So this is going to be general thread for Karna's behavior and debunking myths which have spread regarding his birth, caste and characteristics. I'm going to mainly cite BORI version, KMG version and Gita Press version of Mahabharat here.

Myth 1: Karna was an untouchable and of lower caste.
Truth: Suta is an inter caste child born of kshatriya father and brahmin mother, Adhirath was friend of Dhritrastra and younger brother of King of Anga.
Pic 1: Lineage of Adhirath
Pic 2: Adhirath was a friend of Dhritrastra

Myth 2: Karna was denied teaching by Drona.
Truth: This is a big, fat lie. Contradicted by pretty much every version out there, Drona indeed taught Karna.

Pic 1&2: Gita Press version
Pic 3: KMG version
Pic 4: BORI version

Myth 3: Karna went to Parshuram because Drona refused to teach him.
Truth: Karna wanted Brahmashira astra to kill Arjuna hence Drona denied to give him the astra

Myth 4: Karna bore enmity towards Pandavas after they insulted him in rangbhoomi.
Truth: Karna was jealous towards Karna and tried to kill Bhima and other Pandavas since he met them for no fault of them.
Pic 1& 2: Karna with Durodhana tried to kill Bhima several times

Pic 3: Karna was always jealous of Arjuna
Pic 4: Shri Krishna confirm that Karna tried to kill Bhima by poisoning

Myth 5: Karna did not know about Lakshagrih and opposed Duryodhan and Shakuni

Truth: Duryodhan/Karna and Shakuni tried many methods to kill Pandavas (pic 1) and when failed tried to burn them in Lakshagrih
Pic 2: Karna was there at the time of the conspiracy. No voice of protest

Myth 6: Karna was insulted by Draupadi
Truth: Ok, this is controversial (some edition say he was insulted, some say he failed to pick the bow and some say he failed to draw the string)
Pic 1: He failed to draw the string
Pic 2: Failed to draw the string per BORI edition

Pic 3: Draupadi says she will not marry a Suta (which being a swaymvar is her right to decide) and Suta were not of a lower caste to begin with

Myth 7: Karna opposed vastraharan of Draupadi
Truth: Big, fat lie. It was Karna himself who ordered it and asked her to chose a different husband
Pic 1, 2 & 3 from KMG version

Pic 1: From BORI version
Pic 2: From Gita Press, Karna called Draupadi a whore
Pic 3&4: Ordered Dushasan to disrobe Pandavas and Draupadi

Now to general characteristics. Karna was extremely abusive towards elders like Bhishma, Drona and Kripa.

Pic 1: Karna insults both Bhishma and Drona and implied both have eyes on Dhritrastra's throne
Pic 2: Insults Drona and Kripa calling them worthy of washing of utensils

Karna insults Krip again (threatening to cut off his tongue) and Aswatthama almost kills him if not for Duryodhan and Kripa himself.

Now to my favorite topic, Karna's cowardice and fleeing from battle.

1. Karna fled from Drupad
2. Karna fled from Gandharvas leaving his BEST friend (indebted one) to die at the hand of Gandharvas
3. He never went back to release Duryodhan

1. Karna flees from Arjuna in Virat War
2. Arjuna killed his younger brother, knocked Karna out and Karna again fled

1. Karna runs away from Abhimanyu after Abhimanyu kills his younger brother
2. Runs to Drona because he could not stand upto Abhimanyu

1. Runs away from Bhimsen to another chariot and couldn't face him again
2 & 3. Again runs to a different chariot and Dhritrastra says Karna fled from the fight
4. Not fleeing but Karna was utterly terrified and anxious by Bhima

Remember, all this was done by Bhima's archery!

1. Bhima makes Karna cry tears and then Karna runs away, again
2. Duryodhan had to send seven of his brothers to rescue Karna from Bhima
3. Bhima knocked Karna out
4. Seeing Bhima leaping at him, Karna hid in the back of his chariot

1. These two deserves a separate mention, Karna runs away from battlefield after Bhimsen kills Dushashana
2. Runs away after Drona's death

1. Runs away from Arjuna and Ashwathama had to save Karna
2. Ashwathama again saves Karna and takes him away from Arjuna
3. Flees again from Arjuna
4. Flees from Arjuna again

1. Flees from Satyaki, even though he had help from several other maharathis

Myth 8: Bhishma did not allow Karna to fight in the war
Truth: Karna himself made a vow that till Bhishma lives, he will not fight in the war (Such a great friend to Duryodhana)

Myth 9: Karna only insulted Draupadi because she insulted him and no other women
Truth: Karna repeatedly called women whores or insulted them
1.Karna offering his wives to Pandava soldiers.
2 & 3. Karna calling Madra women whores
4. Karna calling Shalya a whore's son

Myth 10: Karna was against Ghosa Yatra
Truth: It was Karna who made the plan (to humiliate Draupadi, again)

Myth 11: Karna was weaponless when he was killed and couldn't draw upon brahmastra
Truth: Karna had his bow at the time of death and also called upon brahmastra to kill Arjuna

That's it. If you guys need any other details or I've missed something, please let me know. #karna #Mahabharat #Arjun

@PranjalUvaach @Aadii009 @__R_a_j_

One last myth that Karna fans bring up.
Myth : Bhagwan Krishna held Karna in high esteem, his righteousness and noblity.
Truth: Shri Krishna said Karna was a wretch four times in Karna Parva alone and a wicked soul aside when he blasted all his nobility at the time of his death

I forgot to add that Karna didn't donate his kavach/kundal but traded it and flat out denied to give it to Indra if he doesn't received a boon.

