Atiratha, a charioteer by profession and the chieftain of the city of Champa on the banks of the Ganga, was also known as Vikartana. He shared a close friendship with King Dhritarashtra of the Kurus. Atiratha’s wife, Radha, was a strikingly beautiful woman, but for a long time, the couple remained childless.
One day, while bathing in the river, Radha noticed a box floating in the water. She instructed her servants to retrieve it and brought it to her husband. Upon opening the box, they discovered a beautiful male child, scarcely a day old, adorned with golden armor and earrings.
Following the prescribed rites, the couple adopted the child and named him Vasusena. As he grew, Vasusena became renowned for his exceptional archery skills, his immense generosity, and his unwavering loyalty to King Duryodhana. He eventually became famous under the name Karna – The Ill Fated Elder Son of Kunti.
Although many children were born to Atiratha and Radha after Karna, he remained their eldest and most beloved, holding a special place in their hearts.
Sources & further reading
These themes are explored in greater depth across the following authoritative resources:
- Internet Sacred Text Archive, Mahabharata (Ganguli translation)
- Internet Sacred Text Archive, Ramayana of Valmiki
- Britannica, Mahabharata
- Britannica, Ramayana
- Bibek Debroy, The Mahabharata (10 vols., Penguin, 2010 to 2014)
External resources for further reading. Apam Napat is not affiliated with these publishers; citation does not imply endorsement.
Based on the classical texts of Hindu mythology, see our sources.