Introduction
In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Duryodhana, was the
eldest of the hundred sons of blind king Dhritarashtra and Queen Gandhari.
Despite being the first born son of the incumbent king, he becomes disqualified
as heir to the throne of Hastinapura upon the return of his cousins, the
Pandavas, who left their rural forest dwelling upon the death of their father
Pandu, the preceding king of Hastinapura and younger brother to Dhrithrashtra.
His resultant animosity towards his cousins renders Duryodhana the chief antagonist
of the epic.
Despite being the chief antagonist and being
considered as one of the most evil character of the epic, Duryodhana had a lot
of qualities.
Listed below are some of his positive traits.
1) Loyal friend and trusting
Duryodhana's wife Bhanumathi and his close friend Karna were playing a game of dice. The stake between them was substantial. As the game progressed, it was evident that Karna was winning and Bhanumathi was losing. Karna could not suppress his delight. Just then Duryodhana entered his queen's chamber. Karna had his back to the door while Bhanumathi was facing it. Seeing her husband coming, she was about to stand up. As she was just rising, Karna, thinking that she was trying to get away from the embarrassment of certain defeat in the game, snatched at her drape, studded with pearls.
Tugged at by Karna's powerful hands, the thread
snapped and all the pearls rolled on the floor. Queen Bhanumathi was stunned
and did not know what to say or do. She was afraid that, for no fault of hers,
she would be misunderstood by her husband because of Karna's offensive and
insensitive behavior. Seeing her shocked state and sensing that something was
wrong, Karna turned round and saw his friend Duryodhana. He was also deeply
shocked and distressed beyond words. Here he was, in the royal chamber, playing
a game of dice with his friend's wife and, as if this was not enough, he had
the audacity to catch her clothes, thus embarrassing and endangering her chaste
reputation. He stood dumbfounded and transfixed. Surely, Duryodhana would not
tolerate such immodesty. He readied himself for the inevitable punishment.
As both she and Karna look down sheepishly, unable
to meet Duryodhana's eyes, the Kaurava scion only asks:
"Should I just collect the beads, or string
them as well."
Both Bhanumathi and Karna had misjudged him. He had
implicit faith and great love for his queen and greater was his faith on his
friend Karna.
He does not suspect, does not get angry with Karna but helps him
in picking up the pearls.
2)
Respects merit: Coronation of Karna
He seems to not care about the low birth of Karna
and is the only one to vocally support Karna candidature in the archery contest
without caring about caste inequality. When Kripa humiliated Karna in the
martial exhibition, Duryodhana immediately defended Karna, and made him king of
Anga. Karna pledges his allegiance and friendship to Duryodhana, as Duryodhana
had rescued him from a source of continuing humiliation and hardship. Neither
of them knows that Karna is in fact Kunti's oldest son, born to (sun god)
Surya. When Draupadi refuses to allow Karna to string the bod at her Swayamvara
because of his low birth, Duryodhana defends him saying "great sages,
philosophers, and warriors have no source. They are made great, not born
great".
Another incident, is when knowing Sahadeva's ability
as an astrologer, Duryodhana, even being arrogant and high on self- esteem, requested Sahadeva to fix Muhurtha time for the commencement of
war.
3)
Valor
He strictly adheres 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, whom he could have easily defeated in war.
4)
Good King
As Duryodhana is about to die, he looks at Krishna
malevolently. "I have been a good king,” he says. "I have conducted
myself as a Kshatriya should and have come by death in battle. I'll die and
attain heaven, but you will live in grief and sorrow." He
fell back and flowers rained from the heavens to drop gently on his
pain-wracked body. The Pandavas, wincing with shame, turned away.
Legend has it that Yudhisthira is angry that
Duryodhana, the cause of much evil, had earned a place in heaven. Lord Indra
explains that he had already served his time in hell, and earned his eventual
place in heaven by being a good king and warrior.
