BE WISE

The arrest of a well-known movie actor has been the only news that has been broadcast on television frequently in recent days. A man who once had a cult following is now defenseless and alone. According to the news reports about the actor I read, he only happened to be in some terrible company. Sadly, this happens when someone lacks a capable mentor to help them stay on course.

How unkind life can be.

Many knowledgeable people tell me that being at the top is lonely! 

Undoubtedly, one cannot resist fate, but can we face fate more morally and with righteousness?

When coming to maintaining the company of honorable and knowledgeable individuals, it takes a lot of goodwill. But when it comes to keeping bad company, Duryodhana is one important character who also unfortunately looked to Shakuni for guidance. 

The evil genius Shakuni nursed and nurtured his jealousy of his cousins till it grew into a tree.

Because of his extraordinary brilliance, Veda Vyasa was able to predict the future. Following his victorious conclusion of the Rajasuya yaga at Indraprastha, Yudhishtira approached the great soul to ask for his blessings. Vyasa’s pallid look, devoid of the cheerful smile he usually wore, especially towards the Pandava brothers, whom he liked, surprised Yudhishtira.

“With all my heart, Yudhishtira, I bless you.”

“However, I can already see into the years to come. I have the impression that a major conflict will break out in the near future. I sense hundreds of heads without bodies on the battlefield, the death of so many Kshatriya rulers, and the loss of race. Envy is a tiny seed that will grow into this disaster. Son, you cannot stop this; it is your fate. Even if your obligations have increased, remember to occasionally stray from being straight forward. That alone has the power to save your clan and you.” 

He told Arjuna the details of Vyasa’s prophecy. However, the brothers eventually came to the conclusion that they were Kshatriya warriors and would meet destiny with unshakable understanding. In addition, Yudhishtira promised not to argue verbally with his family members. He believed that anger was the main source of all the suffering, therefore he made the decision to never argue vocally. He also required his brothers’ help in order to accomplish this. Duryodhana’s hatred had only increased fivefold after the Rajasuya. He informed Shakuni that he had no desire for them to have even a minor amount of territory. He wanted to grasp hold of it. But it was quite challenging to address how. If he didn’t act quickly to correct the situation, he feared that one day they could dismiss him, just like the gods of heaven.

Shakuni first behaved wisely because he was the one with the evil thinking. “They are your brothers,” he said to Duryodhana. “Your father indeed received the kingdom from their father Pandu. Just think of the throne that would have been yours if he hadn’t. After all, they are managing a tiny area of dry ground. Why are you feeling so envious and irrationally angry? You shouldn’t be concerned about them at all.”

However, Duryodhana felt bound. The fact that his uncle Shakuni had spoken up for them infuriated him. Is there anyone who tried avenging what occurred to Shishupala in front of such an August crowd, he replied fiercely, giving him an enraged look. 

Shakuni said, “Hmm. However, is your uncle Bhishma not at your side? In comparison with Krishna, he is superior.”

With great insistence, Duryodhana got up and walked out, feeling embarrassed.

But Shakuni was skilled at setting him off. Gripping his shoulder, he brought him to a halt. He said, “I have an idea. You are welcome to ask him to come play dice.”

Duryodhana sighed, “A dice game.” 

Shakuni declared “Listen to me before you make conclusions, son.” 

“There would be no warriors, no cavalry, and no bloodshed. Despite my physical weakness, I am a sorcerer with the ability to control the dice to win for you. Ask him to pledge his riches, kingdom, gardens, jewelry, etc every time he loses a game. He paused to say, “Beautiful wife too.”

The malicious mind of Duryodhana got to work. At the height of happiness, he inquired if they would voluntarily agree to come.

When his brother extends a kind request for a straightforward game of dice, a Kshatriya cannot refuse it in any way. Furthermore, Yudhishtira will readily accept our bait due to his blind devotion to the game of dice.
And so began the epic tale of the Mahabharata, which culminated in the death and bloodshed of the Kurukshetra war.

 A single evil deed caused such a massive calamity. Naturally, the Pandava brother accepted the invitation to preserve good ties and keep his brothers happy, only to be humiliated and left with nothing.

Why, one might wonder, did the astute Yudhishtira fail to predict Duryodhana’s abrupt and malevolent move? Were the words of Vyasa too blinding for him?

The primary reason might have been to prevent miscommunication between brothers. The second-best explanation would be that the Kshatriya kings could not refuse a cordial offer to play a light game from a neighboring king during that era. Whatever be it, Yudhishtira opened the door for the deadly seed of enmity and death because he was so eager to spread kindness. This demonstrates the pointlessness of human plans, even if well-intentioned or prudent. Our greatest intelligence is futile in the face of fate, but when fate is on our side, our foolishness too works in our favor. 

ANITHA CHAKRAVARTHY SRIRAM