Unparalleled Revenge in Indian Epics

Part I: Unquenched flame of Shakuni

The very mention of the name ‘Shakuni’ epitomizes with hatred, deceit, wicked and an acme of revenge. Is it possible for a man to smolder the anger and continue fueling it for so long without its being blazed into a flame? Is it possible to fathom extreme patience and wait for an opportune time until the goal is accomplished for once it is a flame, it will extinguish? How deep the mental agony would be!

Well, these are not the new questions. These have been answered and interpreted in great detail. But certainly these questions do haunt the minds of the new readers and that is the novelty and the beauty of a great and timeless epic.

The insult of a lifetime, which could never be appeased even at the worst peril and miseries of his nephews and his own sister. He continued to create the conditions to fuel the fire and to never let it subside and this was possible for him despite the strong opposition of the establishment including the might of the triumvirate of Bhishma, Drone, and Kripacharya. It is said that time heals the deepest of wounds, whereas in this case, the wound got deeper with time.

The predicament is not that of Shakuni alone, but of all the important players in the epic. Everyone is fully aware of the shrewd design of Shakuni. At times he throws the open challenge, ‘come on do whatever you can’. On other occasions, he is tacit and cunning. He senses the pulse of every other so early and so well that he has ready-made plans for every occasion. He even orchestrates his activities that beacon the signal of the inevitable future happenings, but everybody felt helpless. This helplessness was not the creation of others but was an outcome of their own making. The fret of shekels was embedded deep in their minds and therefore not visible. No doubt, they went down in history but for wrong reasons. Wars were the norms of the era. They could not prevent the war is not the failure of the elders, their failure lies much in their abilities for not being able to save the honor (laaj) of Kuru Clan, a woman and more so of their own daughter (in law). The greatest beneficiary of this episode, Duryodhana, too knew the clear distinction of Dharma and Adharma when he says:

जानामि अधरमम्, न चा में निवर्तिति

जानामि धर्मम्, न चा में प्रवृत्ति

(I know what is adharma, but I do not want to forsake it. I know what dharma is, but I do not want to follow it)

Even the most hated villain, Shakuni, the incarnation of crookedness, also knows the truth when he says: “If truth is dead, all men are done. If truth stands firm, so do men.” 

Though Duryodhana, Shakuni, and Karna declare that they are with adharma and want to appease hatred with hatred, but what about those who advocate the truth and dharma, but support and are party to adharma. There were many potential warriors and the members of ruling class who could have averted the disrobing of Draupadi and even the war but eventually turned out to become the mute and deaf spectators. Had there been a little flexibility in their method of action, the Mahabharata could have been averted.  

The success of Shakuni’s schemes owes largely to the absence of Lord Krishna. He never let go any opportunity or incidents to a waste. His tactics of provoking, insulting, humiliating and demoralizing the opponents also bore the desired results when even Yudhisthir, the so-called incarnation of dharma, fell victim of his sinister designs. He converted the threat into an opportunity. He even succeeded in his ways by ensuring that the mediation for conciliation and peace by Krishna, the greatest of philosophers, himself was thwarted.

And the greatest of the predicaments, the teachings of dharma, for the cause of righteousness, was taught in the middle of the battlefield of Kurukshetra. The Shakunis may come and go, it is the truth and dharma that ultimately prevails. It may be understood why Krishnadwaipayana Vyasa says:

धर्मे चार्थे च कामे च भरतर्षभ |

यदिहास्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नेहास्ति न तत् कुत्रचित् |

(What is here is there in the world around and that which is not here is nowhere in the world)

One may wonder why the Lord did not reveal the so many secrets of the players of Mahabharata in advance to the benefits of the Pandavas? The most intriguing being the steely body of Duryodhana except the thigh and the pelvic region and even invited the wrath of his own brother Balraam.  Is there any ambiguity or doubt that He himself was the greatest player in the act!

Lord Vishnu had to incarnate himself to get rid of one Shakuni in Dwapar Yug. Think of the innumerous Shakunis in Kali Yuga, where mass rape has become the norm and there is no Krishna in the sight.

-Ray Saheb Pandey