In part B of the reading "The Mahabharata", I noticed the jealousy that has risen in
Duryodhana, eldest son of King Dhritarashtra.
When invited to Indraprastha, the kingdom where his cousins rule,
Dhritarashtra complains to his uncle Sakuni about his visit on his way
home. He admits that his cousins are
well off and that they have made a beautiful kingdom out of a desert. The kingdom is now looked at as the most
fascinating and advance kingdom in comparison to Hastinapura. His cousins, have found favor in the eyes of
their residents, and are treated with much respect. They honor the residents of the kingdom more
so than those who live in Hastinapura by giving them gifts and treating them
with high admiration.
Dhritarashtra feels that his cousins went out of their way
to make him feel uncomfortable throughout his visit in the City of Splendor. He recalls them laughing at him every chance they
received. When he arrived at their great
hall of marble, he was unable to distinguish what was what. He was often confused as to whether he was
walking on high polished marble floors, or in water. He mentions the painting on the wall looking
realistic to the point where he tries to grab the rose from the painting. When Dhritarashtra
arrives home, he immediately tells his father King Duryodhana about the
trip. Sakuni talks to Duryodhana, and Duryodhana
ignores Sakuni’s comments about his son’s jealousy. In order to please his son, Duryidhana builds
a great hall of his own in order to over shadow his nephews.
When Duryodhana’s great hall is completed, he invites his
nephews to visit. It is then when I
believe that Dhritarashtra came up with the plan of enticing his cousin
Yudhistira to a game of dice, resulting Yudhistira to bringing himself and his
family in debt and a life of solitude. Yudhistira,
his brothers, and their wife are sentenced to live in exile for a period of
thirteen years, and during this time Dhritarashtra concocts a plan to attacking
his cousins so he and his brothers can take over their cousin’s land that their
father granted them.
Bibliography: "The Mahabharata" written by R.K. Narayan (1978)
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