Duryodhana was left alone by the sixteenth day. Kunti and Gandhari had reached Kurukshetra. Gandhari had a special reason for coming. She had been gifted with a vision that could heal or protect or scorch a person, depending on her thoughts. And she wished to protect her son, Duryodhana, as all the others were dead. She told Duryodhana to have a bath and come before her without his clothes on so that her powerful vision might provide him with a protective shield for the battle with Bhima. Sri Krishna learnt about her plan. As he walked undressed towards her camp after his bath, Krishna asked, “Shouldn’t you cover your loins with something before going to your mother?” Duryodhana, not understanding Krishna’s cleverness, wrapped some banana leaves around his waist. When Gandhari uncovered her eyes, in despair she saw that he had covered his hips with leaves. Her plan had failed. This weakness would cost him his life in the combat with Bhima.
Duryodhana’s Weakness
