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Duryodhana

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Duryodhana
Duryodhana in the Kuru Court insulting Krishna before the Kurukshetra War, painting by Raja Ravi Varma
Information
AliasesSuyodhana
AffiliationKaurava
WeaponGada (mace)
FamilyDhritarashtra (father)
Gandhari (mother)
Dushasana, Vikarna, and 97 more (brothers)
Dushala (sister)
Yuyutsu (half-brother)
Spouse
ChildrenLakshmana Kumara and Lakshmanaa
RelativesPandavas (paternal half cousins)
Shakuni (maternal uncle)

Duryodhana (Sanskrit: दुर्योधन, [d̪ʊɾjoːd̪ʱən̪ᵊ], IAST: Duryodhana), also known as Suyodhana, is the primary antagonist in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. He is the eldest of the Kauravas, the hundred sons of King Dhritarashtra and Queen Gandhari of Kuru dynasty. Born through a miraculous manner, his birth is accompanied by ill-omens. Duryodhana grows up in Hastinapura and later becomes its crown prince. Driven by innate selfishness, jealousy, and hostility towards his cousins—the five Pandava brothers—Duryodhana constantly provokes and antagonises them, culminating in the infamous dice game where he humiliates Draupadi, the queen of the Pandavas. With the help of his scheming uncle Shakuni, Duryodhana tricks the Pandavas into relinquishing their kingdom and forces them into exile. Even after the Pandavas complete their thirteen-year exile, he refuses to restore their kingdom, directly triggering the outbreak of the Kurukshetra War.[1][2]

During the war, Duryodhana is supported by renowned warriors such as Bhishma, Drona, and Karna, the latter being one of his closest allies. As the conflict reaches its climax and most of his key supporters have fallen, Duryodhana flees the battlefield and hides within a magically fortified lake. When the Pandavas discover him, he agrees to a final duel, selecting his main rival Bhima as his opponent. Although Duryodhana has superior skills, he is ultimately defeated when Bhima strikes him illegally on the thigh. Gravely wounded and humiliated, Duryodhana remains defiant to the end, appointing his friend Ashvatthaman as commander of the remaining Kaurava forces. Following a final act of vengeance orchestrated by Ashvatthaman, Duryodhana succumbs to his injuries.[1]

Duryodhana is regarded as an incarnation of the demon of strife, Kali (distinct from the goddess Kali). Although noted for his bravery, skills and ambition, he is portrayed in the epic as an arrogant and envious man of poor judgement, whose actions brought dishonour upon the Kuru dynasty.[1][2] Duryodhana has been prominently adapted in numerous derivative works, such as Urubhanga and Venisamhara, where his character is expanded and portrayed with elements of pathos and tragedy.[3]

Etymology and epithets

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The name "Duryodhana" is derived from Sanskrit, combining the term "yodhana" (योधन), meaning "to fight" or "warrior", with the prefix "dur" (दुर्). The prefix dur- carry a pejorative sense, meaning “badly” or “difficult to-.” This leads to interpretations such as “one who fights badly” or “one who is difficult to fight.” However, dur- can also signify a formidable quality, making the meaning more complex.[3] Conversely, Suyodhana serves as an alternate name, with su- as a laudatory prefix meaning “well” or “easy to-.” This allows for interpretations such as “one who fights well” or “one who is easy to fight.” Indologist Monier-Williams identifies Suyodhana as a euphemism for Duryodhana, meaning “fighting well.” However, as author David Gitomer notes, if the Pāṇḍavas used this name, they could be invoking its alternative sense of “easy to fight,” undermining its intended praise.[3]

Gitomer further observes that in mediaeval adaptations such as the play Veṇīsaṃhāra, the Pāṇḍavas generally call him Suyodhana, whereas his kin and partisans refer to him as Duryodhana. This pattern appears in the Mahābhārata as well, though both sides occasionally use the opposing term. Such shifts suggest that speakers are deliberately evoking the secondary meaning of each name, highlighting the epic’s deep ambivalence toward Duryodhana’s character—acknowledging both his strengths and his moral ambiguity.[3]

