92. DURYODHANA :

WHEN Duryodhana beheld Karna's death,
his grief knew no bounds. Kripacharya
was deeply moved by Duryodhana's
anguish of heart and said: "Moved by
ambition and greed we placed too great a
burden on friends. They have
uncomplainingly borne it and laid down
their lives on the battlefield and attained
the happy regions above. There is but one
course left to you to make peace with the
Pandavas. Do not, O King, any longer
continue this ruinous fight."


Even at that moment of deep despair,
Duryodhana did not relish this counsel.
"Perhaps, there was a time for that, but it
is long past. What talk can there be of
peace between the Pandavas and us with
all this inexpiable blood between us, the
blood of our dearest and theirs? If I
surrender in order to escape death, how
can I escape the contempt of the world?
What happiness can I hope to have in a
life so ignobly saved? And what joy can I
hope to find in sovereignty, secured by a
peace after my brothers and relatives have
all been slain?"


These words of Duryodhana were lustily
cheered by the others. They supported his
stand and they chose Salya and gave him
the supreme command from then on.
Salya was mighty of limb and as brave as
any of the warriors who had been killed.
The army was arrayed under his
leadership and the battle raged fiercely.
On the side of the Pandavas, Yudhishthira
now led the attack personally against
Salya. It astonished everyone to see how
the man, who was till then the very
incarnation of gentle ness, fought so
furiously.


The battle was equal for a long while,
when Yudhishthira hurled at Salya, his
spear that went straight and struck him.
Like the great flagstaff at the end of a
festive function, Salya's body lay lifeless
on the field, crimson with blood.
When Salya, the last of the great generals,
fell dead, the Kaurava army lost all hope.
The surviving sons of Dhritarashtra,
however, joined together and attacked
Bhima from all sides. He slew them all.
The son of Vayu had nourished his
burning anger for thirteen years from the
time Draupadi was insulted in the Hall of
Assembly. He said to himself now: "I
have not lived in vain, but Duryodhana
still lives," and smiled grimly.


Sakuni led the attack on Sahadeva's
division. After a while, Sahadeva
discharged a sharp-edged sword-arrow
saying: "Fool, here is the reward for your
great sin." It went straight and cut through
Sakuni's neck like a sword. And the head,
which was at the root of all the wicked
deeds of the Kauravas, rolled on the
ground.


Left leaderless, the wreck of the broken
army scattered and fled in all directions,
pursued and slaughtered to a man by the
exulting victors.
"'Thus utterly was destroyed thine army of
eleven Akshauhinis, O! Bharata, out of
the thousands of kings, who espoused thy
cause in their pride and might, only
Duryodhana could be seen on that
battlefield, fainting and sore wounded,"
said Sanjaya, describing the debacle to the
blind king.


After doing, in vain, all he could to rally
his defeated army, Duryodhana, left
almost alone, took up his mace and
walked towards a pool of water. His
whole frame was burning like fire, and
water attracted him. "The wise Vidura
knew what would happen and he told us,"
he said to himself, as he entered the water.
Of what avail is wisdom that comes too
late? What has been done must produce its
result that has to be suffered. That is the
law. Yudhishthira and his brothers arrived
there in relentless, pursuit of their great
enemy.


"Duryodhana!" exclaimed Yudhishthira,
"after destroying family and tribe, would
you yourself escape death by concealing
yourself in this pond? Where is your pride
now? Have you no shame? Come up and
fight. A kshatriya by birth, do you shrink
battle and death?"


Stung to the quick by these words,
Duryodhana replied with dignity: "I have
not come here, Dharmaputra, a fugitive
for my life. It was not fear that brought
me here. I stepped into the water to cool
the fire that is raging within me. I neither
fear death nor wish to live, but why
should I fight? The earth has now nothing
left that I came to fight for! All those who
stood by me have been slain. My desire
for kingdom is gone. I leave the world to
you without a rival. Enjoy it in undisputed
sovereignty."


Yudhishthira replied: "Now, that is really
generous, especially after you said you
would not allow us even a needle-point of
land. When we begged for peace and
entreated you to give us a portion, you
spurned our proposal. Now, you say we
may take it all. It is not for kingdom or
land that we fight. Must I recount all your
sins? The wrongs you did us, and the
outrage you perpetrated on Draupadi,
cannot be expiated except with your life."
Sanjaya, who related the events to the
blind old king, here said: "When your son
Duryodhana heard these harsh and cruel
words spoken by Dharmaputra, he at once
rose from the water, mace in hand."
Stepping out of the pool, the unfortunate
Duryodhana said: "Come, one by one, all
of you, for I am single. You five will
surely not join together and attack me who
am alone and without armor, weary and
wounded all over."


Yudhishthira replied sharply: "If indeed it
be wrong for many to join together and
attack a single person, pray tell us how
Abhimanyu was attacked and killed? Did
you not consent to many combining and
attacking that boy, standing all alone
amidst your crowd? Yes, when men face
misfortune, they see and preach dharma
and chivalry to others. Wear your coat of
armor. Choose any of us you like and
fight. Die and go to swarga or win and be
king."


Accordingly, the combat began between
Bhima and Duryodhana. Sparks of fire
flew when their maces clashed.
Duryodhana and Bhima were equal in
strength and skill, and the battle raged
long, and the issue hung doubtful. Those,
who stood watching, were debating as to
whom would win. Krishna said to Arjuna
that Bhima would redeem the oath he
swore in the Hall of Assembly and smash
Duryodhana's thighs. Bhima heard this
and, at that moment, the memory of the
great outrage came vividly to his mind.
He leaped like a lion and came down with
his mace on Duryodhana's thighs and
broke them and Duryodhana fell heavily
on the ground, wounded to death.
Bhima jumped on the prostrate body of
his enemy, stamped on his head with his
heavy foot and danced a terrible dance.
"Cease, Bhima," cried Dharmaraja. "You
have paid off the debt. Duryodhana is a
prince and a cousin. It is not right to put
your foot on his head."
Said Krishna:"Soon the wicked man's soul
will depart from the body. Sons of Pandu,
Duryodhana and his friends have been
slain. Why linger here? On to your
chariots."


When Krishna said this, the face of the
fallen Duryodhana glowed like a blazing
fire with anger and hatred. Turning his
eyes towards Krishna be said:
"By base tricks you contrived the death of
warriors, who fought bravely according to
the laws of war. You could not have
dreamt of victory in a fair fight with
Karna or Bhishma or Drona. Have you not
a spark of shame left?"
Even dying, Duryodhana felt no regret for
all that he had done.


"Duryodhana," said Krishna, "vainly do
you accuse others. Greed and pride of
power led you to unnumbered wicked
deeds and you are reaping as you sowed."
"Wretch!" replied Duryodhana. "Living, I
was a great prince, generous friend, and a
terrible foe. All human joys, such joys as
kings wish for in vain, and even Gods do
not despise, have been mine, in their
fullness. A warrior's death is the fitting
crown of such a life. Dying, I go
triumphantly to swarga to join my friends
and my brothers who have gone there
already and are waiting to welcome me.
You remain here below, your objects
defeated and yourselves the object of
contempt of all kshatriyas. I do not mind
Bhima putting his foot on my head as I lie
helpless on the ground with legs broken.
What care I? In a few minutes more will
not the feet of crows and vultures settle on
my head?"


When Duryodhana said this, flowers were
showered down from the heavens by the
gods. Inordinate desire took Duryodhana
into the wrong path, whence ensued anger
and numerous breaches of dharma. But no
one could question the unconquerable
spirit of Dhritarashtra's son.


Next : 93. THE PANDAVAS REPROACHED

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