Mahabharat

Greetings.

May you live long.

Wonderful!

You are way more skilled in archery than me.

My knowledge of the art can only improve the hunting skills

of my disciples.

Hunting?

That is not a form of art, teacher.

I am wandering around to learn.

I have gone to numerous hermitages

and tried to become a disciple.

I have scaled the regions of Kuru and Panchal for it.

I did not do so only to learn the art of hunting.

But who will teach you the skills that you seek?

You are well aware that our community

does not have the right to learn such higher skills.

Knowledge is made by God as is water and air.

How can someone have the right to it?

I do not wish to argue with you, Karna.

You will gain nothing from my hermitage.

Near the banks of river Drishadvati* *"She with many stones", seasonal river estimated at southern boundaries of Kuru.

lies the hermitage of the revered Drona.

Request him

if he's willing to accept you as his disciple.

But know this.

To make an enemy of the entire society only for your sake

is not something people would either like

or have the capability of doing so.

That is why accept the clan you were born into

as your fate

and try to lead a happy life.

'I do not believe in this discrimination of caste.'

'I shall certainly go to the revered Dronacharya'

'and learn from him.'

Arjun.

Greetings, Sire.

Who are you? - I am Karna.

I have come to you for I have heard of your fame, Sire.

I hope to learn the art of archery from you.

My father is the charioteer of the great Bheeshma.

Son of a charioteer?

Then how could you even dream of learning the art of archery?

Don't you know

that only Kshatriyas have the right to higher knowledge?

Son of a charioteer...

Indeed! I am the son of a charioteer!

And Sire, I am not asking for a kingdom like the Kshatriyas.

I merely wish to fortify my capabilities.

Then why can I not learn the art of archery?

To a deserving person, his capability is his blessing.

In that case, why did you learn the art of battle?

Why are you teaching military arts to your son

revered Drona?

Do not argue.

I am unique.

I was not born from the womb of a woman.

I was born in the drona* vessel of sage Bharadwaj. *Pitcher, leavepot.

If you also had a divine birth then prove it.

Otherwise go away. - Divine?

What do you mean by that, Sire?

The birth of every child is divine for his parents.

No one has the right to weigh the love of a mother

and the dreams of a father

in the scales of caste and creed.

My father's heart bleeds each time

he tells me to stay away from archery.

Why does the society frighten him so?

Why can I not be the reason of pride and honour for him?

Why must I live by curbing my capabilities?

Who has made these rules, Sire?

Did my father choose the caste he would be born into?

Did his ancestors make this choice?

Then why do such rules exist

that weigh human beings on the scales of discrimination?

Why?

No.

I do not believe in such rules, Sire.

I would be honoured to break such traditions.

A bow belongs to a person who can tie its string.

And that is acquired by deeds, not by birth.

Your arrogance is soaring high

but it is worthless.

Higher knowledge belongs only to Kshatriyas and Brahmins.

Not to people of a lower class.

Ghee* is used to light the holy fire in a Yagna. *A class of clarified butter.

But a clay oven is fuelled with crude oil.

But Lord Parashuram