“ DELINEATION OF EVIL IN THE MAHABHARATA AND ‘THE GANG OF FOUR’ ”.

Introduction :

Epics of India:

Itihasa, originated and grown in the context of ancient Indian civilization is very different from the European epic. The modern concept of history, imported to India from the west, has no alignment with Ithihasa. The use of chronology in terms of ordered sequence of intentions and actions rather than in the framework of dates and years is characteristic of Indian thought. In such a view history becomes infused with a purpose higher than merely to record the rise and fall of dynasties and succession of wars, which mention the chronicles of mere men. Noble qualities made them brave manfully with the work of mishaps.

Indian Epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata have a very different objective from that with which Homer’s epics were composed. It was the custom in Homer’s days for bards to compose and recite tales of heroism in verse and get largess from rich patrons. There appears to have been little incentive for these bards to propagate ethical values through their poetic compositions. And the stories they selected to balladize were not based on ethical concepts; A glaring instance is Helen who was abducted by the Trojans, refusing to go back to Greece with the conquering Agamemnan as she preferred to continue to live in Troy. A similar reaction in an Indian epic would be like Sita refusing to go back to Rama as she preferred Lanka to a life in Ayodhya. This kind of reaction is unthinkable from a pativrata in India and Indian epics were constructed on a solid ethical base.

On Agamemnan defeating the Trojans, he returns triumphant to Greece. But his wife Clytemnestra is not exactly happy at the forth coming reunion with her husband. So she orders the construction of a platform where the triumphant king would be felicitated but the platform was to be on weak foundation so that it might collapse on Agamemnan ascending it. Fancy Rama or Yudhishtira meeting a situation like this after their triumph in the great wars that were forced on them !

During the Trojan war, when a Trojan leader, unable to bear the pressure on him tried to surrender to the younger brother of Agamemnan, the latter was listening to him with sympathy when Agamemnan came up and upbraided him. And saying “ you take good care of your foes !” he struck down the Trojan who was bowing low to the second in command. Now it would seem uncivil if we remind ourselves of how Rama treated Vibhishana when he surrendered to him before the war. When the wiser among Rama’s counselors advised him to accept the rakshasa as it would be advantageous to Rama’s side, he gives a classic reply that even if the acceptance of Vibhishana was deleterious to his interests, he would still accept him as no one seeking surrender should in any circumstance be rejected.

Characteristics of Indian Epics – The principle of Dharma:

Thus the epics of India are very characteristic of the objective of thoughtful Indian down the centuries-that one’s life should be regulated not by self-interest but by ethical principles whatever the cost. While both the epics have this clear objective before them, they present it in distinctive ways. In the Ramayana there is little preaching; where necessary, a very brief passage expresses the dharmic principle as in the scene where Vibhishana is accepted by Rama. Even Vasishta the family priest of the kings of Ayodhya does not indulge in long speeches on dharma. Later writes realizing the preaching potential of vasishta have composed huge volumes like the Gnanavasishta and Yogavasishta. Again though Valmikis Rama does not preach to Lakshmana (a captive audience in the forest), a writer saw the potential and composed the Rama Gita.

But the absence of Verbal preaching in the Ramayana does not make it deficient as a book of ethics. For the characters themselves with Rama in the lead live the principles effectively often overcoming with great resolution the temptation to break them. This naturally has the effect of putting across the dharmic concepts most effectively.

Dharma in Mahabharata:

In the Mahabharata, on the other hand, every opportunity for the oral preaching of dharma is seized upon with eagerness by many characters. Whole parvas are given over to such sermonizing, lending great strength to the modern critical view that these are later day interpolation.
Anandavardhana, (9th century A.D.) was the first great Indian critic to highlight the fact that the Mahabharata is at once a saastra (scripture) and a kavya (ornate poem). When deemed as a saastra, its major concern is only with the propagation of the four purusarthas or human values, viz. dharma, artha, kama and moksha. The Mahabharata, for the first time, canalizes into a system all the varied ideas of ancient humanist thinkers of the land, and answers the questions: what is the nature of perfect life for man on earth? This universal and spiritual potential of man is the bed rock on which the entire epic structure is reared; and it is never forgotten that it can be grasped only by the adept few.

