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While the Pandavas were dwelling in the forest, Duryodhana celebrated a
great sacrifice with much pomp and splendour.
He wanted to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice, but the brahmanas told him
that he could not do that while Yudhishthira and Dhritarashtra were alive and advised him
to perform the sacrifice known as the Vaishnava instead.
He accepted this advice and celebrated the Vaishnava with great
splendour. But when the ceremony was over, the citizens began to talk among themselves
that Duryodhana's sacrifice had not come up to even a sixteenth part of Yudhishthira's
Rajasuya in magnificence.
The friends of Duryodhana, on the other hand, praised him and the
sacrifice he had celebrated and likened it to those performed by Yayati, Mandhata, Bharata
and others.
Court sycophants were not sparing with their incense. Karna told
Duryodhana that his Rajasuya had been only postponed till the Pandavas should be defeated
and slain in battle and repeated that his part would be the slaying of Arjuna.
Author : Shri C. Raja Gopalachari
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