Kunti's Selfish Abandonment

In the epic Mahabharata, there is a character named Kunti, who was the mother of the Pandavas. Though she wasn't exactly selfish, there is an incident that could be interpreted in that way.

Before her marriage, Kunti was granted a special boon that allowed her to invoke any deity and have a child by them. Curious about the power, she tested the boon and ended up having a child, Karna, with the sun god Surya. Afraid of the society's judgment, she decided to abandon Karna by placing him in a basket and setting him afloat on a river.

Karna's upbringing wasn't as privileged as the Pandavas, and he grew up to become a skilled warrior. Despite being a half-brother to the Pandavas, Karna's true identity remained hidden until much later. Kunti's decision to abandon Karna could be seen as self-serving, as she prioritized her reputation over the well-being of her own child.

However, it's important to note that the characters in the Mahabharata are complex and often portrayed with a mix of virtues and flaws. Kunti's actions were a product of the social norms and circumstances of her time. Her character, like many others in the epic, offers a lens through which various moral dilemmas can be explored.