Karna, also known as Vasusena, Anga-raja, and Radheya, is one of the major characters of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. He is the son of the sun god Surya and princess Kunti, and thus a demigod of royal birth.

What does the name Karna mean?

Derived from Sanskrit कर्ण (karna) meaning "ear". This is the name of the son of the Hindu sun god Surya and the goddess Kunti, who gave birth to him through her ear.

Was Karna good or bad?

Lord Krishna had praised Karna on several occasions.

In the middle of the war, Krishna even told Arjuna that Karna was indeed a real warrior, and far better than him. Karna reminds us of the saying ”Tough times never last, but tough people do.”