Improper use of power

Improper use of power In the initial part of the Mahabharata, birth of Karna is detailed. Kunti, the princess was the mother of Karna. One day Durvasa paid a visit to Kunti’s palace.  Durvasa is known for his short temper and uttering curses at the drop of a hat.  Kings were eager to just keep this sage happy. Father of Kunti gave a grand welcome to sage Durvasa. To ensure that there is not the slightest negligence in his hospitality the king deputed Kunti to serve Durvasa.  Princess Kunti too served the sage with devotion. Durvasa stayed for a long time and Kunti too continued to serve him with an unswerving attention.  The sage took many tests of the princess at his service but Kunti did not lose patience.  Durvasa was pleased with the princess. While departing, Durvasa, as a token of the service, offered a powerful but rare Mantra to the princess by use of which she could invoke any one of the gods and take advantage of that divine power. Young princess did not have full confidence in such things as power of Mantra.  But she was curious to know.  She wanted to verify its validity.  She invoked the god Surya.  Lo and behold!  The sun god was in front of Kunti in person. “You may ask for any boon and I shall fulfill the same”—said the sun god. “But I don’t want anything”—in a state of awe Kunti was undecided. The sun god offered her a son. It is not socially acceptable to bear a child without getting married.  So the princess abandoned the child in the water of the Ganga. This child is known as Karna, a dominating but dramatic character in the epic of Mahabharata.   Moral:  One should make use of power judicially.