Adiratha

Adiratha, also known as Adhirath, is a figure in Hindu epic literature, most prominently in the Mahabharata. He is described as a charioteer by profession and a member of the Suta caste. Adiratha is best known as the foster father of Karna, the son of Kunti and Surya. When Karna was an infant, Kunti secretly placed him in a river basket to protect him from danger, and he was found and adopted by Adiratha and his wife, Radha, who raised him as their own son and named him Vasusena before he became known as Karna.

As Karna’s foster father, Adiratha provided care and taught him the basics of chariot driving, along with the values and loyalties that shaped his early life. Although Adiratha appears only briefly in the epic, his role is crucial in shaping Karna’s social status and self-identity, helping to set the stage for Karna’s later prominence as a warrior and ally of Duryodhana in the Kurukshetra War.

The name Adiratha derives from Sanskrit, with adhi meaning chief or foremost and ratha meaning chariot, and is often interpreted to signify “chief charioteer.” In tradition, Adiratha’s character highlights the charioteer caste’s interplay with royal households within the narrative universe of the Mahabharata.

In summary, Adiratha is remembered as the foster father of Karna, whose upbringing under his care significantly influenced Karna’s path in the epic.