The Legacy

  India is known for its culture and traditions that date back to many thousands of years . These traditions are an integral part of our country and the values we learn from them is invaluable. Many recent timers might feel that these traditions are full of old beliefs and stagnant ideas, but browse them deep down and you will get to pick up one or the other valuable lesson from the preachings, sayings, stories and teachings. We should definitely include the great Indian Epics 'Ramayana and Mahabharata' that teach us something new whenever we read few chapters of these great epics written by Maharshi Valmiki and Sage Ved Vyasa respectively. Not to forget the great Bhagavad Gita one more great epic of golden period of Indian History. What we learn from these is again a subjective opinion. A lot of good and bad is present and what one picks up is an individual choice per say. Without much ado let us blend the painting of The Kaurava King 'Duryodhana' and ponder what lesson we learn.      Duryodhana also known as Suyodhana is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He was the eldest son of blind king dhritarashtra and his wife gandhari. Epic says gandhari was such a devoted wife that she spent her entire life with a cloth that covered her eyes that kept her visibility almost nill in support of her husband who could not see. This is a different story anyways Duryodhana was a devout disciple of lord Shiva and worshipped him religiously. He was a very learned, very strong and a courageous person. These were the positive traits and let us get to know his negative Duryodhana was a cunning, notorious and a jealous person. He could not tolerate the supremacy of anyone above him. He could stoop to any level to vanquish the opponents.                     

 Duryodhana was seated on a well built seat in his private chamber. He was dressed up from top to toe and was looking fresh and relaxed. His gaze was fixed on a bird in the garden outside his palace. The bird was collecting twigs to build a nest. Being the demon King he was he was disturbed by the birds chirping and ordered his men to drive away the bird and take the nest from the tree and place it else where. This was his nature. As the matter was cleared he seemed to be again lost in a deeper thought as he was tweaking his brows and lashes. With a delicate feather wand in his hand he was gently rubbing his chin as if wanting to get some ideas. It is clear that he was into some conceit full idea. . His helpers and his 99 brothers were unsure what was going on in his mind. The way he sat and the way his body language was, it conveyed that Duryodhana was into some scheming that will be cunning. and treacherous. Jist then Karna, his dear friend entered his private cabin. Karna had come to talk to Duryodhana about what was happening in his kingdom and what was he planning to defeat the opponents to both of them, the Pandavas.

On mentioning the name itself Duryodhana was fuming and raging with anger. A few more provocative words were added by Karna as he too felt cheated by them. Their common source of vengeance was the Pandavas . As such when everybody had disowned Karna owing to his birth history it was Duryodhana who took him under his shadow and groomed him to be a great warrior. It was Duryodhana who had gifted him a whole kingdom and made him powerful. From being the son of a charioteer to a king his growth was prominent and aided by Duryodhana. What else anyone can need more?. There is a beautiful short story that proves the depth of their friendship. We need to discuss to prove the point. One day Karna and bhanumathi ( duryodhana', s wife) were playing the game of dice. The Royal lady was on the verge of defeat in the game and Karna was likely to win the game of dice. Just then Duryodhana enters her chamber and bhanumathi tried to get up to wish her husband. Since Karna's back is towards the entry he does not notice duryodhana and as bhanumathi gets up to greet her husband he assumes she is trying to escape defeat and pulls her arm to make her sit. As he pulls her drape the pearls that are entwined with her neck break and fall down. As they go rolling near duryodhana he picks up. tje pearls and hands them back to his wife. An embarassed Karna tried to reason out what had happened, instead duryodhana taps on his shoulder as if saying it is okay and hugs his friend making everything seem okay. This was the level of their trust and belief in each other. As Karna recollects this a gentle smile comes on his face. He sits besides duryodhana and starts the conversation as to how to defeat the Pandavas and take vengeance on them. He assures his full support with whatever duryodhana plans to do even though he was kunti's son who was left out by his own mother in a basket that was left to float. He was saved by a fisherman and was handed over to adhirath who was the charioteer of dritharashtra. Looking at the kavach and kundali left on his body he was recognised as one belonging to a Royal lineage. That is how he got the name as Karna. Now it was time for Karna and duryodhana to hatch a plan to defeat the Pandavas. Both of them had their own reasons to do this but collectively together they both wanted to give shape to their act and get victory over the Pandavas.