Duryodhana, like many prominent figures in the Mahābhārata, is known by several epithets that highlight his lineage, status, and qualities. Some of these epithets include:[4]

  • Ājamīḍha
  • Bhārata
  • Bhārataśārdūla
  • Bhārataśreṣṭha
  • Bhāratāgrya
  • Bharatarṣabha
  • Bhāratasattama
  • Dhārtarāṣṭra
  • Dhṛtarāṣṭraja
  • Gāndhārīputra
  • Kaurava
  • Kauravanandanā
  • Kauravendra
  • Kauravya
  • Kauraveya
  • Kurukuladhāma
  • Kurumukhya
  • Kurunandana
  • Kurupati
  • Kurupravīra
  • Kurupuṅgava
  • Kurusattama
  • Kururāja
  • Kurusiṃha
  • Kurūttama

Literary Background

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Duryodhana is a central character in the Mahābhārata. The Mahābhārata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, traditionally attributed to Vyasa. Comprising approximately 100,000 verses, it is the longest epic poem in world literature.[5] The epic primarily deals with the succession conflict between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, whom Duryodhana leads, culminating in the great war of Kurukshetra.[6]

The text has multiple recensions, broadly categorized into the Northern Recension and the Southern Recension.[7] These versions differ in length, theological content, and certain narrative elements, with the Southern Recension often including additional devotional aspects.[8]

To establish a standardized version, the Critical Edition (CE) was compiled at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, under the guidance of Vishnu S. Sukthankar. Completed in 1966, the CE collates nearly 1,259 manuscripts to reconstruct the core text while identifying later interpolations.[9]

Biography

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Birth

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Duryodhana in Javanese Wayang

Duryodhana and his ninety-nine brothers are born through an extraordinary process. After being blessed by the sage Vyasa, Gandhari conceives but remains pregnant for two years without delivering. During this period, Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas and acknowledged son of Dhritarashtra's younger brother Pandu, is born. In distress and envy, Gandhari attempts to abort the foetus, resulting in the birth of a large mass of flesh. Vyasa instructs that the mass be divided into one hundred parts, each about the size of a thumb, and placed into pots filled with clarified butter. A smaller fragment is also preserved separately. After two years, from these pots, one hundred sons and a daughter, Dusshala, are born. Duryodhana emerges as the eldest among them.[4][2]

The moment of Duryodhana's birth is accompanied by a series of evil omens. He cries with the voice of a donkey, prompting the donkeys in the royal stables to respond. Jackals howl, vultures and crows shriek, and fierce storms sweep across the land. Alarmed, Dhritarashtra consults his advisers, including Bhishma, Vidura, and scholars. After interpreting the signs, they warn that Duryodhana's birth will bring ruin to the kingdom and its people, and advise that he be abandoned. However, Dhritarashtra, overcome by paternal affection, refuses to follow their counsel, thereby setting the course for the eventual conflict of the Kurukshetra War.[10][4][2]

Early years

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Duryodhana grows up in the royal palace of Hastinapura as the eldest son of King Dhritarashtra and Queen Gandhari. After the death of Pandu, his surviving widow Kunti brings his five acknowledged sons, the Pandavas, to Hastinapura, where they are welcomed by Dhritarashtra. The young Kauravas and Pandavas live together, but frequent quarrels and rivalries soon emerge. Duryodhana is mentored by his maternal uncle, Shakuni.[2]

Bhima, known for his immense strength, often bullies the Kauravas, tossing them about and subjecting them to various humiliations. This fosters deep resentment among the Kauravas, particularly in Duryodhana. Driven by hatred, Duryodhana attempts to poison Bhima during a water-sports outing by mixing deadly poison into his food. Bhima is thrown unconscious into the Ganga but survives after being rescued by the nagas, who neutralise the poison and bestow upon him great strength.[2][4]