Vyasa himself is said to have summarized the quintessence of his teaching in the following verse:

“I am shouting at the top of my voice with upraised arms! But, alas, no one listens to me: It is only by way of dharma that one can achieve artha as well as kama. And why don’t you pursue it wholeheartedly?”.

URDHVA BAHUR VIRAMYESHA
NAA KASCHIT SRUNOTI ME
DHARMARTTHASCA KAAMASCA
SA KIMARITHAM NA SEVYATE

The way of wisdom is that the demands of passionate desire and craze for selfish possessions must be regulated by the norms of ethical conduct.

That dream can become a reality only when a keen awareness of the universal moral law that underlines the human situation becomes a reality, and our actions come to be attuned to the demands made by that Eternal Law of life, viz. dharma.

The Theme of Mahabharata:

The Theme of Mahabharata is the drama of the struggle between good and evil. The good ultimately triumphs As poet Subramanya Bharathi says “Like the Serpent swallowing the sun during the eclipse, dharma will be occluded by deceit. Ultimately good will succeed. Evil will lose out”. Sri Aurobindo points out that “the same drama of human life in Mahabharata is also played out at the cosmic plane, embodying the vedic notions of the struggle between the godheads of truth, light and unity the powers of darkness, division and falsehood which is brought out from the spiritual religious and internal into the outer intellectual ,ethical and vital plane. Here it takes the double form of personal and political struggle- the personal conflict between typical and representative personalities embodying the Indian Dharma and others who are embodiments of Asuric egoism and self-interest and misuse of dharma. The personal struggle culminates in a political battle ending in the establishment of a new rule of righteousness and justice, an empire of dharma, uniting warring races substituting the ambitions and arrogance of kings and aristocratic clans with the probity calm, and peace of a just and humane empire. It is the old struggle between the Devas and Asuras, God and Titan but represented in terms of human life “.

In the Mahabharata, Sage Vyasa transmutes the human conflict to a divine plane. The Adi Parva opens with the Earth, being overpopulated and tyrannised by diabolical forces ,approaching Lord Brahma to save her, Brahma directs the gods that they should help Mother Earth by being born there with a part of themselves on earth to contest the evil forces. The gods led by Indra go to Narayana to request Him to incarnate on earth for destroying the evil forces.

The epic lists out the incarnation of both gods and demons on earth, including those who participate by playing minor role. For instance, Jarasandha is the incarnation of Viparachitti and Hiranya Kasyapa is born as Sisupala. Among the major players, Krishna is the incarnation of Narayana. The evil Kali is born as Duryodhana who would ultimately serve the purpose of relieving the Earth of her burden by launching on wicked schemes born out of jealousy and avarice. The emergence of evil forces is again referred to in Adi Parva, Stri Parva and Asrama Vasika Parva. Thus the theme of Mahabharata delineates the recurrent war between the good and evil forces, this time played out on earth. Lord Krishna very clearly states that the destruction of evil which threatens dharma is his ultimate purpose. In this purpose, he is helped by the other Krishna, Draupadi whose disrobing by Duhsasana ultimately precipitates the war. She becomes the important force in Krishna’ plan of arranging the battle of Kurukshetra to cleanse that earth of her burden and of evil forces, through Draupadi repeatedly prodding the Pandavas to join the battle and not to settle for peace.

As mentioned above the epic story recounts the tragic tale of the fratricidal conflict between the two branches of the Kuru dynasty, the political intrigues and betrayals, the massive conflict of the final battle and the triumph of the rightful and righteous heirs to the Kingdom. At the same time we become aware of the cosmic dimension of the conflict (M.B-Verse 25 of Ch.58).

