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Duryodhana's Fast unto Death, the Dānavas' Counsel and Karṇa's Vow

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Duryodhana spoke to his followers of the Pāṇḍavas' kindness as an insult: he had been presented as a gift to Yudhiṣṭhira before the women of his house and owed his life to the enemies he had always hounded. He declared he would fast to the death, ordered his brothers and Karṇa to go back to Hastināpura without him, and handed the kingdom to Duḥśāsana, telling him to rule with Karṇa and the sons of Subala. Duḥśāsana fell weeping at his feet, saying he would never rule without his brother. Karṇa told Duryodhana not to grieve like an ordinary man: tears bring no relief, and the Pāṇḍavas had only done their duty in freeing him. Śakuni added that the prosperity Duryodhana now threw away had been won for him by Śakuni, and urged him to make peace and return the kingdom to the Pāṇḍavas. This made Duryodhana more despondent. He spread kuśa grass, purified himself with water, put on rags and sat down, silent and absorbed, longing for heaven.

The Daityas and Dānavas of the nether world learned of this. Fearing for their own strength if he died, they performed a fire sacrifice with mantras from the Atharva Veda. A strange goddess with a gaping mouth rose from the fire and carried him down to their world at night. The Dānavas welcomed him and told him he was of divine birth: they had won him from Maheśvara by austerities, his upper body made of thunderbolts and his lower body of flowers by the goddess. Many Dānavas had been born on earth to help him, and Asuras would possess Bhīṣma, Droṇa and Karṇa so that they would fight the Pāṇḍavas without mercy.

They told him that Naraka's soul had entered Karṇa, who would face Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, and that Indra in disguise would take his earrings and armour. The Saṃśaptakas, hosts of Daityas and Rākṣasas, were appointed to slay Arjuna. Duryodhana, they said, would rule the earth unchallenged, and his death would weaken their cause, so he should rise. They embraced him, the goddess carried him back, and he took the whole thing for a dream. He kept it secret.

At dawn Karṇa spoke to him with folded hands. A dead man cannot conquer his enemies, he said; only the living find good fortune. He embraced Duryodhana and swore by his weapon that in the thirteenth year he would bring the sons of Pṛthā under Duryodhana's rule. Bhīṣma, when Duryodhana was back in Hastināpura, reproached him: he had been captured while Karṇa had run, and the Pāṇḍavas had saved him. Duryodhana laughed it off. Karṇa then took an army on a campaign of conquest, after which Duryodhana held a Vaiṣṇava sacrifice with a golden plough, since the Rājasūya was not allowed while Yudhiṣṭhira and Dhṛtarāṣṭra lived. The Pāṇḍavas were invited. Bhīma answered the messenger that Yudhiṣṭhira would come only after the war.

Told by Vaiśampāyana → Janamejaya

Who: Duryodhana, Karṇa, Śakuni, Duḥśāsana, Bhīṣma, Dānavas

Bound to

The Ghoṣa-yātrā: Duryodhana Captured by Citrasena origin

Duryodhana born of Kali, braying like a donkey geneal

Karna was the demon-king Dambhodbhava with 1000 armours geneal

Durvāsas' Untimely Visit and Kṛṣṇa's Morsel origin

Viṣṇu as the Boar, and the Slaying of Naraka geneal

Places: Dvaitavana, Hastināpura, Nether world

Where this comes from

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