As the princes train under Dronacharya, tensions continue. Duryodhana proves to be extremely skilled with the mace and later goes to specialize in mace fighting under Balarama, becoming his favourite pupil. During a public exhibition, Bhima and Duryodhana clash fiercely, requiring intervention to stop them. Later during an archery contest in the same exhibition, when Karna’s lineage is questioned by the Pandavas, Duryodhana crowns him King of Anga to defend his honour and secure an important ally.[2][11][4]

Duryodhana’s bitterness deepens when he fails to capture King Drupada of Panchala, a feat accomplished by Arjuna. Later, he arranges for the Pandavas to live in a palace made of lac at Varanavata, intending to burn them alive. However, the Pandavas escape through a secret tunnel.[4]

Usurping the Kingdom

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Believing the Pandavas to have perished in the fire at the palace of lac, Duryodhana and his brothers live in contentment at Hastinapura and even participates in the svayamvara of Panchala princess, Draupadi. However, their satisfaction turns to resentment when news arrives that the Pandavas, disguised as brahmins, have survived and won Draupadi at her svayamvara.[4]

Following their marriage, the Pandavas remain at Drupada’s court, while the Kauravas return to Hastinapura. Duryodhana grows increasingly jealous of the Pandavas’ rising power and influence. Seeking once more to destroy them, Duryodhana proposes a plan to create divisions among the brothers through women. Karna, however, criticises the idea as impractical and suggests defeating Drupada to weaken the Pandavas. Ultimately, Bhishma and Drona advise reconciliation, proposing that the Pandavas be granted half the kingdom. Dhritarashtra accepts this counsel, and the Pandavas are invited back to Hastinapura.[4]

The kingdom is divided, and the Pandavas establish their rule at Indraprastha. There, with the help of the architect Maya, they construct a magnificent palace. Yudhishthira performs the Rajasuya sacrifice, asserting his imperial status. Duryodhana attends the ceremony but are humiliated during a tour of the new palace, where they fall victim to visual illusions, mistaking floors for water and water for floors. Bhima openly mocks Duryodhana’s missteps, intensifying Duryodhana’s humiliation and deepening his hatred.[4]

In popular culture, television shows and post-modern novels on Mahabharata attribute this blame to Draupadi with an added statement "the son of the blind man also is blind", but the scene in the canonical text is absent.[12][13]

The game of dice

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A painting by Raja Ravi Varma depicting the disrobing of Draupadi, with Duryodhana (in green) commanding Dushasana.

Following the humiliation he experiences at Indraprastha, Duryodhana becomes consumed by jealousy and hatred towards the Pandavas, turning weak. Resolving to destroy them, he conspires with Shakuni, an expert in dice, to challenge Yudhishthira to a gambling match. Despite warnings from Dhritarashtra and Vidura, Duryodhana persists, threatening to commit suicide, and Dhritarashtra reluctantly allows the game to proceed.[4]

Shakuni, skilled in deceitful play, manipulates the game in Duryodhana’s favour. Yudhishthira, though unwilling, agrees to participate. At first, precious gems are wagered and lost, followed by gold coins, chariots, servants, horses, and weapons. Gradually, Yudhishthira loses all his material possessions. In desperation, he stakes his brothers one by one and loses them. Finally, he wagers himself and loses again.[4]

Left with no alternative, Yudhishthira stakes Draupadi. Upon losing, Duryodhana sends his messenger Pratikami to summon her to the court, but she refuses to come. Duryodhana then orders his brother, Dushasana, who forcibly drags Draupadi by her hair into the royal assembly. There, she is publicly humiliated, and Duryodhana exposes his bare thigh (a euphemism for the genitals) and mockingly invites her to sit on it. Bhima, seething with rage, vows before all assembled to kill Duryodhana by breaking his thigh and to slay Dushasana. Dhritarashtra, fearing divine wrath and public disgrace, intervenes and grants Draupadi two boons, through which she secures the freedom of her husbands and herself. The Pandavas are thus released and return to Indraprastha.[4][2]