The delineation of evil in the epic – the dramatis personae

It is true that both the great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata deal with the triumph of good over evil. But there is a difference in the delineation of evil in the two epics. In Ramayana, the entire villainy is symbolised practically by one character, Ravana. On the contrary the villainy needed to precipitate the ultimate battle and to make events move in that direction is pumped in by a quartet of evil men in the Mahabharata, the diabolical gang of four. This paper intends to present what they symbolize, how they played their part in the grand cosmic drama enacted on earth, pointing out how each contributed at least one item to the salad of wickedness. The quartet comprises of Duryodhana, brother Duhsasana, his uncle Sakuni, and intimate friend Karna.

Vyasa brings out the contrasting characters of the evil quartret and the Pandavas with two beautiful similes.

DURYODHANO MANYUMAYO MAHA DRUMA:
SKANDHA: KARNA: SAKUNISTASYA SAKHA:
DUHSASANA: PUSHPAPHALE SAMRUDHDE
MULAM RAJA DHRITA RASHTRO MANTSHI ||
YUDHISHTIRO DHARMA MAYO MAHADRUMA:
SKANDHORJUNO BHIMSENOSYA SAKHA:
MADRI SUTAU PUSHPA PHALE SAMRUDHDE
MULAM KRISHNO BRAHMA CA BRAMANASCA ||
(M.B.A.1-1-110.iii)

“Duryodhana is a turbulent tree full of anger Karna is the trunk of the tree. Sakuni is the branch. Duhshsana is fully ripened fruit. Indiscreet Dhritarashtira is the root” On the contrary “Yudhistra is a righteous tree. Arjuna is the trunk. Bhima is the branch. Fully ripened fruits are Nakula and Sahadeva, Krishna, and the Brahmins are the roots”

Let us see in a nutshell what each of the quartet represents :-

(1) Sakuni is the brain behind the quartet. He has a complicated brain, which produces all the well planned conspiracies in the epic. His strong point is his perfect understanding of the psychology of the individual. He plays like a competent musician on a lyre, on the proclivities of each individual, whether it is the jealousy and egoistic arrogance of Duryodhana or the vacillating fascination of Yudhishtira for gambling. Hence his plots, based on his understanding how his victims will act under specific circumstances succeed in full measure. In any given situation he would rather like to outwit his enemies through brain work than to vanquish them in battle.
(2) Karna is the other pole to Sakuni. He prefers battling with the foes rather than plotting to bring about their down fall. He is very proud of his mastery over archery and hence wants to depend on armed conflict rather than conspiratorial plots. His munificence and chivalry is only a mask for his innate wickedness.

(3) Duryodhana; He is the natural leader of the evil quartet. He is strongly motivated by the twin motives of the love of power and the hatred of Pandavas born out of Jealousy. He is very strong in his resolve; he is fearless obstinate, and tenacious. Undoubtedly he is a great warrior. But his lust for power and hatred of Pandavas make him totally blind to the concept of Dharma. He is so steeped in ego that he rejects the wise counsel of elders like Bhishma, Vidura, and Drona. He is never discouraged, never embarrassed, dismisses all sane counsels as born out of fear of Pandavas and clings to his path of adharma.

(4) Duhsasana. There seems to be no special qualities in him except a vile servitude to Duryodhana. One feature that stands out in his character is his total lack of ethical sense which makes him an ideal assistant to Duryodhana to carry out all his nefarious intentions, without any qualms or reservation at the bidding of Duryodhana. He proceeds to perform the most heinous act in the entire epic viz the disrobing of Draupadi.

There are several episodes in the epic which bring out the qualities of the evil quartet to the fore.

While many are familiar with the Vyasa Bharata, attempts are made in this paper to draw reference to the famous Tamil Version, the Mahabharata by Villiputhurar, popularly known as Villi.

The Symbolism in the Mahabharata :

At a symbolic level we can say that the Pandavas represent the daivi sampat, and the Kauvaras represent the asura sampat. While Arjuna represents the Jeeva, the other four Pandavas represent the four purusharthas : Yudhishtira representing the ethical values (Dharma), Bhima representing material values (artha), Nakula the social values (Kama), and Sahadeva the spritual values (Moksha). Draupadi symbolizes intellect depending on nothing in the world except the Supreme Self. They are led by the Divine Self of Krishna to the ultimate Goal.

