Duryodhana is probably the most enigmatic villians of puranic history, perhaps only secondary to Ravana in terms of interest.
1 What was Duryodhana's flag? 2 Duryodhana and Sri Krishna are related. How? 3 There are temples to Duryodhana - where and why? 4 Duryodhana is akin to a Greek god in greek mythology - who and why? 5 Duryodhana's body is immune to death everywhere except thighs. How does he achieve this boon?
Boy, Malathi, Good questions. Duryodhana's flag- golden w a bejewelled elephant, hung w bells. Could he be Ares? just a guess [hope Mr. Wm Buck's retelling of the MBh. I recommended to you, is right about this] By the way, It has no 'Western' slant. Just a powerful retelling, as far as I read it. Kathie
1. Arava Kodiyon - Flag with a snake. 5. Before the war, Gandhari asks Duryodana to take bath in the river and come to her without any dress. but as usual Krishna teases him for his state and tells him to go before his mother atleast with a banana leaf on his thighs, because its not decent to go before mother full naked. He does so, Kandhari opens her eyes and transfers her powers to his body which becomes like vajram except for the part that is covered by the banana leaf. Finally Bheema strikes him at this very spot to kill him.
2.Krishna's son married Duryodhana's daughter. 4.Duryodhana's mythology seems some what similar to Achilles.Achilles was dipped into a lake by his mother(forgot her name) to make him immortal but she was holding him by his heels thereby his heel became his weakness similar to Duryodhana's thighs.
inspite of not having much scope to exchange thought - process, these details are definitely POINTERS to certain things which we are yet to be made aware of.
Yes all right so far, Krishna's son Samba (via Jambavati) married Duryodhana's daughter Lakna kumari. There are temples dedicated to Duryodhana in Kumaon region of Uttarachal, I will post some links if I get. Kumaon tribes fought with the kauravas in the war, and he was supposedly a great and generous leader to them.
Oh wow, Malathi. Barring no 5, the rest was news to me. I didn't know Krishna's son married Duriyodhana's daughter (in fact, its the last sort of alliance I would have expected.). And I've always found the stories about Gandhari's varam and Achilles's strengths very interesting.
Pavithra, yes Duryodhana has a son and a daughter, son Lakna is killed by Abhimanyu. There are folk tales that Lakna was a little mentally handicapped and also to be married to Balarama's daughter Vatsala (the movie Mayabazar is based on the folk tale).
Does this story of Gandhari supporting Duryodhana appear in Vyasa Bharatham ? I was thinking this was one of the many other versions. It will be nice to know when and where it is mentioned.
Of course, there is another reason found for the vulnerability of Duryodhana's thighs in the Mahabharatha. During the Vana Vaasa of the Paandavas, sage LOmasaa visits Duryodhana and tries to advise him to give Paandavas their kingdom. Duryodhana at that point ignores the Rishi's words and insults him by showing his thigh. Rishi LOmasa curses him that he will die with his thighs being broken.
NV, no this story is not in Vyasa Bharatham, it is just another popular folk tale addition. Vyasa Bharatham says the only reason Bheema hit Duryodhan on the thighs was to fulfill his oath that he would kill him likewise. Any human being is vulnerable on the thighs so yuddha dharma is that it is wrong to hit below the navel. Hence Sri Balarama takes offence at the act and walks away despite Sri Krishna's numerous justifications.