The most generous benefactor

The Mahabharata has many episodes about Karna’s generosity. But no version of the epic is likely to have this one!

Hearing Karna being praised by everyone as the most generous benefactor, Shakuni decides to play a game. He comes to Suyodha scratching his beard and faking a smile.‘Why do you smile, uncle? You aren’t one to make noise without news. Break the mystery to me!’ says Suyodha. Uncle Shakuni says, ‘Feeding on the food you have given him, clad in clothes you have given, gifting gold you have given, have you seen how Karna struts about? He came to you like a beggar. You fattened him by giving him too much. Now his followers, fed on his leftovers, are singing his praise and he is hogging it all. Like a son-in-law who gives away his mother-in-law’s riches, he is being called a great benefactor by giving away your wealth, while you aren’t known for your generosity. Your food is being eaten, and your house is being burgled. Are you going to keep your eyes shut?‘

‘What am I to do now?’

‘Get a board which says, ‘Duryodha, the Most Generous Benefactor’, and hang it outside your house. Let the world know what you are!’

‘What an amazing head you have, as good as Isweswaraiah’s! I shall do as you say.’

Duryodha hung the board outside his house.

All of a sudden, there was a non-stop downpour for 15 days. During this deadly downpour, Shanubhog Srinivasaiah died in Brahmins’ street. There was no dry firewood in any house to burn the corpse. Shyanubhoga’s son Enkatesa sat worrying. Some wise folk told him: ‘Haven’t you seen the board, which says ‘Most Generous Benefactor, Duryodha’? If you ask him, you might get the firewood you need’.

Enkatesa went straight to Suyodhana’s palace, and asked him with folded hands: ‘Honoured Sir, I am Shanubhog Srinivasaiah’s son, Enkatesaiah. My father attained the heavenly abode last night. There’s no firewood anywhere to burn his body. Please have mercy on me and give me some dry firewood!’

‘Have you any sense, Enktesayya? Haven’t you seen the downpour? When there’s no firewood to cook, where’s the wood to burn your father’s body? Idiot! Go, mind your business!’

On his way back, Enkatesa bumped into Ramajois, the priest. ‘Where have you been Enkatesa?’ asked the priest.
‘To King Duryodha to get some firewood to cremate my father. Someone told me about the board saying ‘Most Generous Benefactor, Duryodha’. But he said, ‘When there’s no wood to cook food, how do you expect to get wood to burn your father’s body? Get lost!’ ‘What do I do now, Jois-re?’

‘Enktesa, my son, you can measure the height of an attic, can you measure the height of the sky? Those, who can, will never put up a board. Go, ask Karna.’

Enktesa set out for Karna’s house. Seeing him approach, Karna rushed to the door. ‘Please come in, honoured sir. What brings you so far at this time of day? How can I serve you?’ Enktesaiah told him who he was and why he had come.

‘It truly saddens me to hear about your father’s death. He was a virtuous soul. I am blessed to be of service during his last rites. I shall get you dry firewood right now!’ said Karna. Summoning his servants at once he ordered them: ‘Remove the beams from the back roof at once, and carry them to wherever his worship wants! Enktesa stood startled as he listened to him and praised him heartily. Duryodha saw the beams being carried from Karna’s house. Feeling ashamed, he removed the board and flung it away, cursing Uncle Shakuni.

Translated by Laxmi Chandrashekar

The author, a retired professor of English, is a well-known theatre and television artiste and an award-winning translator.

Folktales from the Mahabharata is a monthly column that features lesser-known episodes from ‘Janapada Mahabharata’, a unique re-creation of the classical epic by Nilagara singer-narrators. This episode has been sung by eminent folk-artiste, Bettada Beedu Siddhashetty; it was collected, edited, and published by Dr P K Rajashekhara.