Among the evil quartet “Dushtacatushtayam” Duryodhana is the embodiment of a mind filled with impurities, Karna is the embodiment of exaggerated egoism. Sakuni is the embodiment of falsehood. Duhsasana is the embodiment of evil servitude.

The incidence of Pandavas setting forth to build a new capital at Khandava prastha represents the mind going to explore the unconscious (represented by a verdant forest) rather than feeling contented with what only the conscious mind shows on the phenomenal world as done by the Kauravas led by the evil quartet. The burning of the forest by Krishna (Narayana) and Arjuna (Nara) represent the effort by the self, aided by Divine grace burning out the vasanas leading to the spiritual effulgence of a new city.

The evil in the world never learns. It is symbolized by Duryodhana and the Kauravas going to the forest, while Pandavas were undergoing Vanavas. The evil forces go to the forest to ridicule the pure ones and to parade their wealth. But to their dismay they are defeated and captured by Chitra ratha, the gandharva king, representing dharma’s intervention and are to be ultimately rescued by the Pandavas. Duryodhana, full of shame, wants to fast unto death. But the demons from the nether world rise up to him and assure him that as their chosen representative on earth he is bound to succeed. Thus emboldened, Duryodhana returns to his evil ways. It only shows that evil in human personality can be apparently conquered and brought to a state of degradation but it is hard to keep it suppressed, because it has its roots in the pervasive evil atmosphere in the universe. When you want to do something negative you get lot of promised help.

His arrogance prods him towards his own destruction. When Sage Maitreya gives him advice to make up with the Pandavas, he ignores it and pats his thigh leading to the curse by Maitreya.

The seeds of the war are thrown when Duryodhana gets caught in an embarrassing situation in the Hall of Magic after the Rajasuya Yagna. Looking at him Draupadi in the balcony roars with laughter which lights up a resolve for revenge in his heart. Symbolically when intellect begins to laugh at the failures of a wicked mind, the negative forces get angry. The evil forces never like to be openly observed and ridiculed. So they launch an all out offensive to get the intellect demeaned.

Even when Pandavas are living an austere life in forest, the evil nature of Duryodhana wants their destruction. Since his previous attempt in a raid ended in disgrace for him, he does not want to openly trouble them but he makes a diabolical move. When the angry sage Durvasa comes to him he feeds him sumptuously. When the highly satisfied sage Durvasa asks him for a boon, his desire for causing misery to his foes overcomes his desire to obtain something good for him. He requests Durvasa to go to the forest hamlet of the Pandavas after they have had their food, knowing fully well the Akshaya Paatra of Draupadi will not produce any food after they have had their supper. But when Krishna intervenes to eat the residual leaf left on the vessel at the time when Durvasa had gone to bathe, Durvasa’s belly becomes full. He could not take any more food. Thus Duryodhana’s plan to make the angry sage’s curse visit Pandavas is foiled (M.B. Vana Parva 363 – I)

Here Durvasa represents the rajasic forces, Duryodhana the tamasic energy and the Pandavas the satwic energy. The vessel represents the unconscious mind (Citta) and the residual leaf represents the good samskaras. When it is offered to the supreme self the tamasic and rajasic forces fail.

The next incident in the drama occurs when Arjuna and Duryodhana visit Lord Krishna to request for his help in the war efforts. The incident shows even when choice for redemption is available, the evil mind opts only for the lower material benefits. Before the war when Krishna offers either himself without any army or his army without him, Arjuna chooses the unarmed Krishna while Duryodhana is happy with the Dwaraka Army. Thus the satvic recognises the glory of God as “upadhirahita” without any adjuncts and chooses Him. He puts the Chariot of life in his hand. But Duryodhana’s evil mind, unable to comprehend the glory of God, chooses the army, the material alternative.