However, Duryodhana, resentful of this outcome, conspires again with Shakuni to challenge Yudhishthira to a second game. This time, the stakes are harsher: the losers must spend twelve years in exile in the forest and a thirteenth year in concealment. If discovered during the final year, the exile must begin anew. Persuaded against his better judgment, Yudhishthira accepts and is defeated once more. The Pandavas prepare for exile, vowing vengeance. Bhima swears to kill Duryodhana and Dushasana, Arjuna vows to kill Karna, and Sahadeva promises to kill Shakuni.[4]

During Pandava's exile

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During the Pandavas’ exile, the sage Maitreya visits Hastinapura to counsel Dhritarashtra and Duryodhana. He urges them to recall the Pandavas from the forest and seek a peaceful resolution. However, Duryodhana dismisses the advice with arrogance, tapping his thigh and drawing on the ground with his foot in open disdain. Offended by this disrespect, Maitreya curses Duryodhana, prophesying that Bhima will one day break the same thigh Duryodhana had tapped in pride. Dhritarashtra pleads for forgiveness, and Maitreya declares that the curse may be averted only if Duryodhana pursues peace, otherwise the prophecy will inevitably come true​.[4]

Later, Duryodhana sets out on a pleasure expedition, the Ghosha Yatra, under the pretext of inspecting cattle. During this journey, he and his allies are captured by the Gandharvas, celestial beings, after Duryodhana abducts few Gandharva women. The Pandavas, despite their ongoing enmity with Duryodhana, intervene and rescue him and his retinue. Humiliated by this incident, Duryodhana contemplates suicide and proposes that Dushasana be crowned king in his place, but Dushasana refuses.[4]

Overcome by shame, Duryodhana lies on the ground intending to end his life. To prevent this, the anti-gods, danavas, perform a Vaitana Yajna in Patala (underworld realm) and summon a Rakshasi named Kritya, who transports Duryodhana to the netherworld. There, the danavas reveal that through their penance to Shiva, they have rendered Duryodhana’s body above the waist invulnerable, as hard as a diamond and impervious to weapons. Revived by this boon and reassured by the promise of allies such as Bhagadatta and Karna, Duryodhana regains his confidence and returns to Hastinapura, treating the entire experience as if it were a vivid dream​.[4]

Inspired by Yudhishthira’s Rajasuya sacrifice, Duryodhana aspires to perform a similar grand ritual. Advised by brahmins that he cannot undertake a Rajasuya while Dhritarashtra and Yudhishthira are still alive, he instead performs the Vishnu Yajna, an alternative ceremony of comparable prestige. Through this sacrifice, Duryodhana garners further recognition and support from monarchs aligned with the Kaurava cause[4]

Virata War

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Duryodhana was a good friend of Matsya Kingdom's commander-in-chief Kichaka. When Bhima killed him for humiliating Draupadi, Duryodhana blamed Matsya's King Virata for his friend Kichaka's death. Virata got angry and ordered Duryodhana to get out of his Kingdom after insulting him. Duryodhana took his army and attacked Matsya. He ordered his wife's cousin Susharma to attack Matsya from other side but they failed to conquer it because Arjuna and Bhima defended it.

The Kurukshetra War

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Peace Talks and Buildup

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At the end of the exile term, Duryodhana refused to return Yudhishthira's kingdom, despite the counsel of Bhishma, Dronacharya, and Vidura. Although Dhritarashtra openly criticized his son, he tacitly desired that Durd with the Pandavas' final proposal: the Pandavas would give up all claims to Indraprastha and Hastinapura in exchange for five villages. Scoffing, Duryodhana said he will not even give even a needlepoint of land to the Pandavas. Egged on by Krishna, Duryodhana attempted to arrest him. Krishna revealed his Vishvarupa form. The entire Kaurava court, saved for Bhishma, Drona, Vidura, Kripa and Dhritarashtra (who was granted a divine vision in order to see that by supporting his son, he was going against God), was temporarily blinded by the form. This confirmed to those present that Krishna was indeed the Supreme being. Duryodhana, being vastly egoistic (in some versions of the story an outright atheist), brushed off the incident, not convinced of Krishna's divinity, and believing that strength of arms, not philosophy, would win him a war.

