44. Duryodhana's ideas to weaken the Pandavas

The news that Draupadi was united in marriage with the sons of Pandu was carried to all the kings who attended the Swayamvara of Draupadi  

It was also conveyed to them that the hero who bent the bow and shot the mark to win the hands of Draupadi was Arjuna and that the person who dashed Salya, the king of Madra, to the ground and terrified others by uprooting a tree was Bhima. 

Since the kings had learnt earlier that the Pandavas, along with her mother Kunti, were burnt to death in the fire that engulfed the house of lac, they considered Pandavas to be of men who had come back from the region of the dead. Having come to know of the cruel scheme contrived by Purochana, they said, “Shame on Bhishma, shame on Dhritarashtra and shame on the Kuru race!”

The news reached Duryodhana when he was on the way to Hastinapura along with his brothers, his uncle Sakuni, Aswathama. Kripa and Karna. Duhsasana told his brother Duryodhana, "If Arjuna had not disguised himself as a Brahmin, he could not have succeeded in winning the hand of Draupadi. Whatever we do, it is the fate that decides the outcome. Oh, the Pandavas are still alive!”

Duryodhana and his brothers blamed Purochana for his carelessness in allowing the Pandavas to escape from the house of lac. They were also worried that the Pandavas had gained the support of Drupada, Drishtadyumna, Sikhandi and the other sons of Drupada. They returned to Hastinapura in a mood of despair.

Vidura  was elated by the news that the hand of Draupadi was won by the Pandavas. He also saw Duryodhana and his brothers entering the palace in a crestfallen state. 

Vidura went to Dhritarashtra and told him, “The Kurus are prospering by good luck!" 

While Vidura referred to the Pandavas as the Kurus, Dhritarashtra understood this as a reference to his own sons and assumed that Draupadi was won over by Duryodhana. He ordered a grand reception for Duryodhana and Draupadi. Vidura then clarified that it was the Pandavas who had won the hand of Draupadi.

Dhritarashtra said that the Pandavas were as dear to him as they were to Pandu. He also expressed his happiness over obtaining Drupada and his relatives as an ally.

Vidura said, “O king, let your understanding remain unchanged for a hundred years!'

Duryodhana, Karna and others entered Dhritarshtra's chamber just at that time.

After Vidura had left, Duryodhana told Dhritarashtra, “We didn’t want to express our feelings in the presence of Vidura. But your applauding the Pandavas amounts to your considering the property of your enemies as your own. This is not right. From now onwards, your actions should aim at weakening the Pandavas. The time has come for all of us to think and act together so that we, our children, our relatives and friends are not swallowed by the Pandavas."

'Dhritarashtra replied, “I will do what you want me to do. But I don’t want to give any indication of my thinking to Vidura. Now tell me what you have in your mind" 

Duryodhana said. “Using the services of some trusted and skilful Brahmins, we can bring about some dissension between the sons of Kunti and the sons of Madri. Or, by presenting a lot of wealth to Drupada and his sons, and all his ministers, we can make them abandon the cause of Yudhishthira. 

"Or, we can ask our spies to induce the Pandavas to settle in Drupada's country, by convincing them of the inconvenience of residing in Hastinapura. Or, we can create jealousy among the Pandavas on account of Draupadi. Or we can make Draupadi turn against her husbands, by inducing suspicions in her mind about her husbands.. 

"Since Bhima is the strongest of the brothers, we can plot to kill Bhima and thereby weaken the Pandavas. Without Bhima, Arjuna won’t be equal to even one fourth of Karna.

“Without Bhima, they won’t venture to recover their kingdom from us. If they become docile and obedient to us, we would repress them, following the dictates of political science, enunciated by Kanika.

“Or, we may tempt the Pandavas through some beautiful girls and alienate Draupadi from them. Or, we can send messengers to bring them here and when thy come here, we may get them killed. We should use one of these methods, which appeals to you as the most appropriate. We should act before their trust with Drupada is established. These are my ideas. What do you say, Karna?”

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