In the Udyoga Parva, during Krishna’s visit as the envoy, despite the recognition of Krishna as God by all around him Duryodana’s lower evil self remains unmoved. He refuses to see the reality unfolding around him. His arrogance and pride even prompts him to attempt to imprison Krishna. Thus till the very end the evil forces remain blind to the supreme self present before them.

Among the gang of four, Karna is a special case. Rejected by the Mother at birth, brought up by the charioteer, learning archery by deceit from Parasurama and then getting cursed by him, ridiculed by Arjuna and Draupadi, remaining brave with unshakable faith in his valour and steadfastly loyal to Duryodhana, he is a bundle of contradictions. Even the austerity in service and forbearance he has shown in serving Parasurama, is born out of rajas and tamas. His heroism is meant to serve the forces of darkness and hence he gets cursed by his guru.

In the drama of the Mahabharata, Karna symbolizes Asmita or supreme egoism. Separated from the purusharthas, the Pandavas, ego becomes a destructive force. Thus a Vyakti with ahankara finds comfort among evil forces and does their biddings with relish.


Episodial references and the character Analysis – the Gang of Four
Now let us see the beautiful sculpturing of the character of the gang of four and the interplay of the forces in the Mahabharata.

I. DURYODHANA:

The very birth of Duryodhana was preceded by evil omens. Rattled by this, the blind king asks Vidura what the evil omens portend. Vidura replies that the child born would bring destruction to the entire race and advises him to put an end to the child. Overcome by his attachment to the son Dhritarashtra ignores the sage counsel and nurtures Duryodhana in his evil ways and Duryodhana grows up as an evil incarnate . In the words of Vyasa

TASYA DHARMAADAPETASYA
PAAPANI PARIPASYATAH
MOHAADAISVARYA LOBHAACCHA
PAAPAMATI RAJAAYATA :II

(Mahabharatha 127.26)

“Young Duryodhana grew up as a rake, swerving from the path of Dharma, interested only in sinful acts, always of a confused mind, ever wanting to dominate others. His mind was always fascinated by evil. (Mahabharata Aadi Parva 127 :26)

He found an ideal partner and friend in Karna who reflected his own evil mind.

SPARDHA MAANASTU PAARTHENA
SOOTAPUTROTYA MARSHANAH
DURYODHANAM SAMAASRTTYA
SOVAMANYATA PAANDAVAAN

“Filled with envy and hatred Charioteer’s son - Karna joined evil Duryodhana in heaping insults on the pandavas” ( Aadi Parva 131:12)

Duryodhanas’ hatred of his cousins even makes him do chivalrous acts. On seeing the valorous young Karna throwing a challenge at Arjuna, only to be rejected as an unequal soota putra, he rejects any difference in birth and declares that only valour will merit honour. Eventhough born out of negative motive this crowning of Karna by Duryodhana shows him in good light (Villi 2.67 to 71). However there has always been the potentiality for evil in him. The conspiracy to kill Pandavas at Varanavata is hatched by his evil brain with tacit consent from the blind king even before Sakuni comes into the scene (Villi 2.108) Sakuni only nurtures the poisonous plant to grow into a huge tree.

Duryodhana’s mental make up is such that it could not stomach any failure. When he could not win the hand of Draupadi in her swayamvara, as he failed to bend the bow to hit the target, he does not accept the defeat gracefully. Instead he instigates the other kings to rise against the young ‘brahmin’ Arjuna in disguise who has won the contest (Villi 5.59).

His arrogance leads him on a self-destruct mode. When Vidura feeds Krishna in his house, Duryodana flies into fury and accuses him of being a whore’s son, saying nothing better could be expected from him. This outrage leads to Vidura to breaking his bow (Villi 27-126) which is one of the causes for Duryodhana’s defeat. At the moment of reckoning, Duryodhana shows some grace, even though it is also born out of his egoism. When Yudhishtira requests Duryodhana to accept the throne and have command over all of them, Duryodhana refuses, saying that when his entire kith and kin have given up their lives on his behalf, it is demeaning for him to continue to live out of Yudhishtira’s compassion (Villi 46.160). However, his deceitful nature continues to be there until the last hour. He lies to Bhima as to where the center of his life is situated to gain an undue advantage over his foe in single combat (Villi 46.175). The only occasion where he feels remorseful over the acts of evil is when Aswatthama shows him the severed heads of the Pandavas’ kid-children.

