Kauravas, symbol of jealousy, wickedness

CHENNAI, MAY 2. Jealousy that sprouts and rapidly intensifies in some on seeing the affluence of their opponents or the power they have come to possess or wield, will make them adopt any heinous step or cunning method to wipe them out. Political history records how three chief plans used to be executed to put down enemies whom some intensely disliked. One was to find out the sources from which these foes got help, in addition to their own prosperity or strength and stop the flow of the same.

The second strategem is to give periodic pinpricks by which even men of strength may get disgusted and may opt to remain quiet. The third is to destroy them altogether by direct means. These alternatives were spelt out by the evil genius, Sakuni, to remove the Pandavas, who had emerged victorious in a tough duel and who were due to marry Draupadi.

The Kauravas, wicked they were, collected an army and marched to challenge their cousins who, however, proved too strong and routed them. But for the intervention of the eldest of the five brothers, all the Kauravas and their henchmen would have been totally killed and there would have been no further continuation of the story. The Lord had chalked out a scheme using various men and women as tools and He decides what, when and how events should take shape.

A riddle that evoked comments even when the epic was enacted and continues even today as a topic for discussion is the very uncommon custom of one woman (Draupadi) marrying five husbands. Sufficient explanations have been rendered and there was a purpose behind it. She was a divine creation who emerged from flames. Every time she got married, she entered the fire and came out pure and different. Will this be possible now? ``There had been no lapse in the Law of Virtue'' says Vyasa. After the grand wedding, what about the future? It was decided to approach the blind emperor to secure their legitimate property.

There was panic in the Kaurava court on the news of their claim and discussion ensued as to how to turn down the Pandavas' request. There was a suggestion to somehow create a dissension among the five brothers but this was given up. Out of necessity, lest the world should decry him, the diabolic blind king, who knew the Law of Virtue but who could not abide by it as his attachment to his sons was more powerful, invited them. At the instance of Krishna, the invitation was accepted. A smile of pure mischief lit up the face of Krishna, looking at the passing phase of the story, said Sri K. P. Arivanandam in his lecture.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Miscellaneous
Previous : Solution to puzzle 6734
Next     : dated May 2, 1950: Value of Buddha's teachings