Gathering the army

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With war inevitable, Duryodhana gathered support from his powerful vassals. The most powerful warriors – Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Ashwatthama, Kripa, Shalya, Bhurisravas, Bhagadatta, Vrishasena, Kritavarma even those who were critical of him were forced to fight for Duryodhana due to their previous commitments. He ended up amassing a larger army than his rivals.

Shakuni also advised Duryodhana to seek Krishna's help. Duryodhana rushed to Dwarka only to find Krishna sleeping; he waited at the head of Krishna's bed when suddenly, Arjuna arrived with the same goal in mind. Arjuna waited at the foot of Krishna's bed. When Krishna woke up, both Duryodhana and Arjuna appealed for his alliance. Krishna offered a choice of himself, completely unarmed or the entire Vrishni army. Duryodhana proclaimed that because he arrived first, he should get first pick. However, Krishna said that because he saw Arjuna first and because Arjuna was younger, that Arjuna gets the first choice. Duryodhana became worried but was overjoyed when Arjuna elected to reject Krishna's army in favour of Krishna alone. Joyously, Duryodhana returned to Hastinapura with the Vrishni army in hand, only to be rebuked by Shakuni, who comments that Krishna is worth many armies by himself.

Duryodhana also managed to win the army of Shalya, the maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva. Duryodhana intercepted Shalya's army as it came to Kurukshetra and offered hospitality; Shalya accepted thinking Yudhishthira had made the offer. After Shalya had enjoyed Duryodhana's comforts, Duryodhana revealed the duplicity and indicated that Shalya is now indebted to him. He used this indebtedness to extract Shalya's army and support. Duryodhana wanted Shalya mainly so that Karna would have an equivalent charioteer to Arjuna's Krishna.

4th day

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Bhima attacked Duryodhana, pierced him and cut off his bow. In return, Duryodhana pierced Bhima, his Charioteer and cut off his bow. Duryodhana pierced Bhima with shafts on his breast. Bhima feeling great pain fled away from the battlefield.[14]

8th day

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On the 8th day, Rakashasas of Ghatotkacha's army attacked Duryodhana. Duryodhana slew many rakshasas like Vegavat, Maharudra, Vidyujihva and Pramathin.[14] Later, he killed Visharada, son of Kunti-Bhoja.[15]

14th day

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Uttamauja and Yudhamanyu (sons of Drupada)[16] attacked Duryodhana and Duryodhana defeated them in mace fighting.[16] After the death of Jayadratha, Duryodhana became very angry and he started killing the Pandava army. However, he is later defeated by Yudhishthira and flees.

During the nighttime battle between Ghatotkacha and Karna, Duryodhana urged Karna to use the Shakti against the Rakshas, due to the racial advantage during the night. Karna complied and reluctantly unleashed the great weapon, killing Ghatotkacha.

15th day

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Nakula attacked Duryodhana. Duryodhana fought with him and was defeated. When Duryodhan was running away after the defeat, Nakula taunted him to stay back and fight.

16th day

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He tried to face Yudishthira and bravely withstood his onslaught. But soon, Yudishthira defeated him and destroyed his chariot. Luckily, he was rescued by Karna.[17]

17th day

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Nakula and Sahadeva attacked Duryodhana. Duryodhana pierced them and nearly killed them. Later, Dhristadyumna saved them. Then many Pandava warriors, including Yudhishthira, Bhima, Dristadyumna, Satyaki, etc. all together attacked Duryodhana. However Duryodhana alone managed to resist all the Pandavas and he repelled the Pandavas' group attack single-handedly.[18]

18th day

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On the 18th day, the Pandavas together had attacked Duryodhana but they were unsuccessful as Duryodhana alone resisted and defeated all of them.[19][20] Duryodhana had also killed a Yadava warrior named Chekitana on that day. Later, he tried to defeat Dhrishtadyumna who was destroying the retreating Kaurava army. However, Dhrishtadyumna killed Duryodhana's charioteer and destroyed his chariot, forcing Duryodhana to flee. He was the one of the only warriors who was able to defeat Duryodhana that day.[21]

Gada-Yuddha

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Duel between Duryodhan and Bhima. Illustrated folio from Razmnama (Persian translation of Mahabharata). 1598 A.D.

