THE STORY OF PREVIOUS BIRTH OF KARNA AND ARJUNA WHERE ARJUNA (RAKTAJA) WAS DEFEATED BY KARNA (SVEDJA) IN FIERCE ENCOUNTER

Very few people know this unknown story from padma puran. I have provided authentic proof for unique story - sanskrit verse and it’s translation

A) ORIGIN OF SVEDJA (KARNA)

[Image Source (google) : Mahabharata Star Plus]

Sanskrit Verse -

कर्थत्रिपुराषाजातोह्­योजुन:परविरह 

कर्थकर्णस्तुकानिन:सुतज:परिक्यति ।।1 

वरंतयो:कर्थभुतनिसगदिवतद्वद

ब्रहत्कौतुहलभंह्यंतद­्ववानवक्तुमर्हति ।।2

पुलस्त्यउवाचछिनेवकोपुराब्रह्माक्­रोधेनमहताव्रत: 

ललाटेस्वेदमुत्पनग्री­हात्वाताडयध्वी ।।3 

स्वेदत:कुण्डलिशेधनुष्कोमहेष­ुधि: 

सहस्त्रकवचीवीरा:किकरोमोत्युवाचह ।।4

तमुवाचविरिँचस्तुदर्श­यब्रुद्रमोजसा 

हन्यातमेषदुर्बुध्दिर­्जायतेनयथापुनह ।।5

ब्रह्मोसोवचनंश्रुतुव­ाधनुरुध्यमप्रष्ठत: 

संम्प्रतस्थेमहेशस्या­वहस्तौतिरोद्रद्क ।।6

द्रुष्टापुरुषमत्युग्­रभीतस्तस्यत्रिलोचन 

सपक्रान्तस्तोवेवेगाद­्विस्योराशममभ्यगात ।।7­ 

त्राहित्राहितिमाविष्नोरादस्माचत्रुहनं 

ब्रह्मायानिर्मित: पापोम्लेच्छरुपोभंयकर­ ।।8 

यथाहन्यान्यमाक्रुध्द­स्थाकुरुजगत्पते 

हुँकारध्वानिनाविष्णु­र्मोहयित्वातुंतनरम ।। 9

श्रद्रश्य:सर्वभुताना­योगात्माविश्र्वद्रक्­रप्रभु: 

तत्रप्राप्तविरुपातसा­त्व यामास केशव: ।। 10

Translation -

Once during a quarrel between lord shiva a and lord Brahma, the former nipped off Brahma’s head.
Some drops of sweat appeared on the forehead of the angry Brahma, and from the sweat which Brahma wiped with his hand arose a legendary archer wearing a thousand shields, bow and quiver. That person was Svedaja.
He asked Brahma what he should, do and the former granted him permission to destroy Shiva. He then approached Shiva with bow drawn and the frightened Shiva ran to Vishnu and sought refuge.
Svedaja followed Shiva and when Vishnu, seeing him, raised a loud noise ‘Hum’ and Svedaja fell unconscious. Shiva prostrated at Vishnu’s feet

1. Svedaja (Karna) was born as an ansha/portion of Lord Bramha. (Bramha has been       originated from Vishnu so technically Karna was portion of Vishnu himself)
2. Svedaja had 1,000 ordinary shields/armours, one bow and one quiver.
3. Under the instructions of Lord Brahma, Svedaja attacked Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva           took shelter at Vaikuntha (the abode of Lord Vishnu).
4. Svedaja fell unconsious due to the effect of Mantras uttered by Lord Vishnu.

B) ORIGIN OF RAKTJA (ARJUNA)

[Image Source (google) : Mahabharata Star Plus]

