Karna reached Hastinapur after a few days of traveling and went directly home. He saw his mother was busy preparing food. He called.
Karna : Radha maa.
Radha turned around hearing her name. She saw Her son standing behind her. Seeing him she immediately recognised him as her son who has returned after getting his education. Karna immediately came and hugged her mother. Radha was crying in his embrace Karna too hugged her tightly. He remembered his regret of being unable to see when he was about to die at the foot of Mahendragiri. Radha too felt her son's restlessness. They parted and Radha truly saw her son. He has grown from a teenager to a handsome young man.
Radha : Putra, you have taken so many years to return, did you forget about your Mata.
Karna : No mother, how could I forget you, it was just my education that took too long to complete. Don't worry now I am not going anywhere.
Radha and Karna talked the whole afternoon. Karna has placed his head on her lap like he used to do when he was a child. Radha was also caressing his hair. They both talked a lot. At the time of sunset karna left the house for his pooja and returned back to his home. He again rested his head in his mother's lap. They were so busy talking that they didn't feel Adhiratha entering the house. Adhiratha came and saw his wife was caressing a young man who was peacefully resting on her lap. He immediately understood that his wayward son had returned. He came to them and placed his hands on Karna's head too. Radha seeing this hand was surprised. Karna immediately stood up and saw his father. He immediately touched his feet and hugged him.
Karna : I have missed you Pitashree.
Adhiratha : Me too Putra.
The family then talked. Then Radha arranged dinner. During dinner Adhiratha has finally asked the question that was bugging him.
Adhiratha : Putra, now that you have completed your education, what are you going to do in the future for your living?
Karna : Pitashree I want to be like you Pitashree. I am your son so I will also be a charioteer.
Karna's reply has shocked his parents. They both knew their son has always wanted to be a warrior then what has happened.
Radha (worried) : What happened to you Putra?
Karna (smiles) : Nothing happened mata.
Adhiratha (seriously) : Karna, tell me clearly were you unable to attain the knowledge you wanted to gain?
Karna : No Pitashree I have attained the knowledge. That too from Bhagwan Parshuram.
Adhiratha : Then why do you want to be a charioteer? You always wanted to be a warrior.
Karna : Several things have happened to Pitashree, I won't go into details but I have decided to not lift weapons. So I want to be a charioteer and I am your son Pitashree don't worry, I haven't forgotten what you have taught me.
Radha and Adhiratha are shocked to hear Karna's reply. They know it must be something huge that his son has decided to never lift weapons but they can clearly see that their son does not want to talk about it so they let the matter go.
Adhiratha : Okay come with me tomorrow, I will ask Mahamahim to find a suitable job for you.
Karna : Ji Pitashree.
The family ended their dinner and went to sleep. The next morning Karna woke up and did his pooja and returned home. He was going to accompany his father to meet Gangaputr Bheeshma so he has hid his movements and posture so that Bheeshma couldn't probably guess that he was a warrior. He did all he could but he wasn't sure if he could fool the experienced eyes of Bheeshma. The family ate breakfast and the father-son duo went to the palace. They went to the palace stable and Adhiratha took out the chariot and to the palace stairs to wait for Bheeshma.
Bheeshma arrived near his chariot and saw his charioteer standing with a young man. The young man was 9 feet tall, had a body of warrior not too bulky but was perfectly proportioned but his posture was not that of a trained warrior it really seemed odd.
Father- son : Pranipat Mahamahim.
Bheeshma : Kalyan ho. Adhiratha, who is this young man besides you?
Adhiratha : He is my son Karna, Mahamahim. He just came back so I have decided to bring him here to introduce him to and ask you if you have any need of a Charioteer then can you kindly give him the job.
Bheeshma : We don't have any need for now but tomorrow the kuru princes will come back if your son wants he can be their charioteer but his performance will show whether he can be summoned by their charioteer or not.
Adhiratha : Thanks for giving my son the opportunity.
Karna : Thank you Mahamahim.
Bheeshma : There is no need for thanks, I have given you just an opportunity.
Karna : It is more than what could not be hoped for considering our last encounter. Pranipat.
Bheeshma : Kalyan ho Vatsya.
Karna has left from there. Bheeshma saw his retreating back. Bheeshma was surprised when Adhiratha talked about his son wanting to be a Charioteer, he couldn't recognise Karna but he still remembers the way he stood up to him in his childhood and his stubbornness to gain knowledge. But the person he saw now didn't have any of those qualities but he couldn't see it wasn't that he didn't possess the same fire but has learned to tame it. His last words told him so.
