Ascension

 The Fall and Ascension of Karna

The sun leaned low upon the sand,

As war set fire to sea and land.

Banners fell, and bugles cried,

And death rode proud on every side.

Yet through the storm of blood and flame,

One stood alone — the world knew his name.

Karna, the radiant, the fearless one,

The mortal child of the deathless Sun.

His armor torn, his chariot slain,

His brow was bright despite the pain.

No shadow dimmed his steady sight —

He faced his fate with calm delight.

The Wheel of Fate

Then from the dust a curse awoke,

The wheel beneath his chariot broke.

The earth that bore him all his life

Now joined the cruel hand of strife.

He bent to free the sunken wheel,

The mud was iron, the grief was real.

He raised his eyes to the blazing sky —

“O Father Sun! must heroes die?”

The heavens heard but made no sound,

Only the wind moved slow around.

Yet still his heart was free of fear,

The god of light himself seemed near.

The Plea for Dharma

He turned to Krishna, calm and stern,

As arrows through the twilight burned.

“O Lord of truth, O friend of peace,

When shall this blind injustice cease?

Would Arjuna’s fame be truly won,

By slaying me, unarmed, alone?”

Then Krishna sighed, his voice was deep,

As sorrow stirred the stars to weep:

“O noble heart, when sin is loud,

The voice of law is lost in cloud.”

The Final Blow

Karna smiled — a quiet flame,

Beyond defeat, beyond all shame.

He bowed his head, and faced the light,

And stood as day dissolved to night.

Then came the shaft — Arjuna’s dart,

It struck the hero through the heart.

He fell — yet not as cowards fall,

He fell — a sunset over all.

The field grew hushed, the heavens wide,

The winds knelt low on every side.

The Sun looked down with golden pain,

And crimson tears fell down like rain.

The Hero Transcends

 “The son of the Sun is gone,” they said,

“But his flame still walks where mortals tread.

The earth has gained a hero’s grace,

The skies have found a shining face.”

His soul rose bright beyond the storm,

The gods stood still to watch his form.

He wore no crown — yet all could see,

The mark of deathless majesty.

Kunti’s Cry

Then Kunti came through dust and flame,

And whispered softly Karna’s name.

“My child! my blood! the world’s disdain

Has made me motherless again.

They called you low, they mocked your birth,

Yet none more noble walked the earth.

I saved my virtue, lost my son —

What price for dharma, once it’s done?”

The Brothers’ Sorrow

The Pandavas wept; the truth was told,

Their pride turned pale, their hearts grew old.

“The foe we fought was our own kin,

The purest soul we could not win.”

No victor’s joy could light their eyes,

The throne of kings felt small, unwise.

For one who gave the war its gleam,

Now slept — the Sun’s eternal dream.

 The Immortal Light

Heroes die not — they only rise,

To shine as stars in mortal skies.

The brave are suns that never set,

Their light endures where hearts forget.

So every dawn, when gold appears,

The world still feels his flame of tears.

For Karna lives in rays of morn,

In every soul unjustly torn.

The Sun may sink, but not his son —

His light will last till time is done.

1. रणभूमि में कर्ण का संघर्ष

रण में खड़ा सूर्यपुत्र, अकेला, पर अडिग, पराक्रमी,

तन पर घाव अनेक, पर मुख पर शौर्य ज्योति वही।

पग में थकावट नहीं, न नेत्रों में भीरुता,

मृत्यु समीप जान, भी हृदय में शांति वही।

2. रथ का पहिया फँसता है

धरती ने जैसे वचन निभाया, गुरु का शाप हुआ साकार,

रथ का चक्र धँस गया, भाग्य बना प्रतिपक्षी फिर एक बार।

कर्ण ने धनुष नीचे रखा, दृष्टि उठाई नभ की ओर,

कहा – “हे सूर्यपिता! क्या यही अंत है वीरता का?”

3. अर्जुन और कृष्ण के साथ संवाद

“धर्मराज केशव! धर्म यह है क्या,

जब शस्त्रहीन वीर पर वार किया जाए?”

केशव ने गंभीर स्वर में कहा –

“धर्म आज मौन है, क्योंकि अन्याय बहुत मुखर है।”

4. मृत्यु क्षण में कर्ण का तेज

सूर्य की ओर मुख कर, कर्ण निःशब्द खड़ा रहा,

मानो प्रकाश में विलीन हो रहा हो।

क्षण भर में शांत हो उठा रण,

पर उसकी आभा से कांप उठा आकाश।

5. कर्ण के पतन के बाद

“सूर्यसुत गया, पर छोड़े गया प्रकाश अमर,

धरती ने पाया नायक, नभ ने पाया उद्गार।”

“धन्य हुआ यह मृत्युलोक, जहाँ ऐसा मानव जन्मा,

जिसने पराजय में भी विजय का अर्थ समझा।”

6. कुंती का विलाप

“ओ मेरे पुत्र!” – कुंती का कंठ फटा,

“जिसे जग ने सूत कहा, वह मेरा ज्येष्ठ था!

मैंने चुप रहकर धर्म को बचाया,

पर मातृत्व को खो दिया।”

7. पांडवों का शोक और ज्ञान

 अर्जुन का धनुष गिरा, युधिष्ठिर निःशब्द रहे,

भीम का गुस्सा आँसू में घुल गया।

ज्ञात हुआ — जिसे वे शत्रु मानते रहे,

वही उनका सबसे श्रेष्ठ भ्राता था।

8. कवि का समापन वाक्य

“वीर मरता नहीं, वह केवल रूप बदलता है,

आकाश में तारा बन जग को दिशा दिखलाता है।

कर्ण गया नहीं, वह आज भी सूर्य की किरणों में मुस्कुराता है।”