Kunti meeting Karna begging him to spare lives of her other sons, just before the commencement of the war is an interpolated story in view of the following reasons, included just to add melodrama to the situation.
a) Kunti begot Karna, when she was still unmarried and left him in waters due to intense fear of social stigma, as he was born before her marriage through a divine boon from Sage Durvasa.
We have to note a crucial issue that even in our age many just born babies born out of wedlock, are being abandoned by the mothers concerned, due to intense fear of social stigma. Then, what would be the mental status of an young, unmarried princess - in the time period almost 5,000 years ago, who was forced to give birth to a son?
Whether anyone likes it or not, the young princess (Kunti) abandoned her new born son, and moved along with the time, got married, gave birth to 3 sons.
b) It was when the Pandavas and Kauravas were exhibiting their martial skills before their families and friends, and people, ie., almost after 20 years later that Kunti first had glimpse of her first son Karna.
By the time, her concentration was fully focused on the growth of Pandavas only. Though she was perturbed at the sight of her first son (Karna) and her 4th son(Arjuna) facing each other and about fight, she did not reveal the secret.
c) Almost 25 to 30 years later, it had become known to everyone that the war is imminent between Kauravas and Pandavas, as the Shri Krishna failed in bringing peace between them.
Shri Krishna informs everything to Kunti and asks for her message to Pandavas, as she was living in the house of Vidura at that point of time.
The following is the Kunti’s message. Shlokas are from 137th chapter of Udyoga Parva and English translation is from KMG. Please note that these shlokas are available even in BORI’s version.
नमो धर्माय महते धर्मो धारयति प्रजाः ॥
एतद्धनञ्जयो वाच्यो नित्योद्युक्तो वृकोदरः । यदर्थं क्षत्रिया सूते तस्य कालोऽयमागतः ॥
न हि वैरं समासाद्य सीदन्ति पुरुषर्षभाः ॥
विदिता ते सदा बुद्धिर्भीमस्य न स शाम्यति । यावदन्तं न कुरुते शत्रूणां शत्रुकर्शनः ॥
सर्वधर्मविशेषज्ञां स्नुषां पाण्डोर्महात्मनः । ब्रूया माधव कल्याणीं कृष्णां कृष्ण यशस्विनीम् ॥
युक्तमेतन्महाभागे कुले जाते यशस्विनि । यन्मे पुत्रेषु सर्वेषु यथावत्त्वमवर्तिथाः ॥
माद्रीपुत्रौ च वक्तव्यौ क्षत्रधर्मरतावुभौ । विक्रमेणार्जितान्भोगान्वृणीतं जीवितादपि ॥
विक्रमाधिगता ह्यर्थाः क्षत्रधर्मेण जीवतः । मनो मनुष्यस्य सदा प्रीणन्ति पुरुषोत्तम ॥
यच्च वः प्रेक्षमाणानां सर्वधर्मोपचायिनी । पाञ्चाली परुषाण्युक्ता को नु तत्क्षन्तुमर्हति ॥
न राज्यहरणं दुःखं द्यूते चापि पराजयः । प्रव्राजनं सुतानां वा न मे तद्दुःखकारणम् ॥
यत्तु सा बृहती श्यामा सभायां रुदती तदा । अश्रौषीत्परुषा वाचस्तन्मे दुःखतरं मतम् ॥
स्त्रीधर्मिणी वरारोहा क्षत्रधर्मरता सदा । नाध्यगच्छत्तदा नाथं कृष्णा नाथवती सती ॥
तं वै ब्रूहि महाबाहो सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम् । अर्जुनं पुरुषव्याघ्रं द्रौपद्याः पदवीं चर ॥
विदितौ हि तवात्यन्तं क्रुद्धाविव यमान्तकौ । भीमार्जुनौ नयेतां हि देवानपि परां गतिम् ॥
तयोश्चैतदवज्ञानं यत्सा कृष्णा सभागता । दुःशासनश्च यद्भीमं कटुकान्यभ्यभाषत ॥
पश्यतां कुरुवीराणां तच्च संस्मारयेः पुनः ॥
पाण्डवान्कुशलं पृच्छेः सपुत्रान्कृष्णया सह । मां च कुशलिनीं ब्रूयास्तेषु भूयो जनार्दन ॥
अरिष्टं गच्छ पन्थानं पुत्रान्मे परिपालय ॥
Thou shalt say these words unto Dhananjaya. Unto Vrikodara again, who is always ready for exertion, thou shalt say these words,
'The time hath come for that in view of which Kshatriya lady bringeth forth a son! They that are foremost among men never become cheerless when they have hostilities to wage--
Thou knowest what the state of Bhima's mind is. That grinder of foes is never pacified until he exterminates his foes.
