One day Yudhishthir told his brothers that he would not speak ill of any brother or sister for thirteen years to eliminate the possibility of war. He also pledged that he would always act as per the wishes of his brothers and sisters and would not do anything that would create mutual discord. These words of Yudhishthir also seemed true to his brothers and they decided that they would not become the cause of fights and discord. On the other hand, the grandeur of the Rajasuya Yagya and the fame and prosperity of the Pandavas were creating jealousy and envy in the mind of Duryodhana. He was seeing that the Pandavas’ friends were kings and their power and respect were continuously increasing.
One day Duryodhana was standing in a corner of his palace in such worry and sadness that his maternal uncle Shakuni came there. Shakuni asked why he was so sad and worried? Duryodhana replied that seeing the prosperity of the Pandavas, his heart was sad and his enthusiasm for life had diminished. Shakuni consoled him and said that the Pandavas were his brothers and it was not right to be jealous of their good fortune. He explained that the Pandavas were only getting what was their legal right. Additionally, Duryodhana also has Dronacharya, Ashwatthama, Karna and other brave companions who can support him. Shakuni suggested Duryodhana to use cleverness instead of war to conquer the Pandavas.
Shakuni told Duryodhana about Yudhishthir’s weak point – the game of Chaucer. Yudhishthir liked this game, but he could not play it well. Shakuni planned that he would play Duryodhana’s side and by defeating Yudhishthira, his kingdom and wealth would be acquired without war. Duryodhana became excited with this idea and both of them asked Dhritarashtra’s permission to call the Pandavas for a game.
Dhritarashtra at first refused to give permission immediately and said that he would also consult Vidur. He expressed concern that this gambling could be harmful to the dynasty. Vidur warned that the game would increase mutual discord and quarrels, which would bring great calamity to the clan, but due to Duryodhana’s insistence and father’s love for his son, Dhritarashtra finally allowed Yudhishthir to send invitations for the game and also ordered to build a meeting hall.
Thus, the blameless character of Yudhishthira and the good fortune of the Pandavas aroused jealousy in the mind of Duryodhana. Shakuni’s cleverness and Duryodhana’s greed created such a conspiracy, which became the foundation of the future Mahabharata war. This game of Chaucer was not just entertainment, but it also became a plan to capture the empire and power of the Pandavas. – Feature Desk