SAKUNI:

Sakuni the evil genius never gives up his venom even for a moment. He never allows Duryodhana’s hostility to diminish in intensity. When Duryodhana starts to plan for the reception of the envoy Sri Krishna, Sakuni scolds him and stops him from arranging that (Villi 2.7.70) He comes out as a thoroughly evil, graceless being, with not even an iota of positivism in him. He, alongwith Duhsasana among the quartet, does not seem to possess any positive or pleasant facet to his character. On the 18th day, even after the entire Kaurava army is destroyed he still goads Duryodhana to fight on (Villi 46.91). He lives his deceitful life to the end fitting the description of him by the Poet, as “the snake like Sakuni”, “Sakuni, unequalled in deceit”. (Villi 24.37).
Karna:

The character of Karna is striking more so in Villi than in Vyasa. Like Milton creating the anti-hero in Satan almost equal to God, Villi has created Karna as the greatest anti hero in Mahabharatha. Due to various factors, this anti-hero fails in critical times.

His gratitude is of the highest order. He continues to be loyal to Duryodhana even after he learnt that the Pandavas are his siblings and his defection to their side would get him the crown. All of Krishna’s wiles and magical powers get used only against him. This itself underscores his valour.

However great may be his loyalty and munificence his innate nature is evil. “Like a person painting the outer wall of his house beautifully but keeping his interiors full of filth”, Karna’s munificence is only an external show. This beautiful simile by Villi aptly brings out the character of Karna. Even when Duryodhana’s resolve, at rare moments, seems to waver he offers him bad counsel and alongwith Sakuni, fans his jealousy and leads him on to evil ways.

An interesting addition by Villi is the episode when Kunti meets Karna. After agreeing that he will not use the Nagastra more than once on Arjuna, and he would not kill any of the other Pandavas, Karna requests Kunti that when he falls on the battle field, she should proclaim to the world that he is her son and suckle him publicly. Kunti actually does it. (Villi 43-253-258). This is a very poignant scene which shows how much torn between his affection for his brothers and loyalty to Duryodhana is Karna.

There is a very interesting improvement by Villi in the scene of Karna’s death. Even when Karna is hit by the arrows of Arjuna, he does not die. He lies on the battle field severely wounded. Krishna realizes that he is protected by his punya. So taking the shape of a Brahmin, Krishna begs Karna of his punya. Using the blood flowing from his wounded chest as water, Karna offers all his Punya to the Brahmin. Then Krishna gives the Viswaroopa Darshan to Karna, the only instance when the Lord gave Viswaroopa Darshan without being solicited – a touching end.

Karna, unlike Duryodana and Duhsasana, has great shrewdness. When Pandavas were doing ajnata vasa in Virata Desa, Duryodhana’s spies bring the news that the powerful Keechaka was killed due to his infatuation with a servant woman. Karna immediately comes out with the idea that if they invade Viratadesa to lift the cattle, Pandavas in their effort to assist the King to recover his herds will be flushed out of their hiding. This was a bright idea. It is another matter that they could not succeed in the mission as the hiding period has ended just on the previous day. (Villi 22.3).

Whatever may be Karna’s great valour and munificence, he comes out as a villain owing to his innate evil quality, jealousy and vanity. Even though he gets vanquished thrice by Arjuna single handedly at the battle in Virata desa, inviting derisive comments from Aswatthama, his vanity never leaves him (Villi 22-75-78). When Bhishma advises Duryodhana to seek peace as they are no match for the Pandavas, Karna vainly boasts of his valour and superior archery and belittles the grand sire. Thus, he, to a great extent is responsible for the false-sense of security in Duryodhana.