Thou shalt, O Madhava, next say unto the auspicious Krishna of great fame, that daughter-in-law of the high-souled Pandu, who is conversant with the details of every virtue, these words, 'O thou that art highly blessed, O thou of noble parentage, O thou that art endued with great fame, that becoming behaviour which thou always showest towards my sons is, indeed, worthy of thee.'
Thou must also say unto the sons of Madri who are always devoted to Kshatriya virtues, these words, 'Covet ye more than life itself, those enjoyments that are acquired by prowess. Objects won by prowess always please the heart of a person that liveth according to Kshatriya practices. Engaged as ye are in acquiring every kind of virtue, before your eyes the princess of Panchala was addressed in cruel and abusive epithets. Who is there that can forgive that insult?
The deprivation of their kingdom grieved me not. Their defeat at dice grieved me not. But that noble and fair Draupadi, however, while weeping in the midst of the assembly, had to hear those cruel and insulting words is what grieveth me most.
Alas, exceedingly beautiful Krishna, ever devoted to Kshatriya virtues, found no protector on that occasion, though she was wedded to such powerful protectors. O thou of mighty arms, say unto that tiger among men, Arjuna, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, that he should always tread in the path that may be pointed out by Draupadi.
Thou knowest it very well, Kesava, that Bhima and Arjuna,--that pair of fierce and all-destroying Yamas, are capable of making the very gods go the way of all creatures. Is not this an insult to them that (their wife) Krishna was dragged into the assembly?
O Kesava, recall to their remembrance all those cruel and harsh words that Dussasana said unto Bhima in the very presence of all the warriors of Kuru's race. Enquire (in my name) after the welfare of the Pandavas with their children and Krishna. Say unto them, O Janardana, that I am well.
Go thou on thy auspicious way, and protect my sons!'
d) The question is, can Kunti -
- (i) a mother of Kshtriyas ,
- (ii) living and wishing all along for the welfare of her sons,
- (iii) who has confidence that Bhima and Arjuna can even win Gods, and
- (iv) who communicated such an inspiring speech to her sons just before the commencement of the war, through Shri Krishna,
stoop to such a low level of begging before her abandoned first son Karna, to spare lives of her other sons?
Ridiculous!
As far as I am concerned, I do not think that Kunti stooped to that low level of begging Karna. It is an interpolated episode, added to evoke melodrama.
e ) Finally, Kunti requesting Yudhisthira to give water oblation to her abandoned first son Karna appears in the final part of Stri Parva of Mahabharata.
If we study carefully the Stri Parva, we can find to our astonishment that this section appears, after Yudhisthira performing the final rites to all warriors, including Karna, who died in the war.
कर्णं वैकर्तनं चैव सहपुत्रममर्षणम् ।
केकयांश्च महेष्वासांस्त्रिगर्तांश्च महारथान् ॥
(the bodies of) Karna and his son of great wrath; of those great bowmen, the Kekaya princes, and those mighty car-warriors, the Trigartas (were burnt).
Hence, Kunti requesting Yudhisthira to give water oblation to her abandoned first son Karna is also an interpolation.