Karna on Trial deftly cast away myriads of misconception about the enigmatic �unsung hero� unveiling his true position in Vyasdeva�s Mahabharata. In the Mahabharata , shalya describes Karna�s valour during the final battle between Arjuna and Karna � �Karna was like the desire tree and fulfilled the wishes of anyone who made any demand , just like birds seeking shelter from a tree. Karna always gave regardless of the consequences.Then why is Karna, in the introduction to the great epic , referred to as the trunk of a bitter tree ? this brings us to the question of what constitutes righteous conduct ?