Karura

Karura (加流羅) was a Sunagakure citizen. She was the loving wife of Rasa, and is the older sister of Yashamaru.

She was also the late mother of Temari, Kankuro and Gaara.

Background

Karura was born on the day of November 11th to two unknown parents. During her childhood her little brother, Yashamaru was born on the day of May 23th. Her last name is a complete mystery. As an adult while being married to Rasa who became the Fourth Kazekage, Karura had bore Temari and Kankuro prior to being pregnant again with their youngest child Gaara. Apparently against her husband's wishes, Karura was forced to allow the one tailed beast Shukaku to be sealed within their unborn son. However, this came at a very steep cost as Gaara's premature birth was also her untimely death. Before her death, with her medical team unable to save her life, and her heart rate falling rapidly Karura quickly requested to see her child. Seeing how small and feeble the young Gaara was, Karura happily declared her desire to protect him at all cost as she cradled him before passing away.

Personality

Karura was a very kind hearted, and gentle young woman who cared deeply for her children and family above all.

Appearance

As noted by Gaara, Karura bore a striking resemblance to her younger brother, Yashamaru. She possessed short dark brown sandy blonde hair in which framed her kind looking face in a shoulder length bob, light fair skin, two thick eyebrows and violet eyes. Back then she had long hair before Gaara was even born. Karura wore a simple, long sleeved, dark brown dress, along with a long, light yellow scarf draped loosely around her neck. On the day of her death, Karura wore a sleeveless, pale light pink hospital gown, and had grown rather pale all over her body. She also has gained dark bags under her eyes from the stress of giving birth too.

Abilities

Upon her death, Karura was able to imbue her will into her youngest son's sand. This caused it to automatically protect him whenever he is in any real danger, even from harming himself with a knife.

Naruto Shippuuden (Part II)

Fourth Shinobi War arc

When Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi was activated, Karura appeared in Gaara's Infinite Tsukuyomi dream. In this case, by being alive along with her younger brother, and being with her family while also getting to know a young Uzumaki Naruto as well.

Legacy

Naruto Shippuuden 297-500 — Gaara's shield of sand in Karura's image.

Originally, due to his maternal uncle, Yashamaru, reluctantly lying to his nephew on his brother in law's behalf to test him. Gaara was under the impression that Karura was sacrificed to ensure that he became a jinchuriki, and that her final words were of him to become the tool of her revenge on Sunagakure. She supposedly named him after the phrase "a self loving carnage" (我を愛する修羅). This caused Gaara to develop a warped ideology of the word love. But during the Fourth Shinobi War, Gaara learned the real truth of his father's deception and how Karura truly died. Because of her dying wish to protect her son, both Rasa and Yashamaru believe that her will now lives on inside of the sand that protects Gaara rather than being an manifestation of Shukaku's chakra.

Quotes

(to a Doctor) "Let me see my baby please".
(To Gaara before she dies) "He's so tiny… No matter what happens, I'll always protect you! Gaara…!".

Knownable Relatives

Unnamed Mother
Unnamed Father
Yashamaru (Little Brother)
Rasa (Husband)
Nara Temari (Daughter/First Child)
Kankuro (1st Son/Second Child)
Gaara (2nd Son/Final Child)
Nara Shikamaru (Son in law)
Nara Shikadai (Grandson)
Shinki (Foster Grandson)

Trivia

The name Karura is written with three kanji: the kanji for "to add", "to increase" (加), and the kanji for "flow", "stream" (流), and the kanji for "gauze" (羅). The last kanji is the same as the final kanji in Gaara's name and can be taken as an abbreviation of the word "carnage" (修羅, shura) or the word "Mara" (魔羅, Mara; a Buddhist demon that personifies the "death" of spiritual life). Together, the name can be interpreted as "the demon who adds to the flow [of sand or hatred]".
When written as 迦楼羅, "karura" is the Japanese name for "Garuda".
In Naruto chapter 547 and 548, Karura's name is written as 加瑠羅 instead of 加流羅. Both 瑠 and 流 can be used to write the Japanese word for lapis lazuli (瑠璃, 琉璃, ruri), a semi-precious stone with strong symbolic value in Buddhism. It is thought to have healing and strengthening properties and represents Bhaiṣajyaguru, the Buddha of Medicine, which is known as Yakushi-nyōrai (薬師如来) in Japan.
Her birthday is November 11, & her bloodtype is B.
Her star sign is a Scorpio.
She bears a strikeing resemble to Matsuri, Gaara's student.
She shares the same English voice actress as her daughter Temari.

Karura shares many similarities to Uzumaki Kushina.

Both were marry to the Fourth Kage of their respective village.
Their son was a Jinchuriki.
Their blood type was inherited by their son.
Both died after giving birth.
They both said a kind caring message to their son before they died.
Their son was looked after, and raised by someone that they knew very well after they died. (For Karura : Yashamaru. Whereas for Kushina : Sarutobi Hiruzen)
Both of their sons dream is to be the Kage of their respective Village.
Both of their sons become friends many years later. (For example : The Chunin Exams/after the fail invasion of Konoha)