Ok, some people have raised question on Karna's failure in Draupadi swaymvar. So I'm compiling proof in how many edition he actually failed.

1. KMG version
2. Gita Press version
3. C.Rajagopalachari version
4. Kumbhaghonam Edition

1. M.V.Subrahmanyam version (Karna failed to hit the target)
2. BORI Edition
3. MAHABHARAT TATPARYA NIRNAYA by Madhvācārya
4. P.P.S. SASTRI edition

1. Nilkantha edition
2. PC ROY edition
3. M.N. DUTTA translation
4. BHARATAMALA SUMMARY (Bharatmala translation is of 15th century script, KMG version is translated by 16th Century)

1. H.J RESNICK'S ENGLISH TRANSLATION
2. MAHABHARAT SUMMARY BY GILLES SCHAUFELBERGER
3. KAMLA SUBRAMANIYAM'S TRANSLATION (Karna missed the target)

Anyway, Karna fans are talking about how Karna was considered a good guy in BORI Mahabharat. Let's see how true that is.
First mention of Karna's character, he is the branch of passion of Duryodhana. While Yudhisthira is the tree of righteousness and Pandavas are the branches.

1. Karna plotted to revile Krishna along with Duryodhana.
2. "Evil counsel of Karna"
3. Karna refused Krishna's counsel because of his arrogance, not because of friendship with Duryodhan

This is just from Adi Parva.

1. Duryodhana and Karna tried to oppress Pandavas by various means
2. Tried again to kill Pandavas by various means
3. Tried to kill pandavas again
4. Tried to burn Draupadi alive along with other kings

Continued

1.Karna was leading the kings
2. Karna was frightful and miserable to learn Pandavas were alive after Lakshagrih
3 & 4. Karna insults Bhishma and Drona saying they have eyes on the throne. Drona says Karna is wicked

1. Vidura says Karna is evil
2. Karna again plotted with Duryodhana against Pandavas
3. Karna along with Duryodhana offered Drona kingdom for his refuge against Pandavas (Coward much?). He is again termed evil

1. Krishna says Karna is evil along with Duryodhana and killing him and reinstating Yudhisthira is eternal Dharma
2. Dhritrashtra says Karna is contemptible
3. Says Karna is evil
4. Karna is said to have limited intelligence

1. Bhishma says Karna is evil
2. Dhritrastra says Karna is even inferior to Duryodhana
3. Krishna says everyone who is assembled under Duryodhana is stupid and evil
4. Vidura says Karna is stupid

1. Bhishma says Karna is evil
2. Krishna outright says Karna is evil
3. Karna along with Duryodhana wanted to imprison Krishna and is again said to be evil
4. Krishna again says Karna is evil

Anyway, its time to debunk the great "friendship" between Duryodhana and Karna. Karna always boasted that he would never go against Duryodhana's wishes but did plenty of time.

1. Adi Parva, Karna chose to decline Krishna's offer due to his arrogance, not friendship as portrayed

1. Duryodhana befriended Karna because he was in fear of Arjuna's skills
2 & 3. Karna fled leaving Duryodhana to die at the hands of Gandharvas and never went back to save him, he straight up said that he ran away to save himself instead of saving his friend

1. Duryodhana depended on Karna to kill all the pandavas, he fought with only Karna as his aid to kill all the pandavas
2. Karna confirms he will kill all the pandavas
3. But then he pledges to Kunti (without her asking) that he will only kill Arjuna

1. Then he takes a vow that until Bhishma is alive, he will not fight (In a war that was fought by his best friend and who was dependent on him)
2. Worse is that he lies to Duryodhana that he will kill the pandavas after he had taken the vow
3. Lies again (Drona parva)

1. Narada inform that Karna was the main reason for Mahabharata as devised by Devatas.
2. He bore enmity towards Pandavas all on his own
3. Karna knew Arjuna was better than him and wanted Brahmashira to become his equal. Drona refused because Karna was wicked

Gita press edition.

His death (the way it happened) was due to a curse. (he tried to get out of the curse by offering gold to a brahmana).

Essentially, it HAD to happen that way.

And for those Karna fans who sneer at Arjuna "kidnapping" Subhadra, Karna helped Duryodhana kidnap a girl when she had rejected Duryodhana (Subhadra never rejected Arjuna).

And lastly for those who think Krishna thought Karna was superior to Arjuna, this is how Krishna described Karna/Arjuna fight.

"The suta’s son fought a terrible battle
against Partha and clashed against him, like an insect headed towards a fire."

And finally the thoughts of VS Suthankar who had been the general editor of the BORI edition of Mahabharata on Karna.

"He had no true generosity of heart"
"He was incapable of true sacrifice or true charity"

This is for those who think Karna was the hero of the epic.

Additional details of Drupadi Swaymvar are given in Interpolations in Mahabharata by BORI institute where they mention how Draupadi rejecting Karna is a later addition.

@threadreaderapp Unroll