Who is the righteous king of Hastinapur is a debatable topic. The only reason Pandu got the throne is because of blindness of Dhritrashtra. And after death of Pandu the throne is taken by Dhritrashtra.
Wrong deeds of Kaurvas :
~ Trying to kill Bhima
~ Laxagraha Episode
~ Draupdi Chirharan (Bhishma and [[Drona oppose this move recalling that a woman cannot be put at stake even if it is their own wife. However, Yudhishthira ignores their call and puts her at stake much to the ire of Bhishma, who in his frustration breaks his chair. )
~ Killing of Abhimanyu
Wrong deeds of Pandvas :
~ Bhima teasing all Kaurvas boys (Which is the reason Suyodhana started hating pandvas)
~ Sacrificing others for own benefits in Laxagraha
~ Draupdi insulting Duryodhana, Dhritrastra and Karna
~ Extermination of entire tribes to build Indraprashtha. This clearly shows greed of Pandvas towards kingdom.
~ Killing of Bhisma
~ Killing of Drona
~ Killing of Karna
~ Killing of Bhagdatta
~ Killing of Bhrurishrva
So deciding who was right or wrong is quite a tough call.
Wrong deeds of Kaurvas :
~ Trying to kill Bhima
~ Laxagraha Episode
~ Draupdi Chirharan (Bhishma and [[Drona oppose this move recalling that a woman cannot be put at stake even if it is their own wife. However, Yudhishthira ignores their call and puts her at stake much to the ire of Bhishma, who in his frustration breaks his chair. )
~ Killing of Abhimanyu
Wrong deeds of Pandvas :
~ Bhima teasing all Kaurvas boys (Which is the reason Suyodhana started hating pandvas)
~ Sacrificing others for own benefits in Laxagraha
~ Draupdi insulting Duryodhana, Dhritrastra and Karna
~ Extermination of entire tribes to build Indraprashtha. This clearly shows greed of Pandvas towards kingdom.
~ Killing of Bhisma
~ Killing of Drona
~ Killing of Karna
~ Killing of Bhagdatta
~ Killing of Bhrurishrva
So deciding who was right or wrong is quite a tough call.
There are no absolute right and wrong in this situation as u hav already mentioned wrong deeds of both the parties. But i wud say that although both parties were desperate to fight each other, but kauravas were more malign that pandavas. They were the ones who started all this shit by attempting to kill bhima and then plannig lakhshagraha. Bhima was wrong in teasing kauravas but if Suyodhana should have taken decision worthy of a Prince, he would have been crowned as the prince of the hastinapur probably.
ReplyDeleteBhima was not only teasing Kauravas.... He made all Kauravas half dead...
DeleteJust because he was physically strong..., it doesn't mean he had right to break the bones of his cousins....!!!!
But act of bhima termed as his childish behaviour...
Duryodhan never himself had idea to poison bhima..
It was shakuni who was poisoning the tender mind of Suyodhan ..
Have you ever thought why Duryodhan / Suyodhan blindly followed shakuni...??
Due to failure of Bhishma and Vidhura...
Duryodhan's father was blind..
His mother blindfolded herself..
So there was no one who can loom at him with lkce and affection of parents....
So it was duty of Bhishma and Vidhura, being elder of family to give live to Kauravas as well...
But they always gave more attention to Pandavas due to sympathy.. Because Pandu died ..
Bhishma and Vidhura were somuch busy in loving Pandavas, that they didn't cared about Kauravas....
So there was shakuni who got an opportunity to spoil mind of Duryodhan.
Bhishma could stop shakuni from soiling mind of Duryodhan...
He could order shakur to leave Hastinapur...
But he didn't really bothered about it...
Now Duryodhan could find love only , in the eyes of his uncle....
He followed all the instructions of shakuni ....
And Duryodhan was rightful heir of throne...
Pandu was made king only due to disability of Dhritrastra... as he was blind...as per advice of Vidhura....who himself couldn't be the king..