On the eighteenth day of the war, with his army reduced to himself, Ashwatthama, Kripa and Kritvarma, Duryodhana went to meditate in a lake. When the Pandavas and Krishna eventually found him, Duryodhana told them that he wanted to gift the kingdom to them and retire to the forest. Yudhishthira rejected the offer, telling him that Hastinapura is not Duryodhana's to gift. Instead, he offered that Duryodhana may pick any of the Pandava brothers to fight against one-to-one with a weapon of his choice, with the winner of the conflict being the victor of the war.

Despite his proposed advantage over Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nakula, or Sahadeva with the gada, Duryodhana picked his nemesis Bhima. Despite Bhima's physical advantage, Duryodhana had the better technique due to his devotion to his craft. After a long and brutal battle between the two disciples of Balarama, Duryodhana began to exhaust Bhima and nearly made Bhima faint.

At this point, observing the fight, Krishna called out to Bhima and signaled him by repeatedly clapping his thigh with his hand. As intended, Bhima was reminded of an oath he had taken after the game of dice to crush Duryodhana's thighs. Bhima victoriously attacked Duryodhana with his mace and struck his thigh, mortally wounding Duryodhana. After having his face insultingly kicked by Bhima, Duryodhana moaned that he was slain by unfair means, given that it was illegal to attack below the waist in a mace fight.

Infuriated at the violation, Balarama, the brother of Krishna, raised his weapon to attack. Krishna consoled Balarama by reminding him of Duryodhana's evil deeds and reprimanded him for trying to influence a war he refused to participate in.[22]

Lying defeated, Duryodhana boasted to the Pandavas about how he would die a glorious death, about how he got to enjoy Hastinapura while the Pandavas were in exile, and about how he would now spend the afterlife in the company of his friends and relatives. He again eviscerated the Pandavas for all their chicanery during the war and decried their legacy. Venerating his character, Duryodhana proclaimed he would die happily.

Death

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Duryodana was defeated by Bhima – A scene from Razmanama

When the coast was clear, Ashwatthama, Kripacharya, and Kritvarma, having witnessed the fight and not wanting to interrupt so as to rob Duryodhana of his honor, came to Duryodhana's broken body. Ashwatthama promised Duryodhana that he would dispatch the Pandavas and their allies to the abode of Yama and requests his permission to continue the war.

After killing the Upapandavas and the last remnants of the Panchalas, Ashwatthama returns to Duryodhana. He showed Duryodhana the blood on his sword which belonged to the Upapandavas, hearing Duryodhana peacefully left his body satisfied with revenge. Concomitant with Duryodhana's death, Sanjaya loses his divine sight, which he had been using to update Duryodhana's father Dhritarashtra. This symbolizes the conclusion to the war.

After the Pandavas retired, only Yudhishthira reached heaven alive. There, he saw Duryodhana, which shocked him. When asked by Yudhishthira, Narada replied that Duryodhana fulfilled his religious duties.[23]

Personal life

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In the Shanti Parva, the divine sage Narada narrated the marriage of Duryodhana with the daughter of King Chitrangada of Kalinga.[24] Duryodhana abducted her from her swayamvara (self-choice ceremony) with the help of his friend Karna in the wake of having been rejected by her. On reaching Hastinapur, Duryodhana justified his act by giving the example of his grandfather Bhishma abducting three princesses of Kashi for his stepbrother.[25]

Some variations of the Mahabharata introduce additional details about Duryodhana's wives. In the Southern Recension and Gita Press Recension, it is mentioned that his chief wife is a princess of Kashi, the daughter of King Kashiraja, who is noted for welcoming Draupadi when she first arrives in Hastinapura.[26]

Lakshmana Kumara and Lakshmanā were the children of Duryodhana. Little is revealed about them in the Mahabharata other than Lakshmana Kumara's death in the Kurukshetra War and Lakshmanā's marriage to Krishna's son Samba.[27][28]