Bheeshma : Adhiratha, your son had left to gain weapons knowledge so how come upon his return he wants to be charioteer.
Adhiratha : I don't know why? He didn't tell us what had happened since he went out and came back.
Adhiratha didn't want to tell so he lied. Bheeshma nodded at that. He thought maybe Karna was rejected by every guru like Dronacharya after that he trained himself the best he could and returned. This explains to him why despite having a warrior body he didn't have posture for one. He sighed.
Karna came back to his home and spent his time with Mother. He has also met his childhood female friend Vrushali. She is the only one apart from his family that has supported him. Their friendship was quite deep. Seeing her becoming a beautiful maiden Karna was gobsmacked. They both met and talked. That evening Adhiratha came.
Adhiratha : A kala pradarshan is being arranged for Kuru princes to showcase their abilities tomorrow.
Karna : So, what does it change for us Pitashree?
Adhiratha : It will give you the opportunity to decide which prince you want as your Rathi.
Karna : I don't care about that, anyone can become my Rathi, Pitashree what do you want to say? Say it clearly, it's not like we can actually choose our Rathi.
Adhiratha : Putra I want you to choose Pandavas as your Rathi.
Karna : Why because they are Devputra.
Adhiratha : No son because they follow dharma. I want you to always be in the vicinity of people who are righteous.
Karna : What Adharm have Kauravas committed?
Adhiratha : It's not princes. I am worried about its Gandhar raj Shakuni. Promise me you will never side with Kauravas.
Karna : Ok Pitashree I promise.
Karna didn't know that this promise today will be the reason for his huge turmoil in the future.
They all had dinner and went back to sleep. Next day every citizen of Hastinapur gathered in the stadium where Kala pradarshan was going to be held. Karna too came with Radha and Vrushali. Adhiratha couldn't come as he was Charioteer of Bheeshma and will have to stay on his side. The crowd was excited and gossiping among them. The sound of shankhnaad echoed and everyone became quiet. Then the sound of drums was heard and everyone saw Dronacharya was walking to the center of the stage with his son. He was proudly telling the crowd how he has whole heartedly trained the princes and the rules of kala pradarshan. Karna saw that indifferently he neither respected nor hated Dronacharya. In his opinion, a biased teacher cannot become a guru and this is what he thought about Drona.
Then the son of Drona Ashwatthama, started calling the princes to showcase their skill. He first called the 99 Kauravas to fight among themselves and display their capabilities prince dushasan came at the top among them when Duryodhana was called Dushan and immediately surrendered. To fight against Duryodhana, prince Nakuul was called first. Duryodhana easily defeated him, then he defeated prince Sahdev, prince Yudhishthir accepted his defeat once angered and Bheem like bull used his strength and was disqualified for using excessive force.
Karna was watching all this with slight interest, truth to be told he was disappointed till now seeing all the fights. Kauravas' skills were just above ordinary while only four of them stood out: formidable yuyutsu, vikarn, Dussashan and Duryodhana. Pandav was kind of depressing. He can very well see the conspiracy going on but still it was disheartening to see how easily Duryodhana defeated them in strength and mental warfare.
Seeing Bheem defeated Guru Drona proudly called his favorite student Arjun. Arjun defeated Duryodhana easily and bound him with himastsra. Guru Drona arrogantly proclaimed Arjun as the best archer of the world. He was praising Arjun instead of releasing Duryodhana but Arjun released Duryodhana after he was declared winner. The whole crowd started shouting Arjun's name.
Karna was seeing everyone indifferently as it all didn't matter to him but he was angry at Drona's proclamation. If he hadn't already decided to not lift his weapon he would surely have broken Drona's arrogance but he didn't let his emotions get the better of him. He saw Arjun was an able archer but he was way too far from being the best. He was sure as arjun is now he couldn't even defeat Bheeshma let alone comparable to lord Shiva. He scoffed at Drona's arrogance. If he could he would have chosen Duryodhana as his Rathi but he promised to choose anyone from Pandavas to his father. From what he had seen only Arjun has a caliber so he can only choose him. He smiled at the irony. He wanted to compete with Drona's best student to decide who is better archer but destiny has played its game and he now has to become his charioteer. He won the competition with even participation because of Mahadev's boon but lost the battle because of destiny.