Origin of Karṇa and Arjuna

The Padma Mahā Purāṇa tells where the long enmity between Karṇa and Arjuna began. Before they were born as men, they were two great beings: the Sveda-ja (sweat-born) and the Rakta-ja (blood-born). The first rose from the sweat of Brahmā, and the second from the blood of Bhagavān Vishṇu. They fought each other, and Bhagavān Vishṇu then arranged their births in the Dvāpara age, one as the son of Sūrya and one as the son of Indra.

The cutting of Brahmā’s fifth head

Brahmā’s fifth head was the one that faced upward. It shone with tejas (radiance) beyond all his other heads. When this head recited the Ādharvaṇa mantras to Bhagavān Śiva, it called him by the name “Kapālī”. This word made Bhagavān Śiva angry.

At once Mahādeva came before the assembled devas. With the nail of his left hand he cut off Brahmā’s fifth head, as easily as one snaps a plantain stalk. The head stuck to his hand. From then on Bhagavān Śiva wandered under the Kāpālika vrata (vow), seeking release from brahmahatyā (the guilt of killing a brāhmaṇa).

The birth of the Sveda-ja

When the head was cut off, Brahmā was seized with grief and rage. The shock made sweat break out on his forehead. Brahmā took one drop of this sweat and threw it to the ground.

From that drop rose a being of great power, the Sveda-ja. He wore earrings and carried a great bow, with a quiver of arrows on his back. His armour was made of a thousand coverings, so he is called Sahasrakavaca. He blazed with the energy of a great warrior and called himself Brahmā’s servant.

Brahmā pointed to Bhagavān Śiva and ordered: “Kill this one!” The Sveda-ja ran straight at Bhagavān Śiva. Seeing this huge being come at him, Bhagavān Śiva fled.

Bhagavān Vishṇu’s gift and the birth of the Rakta-ja

Bhagavān Śiva ran to Bhagavān Vishṇu (Nārāyaṇa) and cried: “O Jagadbhū! Protect me, protect me! Do not let this one kill me!”

Bhagavān Vishṇu made a huṃkāra (a roar) and stopped the Sveda-ja. He is a yogīśvara (lord of yoga), and only Tri-locana (Bhagavān Śiva, the three-eyed) could see him. Others could not. He drew Bhagavān Śiva close. Bhagavān Śiva bowed to Nārāyaṇa, who called him “grandson” (pautru). Bhagavān Śiva then showed him the kapāla (skull) and asked for bhikshā (alms) to fill it.

Bhagavān Vishṇu agreed and offered his right arm. Bhagavān Śiva cut off the arm with his śūla (trident). Blood poured from the wound in a bright stream, like a golden river, like a flame. It fell straight into the skull in Bhagavān Śiva’s hand. For a thousand divine years the arm poured blood, and Bhagavān Śiva held the skull to receive it.

When the skull was full, Bhagavān Vishṇu asked: “Is your vessel filled?” His deep voice was like a cloud heavy with rain. Bhagavān Śiva dipped his fingers into the blood and looked. The skull was full.

For another thousand divine years Bhagavān Śiva stirred the blood in the skull with his finger. Bubbles and foam rose. Then a being appeared inside the skull. He wore a crown, held a bow, had a quiver on his back, and blazed like Agni. This was the Rakta-ja (blood-born).

Bhagavān Śiva names Nara and Nārāyaṇa

Bhagavān Vishṇu asked Bhagavān Śiva: “Who is this?” Bhagavān Śiva answered:

“In this being, Nara and Nārāyaṇa are born. They are the pair that cannot be parted, praised in all the worlds. They will be born to do the work of the devas and to protect the lokas (worlds). This one is Nara. He is your friend Nārāyaṇa. He will be your companion in destroying the asuras. Through his search for knowledge he will become the all-conquering muni. This body is formed from the joined tejas of Brahmā’s head, your blood and my eye, the third eye. With this threefold birth he will overcome all enemies, and he will be a terror even to Indra and all the devas.”

The Rakta-ja stood in the skull with folded hands. He praised Hari-Hara (Bhagavān Vishṇu and Bhagavān Śiva together) and asked what task he should do. Bhagavān Vishṇu lifted him out of the skull with both hands and said: “Brahmā has sent the one I will show you.”

Meanwhile the Sveda-ja, struck by Bhagavān Vishṇu’s power, had fallen into a moha-nidrā (a sleep of delusion). Bhagavān Vishṇu kicked the skull, and the Sveda-ja woke. At once the two beings began to fight.

The fight of the Sveda-ja and the Rakta-ja

The two fought with their bowstrings thundering, and earth and sky rang with the noise. The Sveda-ja broke through the Rakta-ja’s armour. The battle went on for two divine years.

Bhagavān Vishṇu (Vāsudeva) watched them fight. Then he went to Brahmā and told him that the Rakta-ja was being beaten by the Sveda-ja, who wore the thousand armours. Brahmā was distressed for the being born of him. He said: “In this birth, let my one live in peace.” Bhagavān Vishṇu was satisfied and went back. He spoke to both beings and stopped the fight.

Then Bhagavān Vishṇu declared:

“In another birth, at the meeting of Dvāpara and Kali, a great war will rise between you two. At that time I will bring you together again.”

The arrangement of their future births

To Sūrya. Bhagavān Vishṇu called Sūrya (Bhāskara) and said: “This Sveda-ja is your son. At the end of Dvāpara a powerful man will be born in the Yadu family. His daughter, the very beautiful Pṛthā (Kuntī), will be given a vara (a boon) by Durvāsa. He will teach her a mantra that can call any deva. By that mantra, with devotion to you, she will bear a son. He will be a kānīna (a child born to an unmarried girl) and will serve the purpose of the devas. His nature as a giver will be beyond the ordinary. This is your son Karṇa.”

Sūrya agreed: “By the grace of worshipping Bhagavān Vishṇu, I will father the son who gives to all. I will accept the kānīna in Kuntī’s womb.”

To Indra. Bhagavān Vishṇu then called Sahasrāksha (Indra) and said: “This Rakta-ja was born from my blood. By my anugraha (grace), place him in your portion at the end of Dvāpara and let him be born as your son. Pāṇḍurāja will have Pṛthā and Mādrī as wives. He will go to the forest, where a deer will lay a śāpa (a curse) on him. He will turn away from the world and go to the mountain Śataśṛṅga, and there he will wish for sons. His wife Kuntī will not want an ordinary human son. She will seek a son only by the grace of the devas. She will pray to you, and you will give her a son, Arjuna. He will be Nara, your son, a helper for the good of the earth.”

Indra was troubled. He remembered that Bhagavān Vishṇu, in the coming Rāma avatāra, would kill Vāli, Indra’s son. So at first he refused to give Kuntī a son. Bhagavān Vishṇu answered: “O Śacīpati, I will be born in the world of mortals as the friend of your son. I myself will be the charioteer of your son. I will destroy the Kuru family and destroy the son of Sūrya. I will come down to lighten the earth’s burden.” Given this promise, Indra agreed.

Bhagavān Vishṇu’s words to Brahmā

Bhagavān Vishṇu went to Brahmā and said: “You are the maker of the three worlds. But I do not favour the destruction of what you have made. The being born from your sweat, in anger against Bhagavān Śiva, should do prāyaścitta (an act of atonement) for what he did. Let him take up the three sacred fires (gārhapatya, dakshiṇa and āhavanīya) and perform agnihotra. Let him do this yajña at a holy tīrtha together with his wife. All the devas, the Ādityas and the Rudras, will serve as his ṛtvik-s (priests).”

Sources

• Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Chapter 14