CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

Source: "Dharma or Adharma"


There are some heroes who are labeled by posterity as villains. Duryodhana falls in this category.

Even though, in many instances in Mahabharata ,Duryodhana displayed qualities of a good leader . He showed benevolence and large heartedness when he made Karna ( a person who did not have acknowledged royal lineage),the King of Anga . This act also showcased his astuteness because he had earned a loyal ally in Karna, who could match the valour and skill of Pandavas in warfare.

Duryodhana skilled strategist also. He managed to win the allegiance King Salya, who was actually the maternal uncle of Pandavas , to fight on his side in battle of Kurukshetra.

It so happened that while King Shalya was moving with his army to go and support Yudhishthira, he and his force were looked after extremely well en route. Floored by the hospitality, Shalya offered complete support to the host thinking it was Yudhishthira. Only later did he discover that Duryodhana was the person behind the hospitality.

This episode indicates that Duryodhana had the capabilities of converting difficult situation favorable.

Duryodhana was also prompt and quick acting; when the time came to seek support from Krishna – he reached Dwarka before Arjun did. Similarly, as soon as war became imminent, Duryodhana met many kings and lined up a formidable force for himself.

Some were relatives, while others he won due to his persuasive charm. When the war began he had eleven aksaunis, while Yudhishthira had managed only seven. Each Aksauni is a division of army consisting of 21870 chariots , equal number of elephants , 65160 horses and 109350 soldiers.


Pandavas , on the other hand got support mainly from the Krishna’s allies, and there in laws -King Dhrupad and Virat from the marriage of Draupadi and Uttara, ( Abhmanyu’s wife).It is also said that Duryodhana was a good king and people in his reign were happy.

Then what makes Duryodhana a villain. First, he had a negative vision - victory for him was not what he had, but what he could take away from the Pandavas .When the kingdom of Hastinapur was divided and the barren half - Khandavaprastha was given to Pandavas , Duryodhana kept Hastinapur with himself.

In due course the Pandavas built the land and renamed it Indraprastha, he was jealous of their glory . He then stage managed the infamous dice game and the Pandavas lost everything to him.

Just before the war, in a last bid for peace, the Pandavas asked for just five villages , but, he refused saying he would not give land even the size of the tip of a needle . One wonder where was Duryodhana‘s benevolence at this time.

There is no logical reason for his vindictiveness – for the Pandavas had never harmed them.

In those days vanquished kings were never humiliated by the victor nor were their land annexed or assets appropriated. Winning had symbolic significance, meant to establish superiority of the victor; this was the noble “Kshatriya value frame” that existed in the times of Mahabharata.

Why did Duryodhana fall short here? His aim was not just impoverishing the Pandavas but also humiliating them.

Duryodhana’s think tank- his purohits and advisors were people who were not well versed in matters of Dharma .Dhritarashtra, his father tacitly fanned the flames of ambition and annihilation of Pandavas in him.

Karna , his closest friend ,was the one who suggested the contemptible act of public disrobing of the well bred Draupadi , and pointing a finger at her character because she was wedded to five brothers.

Finally it was Shakuni , his maternal uncle ,who cheated on his behalf in the dice game , which reduced the Pandavas to pecuniary .

Thus Duryodhana was weak in the knowledge of dharma, though he was good in implementation. His leadership skills and competencies were put to use for supporting adharma rather than dharma. Duryodhana was a victim of his destructive emotions which his friends and elders watered and fanned – Sibling rivalry in childhood became in adulthood raging flames of anger and hatred that destroyed thousands of innocent lives.

We must remember that dharma is the natural intelligence that keeps the creation in order. It always prevails despite bad leaders and advisors. This is why Duryodhana had to lose in the end. Only truth wins , and dharma is truth . Satyameva Jayate

POSER- Krishna was the most powerful character in Mahabharata and he failed to reform Duryodhana . Was there any other win – win solution available and also implementable, by which dharma could be upheld, without the carnage of Kurukshetra.


Thanks & Regards
CRK

From India, Vijayawada
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

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KS Rao
10

Very strange. I replied to the same posting by Mr. Vivek on 20th. The reply is as follows.

Nice to see your posting on epic Mahabharat. I read your site through the link and read the matter.

While appreciating your analysis, I think I disagree with certain points as follows:

First, Duryodhana, while making Karna as Anga Raja, has not exhibited benevolence and astuteness but tried to win over his own fear. Who is he to give Anga Desa? At that time he was not even a king. He was like Yudhistara to Dhritarastra, the then King. Actually, he is not authorized to give kingdoms like that. But the blind king, (blind not only physically, but by heart also) would support what ever his son (own) does. Duryodhana suddenly and surprisingly found a potential rival in Karna to fight Arjun. Therefore, Duryodhana never wanted to miss him. There is selfishness more than benevolence in Duryodhana. If there is benevolence in him, the War would not have taken place; he could have given the just share to his own brothers and avoided War.

Secondly, while making Salya his ally, what Duryodhana showed also is not strategy, but cheating. Salya was coming to join Pandavas, but on the way Dyryodhana caught hold of him, poured liquor to satisfy him and thus cheated Salya; therefore, Salya also gave him tit for tat.

Thirdly, Duryodhana could manage to get 11 akshauhinis while Dharmaraja only seven. Even in this case, Duryodhana was holding power; people in power would always better placed than those who are not. In fact, all those who walked along with Dhramaraja believed that they were on Dhrma side even when they were against the emperor.

Duryodhana was always, and always blind to realities. He never cared to listen to his own father, gurus, elders, not the least, the so called Bhagavan, Lord Krishna.

He was always lead (by Karna, and Shakuni on many occasions) but he himself never lead. In my opinion he was never a leader; nor fit to be.

From India, Hyderabad
KS Rao
10

Hello and this is the answer to your poser about Lord Srikrishna.

When Mahabharata war was happening, it was change of Yuga: From Dwapara Yuga to Kaliyuga. At the threshold of Kaliyuga, Adhrma rose to its heights in Dwapara Yuga. That is how, Duryodhana with his 99 brothers in the ruling of a vast kingdom along with lot of other kings, Jarasandha, Kamsa Saindhava ets were all symbolic of Adharma.

This is the one reason why Krishna wanted this war to take place so that all that Adharma would be uprooted. It happened as per his wish. Rather he precipitated it to happen.

It was also not correct that Krishna never tried to reform Duryodhana. Like Rama number of chances to Ravana to repent and change (He sent three times three Ambassadors for peace. He himself in the war field left Ravana to go back home and think. But Ravana never changed and hence perished with all his battalions); similarly, Krishna allowed this to happen. Sanjaya tried for peace. Vudura tried for peace. Gurus, and Bhishma also tried. Finally, Krisha also tried as a last resort, but he know it would be unsuccessful. Actually, had the war not taken place, we would have seen another incarnation of the Lord to kill all the anti-social, and anti-dharma elements.

Thanks for the opportunity.

From India, Hyderabad
CRK.MBAHR@yahoo.com
44

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From India, Vijayawada
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