Duryodhan Feels Embarrassed

Duryodhan went towards home with his army. But after going only some distance, he sent his army to Hastinaapur and he himself sat in a lonely spot. He was extremely embarrassed with this event. Suddenly he heard the voice of Karn, "It is fortunate that you could route Gandharv's army otherwise I found very difficult to fight with them. They were too powerful. You did what I could not do." Duryodhan broke into tears, he said - "Karn, my friend, I can see that you don't know anything about me. Do you think that Gandharv army was routed by me? No friend, no, not by me, or not by my brothers, not by my uncle. We were just defeated."

Then he told everything that happened. That how Arjun told the Gandharv that "You have to release our Duryodhan and his women." This Gandharv is a friend of Arjun. His name is Chitrasen. He told them all about our plans, I felt just awful, I felt so ashamed of myself that I prayed that the Earth might split into two and it swallows me up. Then we were taken to Yudhishthir and it was left for him to decide about us. Can you think of anything more humiliating than standing bound hand and feet with all his brothers and women before the man to whom one wanted to humiliate? And then was forgiven by the same enemy? He wished me well too, Karn, I cannot show my face to anyone after this incident. I have made up my mind, I will die here. I have decided to kill myself. You must return to Hastinaapur, I will not come there. I have always been proud and arrogant because of my fortune and kingdom. But now I will die, that is the only way for me."

In the meantime Dushaasan came there. He said to Dushaasan - "You can be king after I am gone. Rule the country with the help of Karn and Maamaa. You must combine justice with mercy when you punish. Learn politics from Vidur. He is the best teacher." he said to Karn - "I had hoped to share this kingdom with you but that is only a dream now. This is the truth." Dushaasan fell at his feet and said - "What wrong I have done that you are talking like this to me. You mean everything to us. Why should you die? I can never let this happen. Please calm yourself, think it over and then act." And he cried like a child in loud voice. Karn said - "We must forget this. This was a childish act which didn't succeed as I hoped. The Paandav are noble, we have always known this. You also must not act like this and come back to Hastinaapur. If you will not go back, then do you think that I am going back to the city? Never. I will live only till you are alive. Come back. I will sit at your feet and obey you."

In the meantime Shakuni came there. He also said - "It is not right what you are thinking. You should not give so much importance to this incident. It is a trivial one. Do not spoil the grace of the gesture of the noble Paandav by your sorrow. If you want to show your gratitude to them, you can repay their nobility by an act even more noble. You can return their kingdom. All the three Lok will praise you. Yudhishthir treated you like brother, you may do the same too, instead of behaving like a silly child. Don't be a fool, you can kill your enemies only if you are alive."

Duryodhan could not be convinced by all of them. He asked them to leave him alone. He spread some Kush grass and sat there in meditation. Others went at the place nearby and camped there. Duryodhan spent that night on Kush grass. While meditating, at one moment he felt an inner voice "Why do you want to die? You will rule the Earth. You have Karn, Dushaasan, Bheeshm, Drone, Ashwatthaamaa for you help, then why are you afraid of Paandav? You can kill all of them easily."

Duryodhan's Raajsooya Yagya

Duryodhan heard his inner voice which settled his mind. In the morning Karn came to him and asked to abandon his idea of suicide. He further said - "You should not think that after showing this kindness, they will forget what they have gone through. They will remember everything. I will kill Arjun and you will kill Bheem. The other three can be taken care of by others." Duryodhan rose with a new vigor and hope and said - "You are right Karn. You have saved me at the right time. Paandav are not my brothers, I will live to fight with them." And all returned to Hastinaapur,

The Kaurav army had already reached there, so the news had already spread as what happened with Duryodhan and his people in he forest. In the court Bheeshm said - "Look what happened there? You were not even able to fight with Gandharv, nor your dear Karn on whom your hopes are resting. Why not call then Paandav for peace?" Duryodhan laughed loudly and walked away of the court, Bheeshm was not happy with this episode, so he also went to his palace.

Now Duryodhan said to Karn - "Since I have seen Yudhishthir's Raajsooya Yagya, I also have a desire to do it myself. I think I can count on you." Karn said - "Oh certainly. You see to the arrangements and I go to win kings." Duryodhan called the priests and said - "I want to do Raajsooya Yagya, make the arrangements for it." The priests said - "You should not even think about it while your father and elder brother are alive. But if, however you wish to do it, you must fix the place, then you must plough it with your own hands and build necessary buildings for it. And all kings who you expect to challenge you must be conquered before doing it." Duryodhan agreed to all the conditions they put.

Everything got ready within short time, messengers were also sent to all kings to invite them for Raajsooya Yagya. Dushaasan sent a messenger to Paandav also for this. Yudhishthir said - "I am very happy to hear this. We would have certainly accepted his invitation if we had been free to do so. But we cannot enter Hastinaapur before our 13 years are over." Bheem said - "When our 13 years are over, we will come to Hastinaapur and perform a Yagya in which your king and his people will be our sacrificial goats." The messenger went away and reported everything happened there.

The Raajsooya Yagya was performed with a great pomp and show. Many kings attended it. Dhritraashtra was particularly happy that his son had done Raajsooya Yagya. When it was all over, Duryodhan returned to his council hall, embraced Karn and said - "Because of you only I was able to perform this Yagya today." Karn said - "Although I have said it before also, but for your pleasure I repeat it, I now take an oath that I will kill Arjun in war. I swear that I will not wash my feet, I will not eat meat and drink wine until my oath is fulfilled." Duryodhan got very pleased with his faithfulness, he said - "When you are with me, why should I worry about Paandav?"