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MEHENDALB : On mitradrih and mitradroha
doubt, wants to injure the Păądavas but they are not bis friends. In fact, a little earlier, when Duryodbana tries to impress on Krşqa that there is no enmity or dispute between him (i. e. Krşaa ) and the Kauravas, Krona retorts by saying that one who hates the Pandavas, also bates him. 10 How can then the Pāndavas, whom Duryodhana hates, be described as his friends 711 The expression mitradruh, therefore, in the sense one who harms a friend is not fit for Duryodhana.
Whenever there is an occasion to refer to the relationship between the Kauravas and the Pāņdavas, the word used is bandhavala or svajana," but never a friend'. What Kişoa too wants to establish between the two as a result of his negotiations is not expressed as friendship' but 'good brotherli. ness' (saubhrātra ).14 Hence it becomes necessary to look for some other interpretation of mitradruh wben it is used with reference to Duryodhada.
Can mitradruh, then mean contract-deceiver'? Yes, it can, for this is what Duryodhana in the Mahābhārata really is. :
The game of dice was replayed between the Kauravas and the Pandavas with the following undertaking ( vyavasāya )16: the party which loses the game will live, first, for twelve years in the forest. This is to be followed by a year spent incognito; if discovered during this thirteeoth year, another period of forest-life for twelve yoars was to follow. If, howover, the period of living incognito was spent successfully, the party which had lost the game, was to receive its proper sbare of the kingdom.16
The Pandavas lost the gamo and carried out the undertaking. The gograhana incident is reported to have occurred at the end of the thirteenth year.17 Duryodhana, no doubt, was not sure whether the Paodavas had completed the thirteeoth year of life incognito and would have thereforo liked them to go to the forest again for twelve years.18 But as he was not
vairan no nūsti bhavata govinda na ca vigrahah / 5. 89. 22. 10 yas tān dvesti sa mām dvesti / 5. 89. 28. 11 Actually the Pandavas are referred to as sapatna !cncmy' by Duryodhana and
Karna (sapatnavrddhim yat tata manyasa vrddhim ātmanah / Mbh. 1. 192. 27.: 13. tasmān närhã vayri hantuni dhārtarăstran svabāndhavan / Mbh. 6. 23. 37. . 18 svajanani hi kathar hatva / Mbh. 6.23.37; hantum svajanam udyataḥ 1
Mbh. 6. 23. 45. 5.90. 10; also 5. 72.22. This vyavasāya is referred to as an agreement' (samaya 4. 25. 4; 4. 28.7) or as
a' stake' (pana 4. 423). 16 frayodase on niortte, punar ava yathocitan /
svarājyam pratipattavyam itarair atha vetaraih // 2. 67. 13. 11 tatas trayodasasyante tasya varsasya bhārata /
sušarmana grhitan tu godhanam tarasa bahu // 4. 30. 3. aniortte tu nirvase yadi bibhatsur agatah / punar dvadasa varşani vano 'vatsyanti pandavah // 4. 42. 3.
Madhu Vidya/163
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