He was never meant to die;
His life snuffed out at a premature age.
Yet he was slain;
For he had sinned;
A transgression that was unpardonable.
His manner of demise;
Was but fiendish;
To say the least;
For his executioner;
Was inhuman, abominable and devilish.
O Karna, famed for altruism;
Yet guilty of misconduct;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Inequity or savagery?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced;
Offset and nullified?
***
Infringement of the code of warfare;
He was never meant to discharge.
Yet days later;
His rectitude he preserved;
Labelling it his ethics.
Taking up the baton;
He abused not his authority;
For he defended his fidelity;
Displaying his legitimacy;
On the battleground.
O Karna, famed for honour;
Yet guilty of lawlessness;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Decency or disorder?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced;
Offset and nullified?
***
Non-intervention and indolence;
He was never meant to accept.
Yet he was coerced into it;
By someone with greater leverage.
Submitted to mortification;
He had no choice but to back away.
O Karna, famed for solemnity;
Yet guilty of pronounced pride;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Shame or vitality?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced;
Offset and nullified?
***
Prey to insensitivity;
He was never meant to become;
For his greatest trait lay in sanctity.
Yet his heartless parent;
Self-serving, sought to tempt him;
Crushing his soul into a thousand tiny pieces.
O Karna, famed for dedication;
Yet guilty of your bloodline;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Recognition as Radheya or Kaunteya?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced?
Offset and nullified?
***
Subject to exploitation;
He was never meant to be;
For he was ever so selfless and kind.
Yet perceiving that he would be hoodwinked;
Succumbing to the avidity of gallantry he could not resist.
O Karna, famed for courage;
Yet guilty of a death wish;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Self-sacrifice or an urge to self-destruct?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced;
Offset and nullified?
***
Certified as inferior;
He was never fated to be.
Worthy of sovereignty he was;
Apt on an adorned golden throne;
He seemed fit to bear the weight of a kingly diadem.
Disregarded and scorned;
His valour unsung;
Unappreciated he is.
O Karna, famed for fortitude;
Yet guilty of pique;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Regality or bitterness?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced;
Offset and nullified?
***
Misdeeds and errors;
He was never meant to commit.
Yet he violated his righteousness;
To please his only comrade.
Visually impaired he was;
To the deportment of his friend;
Despite his regrets.
Susceptible to love he remains;
For, missing in life, it was.
O Karna, famed for ideals;
Yet guilty of impropriety;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Courtesy or defiance?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced;
Offset and nullified?
***
Rejected at birth by this world;
He was never meant to be born.
His existence ostracized;
His head was always down.
He lied in order to be taught;
For his mentor disdained his caste.
Only one man lifted his chin;
But brought out the worst in him;
For turpitude curtained his transcendence.
O Karna, famed for supremacy;
Yet guilty of paltriness;
What will you place;
On the balance scales?
Intimacy or allegiance?
Which side of the pair of scales;
Tilts and inclines?
Or are they counterbalanced;
Offset and nullified?
***
~ Dibyasree Nandy
Kolkata, India