Meaning & Lineage
Meaning: Karna means "ear"; he was born wearing divine earrings (kundala) and armour from the sun.
Why Was This Name Given?
Born with the sun’s own armour and earrings, abandoned at birth and raised by a charioteer, Karna was named for those divine ear-ornaments — and became the epic’s most generous, most wronged hero.
The Story
Karna gave away anything he was asked for, even the armour that kept him alive. Loyal to a fault and shadowed by the secret of his birth, he is the Mahabharata’s most heartbreaking figure — noble, gifted, and undone by fate.
His name carries unmatched generosity and dignity in the face of injustice.
Numerology: 1 · Rashi: Simha · Nakshatra: Magha · Lucky Colour: Gold · Scripture: Mahabharata
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were Karna’s real parents?
Karna was the son of Kunti and Surya, the Sun god, but was raised by the charioteer Adhiratha and his wife Radha.