VEDA GYAN - 9

KARNA’S ANGUISH

Karna who is the eldest son of Kunti Devi, is very well known for the charities he gave throughout his life time.  There is no one who is as famous as Karna, when it comes to charities. Yet, there was a time when Karna himself found that his charity was not enough!!

After Karna was killed by Arjun, in the Kuruksetra War, Karna attained the Veer Swarga, the place in the Heaven where the warriors who are killed in the battle field reach.  In the Veer Swarga, the person will receive the good materials more than a thousand folds of what that they have done, when they were living on this earth.  So anyone who had done a charity, he would receive it thousands of folds. 

Thus, there in the Veer Swarga, Karna was able to receive so many gifts, more than thousands of folds he had given to others, when he was living on the earth.  He received so much of golden gifts, silver gifts, precious stone gifts, good servants to take care of him and what not !!  Unfortunately, he did not get any food to eat.  He wondered why just food was denied to him!! He enquired, why he was not given food, and finally reach the Yama Dharma with the same question. 

Yama Dharma told him that he has to receive in thousands of folds, the same items what he had given as charity when was alive in this world.  So, whatever he was receiving he ought to receive it, and whatever he did not receive, it was because he was not eligible.

Karma understood his mistake he had done unknowingly, when he was living on the earth.  He had given a lot of money, wealth etc as gifts and charity, but he never thought of giving food as charity.  He did not consider it important to give food as charity, so in Veer Swarga, he got everything, except food. 

Karna immediately requested Yama Dharma to allow him to go back to the earth and give food as charity also.  Taking into account the good deeds of Karna when he was on the earth, Yama Dharma allowed Karna to go to the earth again, just for fourteen days, and do as much free distribution of food as  possible as charity. 

Thus Karna came to the earth again for fourteen days and gave as much food as possible to the people as he could within that time.  This period during which Karna gave the food as charity came to be known as Mahalaya Paksha.  This is the waning phase of the moon – from Purnima to Ammavasya – in the month of Ashwini every year.

On his return, Karna requested Yama Dharma that anyone who gives the charity of food and other items during this period, the donor’s forefathers in Heaven or Hell should receive it immediately.  Yama was pleased with his request and accepted it.  From then on, any charity done in the name of one’s forefathers, during the Mahalaya Paksha, is said to be received by the donor's forefathers immediately and the donor would be blessed by them in thousands of folds by them.

The above episode on Karna's life, gives the importance of giving free food as charity or Anna Dhanam and the importance of giving charity during the Mahalaya Paksha.  So Mahalaya Paksha is the best opportune period for people to give as much food and gifts as charity to as many people as possible.

It should be noted that giving free food as Anna Dhanam is not only very auspicious during this period, but also anytime during the year..  It is one of the best forms of charity that could be done by all anytime.

Hari Om !!