As the adopted daughter of King Kuntibhoj, Princess Pritha famously known as Kunti, was a very compassionate and innocent. In the Kunti Rajya, princess Kunti was the delight of the kingdom. As a child, she was taught everything a royal princess should be taught. But she was certainly curious of nature.
Once rishi Durvasa arrived at the Kuntibhoj kingdom. He was known for his volatile temper. The king arranged for princess Kunti to serve the sage. It was a very challenging task. She would have to wake up very early and go to sleep late at night. Her tasks included arranging materials for the sage's puja and doing all kind of work. For the princess who had been pampered all her life it was a difficult thing. But she persevered through it and impressed the sage/rishi.
Rishi Durvasa pleased with the service of Kunti blessed her and gifted a powerful mantra/spell before leaving the kingdom. The mantra had power to invoke any deity and made them attracted towards her. She could asks for a boon with those gods/goddess and the attraction would be done.
In her private chambers, Kunti was standing at the window while thinking about the Mantra given by Rishi Durvasa. Out of curiosity and wonder, she chants the Mantra while targeting god of the sun, Lord Surya. Suddenly, the room is filled with a blinding light, and Lord Surya himself appears before Kunti.
In his divine voice, Lord Surya says, "Hey, princess Kunti, why have you summoned me?"
Shielding her eyes with her hands in an attempt to protect them from the brightness of the sun god, Kunti says "Hey Great Lord Surya, forgive me. I did not call you with the intent to disturb you. I was merely curious about the Mantra gifted to me by the Great Rishi Durvasa."
Sensing Kunti's discomfort at his brilliance and brightness, Lord Surya calls his divinity back within his body. When Kunti stops shielding her eyes, Lord Surya stops and says, "Fear not young Kunti. The power of the Mantra is sacred and your devotion is pure. But know this: The power of Mantra binds me to grant a boon to whoever has invoked me with this Mantra. Tell me, princess, what do you wish for as boon?"
"Oh Great Lord Surya. I seek no boon. I did not know the power of this Mantra. Please, I implore you, release me from this obligation."
"Princess, Kunti the divine laws cannot be undone. You have summoned me and I must fulfill my part. I shall grant you a son. Born of my light and might, a warrior unmatched in this world."
Borned with Kavach and Kundal and handsome feature, baby Karna excluded radiant and glowing aura. Watching the kid in her arms play, Kunti at first was captivated. Her son was so beautiful. But then she had a realization.
"Oh Lord. What did you do? How can you give a son? I am an unwed lady, how can I be a mother even before my marriage? It was a simple curiosity of a girl. How can you punish me like this?"
"Kunti, I was bound by the Mantra. When I told you to ask for a boon, you didn't and the Mantra compelled me towards you, so I gave you a son. Perhaps it was the wish of Fate. We cannot change what has happened. We must accept it and move forward."
"My Lord, You are a god who is bound by his duty to the world. You must do your duty of providing light. In the same way, I am bound by my duty of only princess of my kingdom. I cannot be known to have a child before marriage.
It will cause a huge turmoil and unrest. The enemy kingdoms may seize the opportunity to attack us. So, I cannot have a son. I will have to abandon him to protect the kingdom. Please my lord, do something, please help me my lord."
"Don't worry Kunti, Karna's birth is divine. As such your innocence, chastity and honor remain untouched. And do not worry about him, until he becomes able, my rays will protect him from any harm and as long as he bathes in my light, he shall be free from all kinds of diseases. And none shall know the truth of his birth unless the ones here, in this room, wished for it."
"Thank you my lord."
And then Lord Surya leaves for sky to do his duty. Kunti stays in the room for sometimes while playing with Karna. But after a while, she calls for her very trusted maid and goes to Ganga bank with her. She explains everything to her maid on the way. In the bank of Ganga, she sits for a long time while singing lullaby to Karna.
"How unfortunate of a mother I am. I have been blessed with such a beautiful child, a son, yet I have to abandon him only after spending few moments with him. How cruel of the density to give such a fate to any mother.
I am sorry my son. Your mother is heartless my son but please do not hate her, a mother cannot bear being hated by her child. I am the only child of King Kuntibhoj that too adopted. It is my duty to marry a strong husband and have strong children to save the kingdom. If I present you, then I will have to remain unwed which will be bad for the future of the kingdom.
You will grow up to be a great warrior like your father but our enemies will attack us before that. They will cause internal turmoil in the country and our Parja will suffer for this. My father is old, in few years he won't be able fight any wars and you won't be ready till then. This will show weakness and the enemy will surely take advantage of that fact.
So, I will have to abandon you my son. For the sake of people and my father I will have to abandon you. Please forgive this stonehearted mother of yours. I cannot keep you in this kingdom as well because the truth will be out very soon. Someone who is brimming with divinity like you can't be hidden especially when abandoned.
People will bring you to the royal court and if I see you again I will not be able to stop myself. So, I will put you in the Ganga River. Devi Ganga is said to erase sins and protect good karma. I hope she helps you find a new and good family my son."
Kunti starts to speak to the baby who was looking at her with his beautiful eyes, eyes which looked to be far more intelligent than they should be. But being a child of god may have something to do with this. Or that is what Kunti thought.
"Princess please hurry up, otherwise it will be late and people will find out." Maid.
"Let me just watch him for few moments. I may never see him again." Kunti says as she keeps looking at Karna.
Kunti put Karna is cradle and took him to the Ganga River. She looked at the river whose currents looked far dangerous even for adults let alone a small baby. And this scared her. Fearing the safety of the child she is going to abandon, Kunti decides to use the Mantra once again, but this time with boon already determined and target Devi Ganga.
As Kunti recited the Mantra targeting Devi Ganga, the water rose from the river while taking the form of a woman. As the form gained more celestial aura, both Kunti and maid kneeled before the form while joining their hands in prayer.
"Speak my child. Why have you summoned me? And what boon do you seek?"
"Hey Devi Ganga, I, Kunti, daughter of King Kuntibhoj have invoked you with the Mantra given to me by Rishi Durvasa. For very unfortunate reasons, I became unmarried mother and have to abandon my baby son. But your currents are far too dangerous for him. I seek a boon for my son, that as long as he is in your river, he shall remain unharmed. Please grant me this boon Devi Ganga."
"A mother who abandons her son. What reasons are there for you to do this? And yet you seek boon to keep your son safe. I do not know your reasons princess Kunti but it is not good thing. I know this pain for I too have abandoned my 7 sons to my currents. I shall bless you with the boon but know this Kunti, I cannot bear the sin of abandoning one more child by their mother. So, I shall not wash away this sin of yours. You will have to face the consequences yourself."
"I am contented with that Devi Ganga. As a mother who abandons her son, I will face the consequences of this sin."
After saying that Kunti brings Karna with his cradle and puts him in the river where Devi Ganga bless him. After that, the currents starts to push the cradle away as Kunti watches from the bank. Devi Ganga disappears and the maid urges Kunti to return to the castle. Only after Karna disappears from her eyes does Kunti moves from that place.
As she walks towards the Castle, Kunti looks towards the sun in the evening sky and says "Hey Lord Surya. Please look after our son and please direct him towards good people who will adopt him and love him like their own. Please my Lord."