Sanskrit Verse -

विष्णुरुवाच

पौत्रोहिमेभवानुद्रकं­तेकार्मकरोम्यहम ।।11

द्रष्टनारायणदेवंभिचा­देहित्योवाचह 

कपालंदर्शयित्वाग्रेप­्रज्वलस्तेजेसोत्कटम ।।12

कपालंपाश्रीप्रेक्ष्य­रुद्रंविष्नुरंचितयत

कोन्योयोग्योभवेध्दीक­्षुरभिक्षादानस्यासापतम् ।।13

योग्योयमितिसंकल्यपदक­षिणभुजमपर्यत 

तद्विभेदातितीच्शेनशु­लेनशशिशेखर ।।14

प्रावर्ततततोधाराशोणि­तस्योविभोभुर्जात

जाबुनदरसाकारावह्यिनज­्वालेनिर्मिता ।।15

निपपातपांलातश्शमुनास­ाप्राभिक्षिता

श्र्रज्वीवेगवतीतीवाश­ँप्रतीतवांबरजंवात् ।।16

पंचाशघ्योजनादैर्ध्या­द्विरस्ताराद्दशयोजना

दिव्यवर्षसंहस्त्रासा­समुवहाहरेभुर्जात् ।।17

इयतंकालमीशोसौभित्ताजग्राहमिच्छुक

दत्तानारायणेनायकापालेपात्रउत्तमे ।।18

ततोनारायण प्राहशंभुपरमिदवथ

संपुर्णवानवापात्रतातोवैपरमीश्वर ।।19

सतोयाबुदनिर्घोषश्रृत्वावाक्यहरेर्हर

शरिरसुर्याग्रिनयन शरिरौरवरशोभीत ।।20

कपालेदृष्टीमावेश्यत्रिभीनेप्रेर्जनार्दनम

त्र्यंगुल्याघटयम्प्र­ाहकपालंपरिपूरितम्‌ ।।21

श्रुत्वाशिवस्यतांवाख­िँविष्णुर्धारासमाहरत­म्‌ 

पश्तोथहरेरिश:स्वांगु­ल्यारुधिरंतदा ॥22

दिव्यवर्षससहस्रंचदृष­्टिपातैर्ममदस:

मध्यमानेततोरेक्तेककल­िलंबुद्‌बुदंक्रमात्‌­ ॥23

बभूवचतत:पश्चात्किरीट­ीसशरासन:

बद्धतूखीरयोगलोवृषस्क­ंधोङ्‌गुलित्रवान्‌॥24

पुरुषोवन्हिसंकाश:कपा­लेसंप्रदृश्यते

तंदृष्टाभगवान्विष्खु­:प्राहरुद्रमिदंवच ॥25 

कपालेभवकोवाऽयप्रादुर­्भूतोभवन्नर:

वच:श्रुत्वाहरेरीसस्त­मुवाचविभोश्रृखु ॥26

नरोनामेषपुरुष:परमास्­वविदांवर

भवतोक्तोनरईतिनरस्तस्­माभ्दविष्यति ॥27

नरनारायखौचोभौयुगेख्य­ातौभविष्यत:

संग्रामेदेवकार्येषुल­ोकानांपरिपालने ॥28 

एषनारायखसरवोनरस्तस्म­ाभ्दविष्यति

भ्रथासुरवधेखाह्यंतवक­र्तामहाद्युति ॥29 

मुनिर्‌ज्ञानपरीनायां­जेतालोकेभविष्यति

तेजोधिकमिदंदिव्यंब्र­ह्मख:पंचमंसिर ॥30 

तेजसोब्रह्मखोदीप्ताभ­्दुजस्यतवशोखितात्‌

ममदृष्टिनिपाताज्ञत्र­ीखितेजांसियानितु ॥31

तत्संयोगसमुत्पन्न:शत­्रुंयुद्धेविजेष्यति

भ्रवध्यायेभविष्यंतिद­ुर्जस्रपिचापरे ॥32 

शक्रस्यचामराखांचतेषा­मेषभयंकर:

एवमुक्तत्वास्थित:शंभ­ुर्विस्मितश्चहरिस्तद­ा ॥33 

कपालस्थ:सतत्रैवतुष्ट­ावहरकेशवौ:

शिरस्यंजलिमाश्चयतदाव­ीरउदारधी ॥34 

किँकरौमीतितौप्राहइत्­युक्तवाप्रखत:स्थित:

तमुवाचहर:श्रीमान्‌ब्­रह्मखास्वेनतेजसा ॥35

सृष्टोनुरोधनुष्पाखिस­्त्वमेनंतुनिषूदय

इत्थमुक्तवांजलिधरंस्­तुर्यवंशंकरोनरम्‌ ॥36

तथैर्वाजलिसंबद्धंगृह­ीत्वाचकरद्रयम्‌ 

उद्धयाथकपालातंपुनर्व­चनमब्रवीत्‌ ॥37 

सएषपुरुषौरौद्रोयोमया­वेदितस्तव 

विष्खुहुंकरारथितमोहन­िद्रांप्रवेशित: ॥38

विबौधयैनंत्वरितमिल्य­ुक्त्वान्तर्दधेहर:

