Originally posted by: Kulasya.
I feel no one is painted as white or black in original MBH. Everyone has a shade of gray. But I feel what separates Pandvas and Kauravas is Duryodhan trying to burn Pandvas alive (In some versions there is written that Pandavas tricked innocent five sons and their mother to stay with them to show Duryodhan that Pandavas and Kunti are dead after they fleed) and Draupadi Vastraharan. Both these crimes are heinous crimes imo and that's what separates both parties for me.
Originally posted by: Kulasya.
Ya but as a leader he can't shy away from his responsiblities. He let that happen. He could have easily stopped it. Plus Duryodhan also ordered Draupadi to sit on her lap and that's why Bhim vowed to break his lap. I don't know if it is authentic MBH though
You can read about the innocent victims of the lac-house (jatu-gášha) in the critical edition at Ädiparvan 136.7-8 and 137.7. BhÄŤma set fire to the house while the NiᚣÄdÄŤ and her five sons were inside, passed out drunk (suᚣvÄpa vigata-jĂąÄnÄ mášta-kalpÄ). We would call it murder, but it wasn't a trick. It was already the plan to set fire to the house and escape that night, and the narrator's view is that the inoffensive (anÄgasam) NiᚣÄdÄŤ came by chance (yadášcchayÄ), prompted by her time (kÄla-coditÄ).
At SabhÄparvan 63.10-12, Duryodhana lifted his garment to show his left thigh to KášášŁášÄ DraupadÄŤ, and smiled at her, silently suggesting that she should sit there. Without ignoring all of the abuse that Duryodhana allowed Karáša to order and DuḼĹÄsana to inflict upon her as a slave, at this point, Duryodhana's action is not an order to a slave; it's an invitation to escape slavery by marrying him, as Karáša has just suggested that KášášŁášÄ could choose another husband who will not gamble her into slavery (anyaáš vášášÄŤášŁva patim ÄĹu bhÄmini yasmÄd dÄsyaáš na labhase devanena; SabhÄparvan 63.3).
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