Home | Biographies

Previous | A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others

1. Duryodhan in His Childhood
2. Duryodhan and Paandav
3. Duryodhan and Raajaa Yudhishthir
4. Duryodhan During and After Agyaatvaas 
5. Duryodhan in War

Both armies, from Kaurav and Paandav sides, came to the battleground, Kurukshetra field, to fight. From Kaurav side were, Duryodhan, Dushaasan, Bheeshm, Dronaachaarya, Kripaachaarya, Karn, Ashwatthaamaa, Shakuni, Jayadrath, Shalya, Kritvarmaa etc; from Paandav side were five Paandav, Raajaa Drupad, Shikhandee, Dhrishtdyumn, brave Abhimanyu, Ghatotkach, Rajaa Viraat etc.

For the first 10 days Bheeshm was the Commander-in-Chief of Kaurav army. When till 9th day, nothing much happened then Duryodhan insulted Pitaamaha, so he fell down on 10th day. Then came Dronaachaarya (Commander-in-Chief for 5 days). When he also could not do anything then he was also abused. But fortunately he was killed by a plan by Paandav. Then came Karn (for 2 days). Karn had Shaap on his head, even his Kavach and Kundal were also taken away by Indra, so he was also killed soon. Dushaasan and Shakuni were already killed. Then came Shalya but he could not continue for long and he died in half day only. Then Duryodhan appointed Ashwatthaamaa as the Commander-in-Chief for the rest of the fight.

So Karn's death broke Duryodhan. He ran away from the battlefield and hid in a pond. Somehow he was searched and he had a dual fight with Bheem. Bheem had to fulfill his vow - to break his thigh. So he did. Paandav left dying Duryodhan in the battlefield and came to their camp. Ashwatthaamaa came to Duryodhan in search of him and asked that what could he do for him? He said - "I need Paandav's heads." "Don't go away, I go and bring them for you." having said thus he returned to Paandav's camp. After looking for them carefully he found five people of the similar faces sleeping in one tent, so he cut their heads and came to inform him about it, but unfortunately Duryodhan had left this world by then. Later he came to know that they were not Paandav, but they were their five sons who had the same faces as their fathers. He got sad, in fright he also ran away from there.

Gaandhaaree's Last Effort to Save Her Son
Although Gaandhaaree advised both her husband and sons throughout her life not to have Moh with Crown, but nobody listened to her. She knew about Bheem's vows, two of them he had already filled - taking Dushaasan's chest blood to Draupadee's loose hair to tie them, and killing her 99 sons. Now for the remaining one - to break Duryodhan's thigh, she knew that Bheem will fulfill that also, so she wanted to give her last try to save her dearest son. 

She asked Duryodhan - "Putra, I have not seen you since you have been born. I want to see you before you go tomorrow to battlefield. But I want to see you naked."  "What? Naked? What people will say?" Gandhaaree said - "I am your mother. What shyness from your mother? Go and take bath in Gangaa River and come back to me." Duryodhan didn't understand anything, but he could not disobey her, so he went to Gangaa River, took bath and was coming back to Gaandhaaree's palace that he met Krishn on the way.

Krishn asked - "Where are you coming from at such a late time?" Duryodhan said - "My mother wants to see me before I go to battlefield tomorrow, so she asked me to take bath in Gangaa and come back. And she wants to see me naked." Krishn said - "What? Naked? She wants to see such a grownup man naked?" Duryodhan said - "She said "I am your mother, what shyness from your mother?" Krishn said - "Still she is a woman, and you are not a child. At least tie a loin cloth. Going naked, whether she is mother or whatever, is not good for a grownup man to go in front of a woman naked." And Krishn went away.

Duryodhan understood. So when he stood before her he had worn a loin cloth which covered him from navel to a bit below his thighs. Gaandhaaree asked - "Have you come? Are you in front of my eyes? Are you naked?" Duryodhan said "Yes". Gaandhaaree removed the strip from her eyes for the first time since she ever tied it when she chose Dhritraashtra as her husband. As she saw her son, a light came out from her eyes and made his whole body of iron. When she had seen him fully, she said - "I asked you to come to me naked, not even wearing this loin cloth. You did not listen to me even at the time of your death. Now nobody can save you. Your whole body has become of iron but of this covered part. Tomorrow Bheem will surely kill you." And she cried and cried.

The same thing happened. When Duryodhan died next day, only his thigh was broken, no other wound from Bheem's Gadaa was seen on other parts of his body.

Relationship Between Achilles' Heel and Duryodhan's Thigh
To compare Duryodhan's thigh with Achilles Heel we will have to know the story of Achilles. So read first the story of Achilles, then you will be able to compare them properly.

(1) Achilles' story has been documented by the great Greek poet Homer in his great poem Iliad.
Duryodhan's story is written by the great Indian poet Ved Vyaas in his the greatest epic Mahaabhaarat.

(2) Achilles' story develops in Greek islands,
Duryodhan's story originates in Indian sub-continent.

(3) Achilles was also a spoilt and arrogant prince like Duryodhan.

(4) Both had a strange kind of birth.

(5) In both cases, both mothers were in communication with the then gods, and basically they were able to get from them what they wanted to do themselves. In Greek reference they were the goddesses, while in Indian reference they were the gods.

(6) Duryodhan was very mighty, but thoughtless, disrespectful, and a greedy person. Legend has it that he was made up of thunder. he spent his entire life in scheming, cheating people, playing with people against them and insulting and abusing Paandav.

(7) Achilles was killed because of his mortal heel and Duryodhan was killed by breaking his mortal thigh.

Thus no godly intervention could change the fate of both the mothers' (Thetis and Gaandhaaree) sons' respective fate.

Home | Biographies

Previous | A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others