Understanding the Pandavas’ claim to the kingdom
Context
A learned friend asked me this question and I was inspired to look for answers. I myself was a bit shocked that this did not cross my mind. Nevertheless. For any answer, we have to go to a accessible and understandable credible source.
Reference Text
To answer this, I have referred to the Mahabharata, specifically the simplified version by C. Rajagopalachari. I had read the book a few times in the past, easy to understand and accessible. I strongly recommend the book to whoever wants a good perspective on the epic. I could further enrich this essay with details from other advanced works of the Mahabharata later, if I wish to add the details.
Back to the question
The complexity
The question of whether it was justified to ask Duryodhana for half the kingdom comes from the complex history of succession and political dynamics within the Kuru family. Dhritarashtra, as the elder son of Vichitravirya, should have rightfully become the king of Hastinapura. However, due to his blindness, Pandu, his younger brother, was crowned king. Was Pandu holding the fort for Dirtarashtra ? Then, this raises a question: Should Duryodhana, as the son of Dhritarashtra, have been considered the heir apparent instead of Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu? Furthermore, after Yudhishthira loses everything in the infamous game of dice, was the request for half the kingdom still justified?
Pandu, the King of Hastinapura
Pandu is portrayed as the actual King of Hastinapura, not just a caretaker for Dhritarashtra. If Pandu had merely been holding the fort, it would imply that he was ruling temporarily until Duryodhana was ready. However, after Pandu was cursed during a hunting incident, he handed over the kingdom to Bhishma and Vidura to manage and left to the forests with his two wives. He did not pass the throne to Dhritarashtra. After Pandu’s death alone, Dhritarashtra invariably became the king, but the administration was carefully overseen by Bhishma and Vidura.
We also need to consider that while Pandu was alive and ruling, Dhritarashtra and his family—his wife and 100 children—enjoyed the material wealth of the kingdom. This highlights the difference between kingship and property ownership, though in this reference of Mahabharata does not explicitly explain this distinction. There isn’t much known about Dhritarashtra’s exact role in the kingdom.
Kunti’s Return to Hastinapura
After Kunti returned with her five children following their birth in the forest, and after Pandu’s death, both the Pandavas and the Kauravas lived peacefully at Hastinapura. However, Duryodhana, even at a young age, grew increasingly worried that after his blind father’s death, Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava, would ascend the throne. It became clear that Yudhishthira was widely regarded as the rightful heir. This belief led Duryodhana to make several attempts on the Pandavas’ lives, including the infamous wax house incident.
Pandavas are Alive
When Dhritarashtra learned that the Pandavas were alive after their marriage to Draupadi, he knew they would return and would ask for the Kingship. Duryodhana, aware of the Pandavas’ strength, sought advice from Karna and others on how to prevent Yudhishthira from becoming king. Karna and the rest of Duryodhana’s camp knew that the Pandavas could not be defeated in battle. Duryodhana then approached Dhritarashtra.
Half the Kingdom is Rightfully the Pandavas’ Share
Dhritarashtra consulted Bhishma, Drona, and Vidura, and they advised him that, according to legal norms, “half the kingdom” rightfully belonged to the Pandavas. This is the first instance in the epic where the concept of “lawful” inheritance is explicitly mentioned. Following their advice, Dhritarashtra had to come across as someone fair, and he quickly came up with an idea, and decided to give the Pandavas the ruined city of Kandavaprastha as their share.
Originally, everyone had assumed that Yudhishthira would inherit the throne of Hastinapura, and not a ruined city. This probably marked the first act of deceit toward the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra ordered the Pandavas to take control of Kandavaprastha and rule there. Yudhishthira was made the king of the city, which they later saw unprecedented growth and prosperity and was renamed Indraprastha. Over 36 years, the city flourished and became a symbol of wealth, prosperity, and growth.
Jealousy and Deceit
As Indraprastha grew prosperous, Duryodhana became jealous and desired to take it back. However, knowing the Pandavas’ strength, he realized that direct warfare was not an option. Duryodhana approached Shakuni for help. Initially hesitant, Shakuni eventually agreed to aid Duryodhana in his plan to undermine the Pandavas. They decided to invite Yudhishthira to a game of dice. Since the invitation came from King Dhritarashtra through Vidura, it was difficult for Yudhishthira to decline.
At the game, Shakuni rolled the dice on behalf of Duryodhana, making the game inherently unfair. When Yudhishthira pointed this out, they mocked him, and eventually, he was forced to concede as per the epic.
From Friendly Game to Loss of Kingdom
What started as a friendly game between cousins ended with Yudhishthira losing his kingdom, along with Draupadi. Dhritarashtra was condemned by the elders of the kingdom for allowing such a deceitful game, and the shameful act of what they did to Draupadi, which inturn shamed the kingdom and their ancestors. Fearing the consequences of the events, Dhritarashtra hastily decided to return Indraprastha to Yudhishthira, knowing that the Pandavas’ loss was achieved through deceit. He suddenly was overwhelmed by the karma outcomes on Duryodhana. [Krishna, later refers to this game and mentions that if he were in the congregation, he would have advised the elders then and there and avoided the unpleasant incident that followed.]
Yudhishthira and his brothers returned to Indraprastha.
Yudhishthira Invited Again to play
Duryodhana, unable to accept the outcome of his father’s decision, demanded another game. Yudhishthira was invited again, and this time the stakes were different: twelve years of exile plus an additional year in disguise. Yudhishthira lost and went into exile. There was no mention of losing Indraprastha in this second game, so it is unclear whether he was meant to lose both his kingdom and face exile. During their exile, Duryodhana took control of Indraprastha.
Post-13 Years of Exile
After the Pandavas’ 13 years of exile, a gathering was held for Abhimanyu’s marriage at Upaplavya. During the gathering, Krishna spoke about what was fair for the Pandavas, and the issue of “half the kingdom” was raised once again. Krishna highlighted the deceitful nature of the game and argued that Yudhishthira should be given back his kingdom. During the exile earlier, Balarama had expressed sorrow over how Duryodhana, despite his sin, was living happily, while Yudhishthira, who followed dharma, was suffering. However, in this instance, Balarama also believed that Yudhishthira should have known the risks of participating in the game. He stated that Yudhishthira could only request the return of his kingdom, not demand it.
Ultimately, the meeting concluded that preparations for war should begin, but Krishna would go on behalf of Yudhishthira to seek peace. Duryodhana, too, prepared for war.
Summary
In my view, the entire conversation was originally for Indraprastha alone, not Hastinapura. Even if Indraprastha had been returned to Yudhishthira (though Duryodhana had emptied the vaults by then), Duryodhana still controlled Hastinapura. Duryodhana was unwilling to part with Indraprastha, not even a “needle’s worth” of space.
Krishna’s perspective was that the entire game was deceitful, and that the Pandavas at least deserved Indraprastha. This led to the failure of peace talks and the subsequent war.When it came to war, then it became that of full inheritance and not just Indraprashta.
We must refer to advanced texts for a deeper understanding of this conclusion.
—-OM TAT SAT—-
