Duryodhana had to persuade Dhritarashtra to agree to the scheme, which would not be difficult as Dhritarashtra was weak-willed and so fond of his son that he ignored all his faults and wrong actions. He would say nice things at first. Then he would agree to everything his son wanted. They told Dhritarashtra about their plan and persuaded him easily to agree to it. Dhritarashtra thought they should consult Vidura, but Vidura’s advice was not acceptable to Duryodhana at all. He told his father that they would be able to win Indraprastha without war and bloodshed. Dhritarashtra allowed his son to have his way. He ordered the servants to prepare the hall for a game of dice. Then he called Vidura, who was very unhappy hearing about this, and ordered him to invite Yudhishthira to compete in the game. Despite disagreeing, Vidura had to carry out the King’s orders.
Setting the Stage
