Appointment of the Crown Prince

Although Dhritraashtra had already consulted his interim committee and everybody was of the opinion that Yudhishthir should be appointed the Crown Prince of Hastinaapur, still he was trying to find some clue from where he could plead for his son to be appointed as the Crown Prince. There was a conflict between selfishness and the righteousness in his mind. Selection of the Crown Prince was the sprout of Kurukshetra war. All wanted that Yudhishthir should be the Crown Prince, but a father's heart did not agree for it. But Dhritraashtra was intelligent and he knew politics. He would never say even to Gaandhaaree that he wanted to give Yudhishthir's rights to Duryodhan.

Vidur had guessed it that Dhritraashtra was not satisfied with the interim committee's decision, although he didn't say anything apparently. So first he spread his secret envoys around the town to know the public opinion about as who should be appointed as Crown Prince. His people informed that the public wanted Yudhishthir to be as their Crown Prince. Then he said to Dhritraashtra - "Let the royal court decide with proof." Dhritraashtra again got worried that nobody knows what game Vidur is going to play now, but he could not have refused logic.

So next day, when all gathered to hear the news of Crown Prince, there appeared four criminals in the royal court. All killed a person and all accepted their crime. When Dhritraashtra wanted to decide their case, then Vidur intervened - "Mahaaraaj, If you are going to appoint one of these two princes as Crown Prince, then provide the opportunity to both of them to decide their case so that the public can also see the ability of both princes."

Duryodhan said - "Because I am the eldest son of the king, that is why I should be given first opportunity to do justice." Vidur said - "No, not because of this that you are the eldest son of the king, but maybe because you are the younger brother of Yudhishthir, you can get this opportunity." Dhritraashtra asked - "Duryodhan, According to you what punishment should be prescribed for these four criminals?" Duryodhan said - "There is no need to think in this matter. We have the tradition that a killer gets the death sentence, that is why I prescribe death sentence to all four criminals."

Dhritraashtra got the opportunity to declare Duryodhan the Crown Prince, but Vidur intervened him again and said - "Mahaaraaj, You have not given the opportunity to Yudhishthir to do justice with them. We don't know whether he agrees with this decision or not." Dhritraashtra said - "Now what is the problem in this to agree or not to agree with." Vidur said - "Mahaaraaj, If Yudhishthir does not agree with this then he himself will say this." Dhritraashtra asked Yudhishthir - "Don't you agree with your younger brother's decision?"

Yudhishthir said - "I can not answer this without knowing everything." Dhritraashtra asked - "What do you want to know now?" Yudhishthir said - "I want to know their Varn and castes before deciding anything." Karn intervened - "What is the relationship between caste and justice?" Yudhishthir said - "If I didn't need it, I would not have asked this."

The four criminals were Braahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shoodra. All committed the same crime - to kill a person. Yudhishthir said - "According to the rules of justice, a Shoodra criminal should be imprisoned for 4 years; A Vaishya criminal should be imprisoned for 8 years; and a Kshatriya should be imprisoned for 16 years. But a Braahman criminal cannot be prescribed death sentence, therefore Kul Guru Kripaa should decide his punishment."

Shakuni laughed and said - "Good, crime is only one and the punishments are four?" Yudhishthir explained - "Maamaa, The crime is not one. Shoodra's crime is a crime of an ignorant, that is why his punishment is only 4 years in prison. But Vaishya is not so much ignorant about the crime, that is why his punishment becomes its double - 8 years. And since a Kshatriya is to protect the people, if he kills a person then his punishment goes double than the Vaishya's punishment - 16 years. Braahman is Gyaanee (knowledgeable), he has killed a person in his full senses, his crime is of highest degree. To treat them all alike is not justice but is injustice."

All people sitting in the court admired Yudhishthir very much on his judgment. Vidur now requested Dhritraashtra that he could then announce the name of the Crown Prince." Dhritraashtra had no alternative except to announce Yudhishthir as Crown Prince. So Yudhishthir was declared the Crown prince. Naturally Duryodhan was not happy with this decision, he was jealous. After the coronation, Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev went to their victory tour.

Krishn Inhabits Dwaarakaa

This story is not the story of internal war of Bharat Vansh only, it is the story of struggle of Truth with Untruth and Light with Darkness. On one side is Krishn - Truth and Light; and on the other side is Dhritraashtra - the root of the Untruth and Darkness. and Duryodhan is the offshoot of that root. Thus this is the story of the battle of Krishn and Dhritraashtra. That is why this story always turns to Krishn from almost anywhere.

So on Parashuraam's suggestion, Krishn came to Mathuraa and immediately went to face Jaraasandh. There He used His Chakra (Divine disc) and killed his most army and brought Raajaa Ugrasen back safe and sound. Krishn said - "At present Jaraasandh is defeated but he will attack again." Daaoo said - "Then let him attack. This time we will end the war." Krishn said - "A mighty person should not be so impatient for war. Rather he should be able to differentiate between necessary and unnecessary war. My suggestion is that we Yadu Vanshee should abandon Mathuraa for the time being, because Jaraasandh is angry with me because I killed Maamaa Kans and made his two daughters widow, then what is the fault of Mathuraa? Why should it suffer for that? War should only be broken when all paths of Peace are closed. And its one path is still open - to abandon this Nagaree and go somewhere else. Our time in living in Mathuraa has come to an end. We should build Dwaarakaa Nagaree which is secured with sea all around."

Mahaaraaj Ugrasen said - "If you did so then people will call you " Ranachhod Jee"." Krishn said - "Which Mathuraa, which Brij land, I freed from Kans' atrocities, to save the same I am ready to accept this name also that people call me "Ranchhod". What is in name? It is only a means to call somebody. By whichever name people call me, I will be the same what I am." Daaoo said - "Why not you kill him with your Chakra..?" Krishn interrupted - "Daaoo, His neck is not worth of my Chakra. If Yadu Vanshee love their pride then we will stay here only, and if they love their birth land then they must abandon Mathuraa."

"Who is going to build this Dwaarakaa?" Ugrasen asked.  Krishn said - "Dev architect Vishwakarmaa." So He called Vishwakarmaa and asked him to build such a Nagaree which is surrounded by sea. Vishwakarmaa said - "If it's name is going to be Dwaarakaa, then I have its plan." And he showed the plan. The plan was approved and Vishwakarmaa built it soon and it was soon inhabited by Yadu Vanshee.

One day Saatyaki came to Dwaarakaa from Hastinaapur. Krishn asked the welfare of people there, he said - "The situation is not good, because they are quarreling among themselves. Because the tradition of Bharat Vansh says that Yudhishthir should be the Crown Prince, and public also wants the same; but Dhritraashtra's heart says that only Duryodhan has the right on Hastinaapur throne, because he is the eldest son of Kuru's eldest son."

Ugrasen said - "This is not all right. Why not Bheeshm intervenes in this?" Krishn said - "He is helpless to solve this problem. He cannot take any decision in this." Ugrasen again said - "Then what about Drone and Kripaa? Why are they silent?" Krishn said - "They all are helpless. If the situation makes some able person helpless then take it for granted that troubles are wandering nearby."