But the same blind person became king after Pandu handover the kingdom to Dhritrastra.. He ruled for minimum 60-70 years...then no one had any problem with the blind king... Strange indeed..!!
When Lady handover the kingdom to Dhritrastra, he told that he will follow celibacy, and will retire to forest...for all his life..and Dhritrastra will rule all his life....pandu will never return and ask any share in kingdom...
Now, after going to forest, pandu needed sons...I don't know why ...?? Because there was no need to give heir of throne... Because gandhari was Already pregnant ( she was pregnant for 2 years...and after it the parts of cells were kept in some pots filled with ghee.... So Duryodhan born from 4years after gandhari became pregnant )
So no need for sons as heir of throne...will born from gandhari now ..
And one point to be noted ...sons of sanyasi can't claim throne.....
After death of Pandu and Madri, one fine day Kunti comes to Hastinapur.. And gains sympathy...
Yes she can stay at palace and enjoy Royal life...being relative of king...
But they don't have any rigjtover the throne which their father.. have himself handedover and promised not to ask it in future ....
But pandavas always wanted to rule as king...
Yudhisthira himself accepted in his exile that he accepted the game of dice to win the Hastinapur and make Duryodhan his servent...but due to his hard luck...Duryodhan won...so he started gaining sympathy from all that they got defeated and lost their kingdom...
Their wife for humiliated...
But it was this fool who himself put his kingdom at stake, then his brothers, then 1lakh women servants. And at last Draupadi....one fifth wife of this fool...
So he never treated his subjects well ...
On the other hand...Duryodhan was great prince...
I am writing in my other comment About duryodhan
From that point of view Duryodhan was correct…that throne was actually of him….he treated his subjects well….He was not greedy of throne….but Throne was his birth right…and to fight for your Right is Ture Kshatriya Dharma
DeleteHe died being a crown prince only( Yudhisthir became king of indraprasth but Duryodhan remained prince only..) …because Dhritrastra was a king…Duryodhan could never become a King .
He never tried to snatch the throne from his old blind father… otherwise he could easily do that …afterall his brothers always followed him and there was no one who could stop him….but he didn't ..he loved his family and friends..…
He never believed in caste system, he chose Karna as friend by seeing his merits and not his caste….. ( eople say it was beneficial for him ok… )There is temple of duryodhan in south …. it was built bypublic for him for this reason : once he was travelling , he accepted water from lower caste women , ( in those days , lower caste people were not allowed to touch or give water or food to High born Kshtriyas… , when she came to know that duryodhan was the Crown prince, she apologised , but duryodhan didn’t punished her…..as he believed that human shuld not be discriminated on the basis of catse ( Now tell me , What was his benefit here ?? ) He was just a broad mined person even in that rigid era…
He never staked his one and only wife Bhanumati , or his brothers who can die for him ( even he knew that Shakuni will never lose the dice game as he was most skilled in dice, but still, he never staked any human) ….unlike Yudhisthir who first stake his kingdom, then his brothers, 1 LAKH women servants and at last he staked Draupadi ( his one fifth wife ).
Duryodhan was just and good ruler…Here is the proof ….from KMG…version:
DeleteReaction of public of Hastinapur hearing news of Duryodhana’s death
Having entered the city, the Suta Sanjaya, raising his arms in grief, and with limbs trembling, entered the palace of the king. Filled with grief, O tiger among men, he wept aloud, saying, 'Alas, O king! Alas, all of us are ruined by the slaughter of that high-souled monarch. Alas, Time is all-powerful, and crooked in his course, since all our allies, endued with might equal to that of Shakra himself, have been slain by the Pandavas.' Seeing Sanjaya come back to the city, O king, in that distressful plight, all the people, O best of kings, filled with great anxiety, wept loudly, saying, 'Alas, O king! The whole city, O tiger among men, including the very children, hearing of Duryodhana's death, sent forth notes of lamentation from every side. We then beheld all the men and women running about, deeply afflicted with grief, their senses gone, and resembling people that are demented.' The Suta Sanjaya then, deeply agitated, entered the abode of the king and beheld that foremost of monarchs, that lord of men, having wisdom for his eyes.
