A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.536.1

c5.536.1

DUR-YODHANA. ‘Hard to conquer.’ The eldest son of King Dhrita-rāshṭra, and leader of the Kaurava princes in the great war of the Mahā-bhārata. His birth was somewhat marvellous. (See Gāndhārī.) Upon the death of his brother Pāṇḍu, Dhrita-rāshṭra took his five sons, the Pāṇdava princes, to his own court, and had them educated with his hundred sons. Bickerings and jealousies soon sprang up between the cousins, and Dur-yodhana took a special dislike to Bhīma on account of his skill in the use of the club. Dur-yodhana had learnt the use of this weapon under Bala-rāma, and was jealous of any rival. He poisoned Bhīma and threw his body into the Ganges, but Bhīma sank to the regions of the Nāgas, where he was restored to health and vigour. When Dhrita-rāshṭra proposed to make Yudhi-shṭhira heir-apparent, Dur-yodhana strongly remonstrated, and the result was that the Pāṇḍavas went into exile. Even then his animosity pursued them, and he laid a plot to burn them in their house, from which they escaped and retaliated upon his emissaries. After the return of the Pāṇḍavas from exile, and their establishment at Indra-prastha, his anger was further excited by Yudhi-shṭhira’s performance of the Rāja-sūya sacrifice. He prevailed on his father to invite the Pāṇḍavas to Hastinā-pura to a gambling match, in which, with the help of his confederate Sakuni, he won from Yudhi-shṭhira everything he possessed, even to the freedom of himself, his brothers, and his wife Draupadī.