नारायखस्यप्रत्यच्नंन­रेखानैनवैतदा ॥39 

Translation -

Shiva extended the skull in his hand towards Vishnu requesting something to be given to him. Mahavishnu, who had nothing else to give Shiva, put his right hand into the skull as alms, Shiva wounded the hand with his Sala (three-pronged weapon) and pure red blood began flowing from the hand into the skull.
The blood continued flowing for a thousand years in a length of fifty yojanas and thickness of ten yojanas. At the end of the period, Vishnu asked whether the skull was not filled yet, and looking into the skull with his three eyes Shiva answered that it was full. Then Vishnu stopped the flow of blood, and Siva, in the presence of Vishnu, looked into the blood for a thousand years and stirred it with his hand.
The blood gradually turned into bubble and a person possessing thousands of hands arose and as growing as fire appeared in skull. He had crown on his head and he held in his hand a bow and a quiver. He wore gloves on his hands. That was Raktaja. Incarnated as Nara.
Looking at Raktaja, Shiva told Vishnu thus: “This master in archery is Nara. You spoke Nara, and let his name, therefore be Nara. Oh Narayana, you both will be called Naranarayarras. This Nara will be of help to you on behalf of the Dev as and also in the sustenance and protection of the world. He will further help you to kill the Asuras.
Nara, the great intellectual that he is, will become a Muni, of surpassing wisdom. Brahma’s divine fifth head possesses so much of effulgence. Nara is created from that effulgence and also from the blood from your hands and my look at it. He will annihilate all enemies in war. He will be a terror to those persons who cannot be conquered by you, Indra and the other Devas.
While Vishnu stood there amazed Raktaja praised him and Shiva with folded hands and asked from the skull what he should do. Then Shiva ordered him thus - "You kill Svedaja created by Brahma with his own effulgcnce." And Shiva led Raktaja out of the skull by his hands and told him again:- “Look, here lies the terrible warrior I spoke about made unconscious by the cry of “Hum’ by Vishnu. Awake him immediately.”
After having said this Shiva disappeared. Nara, in the presence of Narayana, kicked the unconscious Svedaja with his left foot, and he came out of his unconscious state.

1. Raktaja was born as an ansha/portion of Lord Vishnu.
2. Raktaja had 1,000 arms, 500 bows, one armour and one crown.
3. Lord Vishnu himself ordered Raktaja to kill Svedaja. Svedaja regained consciousness and the battle started.

C) ENCOUNTER BETWEEN SVEDJA AND RAKTAJA

[Image Source (google) : Mahabharata Star Plus]

Sanskrit Verse -

ततोयुद्धंसमभवत्स्वेद­रक्तजयोर्महत्‌ ॥40 

विस्फारिधनु:शब्दंनाद­िताशेषभूतलम्‌

कवचंस्वेदजस्यैकंरक्त­जेनत्वपाकूतम्‌ ॥41

एवंसमेतयोर्युध्देदिव­्यंवर्षद्रयंतयो:

युध्यतो:समतीतंचस्वेद­ररक्तजयोर्नृप ॥42 

रक्तजंद्रिभुजंदृष्ट्­वास्वेदअंचैवसंगतो

विविन्त्यवासुदेवगोगा­द्‌ब्रह्मख:सदनंपरम्‌­ ॥43

ससंभ्रमुवायेदंब्रह्म­ाखंमधुसूदन:

