807. Was Karna a true friend to Duryodhana???

“What is your Dharma?” asks Krishna to Karna.

“To protect my friend Duryodhana is my Dharma” says Karna.

“Do you protect him even knowing that your friend is doing Adharma towards hundreds of thousands of men? Do realise that because of your presence Dharma has to fight harder for victory?” questions Krishna.

“Dharma has ditched me many times. Dharma for that matter has never been my friend. I have only one friend Duryodhana and my only Dharma is to fight for him even if he is wrong.” 

“Your tattvanista (veracity) is wasted on a man without integrity.” says Krishna.

To which Karna replied, “I cannot leave my friend when he needs me the most. I know he is wrong but that has nothing to do with my gratitude”.

Now the question is, was Karna a true friend to Duryodhana or was he loyal to the wicked prince just because his ego was pampered when Duryodhana crowned him the king of Anga. A true friend is one who tells the truth which may hurt like salt on a wound. Only a sycophant supports knowing very well that what he is supporting for is wrong.

Many in this modern era equate Karna to be a hero as he showed loyalty till the end. But this thought is Abrahamic as the reality in appreciating the friendship between Karna and Duryodhana loses its essence. Karna very well knew that Pandavas were Dharmic and hence the Lord stood behind them.Yet he did not look for the welfare of his friend instead he supported the downfall of his friend.  

Why then did Karna support Duryodhana know well that he was Adharmic???

Karna failed to look at the events in a larger perspective.

What is the larger perspective then???

Karna was bound to loyalty he did not look at what would happen if he supported Kauravas. Had he not supported Duryodhana maybe the war would not have happened in the first place. Karna who was the recipient of the Anga could have persuaded his friend to part with the mere five villages that Krishna asked for when the Lord made the last attempt to avoid war. As a friend Karna failed to put sense into Duryodhana as he felt it was more important to cosset the ego in the wicked prince. Karna knew that the whole of Kaurava army would be killed in the war yet he never made an attempt to advice his friend what he was doing was wrong.  

Karna had a list of bad experiences like the humiliation at the martial exhibition, curse of Sage Parasurama, getting deceived by Indra which made him go against Dharma. In reality it was the intricate web of Karma which was acting on him as he had asked for it when he was Dambhodabhava in his previous birth. With limited knowledge Karna lacked to perceive his past karma and supported Adharma.

Will karma accept the logic when I say; I had been pick-pocketed so I support those who are pickpocketing……. Just give a thought to it.