Duryodhana: He Who Burned Infinite Possibilities in the Fire of Revenge

Our lives are filled with interesting characters. They have virtues. They have vices. They can sometimes be inspirational, while at the same time ironical. 

Beyond viewing them through the narrow lenses of heroes and villains, good or evil, characters in themselves are unique and come in different shades.

Unlike our popular imagination characters don’t perfectly fit in the “good” or “bad” category. Sometimes they can be idealistic, while at different scenarios, they can turn selfish and pragmatic. 

Each character is a rainbow in themselves. There is the great, the good, the bad and the ugly all within the same heart and mind.

Mahabharata, is one such epic that is full of interesting characters. If we look religion beyond way of life and identity and more towards wellbeing and wisdom, even characters can turn lively and fascinating!

Apart from being the fountainhead of Bhagwat Geeta, Mahabharata is an epic that celebrates roles. The role of a King, the role of a teacher, the role of a friend, the role of a son, the role of an advisor, and much more.

As a kid, I enjoyed B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharata series. Fortunately, I got to revisit them again, and this is when I thought of doing some character sketches.

As a disclaimer, these character sketches are done out of my own personal passion viewed through my lenses. I, do not hereby claim any sort of legitimacy from scriptural point of view. The character sketch is largely based on as portrayed in the series.

Duryodhana is one of the most important characters and protagonists of the Mahabharata. He is a interesting character in many aspects.

1.       Burner of Infinite Possibilities

During the “Gada” war or “Mace” competition in the “Rangabhoomi”, the series highlights an interesting conversation between Kunti, Bhīma’s mother and Gandhari, Duryodhana mother.

In a subtle manner Kunti tells Gandhari- “Duryodhana and Bhīma both are equally powerful. If they come together, they can get the world under with their strength.”

Unfortunately, Duryodhana never chose to view the world with that lens.

Duryodhana was undoubtedly a great warrior. He had mastered the weapon of “Gada” or “Mace” and was the favorite pupil of Shree Krishna’s elder brother Balram. He also had a loyal friend like Karna by his side. He had all sorts of resources ranging from the mighty Kingdom of Hastinapur to formidable leaders like Bhisma and Dhronacharya.

However, instead of looking at the infinite array of opportunities and possibilities the world presented, he chose to dedicate his life in destroying the Pandavas.

May be he could be a mighty emperor. He was already a charitable king. There was a possibility he could have attained “immortality” as a righteous rule.

However, he chose to burn and get burned.  Instead of setting a great goal for himself, he chose to make Pandavas’ destruction his only goal.

He burned himself in the fire of hatred and revenge throughout his life.  The fire burned his righteousness, personal life and led him to committing numerous injustices.

As a result, he got bitterness throughout life, defeat and a disrespectful, disastrous death.

2.       Powerful but Weak

The series symbolizes Duryodhana as someone who is powerful but weak.  He was a powerful king and mighty warrior, but was so weak that he stooped down beyond imagination to harass the Pandavas.

He dishonored Draupadi, did not recognize Shree Krishna and turned a deaf ear towards the wise advice of his family elders.

The series portrays him as a powerful, but psychologically weak antagonist, who falls victim to the manipulation of his uncle, Sakuni. He was powerful in the sense that he had resources and skills, but was weak in terms of righteousness and virtues.

When Dhitarastrya asks Sanjaya, “Duryodhana has everything. Resources. People. Dhronacharya. Karna. Still why is he not winning?”

To which Sanjaya politely replies, “Maharaja, he has everything except Righteousness or “Dharma”. 

Duryodhana is powerful but weak at the same time. He commits injustice beyond imagination which results in death and destruction.

3.       Charitable King and True Friend

While Duryodhana had numerous vices, the series sheds light upon his virtues too. Like any human being, Duryodhana was also a mixed bag of virtues and vices. 

He was ill-tempered, bitter and revengeful, but at the same time, he was a true friend. He was the only prince who stood up and accepted Karna.

In the series too, there is a part where he says an interesting line: “Veer is the only Varna” meaning he and Karna were in the same social class of the “Brave”.

He was also a charitable king, and series mentions how at one time the state treasury of Hastinapur had almost gone empty due to Duryodhana’s alms.

During his last days, Duryodhana can also been seen admitting to the fact that “Death is the ultimate truth of life.”  When Ashwatthama brings him the head of Pandava’s son, he regrets and repents.

He clearly admits that he had enmity with the Pandavas, and he does not regret it.

He says:

“Aswathama, I had enemity with Pandavas, and I do not regret it. You, however, have killed innocent Pandava’s sons, who were innocent and with whom I had no enmity.”

“Therefore, I, Duryodhana, who longed for two drops of tears throughout life, today am dying in tears not because of Bhīma, but you. No one shall, however, know that it was not Bhīma, but you who killed me.”

Duryodhana committed numerous injustices, which cannot be discounted, but at the same time his role as a loyal friend and a charitable king is also something that cannot be neglected.