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| The Rajasuya Sacrifice |
But he cried out too soon. For, to his amazement, he saw the two pieces move closer until they were joined together, Jarasandha rose up again, ready to continue the fight. Three times did Bhima tear him up and three times did the pieces join together. Bhima was nonplussed. Never had he seen such a monster who came alive even when torn into two, with redoubled strength.
The two of them wrestled many rounds together, until once more Bhima caught his opponent by the legs and tore him into two. At this moment Krishna signaled to Bhima and taking a betel leaf between his thumb and fore finger, tore it into two and threw the pieces away after crossing his hands. Bhima took the hint and he too crossed his hands before he threw down the two halves of Jarasandha's body. The pieces moved further and further from each other, unable to unite, and Jarasandha breathed his last. The three then set free the captured kings and returned to Indraprastha.
With Jarasandha dead, the Pandavas were free to perform the Rajasuya Yagna or the Imperial Sacrifice, for there was no one in the country who could challenge Yudhishthira. To this great ceremony were invited all the kings and princes of the realm, including Duryodhana of Hastinapura, Shakuni of Gandhara and Karna of Anga. Yudhishthira and his brothers welcomed their guests cordially, and showed each of them the honour and respect due to him.
The Rajasuya sacrifice completed, the guests went back. But Duryodhana stayed on in Indraprastha at his cousin's invitation. Yudhishthira showered him with kindness and courtesy and entertained him royally in the palace. While going round the assembly hall, at one place Duryodhana carefully lifted up his dhoti to wade through a pond in his path. But his feet only stepped on hard ground. At another place, walking along a corridor, Duryodhana suddenly fell into a pond where none was visible. Trying to go out of a room, Duryodhana violently knocked his head against a solid wall, which he thought was a door. Seeing Duryodhana's sorry plight the Pandavas laughed aloud.
Draupadi's laughter was ringing aloud. Duryodhana pretended to enjoy all this, but in truth he was filled with shame and anger and he swore to avenge the humiliation.
In due course Duryodhana returned to Hastinapura. The desire for revenge burned like a fire within him. He thought, 'if only the Pandavas could be destroyed!' How he would love to see Yudhishthira's empire come crumbling down; how he would love to see the Pandavas reduced to penury! But Duryodhana knew that in the normal course of things, this would never happen. | |
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