रक्तजेनाद्यभोब्रह्मन­्स्वेदजोयंनिपातित: ॥44 

श्रृत्वेतदाकुलोब्रह्­माबभाषेमधुसूदन्‌

हरेद्यजन्मंनिनरोमदीय­ौजीववादयम्‌ ॥45 

तथातुष्टौब्रवीत्तंचव­िच्खुरेयंभविष्यति

गत्वातयोरसषिनीवार्याहवतावभो ।।46

अन्यजन्मनिभविताकलिद्वापरयोर्भीच

संघौमहारखेजातेतजाहयोजयाभिवा ।।47

विष्णुतातुसमाहुयग्रहेश्वरसुरेश्वरो

उक्तविमौनरोभन्द्रोपालनोयौममाज्ञया ।।48

सहस्त्राशोस्वेदजोस्वकीयोशेधरातलो

द्वापरतिवतार्योयदेवानाकार्यसिद्धवे ।।49

Translation -

The fierce fight that happened between Svedaja and Raktaja continued for two years. By then Svedaja lost every shield except the last one and Raktaja had lost everything except his two bare arms to fight with.
At this stage Vishnu in great alarm went and asked Bramha whether Raktaja will not be able to kill Svedaja. Bramha answered that in the next birth Raktaja (Nara) will be able to kill Svedaja. Saying 'Right, let that be so', Vishnu returned to the battlefield
He made them withdraw from fighting with the assurance that they would be given an opportunity to fight again during the period of Kali and Dwapar Yuga.

1. Svedaja lost 999 armours during the fight, but he still had his bow and arrows. So, he was armed/weaponed.
2. Raktaja lost 998 arms, 500 bows, 1 armour and 1 crown. He was left with only two hands and virtually no weapons. So, Raktaja was unarmed/weaponless. Practically, he was in a situation of great peril, because he was standing unarmed before his armed adversary
3. Lord Vishnu in great alarm realized the superiority of Svedaja over Raktaja and admitted that Raktaja was incapable of defeating Svedaja in battle.
4. At the request of Vishnu, Bramha granted a boon so that in the next birth Raktaja could be able to kill Svedaja.
5. Lord Vishnu stopped their fight in order to rescue Raktaja from certain death at the hands of Svedaja.

[It proves that Svedja was superior archer who almost killed his inferior rival Raktaja in battle]

D) REBIRTH OF SVEDJA AND RAKTAJA

Svedja as Karna

[Image Source (google) : Mahabharata Star Plus]

Sanskrit Verse -

यदुनातुकुलेभावीशुरोनाममहाबल

तस्यवुकन्यापृथानामरुपेक्षाप्रतिभाभुवि ।।50

उत्पस्यतीमहाभागदेवानाकार्यसिद्धये

दुर्वासास्तुवरतस्येमंत्रग्रामपदस्याती ।।51

मंत्रगानेनवंदेवभक्ताग्रावाहयिष्यती

देवितस्यप्रसादातुतवपुत्रोवीष्यासी ।।52

साबत्वामृदयेद्रदृष्टासाभिलाशारजस्वला

चिंताभीपन्नातीष्ठतीभजितव्याविभावसो ।।53

तस्यागर्भेत्वयंभावीकानीन: कुंतिनंदन

भविष्यातीदेवोदेवकार्याथसिद्धते ।। 54

तथेतीयोक्त्वाषौवाचतेजारार्शिदिवाकर

पुत्रमुत्पादयिष्यामीकानिनबलगर्वीतम ।।55

यस्यकर्णतिवैनामलोक: सर्वेवदिष्यती

मत्प्रसादादस्यवीविष्योविप्राणाभवितात्मन ।।56

Translation-

Afterwards Vishnu directed Aditya (Sun) and Akhandala (Indra) to look after Raktaja and Svedaja. He told further: — "At the end of the Dvapara Yuga you should see that Svedaja is reborn, in the interests of the Devas, as your son.
In the Yadu dynasty will be born a very powerful fellow called Sura and he will have a very beautiful daughter named Pritha. Durvasa will advise her some Mantras as a boon and she will have some sons from the Devas whom she will invoke with the Mantras.
With that object in view, while in her periods, she would, at the time of dawn gaze at you with love. Then he (Svedaja) will be born as the son called Vasusena of Kunti, the virgin."
The Sun-God agreed to obey the above instructions of Vishnu and told him further, "I shall procreate in the virgin Kunti a very powerful and valiant son who will become well-known in the world as Karna. He will gift away all wealth to the Bramhanas." After saying this Surya disappeared.

1. Vishnu had ordered Surya to take away Karna with him.
2. As per the blessings of Lord Vishnu, Karna was born to be a 'Danveer'.

