Vrushali

Vrushali
Information
Spouse(s) Karna
Children Vrishasena

The name of Karna's wife is not mentioned in Mahabharat. But it can be safely concluded that he had only one wife (unknown name). The name Vrishali makes sense as the name of Karna's wife because original name of Karna was Vrisha as per original epic, hence his wife would be called as Vrishali, also called Vrushali.

Very little is known about Vrushali, except that she was from the charioteer caste and chosen by Karna's adoptive father Adhiratha, also of the same caste. According to the Udyoga Parva Bhagavatayana, in shloka #1011, where Karna declines Lord Krishna's offer to defect from Duryodhana's camp, the warrior states :

Naama vai vasusheneti kaarayaamaasa maadhava I

Bhaaryaashchoda mama praapte yauvane tatparichhaat II

Family

Vyasa Mahabharata (the Original) or the other versions of Mahabharata state that Karna was a monogamist. Also it seems that Karna had a content married life. Vrushali went sati on Karna's pyre after his death. Unfortunately, M.N. Dutt's Mahabharata translation has been incorrectly rephrased as "On attaining my youth too did I marry wives according to his choice." Grammatically speaking however, the word "bhaaryaa" in Sanskrit means "the sole wife". In Stree Parva Queen Gandhari describes the lamentation of Karna's wife whom she states as the sole wife of the warrior. She does state the names of the couple's two sons, Vrishasena and Susena.

Gandhari's lamentation on Karna's death in Stri Parva & her description of Vrushali is as follows :

Behold, the wife of Karna and mother of Vrishasena, is indulging in piteous lamentations and crying and weeping and falling upon the ground! Even now she exclaims, "Without doubt, thy preceptor’s curse hath pursued thee! When the wheel of thy car was swallowed up by the Earth, the cruel Dhananjaya cut off thy head with an arrow! Alas, fie (on the heroism and skill)!" That lady, the mother of Sushena, exceedingly afflicted and uttering cries of woe, is falling down, deprived of her senses, at the sight of the mighty-armed and brave Karna prostrated on the earth, with his waist still encircled with a belt of gold. Carnivorous creatures, feeding on the body of that illustrious hero, have reduced it to very small dimensions. The sight is not gladdening, like that of the moon on the fourteenth night of the dark fortnight. Falling down on the earth, the cheerless dame is rising up again. Burning with grief on account of the death of her son also, she cometh and smelleth the face of her lord!
— quote

[1]

As per Vyasa Mahabharata, Karna had nine sons (though 7 - 8 sons seems to be interpolated to overglorify the Pandava warriors).

Original
1. Vrishasena
2. Vrishaketu
Interpolated
3. Chitrasena
4. Satyasena
5. Sushena
6. Shatrunjaya
7. Dvipata
8. Banasena
9. Prasena
Interpolated death of Sushena.
A) Uttamauja slew Sushena on 17th day of war.

The heroic Uttamauja, putting forth his strength struck the son of Karna and cut off his head which fell down on the earth, filling the earth and the welkin with a loud noise.[2]

B) Nakula slew Sushena on 18th day of war.

Nakula sped it with great force at Karna's son in that battle. With that arrow, O best of kings, the son of Pandu cut off from Sushena's trunk the latter's head in the very sight of all the troops.[3]
Uttamauja had killed Sushena on 17th day and Nakula slew same Sushena on the next day. It is not possible to kill the same person twice. It proves that his death is an interpolation.

As per original Mahabharata, Karna had at least one son or only two sons at the most, Vrishasena and Vrishaketu. Following are the reasons:
1) Only Vrishasena has been described during the entire epic. When Bhishma had recited Ratha-Maharatha, he only mentioned Vrishasena as the son of Karna. Vrishaketu was 10 yrs old, hence he didn't participate in war. But Bhishma didn't mention other 7 sons of Karna. It proves that other 7 sons are interpolated.
2) During Aashramvastika Parv, souls of only two sons of Karna arose from Bhagirathi river - Vrishasena & his younger brother Vrishaketu who was slain by Vabruvahan in Ashwamedha Parv. So Karna had only two sons.

Passage from Mahabharata Asramavasika Parva as translated by Kesari Mohan Ganguli: There were the son of Jarasandha, and Bhagadatta, and Jalasandha of great energy, and Bhurisravas, and Sala, and Salya, and Vrishasena with his YOUNGER BROTHER. [4]

1) Vrishasena
Quote from Vishnu Puran: "His son was Adhiratha, who found Karna in a basket on the banks of the Ganges, where he had been exposed by his mother, Pritha. The son of Karna was Vrishasena. These were the ANGA KINGS. [5]

2) VRISHAKETU
Jaimini is considered as the most authentic version of Mahabharata. Jaimini also described only one son of Karna being Vrishaketu. Vrishaketu had defeated a powerful demon during Ashwamedha Parva when even Bhima and Arjuna failed to defeat that demon). Vrishaketu did help Arjuna during Ashwamedha for conquering the earth so Yuddhistira could be undisputed emperor.

Demon said "To your virtue, I am sold". I shall fight no more. Now tell who you are". He thus replied, "Well then you have heard that Karna born from the sun who shines above and known as world's eye ; I am his son, my name is Vrishaketu. By DharmaRaja, sovereign of the race of Bharata, Krishna in mortals pass time the Yadava king performs a sacrifie and has sent Bhima for splendid horse. I come with him. This is my history".

Jaimini Mahabharat has mentioned Vrishaketu as the only son of Karna who died during an encounter with vabruvahan the son of Arjuna.

CONCLUSION

Karna and Vrushali had at least one son or only two sons at the most namely Vrishasena and Vrishaketu. Others are interpolated.

Caste Marriages

Within the society a Brahmin man could have up to four wives, a Kshatriya man could have up to three wives (except Kshatriya Kings who in many instances had more than three wives due to marriages for political purposes), a Vaishya man could have up to two wives, and a Shudra man could have only one wife. A Suta man considered lower than a Shudra man could have only one wife. A son born of a Suta and called Suta Putra was considered inferior to a Suta and could only have one wife.

It was acceptable for a person to marry within his/her own caste but not for a person to marry a person from another caste. Though it was frowned upon for a man to marry a woman from a lower caste, it was unacceptable for a woman to marry a man of a lower caste. A Brahmin woman was prohibitted from marrying any man other than a Brahmin man. In some cases a Brahmin woman married a Kshatriya man and the child was called a Suta.

Yadu, the ancestor of Balrama and Krishna was a Suta but was never called not treated as such. Yadu was the son of the legendary King Yayati (Kshatriya) and Devayani (Brahmin kanya, daughter of the Brahman Guru Shukracharya). None of Yadu's descendants were treated as 'Suta Putra'. Inter-caste marriages led to sub-castes.

It was on this account that Draupadi refused to marry Karna even after Karna was invited as a suitor to Draupadi's swayamvar, as Draupadi was a Kshatriya princess who conformed to societal norms and traditions.

Karna was renowned as 'Suta Putra' meaning he was the son of a Suta and only eligible to marry the daughter of another Suta. Therefore, Karna's father Adhiratha being a Suta could only arrange a marriage for Karna with the daughter of a Suta, and Karna being a 'Suta Putra' could not marry more than once.

Karna, the partial incarnation of Surya Narayan, fought throughout his entire life to show that birth or caste do not determine a person's merit and earned a reputation as a fair and honorable warrior.

Notes

References

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