throne that is rightfully his, but the truth is that the prince grew up, remaining a teenager at heart. No, a child who does not want to give his toy sword to his brother, because his whole soul is in this wooden sword. And I don't even want to think about whose fault Prince Duryodhana appreciates a toy sword the most in his life. Who tied him to him like that? Who suggested that the sword is the only value? And why, even as an adult, the prince does not try to untie himself from what is not worth either someone else's or his own life. And the pandavas? The struggle to restore dharma and humiliate their spouse is an excuse. The reason is that someone skillfully manipulates them, and they allow to invade their souls. They want to feel needed and important, and someone gives them a sense of their own importance. That is why they will go to kill the brothers. Not for dharma

- for the meaning of their own lives, which they put into their hands ready. Both of them will engage in battle and kill a bunch of innocent people, and ordinary people will think that they are fighting for the righteous king. Each for his own. But is it right, teacher, to allow such things and remain silent even now?

"Do you want me to go to Great Bhishma and reveal the truth about myself?" Arundev asked bluntly, tossing branches on the fire.

-"Yes. I ask you not to allow this fratricidal war! Now only you can prevent it!"

"For me, this conversation will be a humiliation. The great Bhishma saw fit to abandon my mother. He did not even take an interest in the fate of the girl who spent the night with him. He never looked for her and did not worry about her, and considered himself innocent of what happened. He did not stand up for my mother in a past life when she was accused of slander and kicked out of Hastinapur. It never occurred to him to tell everyone that his vow had indeed been broken. It would be fair, but he didn't. Even if the Great Bhishma recognizes me as a son, I myself will reject him. I cannot recognize the man who destroyed the life of my mother as my  father. In addition, when I was a child, when I first came to the teacher Parasurama, I made a firm decision to settle here so as not to deal with either people or gods. I am not capable of being a king, but only a warrior or a hermit. I will not benefit my subjects. Prince Duryodhana will be more useful than me, despite the fact that various hard rumors are circulating about him."