Vice traps


As Dhritrāshtra sought advise from minister Kanikā, he spoke about how a king should deal with adversaries

-He should always be prepared to strike with his uplifted mace so that all fear him

-He should act in a way that no enemy discovers his weakness

-As tortoise withdraws his limbs, similarly a king should always conceal his plans & objectives

-Once beginning a project, he should accomplish it thoroughly so that he is not ridiculed

-When threatened by a problem, he should root it out completely else it becomes a thorn, which if not extracted properly leaves an infection

-An enemy should never be neglected, no matter how weak or insignificant. Even a tiny spark can consume a whole forest

-If the king is not strong enough to conquer an opponent, he should tolerate its enemy’s fault


Dhritrāshtra lost all sympathy for Pāndavās after listening to this. At this time Duryodhana, Sakuni, Dusāsana & Karna consulted & decided to devise a plot whereby Kunti & her 5 sons would be burnt to death


For a long time Duryodhana felt increasingly distressed hearing citizens glorifying Yudhisthira & favoring him being nominated as heir apparent to throne. Finally, his envy became unbearable & he approached Dhritrāshtra & confided-The thought that my rival cousin brother will occupy throne instead of me has plunged me into an ocean of despair


If Yudhisthira becomes king, then naturally the right to throne will pass on to his children & grandchildren & we will be entirely neglected. You must think of some means whereby we may not become perpetually dependent upon Pāndavās. You can understand that for me to lead such a humiliating life would be worse than death


Consulting his friends Duryodhana decided that somehow Pāndavās should be peacefully exiled to the town of Vārnāvata so that they can be kept out of picture for some time. He then went & told his father about his plan, but Dhritrāshtra was afraid to sanction it as he remembered affectionate services rendered to him by Pāndavās


Dhrita said-If I were to harm Pāndavās in this way, citizens would surely criticize me. But Duryodhana refuted this by saying that citizens favor can gradually be won over by offering them gifts & honor. Later when our position is secure & I'm selected king, Pāndavās can be invited back


When Arjun asks Krsna in Gita

atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ carati pūruṣaḥ

anicchann api vārṣṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ


By what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly as if engaged by force?


Krsna replies

kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ

mahāśano mahā-pāpmā viddhy enam iha vairiṇam

It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with material mode of passion & later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world


Vice traps us because of our foolishness & catches us with its deception that what we are doing is ok for the moment. It thus creates a momentum for multiple errors & we are caught in vicious cycle


Thoughts? #gameoflife

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