Shalya Parva: Section 1
Confession by public in front of Dhritrastra :
Ye have ruled us like fathers or brothers. King Duryodhana never did us an wrong.Do that, O king, which that righteous-souled ascetic, the son of Satyavati, has said. He is, verily, our foremost of instructors. Left by thee, O monarch, we shall have to pass our days in grief and sorrow, filled with remembrance of thy hundreds of virtues. We were well protected and ruled by king Duryodhana even as we had been ruled by king Santanu, or by Chitrangada, or by thy father, O monarch, who was protected by the prowess of Bhishma, or by Pandu, that ruler of Earth, who was overlooked by thee in all his acts. Thy son, O monarch, never did us the slightest wrong. We lived, relying on that king as trustfully as on our own father. It is known to thee how we lived (under that ruler).
Asramavasika Parva: Asramavasa Parva: Section X
Duryodhana as a ruler on the earth after Karna won entire earth for Duryodhan.
Meanwhile the royal son of Dhritarashtra began to rule the earth, along with his heroic brothers as also with Bhishma and Drona and Kripa. And with the assistance of the Suta's son crowned with martial glory, Duryodhana remained ever intent on the welfare of the rulers of the earth, and he worshipped the foremost of Brahmanas by celebrating sacrifices with profuse gifts. And that hero and subduer of foes, O king, was engaged in doing good to his brothers, concluding for certain in his mind that giving and enjoying are the only use of riches."
***** se after Digvijay of Karna , Duryodhan became RULER OF ENTIRE EARTH, and he was donating alms …. if he was so GREEDY, then why should he DONATE his wealth ???
Vana Parva: Ghosha-yatra Parva: Section CCLV
King Duryodhana at the heaven
Hear my words. Here is king Duryodhana. He is worshipped with the gods by those righteous men and those foremost of kings who are now denizens of Heaven. By causing his body to be poured as a libation on the fire of battle, he has obtained the end that consists in attainment of the region for heroes. You and your brothers, who were veritable gods on Earth, were always persecuted by this one. Yet through his observance of Kshatriya practices he has attained to this region. This lord of Earth was not terrified in a situation fraught with terror.
Svargarohanika Parva: Section 1
So you can see he was good to his public and didnt do anything wrong to Pubic, infact public loved him as ruler …
I would say that the Pandavas are worse then then the Kauravas. The Kauravas only targeted the Pandavas in their wrong doing, however the Pandavas targeted other people as well who did nothing to them.
ReplyDeleteThe Pandavas also seemed to practice caste/tribal discrimination when you consider the following:
1) Being happy that Ekalavya lost his thumb.
2) Calling Karna Sutputra.
3) Nishad tribals being burnt to death and used as a diversion in Varnavat Laxagraha.
4) Getting tribals Hidimba, Uloopi and Chitrangadha pregnant then leaving them.
5) Burning to death Naga tribals to clear Khandav forest.
(What is interesting is that Duryodhana and Jarasandha who are supposed to be villains gave support and a high position to Karna and Ekalavya)
Contrary to popular myths, the Pandavas also didn't respect women when you consider:
1) An old Nishad tribal woman old enough to pass as Kunti was burnt to death as a diversion in Varnavat Laxagraha.
2) Getting Hidimba, Uloopi and Chitrangadha pregnant then leaving them.
3) Naga tribal women and children were burnt to death to clear Khandav forest.
4) They didn't respect Draupadi as they shared her and then used her in gambling. Then did nothing while she was abused.
(What is interesting is that Duryodhana who is supposed to be evil said that he would match whatever stakes Yudhisthira would put up, but he didn't stoop low enough to gamble his own wife/mistress)
5) During Gita Arjuna describes women as becoming loose/corruptted when the men die.
