Radha (Mahābhārata)

Radha was the foster mother of Karna,one of the central characters in the Hindu epic the Mahābhārata. She is not connected with goddess Radha. She was the wife of Adhiratha, chief charioteer of King Dhritrashtra. Kunti bore a son from Surya, the solar deity after accidentally invoking him but afraid of being an unwed mother she reluctantly abandoned the child. She placed the baby in a basket and set him afloat a river. The child later known as Karna was found and adopted by the couple. Adiratha and Radha became his foster parents. Karna as an adult expressed loyalty towards his foster mother as opposed to his royal birth mother Kunti who had abandoned him soon after birth. Hence, he is sometimes called Radheya, meaning Radha's son. She was also the mother of Shon. It was Guru Dronacharya who gave him the name karna.

Mahabharata
Books (parvas)	Adi Sabha Vana Virata Udyoga Bhishma Drona Karna Shalya Sauptika Stri Shanti Anushasana Ashvamedhika Ashramavasika Mausala Mahaprasthanika Svargarohana Harivamsa
Kuru Kingdom	Shantanu Ganga Bhishma Satyavati Chitrāngada Vichitravirya Ambika Ambalika Vidura Dhritarashtra Gandhari Pandu Kunti Madri Pandavas Yudhisthira Bhima Arjuna Nakula Sahadeva Draupadi Kauravas Duryodhana Dushasana Vikarna Yuyutsu Dushala Hidimbi Ghatotkacha Ahilawati Subhadra Uttarā Ulupi Chitrāngadā Abhimanyu Iravan Babruvahana Barbarika Upapandavas Parikshit Janamejaya
Other characters	Amba Ashwatthama Balarama Bhagadatta Brihannala Chitrasena Dhrishtadyumna Drona Drupada Durvasa Ekalavya Hidimba Jarasandha Jayadratha Karna Kichaka Kindama Kripa Krishna Kritavarma Mayasura Sanjaya Satyaki Shakuni Shalya Shikhandi Shishupala Bahlika Sudeshna Uttara Kumara Virata Vrishasena Vyasa
Related articles	Avatars Hastinapur Indraprastha Kingdoms Kurukshetra War Bhagavad Gita Vedic-Puranic chronology
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