The Sarga on the plane for the game of dice: the epitome of the evilness of the quartet.

The wickedness of the evil-gang of four is delineated in its completeness in the chapter on the conspiracy to wage a deceitful game of dice. It is beautifully described in Sarga 11 of Villi Bharatham, where each character is shown up in his true light.

Karna starts the discussion by fuming and fretting at the good fortune of the Pandavas. Sakuni, the evil genius, is happy that all their minds are one in this respect. While Duhsasana gives vent to his wrath on the rise of Pandavas, Duryodhana says that as one has to remove the thorn before it grows into a mighty tree, Pandavas should be destroyed before they became stronger. This should be accomplished by war or by deceit; ways do not matter, only the end matters, Duhsasana, recalls the undue primacy given to Krishna ahead of all of them and the derisive laughter of Draupadi over Duryodhana’s discomfiture in the hall of magic during Raja Suya. This sets fire to the destructive fury of their minds. They agree that as Krishna is away at the moment this is the right moment, but what means to choose? ( Villi 11.12-16).

Karna among the quartet, is the only one who prefers war to deceit, not because of his dislike of adharma but because of his immense faith in his own invincibility. However the choice is made by the one person there with a very practical mind. As a matter of fact, Sakuni declares, even if they take several more births they will not be able to defeat the Pandavas He points out, to their discomfiture, as to how they lost out to the Pandavas in all their previous encounters. He advocates deceit as the only possible way, and also comes out with the full details of the proposed game of deceit. The other three immediately fall in line. (Villi 11.26 – 38).

When Yudhistira arrives, he is invited to the game Sakuni knows the psychology of the individual. He is well aware that Yudhishtira has a natural inclination for gambling. By clervely suggesting that is only a harmless pastime of the royalty, a game for the brave and finally prodding his vanity, Sakuni is able to make Yudhistira agree for the game. Consequently Yudhistra loses everything, including the freedom of himself, his siblings and worst of all, Draupadi also.

The villainy of Karna comes forth here when the loud voice of Vikarna is raised against this injustice. Karna angrily shouts him down (villi 11.2.39-24). Even after wistnessing the miraculous scene of Draupadi’s honour being saved by the Lord’s grace, even after witnessing the terrible oath of Bhima, the evil quartet does not learn. Duryodhana invites her to sit on his lap leading to her terrible oath.

When the frightened King offers the kingdom back to the Pandavas, even the Kauravas are silent; Sakuni fumes and accuses the king of “fondling the tiger by caressing its tail” (Villi 11-265).

This is followed by the second game of dice and the exit of the Pandavas to the forest.

(It is not suggested here that there is a clear binary division between that good and evil characters in the Mahabharata. In fact, in every character there is an admixture of ‘good’ and evil in certain measure. Whatever quality is predominant in a character is taken here to epitomize his nature).

Conclusion

Thus the entire drama of Mahabharata reflects the pitting of evil forces against the forces of good. The evil quartet represents the forces of wickedness, each one has his own motivation but all synergise their strengths to achieve their common goal of defeating and defaming the Pandavas, the representatives of good. Ultimately evil is destroyed and good triumphs.

Finally Vyasa himself says “one should never abandon virtue for the sake of pleasure, out of fear or because of greed, nor even for the sake of life itself Virtue is everlasting, but joy and misery are not, the living being is eternal, but the cause of his existence here is impermanent (MB 18.5.09.50).

This is the lesson we learn from the tragic lives of the evil quartet in the Mahabharata.

We conclude with the words of Will Durant, the great historian, “this poem with logic of structure and splendor of language, in-depth of portraiture and fidelity to be essence of things, is distinguished by fine feelings, a lofty idealization of woman and man and a vigorous – sometimes realistic representation of life. To an Indian, they are not mere stories; they are a gallery of ideal characters upon whom he may mould his conduct; they are a repertory of the traditions, philosophy and theology of his people ; in a sense they are sacred scriptures to be read (W.Durant story of civilisation I-570)