Bhanumathi is deep in a game of chess with Karna, when Duryodhana walks into her chambers.
As he approaches, Bhanumathi begins to stand up, a little abashed to be found thus by her husband.
An unaware Karna, on the other hand, commands of her: "Where are you going, finish the game first." And he tugs at her hip chain, mekhala, for good measure.
Bhanumathi edges away from Karna's grasp, and the chain breaks to tumble pearls all around the chamber.
As both she and Karna look down sheepishly, unable to meet Duryodhana's eyes, the Kaurava scion only asks:
"edukkavo, Korkkavo [should I just collect the beads, or string them as well]."
Tell me, does it not make him better than Rama?
Monday 26 April, 2010
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8 comments:
Yes- a lovely bit of the epic which I have never come across.
Good question :)
Hi,
Is this for real? Where is the reference from and where can I read the rest of it in English. pray? Totally taken in by the scene.
Thanks, and I do like the rest of your blog.
thanks abha,
and I am still looking for a good english translation for you.
but this is much celebrated in many Indian readings (tamil, I know) of Karna's character.
don't we all love the anti-hero??
:-) :-)
hi,
please find the English version. thank u in advance.
I just love anti-anything. Esp if it comes in the form of an anti-hero.
Abha
Strange,I also find Ravana more interesting.
No, it doesn’t. On the contrary, at first reading, Duryodhana's response seems at best merely sarcastic. However, depending on the tone used it could even sound ominously chilling...he asks 'calmly' (wow! that itself should send the alarm bells ringing)...is this calm reflected in his eyes too?
But then I am merely reading a snippet from a (long) text (maybe even out of context :).
anvita,
if it sounded like that, the mistake lies with me alone.
here is an attempt at translating one of the many tamil poems celebrating that moment of duryodhan. maybe it gives more of the context:
http://bythewindowsill.blogspot.com/2010/06/in-defence-of-duryodhana.html
Wow! Yes, indeed. I had never heard of this scene. No one is fully bad or good. Each one is a mix of good and bad
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