Karna is one of the most fascinating character of Mahabharata. His various deeds are mentioned throughout the epic. Some of his abilities are -
- Able enough to be chosen by gods to assist them in their plan.
Narration -
Therefore, listen to what happened in earlier times, about how the kshatriyas would be cleansed by weapons and would go to heaven. To engender that dissension, he was created in a virgin womb.
- Able enough to obtain all the weapons from Lord Parshuram. Able enough to win the hearts of gods, gandharvas and rakshasas.
Narration -
Karna resided on Mahendra, supreme among mountains, and met gandharvas, rakshasas, yakshas and gods there. There, in the proper way, he obtained all the weapons from the best of the Bhrigu lineage. Because of this, he was loved by the gods, the gandharvas and the rakshasas.
- Able enough to please his guru Lord Parshurama by his virtues.
Narration -
The tiger among the Bhrigu lineage was pleased with the strength of Karna’s arms, affection, self-control and the service he showed towards his preceptor. He was also excellent in austerities.
- Able enough to bear pain of a rakshasa disguised as a bug for his guru.
Narration -
Karna bore that pain with fortitude and ignored it. He did not tremble and continued to bear Bhargava. Eventually, the blood from the limbs touched the extender of the Bhrigu lineage.
- Able enough to defeat Jarasandha in a wrestling duel. Able enough to get administration of a city from Jarasandha purely on his valour and merit.
Narration -
While fighting with him in that terrible duel with bare arms, Karna was about to sever the two parts of the body that had been brought together by Jara. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! On seeing that his body was about to face this hardship, the king cast aside all enmity and spoke these affectionate words to Karna. ‘I am pleased.’ He gave Karna the city of Malini.
- Able enough to make Lord Surya (his ishtadeva) proclaim that he is Surya's greatest devotee. This is testimony of Karna's devotional ability. This is what Surya said to him -
Narration -
It is because you are devoted to me that I am telling you this for the sake of your own welfare. This is for the reason that all my devotees should be protected by me. O mighty-armed one! I know that this one here is my greatest devotee and is devoted towards me.
- Able enough to make Indra arrive as a mendicant on Earth.
- Able enough to smilingly cut his body to give away his divine armour and earrings. This feat was even acknowledged by gods.
Narration -
He grasped his sharp sword and began to cut up his entire body. On seeing Karna cut up his own body, the gods, humans, danavas and masses of siddhas began to roar, because despite the pain, there were no distortions on his face. Celestial drums were sounded and divine flowers were showered down from above, at the sight of Karna, the brave man, smiling repeatedly as he cut up his own body with the sword.
- Able enough to refuse the tempting offer of Krishna for his foster parents and Duryodhana.
Narration 1-
As soon as he saw me, the suta Adhiratha took me home. O Madhusudana! Out of affection towards me, he gave me to Radha. Out of affection towards me, milk flowed from Radha’s breasts. O Madhava! She accepted my urine and my excrement. How can someone like me ignore the ancestral oblations that are due to her? I am learned in dharma. I have always devoted myself to listening to the sacred texts of dharma. Suta Adhiratha thinks of me as a son. Out of affection towards him, I have always thought of him as a father.
Narration 2 -
O Janardana! I cannot be false to Dhritarashtra’s intelligent son because of death, bondage, fear or greed.
- Able enough to accept his mistake in front of Krishna.
Narration -
O Krishna! I regret the harsh words I used against the Pandavas to please Dhritarashtra’s son. I am now tormented by that deed. O Krishna! When you see me killed by Savyasachi, that will be the punashchiti.
- Able enough to grant boon to his estranged biological mother who casted him out during birth.
Narration -
However, your appeal to me will not be fruitless. Though I can counter and kill them, I will not kill all of your sons in battle—Yudhishthira, Bhima and the twins, everyone other than Arjuna.
- Able enough to earn the title Vrisha which is one amongst the Lord Vishnu's name. Able enough to receive praise from Krishna which is depicted below.
Narration -
He is devoted to brahmanas. He is truthful. He has engaged in austerities. He is devoted to his vows. He is compassionate towards his enemies. It is for these reasons that Karna is known as Vrisha.
- Able enough to stick to his vows. Even when his biological brothers killed his sons and foster brothers, for keeping his vow to Kunti, he left four Pandavas alive.
- Able enough to earn fame as a great donor. His charity has been praised on multiple occasions by various characters in the epic.
- Able enough to seize Rudra constructed vajra with his bare hands. This feat of Karna was applauded even by the Gods.
Narration -
He hurled a vajra towards the son of a suta. That vajra was extremely terrible and possessed eight wheels. It had been constructed by Rudra. As it descended, Karna placed his bow on his chariot and seized it. He hurled it back.
- Able enough to receive praise from Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma which is depicted below.
Narration -
Karna, foremost in the worlds, is a bull among men. Vaikartana is brave and valiant. But let the two Krishnas be victorious. With Drona and Bhishma, let him obtain the great world of heaven and the worlds of the Vasus and the Maruts.
- Able enough to be killed by deceit even though he had a lot of disadvantages (contrary to his enemy who had umpteenth number of advantages).
Narration -
On hearing that Bhishma, Drona, Karna and Bhurishrava had been slain through adharma, they grieved and wept in sorrow. The Pandavas were distressed and immersed in thought.
- Able enough to agitate the nature's flow after his death. It seems mother Earth felt that she had lost a jewel after Karna died.
Narration -
When Karna was killed, the rivers stopped flowing. The sun was tainted and set. The blazing planets coursed in a diagonal direction. O king! Yama’s son arose.The sky seemed to divide into two parts. The earth seemed to shriek. Extremely harsh and forceful winds began to blow. The directions seemed to blaze fiercely, with a lot of smoke. The giant oceans were agitated and roared loudly. O venerable one! The groves, mountains and large numbers of beings were distressed and trembled. Brihaspati afflicted Rohini and assumed the complexion of the moon and the sun. When Karna was killed, the directions were covered in darkness and could not be distinguished. The firmament and the earth seemed to move. Flaming meteors showered down.
- Able enough to attain supreme success after his death.
Narration -
The great archer, Karna, was supreme among those who wielded all kinds of weapons. You are tormented on his account. But he has obtained supreme success. O lord! Look at that tiger among men, the son of the sun. He has obtained his own station.
The references and quotations used in the answer have been taken from the BORI critical edition of Mahabharata.