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दुर्योधनयज्ञ (duryodhanayajJa)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Duryodhana-yajña(ḥ)]
(“the sacrifice of Duryodhana”). § 516 (Ghoshay., cf. Karṇadigv.): Karṇa proposed to Duryodhana that he should celebrate a rājasūya sacrifice like Yudhishṭhira. But as the purohita told him that so long as Yudhishṭhira and Dhṛtarāshṭra were living he could not undertake the rājasūya sacrifice, and advised him to cause the tributary kings to pay him tribute in gold, and with that gold to make a plough, and to plough the sacrificial compound with it, and then to perform a Vaishṇava sacrifice that nobody had performed before save the ancient Vishṇu (v. 15292, cf. v. 15329 foll.) which was equal to the rājasūya, this plan was agreed upon. Duryodhana appointed persons to their respective tasks, and desired all the artisans to construct the plough, etc. (III, 255). When Vidura had announced to Dhṛtarāshṭra that the preparations had been made, messengers were dispatched to invite the princes and the brahmans. Duḥśāsana ordered one messenger to invite the Pāṇḍavas, but Yudhishṭhira replied that they could not come before the com-pletion of the thirteenth year. Bhīma threatened
the other Pāṇḍavas said nothing unpleasant. Vidura was charged with the distribution of food to the guests. After the completion of the sacrifice, all the kings having been dismissed, Duryodhana, with his brothers and Karṇa and Śakuni, entered Hāstinapura (III, 256). Duryodhana was praised by most of the citizens, and his friends compared him to Yayāti, Nahusha, Māndhātṛ, and Bharata, who had gone to heaven after celebrating this sacrifice (v. 15329 foll., cf. v. 15292). Karṇa said that when Duryodhana had slain the Pāṇḍavas in battle and completed the rājasūya sacrifice he would once more honour him thus, and promised that until he had slain Arjuna he would not allow his feet to be washed, nor taste meat, and he would observe the Asura vow (i.e. not to drink intoxicating liquors, Nīl.), and never refuse to give to whoever might solicit him.