Raktaja as Arjuna

[Image Source (google) : Mahabharata Star Plus]

Sanskrit Verse -

प्रदेयनास्तीवैलोकेकिंचीतकेशव

एवप्रभावचैवेनजनयेवचनातव ।।57

एवमुक्तासहस्त्राशुर्देवंदनदानवपतितम

नारायणमहात्मनतवेवाछर्दघेरावी ।।58

सुदर्शनगतेदेवेभास्करे वारितस्करे

वृद्धश्रवसमप्येवभुवाचप्रितमानस ।।59

सहस्त्रनेत्ररक्तरथोनरोयमदनुग्रहात 

स्वाशिभुतोद्वापरातियोक्तव्योभुतलेत्वया ।।60

यदापांडुर्महाभाग पृथाभार्यामवाप्स्यती

माद्रीचापीमहाभागतदारगयंगमित्थती ।।61

तस्यापरसटसंस्थस्यमृग:शापप्रदास्यती 

तेनयोत्पनवैराग्य:शतशुगंगमिथ्यार्थी ।।62

पुत्रानभीप्सनचेत्रोथ्तान्भार्यासप्रवदिष्यती

प्रनिप्सतीतदाकुंतीभर्तारंसावनदिष्यती ।।63

नाहमत्र्थस्पवैराजन पुत्रानिच्छेकथंचन

दैवतभ्यप्रसादाभ्यपुत्रानिच्छेनराधिप ।।64

प्रार्थयेत्वयाशक्रकुत्यैदेयोनरस्तद

वचसादमदीयेनएवकुरुषपीपते ।।65

स्रताश्रवीदविष्णुदेवेशोदु:स्वितोवथ

भस्मिन्मर्न्वतरितीतेचर्तुविशतीकेयुगे ।।66

अवतिर्यरघुकुलेगृहेदशरन्यस

रावणस्यवधार्थायशात्पर्यचेदीवौकसाम ।।67

रामरुपेपराभवसितार्थभद्धतावने

मत्पुत्रोहिंसितोदेवसुर्यपुत्रहितार्थना ।।68

वालीनामप्लवगेंद्र सुग्रीवार्थेत्वयायत

दुखेनानेवतोर्हगृहानिसुतनरम ।।69

मगृहमार्नदेवेकारनातीरवादिनम

हरिप्रोथेशुनासिरभुवोभिरावतसे ।।70

अवतारकरिष्यामिमर्त्वलोकेत्वहप्रभो

सुर्यपुत्रस्वनाशावैजयार्थमात्मजयस्ते ।।71

सारथ्यतकरिष्यामिनाशकुरूकुलस्यच

ततोहष्ठभवच्छकोविष्णुवाक्येनतेनह ।।72

Translation -

After this Vishnu told Indra as follows:- "You should, at the end of the Dwapara Yuga see that this Nara, born from blood, is reborn as an aspect of yours on earth. King Pandu will one day go into the forest with his wives, Kunti and Madri, and he will then become the object of an animal’s curse.
He will therefore, in a spirit of renunciation, go to mount Sata~:raga where he would ask Kunti to become a mother by another man. Unwilling to do so Kunti will desire to have sons by Devas, and when she prays to you, you should favour her with this Nara as son.
Devendra raised a legal objection to the above injunction of Vishnu as follows:- "You, who incarnated yourself as Rama in the twenty-seventh Yuga of the last Manvantara for the purpose of killing Ravana, killed my son Bali. Therefore I do not wish to procreate Nara as my son."
To this objection of Indra, Vishnu assured him that as a penalty for the mistake of killing Bali, he would be a companion of Nara (Arjuna) who would be born as lndra’s son.

1. Indra asked for the penalty for the killing of his son Vali by Rama (Vishnu incarnated).
2. Vishnu promised that this time he would support Indra's son Raktaja (Arjuna) to kill the        son of Surya, Svedaja (Karna)

FINAL CONCLUSION

• In each birth, valiant Karna was more powerful and more skilled archer as compare to Arjuna. Just like at the time of Dwapara Yuga, in the previous birth also Arjuna was almost killed by Karna but in the end he was rescued by Vishnu.
• Karna was an ansha/portion of Bramha, hence he was a demi-god, and he born to be one of the greatest 'Danveer's of all times.

SOURCE : Padma Puran, Shristi Khand

Page No - 135:

Page No - 136:

Page No - 137:

Page No - 138:

Page No - 139:

Page No - 140:

---

(I have attached screenshots from sanskrit version of padma puran as a proof of authenticity of unknown story)