The Worm and the Sleeping Guru

After the great war was over, when Yudhishthira was grieving for the brother he had not known was his brother, the sage Narada told him how Karna had come to be cursed.

When Karna was young, he went to Drona, the teacher of the princes, in private.

"Teach me the Brahma weapon," he said, "and how to call it back. I want to fight Arjuna."

Drona loved Arjuna best of all his pupils, and he did not trust Karna.

"That weapon is only for a brahmin who has kept his vows," he said, "or for a warrior who has done great penance. For no one else."

So Karna left him and went to the one teacher who was greater than Drona: Rama of the axe, Parashurama, who lived in penance on Mount Mahendra by the sea. Parashurama had once killed every warrior king on earth, and would teach only brahmins.

Karna bowed his head before him.

"I am a brahmin," he said, "of the family of Bhrigu."

Bhrigu was Parashurama's own ancestor. The old man welcomed him gladly, and took him as his pupil. Karna lived on the mountain, among the gods and the gandharvas who came there, and learned all that his guru could teach, the Brahma weapon too.

One day, wandering by the sea with his bow, he killed a cow by mistake. It belonged to a brahmin who kept it for his fire offering. Karna went to the brahmin at once and told him, and begged to be forgiven.

The brahmin would not forgive him.

"When you fight the man you hate most," he said, "the earth will swallow the wheel of your chariot. And while you struggle with it, he will cut off your head."

Karna offered him cows and gold and jewels. Nothing would change the curse.

Some time after, Parashurama was walking near his hermitage with Karna. He had been fasting, and he was tired. He lay down, put his head in his pupil's lap, and slept.

While he slept, a worm crawled up onto Karna's leg. It was a horrible thing, with eight legs and sharp teeth and bristles like needles, and it lived on blood. It began to bore into Karna's thigh.

Karna did not move. If he moved, his guru would wake. So he let the worm eat into him. The pain was terrible, and he sat still and did not tremble.

At last the blood ran down onto Parashurama, and he woke.

"I have been made impure," he said. "What is this? Tell me the truth."

Karna showed him the worm. Parashurama looked at it, and at his look it died. And out of it rose a demon, dark and red-necked, who joined his hands to the sage.

"Long ago I offended your ancestor Bhrigu," said the demon, "and he cursed me to be this worm until a Rama of his line set me free. You have freed me."

When the demon had gone, Parashurama turned to Karna, and his face was terrible.

"No brahmin could bear such pain," he said. "You have a warrior's patience. Tell me the truth."

Karna fell at his feet.

"I am the son of a charioteer," he said. "I am Karna, the son of Radha. I lied to you, because a teacher is like a father, and I wanted your weapons."

Parashurama was angry, and also, a little, he smiled.

"Because you lied to me for the sake of a weapon," he said, "this weapon will leave you. When you meet a warrior who is your equal, and your death is near, you will not remember it. Now go. This is no place for a liar. But no warrior on earth will be your equal in battle."

Karna went to Duryodhana and told him he had learned all the weapons there were.