(T) Stories of Surya
Surya and Sanjana
In Hindu mythology, Surya married Sanjana and she bore two children, Yama and Yami. Yama is the God of Death, and Yami is more commonly called Yamuna, the sacred river that runs through Vrindavana and New Delhi. Sanjaya, however, could not bear the intense light and heat radiating from her fiery husband. She escaped into a forest, transforming herself into a mare so that Surya would not recognise her. She left her shadow Chaya, who impersonated her for a long time till one day Surya discovered the truth. Disguised as a horse, and longing for his real wife, Surya launched a search for her.
They were eventually reunited. But, the heat and the light emanating from Surya were still so difficult to bear that Sanjana was always tired performing her domestic duties. Sanjana’s father came to the rescue. He trimmed Surya’s body and reduced his brightness by one eighth. Thus, Sanjana could now live close to her husband, without much discomfort. However, the sun did not allow his father-in-law to trim down his feet and so they remained very brilliant. That is why the Sun God is always depicted wearing shoes or boots. There is a belief that any architect trying to fashion Surya’s bare feet will inevitable fall ill.
The Birth of Karna
Karna is actually the eldest of the Pandava brothers, but Queen Kunti till did not disclose this until after his death at the hands of Arjuna at Kurukshetra. Karna’s tragic and heart-rending story is one of the main sub-themes interwoven into the plot of the Mahabharata.
In her youth, Kunti waited on the great sage, Durvasa, who was visiting her father. Durvasa is well known for being easily satisfied, but he is equally quick to curse if displeased. The sage was so pleased with Kunti’s conscientious service that he bestowed upon her a special mantra by which she could call upon any demigod she pleased. As a matter of inquisitiveness, she innocently called on Surya, the sun god. That effulgent deity immediately approached her, desiring conjugation, but the unmarried Kunti naturally declined. Surya assured the princess that her virginity would remain intact and she finally consented to his proposal. As a result, a radiant child was born, complete with earrings and body armour. Kunti, fearing the consequences of having an illegitimate child, floated the baby down the Ganges in a basket.
Karna was brought up by a chariot driver and his wife, Radha, from whom the boy received the name Radheya. However, he always pined after the life of a warrior and was convinced of his lofty heritage. In adult life he took to daily worship of the Sun god, his father, and was well known for his generosity. He learned of his actual identity only days before the Battle of Kurukshetra but refused to change sides to join his brothers (born of Kunti by other demigods). Arjuna was the sworn enemy of Karna, not knowing that he was his half-brother. Arjuna finally killed him and the warriors assembled to watch the historic dual saw Karna’s soul rise from this body and shoot off towards the sun.