6) They allowed robbers/tribals to kidnap/enslave Krishna's female family members and didn't even attempt to rescue them.
Contrary to popular myths, the Pandavas also didn't respect elders when you consider:
1) When calling Karna 'sutputra', they were insulting his father and not Karna directly.
2) The Nishad tribal woman burnt to death as a diversion in Varnavat Laxagraha was old enough to be their mother.
3) Naga tribals were burnt to death to clear Khandav forest including elderly people.
4) They didn't stop Draupadi from insulting Dhritarashtra when she called Duryodhana a blind son of a blind man. Infact Bhima joined in.
5) After the war Bhima verbally abused Dhrishtrashtra.
6) Krishna's female family members who were attacked by robbers included elderly women, yet the Pandavas and particularly Arjuna did nothing to help them.
I think the reason why the Pandavas are considered good guys is because the authors didn't want to offend the ruling kings who were descended from them.
ReplyDeleteFor all karna's Fans:
(SOURCE-TRANSLATION OF ORIGINAL MAHABHARAT OF VYAS BY KESARI MOHAN GANGULY
& WHICH IS THE ONLY PRECISE TRANSLATION AVAILABLE ON PUBLIC DOMAIN):
Incident 1:Karna fled from battlefield from Arjuna(Virata Yudh):
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04060.htm
Incident 2:Karna defeated by Gandharwa chitrasena:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03239.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03240.htm
Incident 3:Arjuna defeat Ghandarwas & rescued Duryodhan & kurus:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03243.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03244.htm
Incident 4:Karna defeated & freightened by Abhimanyu in chakruvyuhu:
Hearing these words, Karna, afflicted with the shafts of Arjuna's son, once
more said unto Drona, 'Exceedingly afflicted with the shafts of Abhimanyu, I
am staying in battle, only because (as a warrior) I should stay here. Indeed,
the arrows of this south of great energy are exceedingly fierce. Terrible as
they are and possessed of the energy of fire, these arrows are weakening my
heart.'
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m07/m07045.htm
Incident 5:Karna's defeat at Draupadi Swayamvar by Arjuna!
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01193.htm
What Karna's own friend Ashwathama & kripacharya think of karna:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04049.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m04/m04050.htm
what Lord Krishna think of karna's bravery:
Krishna said(To Arjuna):.I swear by Truth to thee, O friend, that my limbs are
burning at the thought that while the son of Subhadra was thus advancing,
consuming the hostile army with his shafts, even on that occasion the wicked-
souled Karna was engaged in acts of hostility to that hero,Unable, O Partha,
to stay in that battle before Abhimanyu's face, mangled with the shafts of
Subhadra's son, deprived of consciousness, and bathed in blood, Karna drew
deep breaths, inflamed with rage. At last, afflicted with arrows, he was
obliged to turn his back upon the field.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08073.htm
& Finally karna himself accepting Arjuna's supeority:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08079.htm
FINAL KARNA ARJUNA BATTLE(DAY 17 OF MAHABHARATA):
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08089.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08090.htm
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m08/m08091.htm
ACCORDING TO MY ANALYSIS OF THIS TRANSLATION IN THE FINAL BATTLE OF
MAHABHARATA,ARJUNA & KARNA ASSAULTED EACH OTHER 35 TIMES WITH NUMEROUS,
THOUSANDS & LAKHS OF ARROWS ………8 TIMES THEY NULLIFIED EACH OTHER ARROWS ,12
TIMES BOTH KARNA & ARJUNA PIERCED EACH OTHER BUT THE REMAINING 15 TIMES ARJUNA
PIERCED KARNA IN EVERY PART OF HIS BODY & KARNA’S
LIMBS,YOKE,STANDARD,STEEDS,CHARIOT WERE RIPPED APART & KARNA WAS LEFT MANGLED
BATHED IN BLOOD & KARNA HAD NO ANSWER FOR ARJUNA’S ARROWS!!!
Authenciaty of vyas original mahabharat by km ganguly:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kisari_Mohan_Ganguli