The Story of Karna

In a past lifetime, Karna was Sahasrakavacha-asura, Asura-of-a-Thousand-Armors. The heroes Nara and Narayana fought with Sahasrakavacha, breaking through the suits of armor one by one. Nara would battle the asura while Narayana meditated and gathered strength, and then Narayana would fight while Nara meditated.

Together, they broke through nine hundred and ninety-nine armors; only one remained. But at that very moment, the world ended in the great destruction that completes every world-cycle.

In the next world, Sahasrakavacha became Karna, who was born wearing that divine armor.

Nara and Narayana took birth as Arjuna and Krishna to defeat him at last. 

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Inspired by: Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Notes: This story is on p. 276.