Free The Mahabharata by R. K. Narayan

prosperity….”
    Duryodhana received the remark in silence, and then said, “Did you notice how well every one of the thousands spoke of them and what rare gifts were exchanged?”
    â€œYes, yes, one could not help noticing all that,” replied Sakuni.
    â€œWe are doomed,” said Duryodhana, “while they are coming up with so many as their allies and friends….”
    â€œAfter all, they have developed only their portion of land. It need not concern you.”
    â€œYou do not understand,” insisted Duryodhana. “I feel tormented, and unless they are degraded in some way, I shall know no peace. My soul burns at the thought of those worthless cousins sitting up and preening themselves!”
    Sakuni laughed at this and said, “Why don’t you leave them alone? No use challenging them to a war. In addition to their allies, Arjuna is now armed with his great bow, Gandiva, and with the gift of an inexhaustible quiver.”
    â€œYes, I heard about that shameful thing—how he got it!”
    â€œNothing so shameful; it was a gift of Agni. He is favoured by the gods….”.
    â€œHow? Go deeper into it.”
    â€œTo please Agni, he set the Khandava Forest on fire with his astra. He and his ally Krishna, who professes to be an incarnation, rounded up all the poor beasts and birds, sealed off the exits, and drove them back into the forest. Fledglings and birds and cubs and their parents—all alike were roasted and cooked—because the God of Fire needed to consume animal fat for his own well-being. Arjuna was only too ready to provide it and was rewarded with the Gandiva! Whatever you may say of it, Gandiva has made Arjuna invincible. Itis an inescapable fact. We cannot fight with them yet. You made attempts to end their lives, and all your plans failed. Now they are strong and prosperous—leave them alone, I say. Don’t go near them; they live in their territory and you in yours. I don’t see why you should think of them at all.”
    â€œYou don’t understand, you don’t realise the agony I suffer. Do you know how they flaunt their prowess and prosperity and laugh at me? Actually laugh! They stand in a row and laugh at me. They let their servants laugh at me.”
    â€œWell, we were treated as honoured guests all along—I cannot imagine they would have laughed at you.”
    â€œI tell you, they did openly to my face.”
    â€œHow? When was it?”
    â€œAt their new hall of assembly….”
    â€œWhat a grand, marvellous building, none to equal it anywhere,” said Sakuni. “Again, it is a gift from that divine architect Maya, who was saved from the fire of Khandava Forest….”
    â€œEverything for them seems to have come out of that fire!” said Duryodhana. “
We
should have had an assembly hall of that kind, not they. They don’t deserve such a grand structure—after all, Hastinapura is more ancient than Indraprastha. How cunningly built, what polish!” He was lost in the vision of that great structure. Soon he recovered his mood of indignation and said, “There was what looked like a pool with lotus blooms on it, all in a passage. While stepping into it, I tucked up my cloak—it was only a polished marble floor, and they laughed at me for this little mistake. A few yards off was another place which looked like that, and I fell into it and drenched my clothes. I had to change, and they seemed to have watched for it. All of them laughed and joked, especially that wild bull, Bhima. Oh!”
    â€œOh, forget it, it was not really designed to upset you, as you know….”
    â€œAnd then there was an open door I tried to pass through, which was actually only a wall. And at an open door Ihesitated, taking it to be only a wall. I saw a lovely rose I couldn’t pluck since it was only a painting. They were spying on me all the time; they stood about and guffawed at