Karna born with Kawach and Kundal

Why Surya-Putra Karna born Kawach and Kundal?

As I always said the Surya-Putra Karna was one of my favorite Character In Mahabharata epic. Recently someone asked me about Karna a question which I was unable to answer and the question was why Karna Born with Kawach and Kundal?

Karna born with Kawach and Kundal

I searched a lot and most of the places I found one story related to this so I am going to tell you that story although I have my doubts about this story which I mention at the end of the post. This story belongs to Surya-Putra Karna's previous birth in Treta-Yuga.

Read more about - Karna's 6 donations which made him greatest donor on earth

Surya-Putra Karna Previous birth story

What was the relationship with Nara Narayan, Karna, and Surya Dev? To understand this, read the whole story.

There was an asura named Dambodbhava. He did great penance of Suryadev. When the Sun God appeared pleased and asked for a boon, he asked for the boon of "immortality".

Suryadev said that this is not possible. He thing for a while then he asked that he want to be protected by a thousand divine armor. Only one of them could break the armor that had done a thousand years of penance and as soon as one breaks any armor, it dies instantly.

Suryadevata became very worried. They were able to understand so much that this asura would misuse this boon. But in front of his penance he was compelled. He had to give this boon to him.
After being protected by these armors, that is what Suryadev was afraid of.

Dambodbhava considered himself immortal with the power of his thousand armor and started torturing as he wished. He was known as "Sahasra Kavach".

Read more 10 names of Arjuna he got because of his different skills and bravery

The incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Nar and Narayana

On the other hand, Sati's father "Daksha Prajapati" married his daughter "Murthy" to Brahma's son "Dharma". Murthy had heard about Sahasrakavacha and he prayed to Shri Vishnu that he come to finish it. Lord Vishnu assured him that they would do so.

In due course, the idol gave birth to two twin sons named Nar and Narayan. Both were one in two bodies - one soul in two bodies. Lord Vishnu had descended into two bodies simultaneously as male and Narayan.

Nar and Narayana

Nar and Narayana challenge to Shastra-Kwacha

Both brothers grew up. Once Dambodhbhav climbed this forest. Then he saw a stunning man coming towards him and felt fear. The man said that I am "male" and have come to fight with you. Dambodbhava laughed even in fear. What do you know about me?

My armor can only be broken by those who have meditated for a thousand years. The male laughed and said that he and my brother Narayan are one and the same - he is doing penance instead of me, and I am fighting for him.

The war started, and Sahasra Kavach continued to wonder that the power of the male was really increasing with the tenacity of Narayana.

As the time of the thousand years was over, the Nara broke an armor of Sahastra armor. But according to the boon of the Sun, as soon as the armor broke, the male (Nara) fell dead and fell there.

Sahasra Kavach thought that armor should be right, but it was dead. That's when he saw the male coming towards him - and he was surprised. Just now the male had died in front of him and this is still alive, how else has he come running?

But then he saw that the male was lying dead, it looked like his brother was Narayan.

Dambodbhava said to Narayan that he should have explained it to his brother. He lost his life in vain. Narayan smiled peacefully. He read a Maha Martyunjaya mantra sitting near the male and miraculously the male sat up. Then Dambodbhava understood that Narayana had accomplished the death mantra by doing austerities of Shiva for a thousand years.

With which they can revive their brother, Now this time Narayan challenged Dambodbhav and sat in male penance. After thousands of years of war and penance, one armor was broken again and Narayan died. Then the male came and revived Narayan, and this cycle continued again.

This is how the war took place 999 times. One brother used to do battle and other austerities. Each time the first died the second would revive him.

Nar and Narayana Cursed to Suryadeva

When 999 armor broke, Sahasrakvach understood that now I will die. Then he gave up the war and fled to Suryaloka and took shelter of Suryadev. Nara and Narayan followed him and asked Suryadev to hand him over. But Suryadev did not agree on handing it to his devotee.

Then Narayana cursed Suryadev by taking water from his kamandala, that you are trying to save this asura from his karma. For which you too became a partner of its sins and you too will be born with it to enjoy its fruits.

Karna born with Kawach and Kundal

Birth of Karna in Dvapera-Yuga

With this, the Tretayug came to an end and Dwapara started. Time later, Kunti called upon Suryadev, examining his boon, and Karna was born with Kawach and Kundal. But it is not generally known that, Karna is not just Suryaputra, but he had both Surya and Dambodbhava within him.

Just as there was one soul in two bodies in Nar and Narayana, similarly, one body of Karna is inhabited by two souls .. Surya and Sahasrakavacha.

On the other hand, Nara and Narayan came this time as Arjuna and Krishna. The Sun which is part of Karna makes it a magnificent hero. Whereas due to his being dumbfounded, his results get him many injustice and insults, And he insults Draupadi and inspires her to commit many similar cases of abuse.

If Arjuna had broken Karna's armor, he would have died immediately. That is why Indra had already asked him for his armor.

My doubt:  This story looks good and related to some extent but when  I went into the middle of this story were 1 brother worship for 1000 years and other fights with Asura and wise versa. So my doubt is that 1000 x 999 = 999000 years. Trata-Yuga is totally about 12 lacs and 96 thousand years out of which Nar and Narayana fought around 10 lac years to a demon which is something not digestible to me.

If you guys found any reference so please let me know as well so that I will study it deeply.