Evaluation

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Duryodhana is a popular choice of analysis. His merits, flaws, symbolism, and relevance are widely discussed.[citation needed]

Urubhangam is a Sanskrit play written by Bhasa in the 2nd or 3rd century AD with Duryodhana as its primary protagonist. Written as a tragedy, the drama focuses on his point of view of the events of Mahabharata. His portrayal as a tragic hero is especially unique within the body of works in Sanskrit drama.[29][30]

Duryodhana's hatred for the Pandavas stemmed from his sincere belief that he being the son of the eldest brother should be the heir apparent to the throne of Hastinapura. Because of his father's (Dhritarashtra) blindness, his father had to renounce the throne in favour of his younger brother, Pandu. Duryodhana deeply believed that what was rightfully his was being given away to his older cousin Yudhishthira. He also felt that the Pandavas were the sons of Kunti and devas/deities, and not of Pandu. He never believed that their divine origin alone proved their superiority. On many occasions he questioned their merits and always called them 'Kaunteya' (sons of Kunti). He would never accept the Pandavas as his brothers but always did his best to restrain them. He also bore a deep hatred of Bhima, who was younger and but stronger than he and dominated his brothers in sport and skill with his immense physical power and strength. Out of anger and jealousy, he even tried to poison Bhima, but was unsuccessful.[31]

Duryodhana is viewed, by some, as the product of Dhritarashtra's ambition and also in a metaphorical sense, his "blindness". He is also praised for his adherence to his duties as a Kshatriya, and even in his last combat, fights bravely. He chooses to face Bhima in combat over all the other Pandavas, with whom he has an advantage in mace fighting. His skills in the mace are also praised; many stories call him the greatest mace-fighter of the age.

Friendship with Karna

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The friendship between Karna and Duryodhana is considered to be a great one, and is used as an example of friendship and loyalty.[32][33] In the Kurukshetra War, Karna was Duryodhana's greatest champion and served as commander from the fifteenth day. Duryodhana sincerely believed that Karna was superior to Arjuna, and would defeat his four brothers. When Karna was killed, Duryodhana mourned his death intensely, even more so than the death of his own brothers and was inconsolable. When Karna's identity was revealed to him, Duryodhana's love for Karna only grew and it is said to be he, and not the Pandavas, who performed Karna's last rites. Krishna confirmed that he had the highest right over Karna, as they loved and supported each other truly.

Modern Worship

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In media

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Television & films

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Year Project Played by Country Language
1964 Karnan S. A. Ashokan India Tamil
1977 Daana Veera Shura Karna N. T. Rama Rao Telugu
1988 Mahabharat (1988 TV series) Puneet Issar Hindi
1989 The Mahabharata Georges Corraface Belgium Australia U.S.
Sweden Portugal
Norway Netherlands Japan
Ireland Iceland Finland
Denmark UK France		 English
1993 Krishna (TV series) Kumar Hegde India Hindi
2002 Maharathi Karna Nimai Bali Hindi
2008 Kahaani Hamaaray Mahaabhaarat Ki Aryan Vaid Hindi
2013 Mahabharatham (TV series) Vetri Vel Tamil
2013 Mahabharat Arpit Ranka Hindi
2013 Mahabharat Jackie Shroff (voice) Hindi
2015 Suryaputra Karn Shaleen Bhanot Hindi
2018 Karn Sangini Paras Chhabra Hindi
2019 Kurukshetra Darshan Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi
2020 RadhaKrishn Krip Suri Hindi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Buitenen & Fitzgerald 1973, p. 617.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism (2 Vol Set)
  3. ^ a b c d Gitomer, David (1992). "King Duryodhana: The Mahābhārata Discourse of Sinning and Virtue in Epic and Drama". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 112 (2): 222–232. doi:10.2307/603702. ISSN 0003-0279. JSTOR 603702.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Duryodhana". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  5. ^ Brockington, J. (1998). The Sanskrit Epics. Brill, p. 23.
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