The Broken Bond

Silent Agony

The coronation of the crown prince passed and ended, the people celebrated, glorifying the sons of Pandu. But Karna could not rejoice because Prince Duryodhana was humiliated and deprived of his inheritance. And because instead of raising a weapon on the offender, Prince Duryodhana decided to lie low and strike later and, probably, vilely.

Mean.

Can you renounce following the dharma for me?

This question still haunted Karna, devastating his soul.

You're making a mistake, prince, that's what he had to say. You are making a mistake, because only following the dharma can bring good. Fruits obtained dishonestly will poison you with bitterness. You're making a mistake, friend, listen, understand...

But he didn't say it. Prince Duryodhana was furious at his father's betrayal and needed no input or advice, only reassurance that he would not have to suffer another stab in the back. Karna was unable to refuse him. The thought that Duryodhana would not accept him, turn away from him like dozens of others, filled Karna with horror. For a brief moment, he again stood face to face with a crowd of screaming people, rejected, unwanted, useless, but no one else was going to call: "Stop, archer" - until he proved his devotion.

He agreed. He agreed and Prince Duryodhana's orders became his dharma. He agreed and existed again, noticed and recognized, but the happiness from the opportunity to continue to live and breathe turned out to be rotten.

Father was right, Karna realized. But it no longer mattered, and even if the father was right, there was no other way.

If only they had risen in revolt! Karna languished at the thought when Duryodhana defiantly laid down his arms in front of Prince Yudhishthira and later, when he rushed about the chambers, roaring with rage and cursing his cousins. Rebellion against the king, who is equal to God, patricide and fratricide would fall on them as grave sins, but Karna would accept this depravity with joy. An open fight would purify them like a sacred flame and allow them to retain at least dignity.

But Prince Duryodhana did not want a fair fight. He wanted to get the throne and avenge the wrongs in any way. And Karna followed Duryodhana because no one else needed his bow, his talent, or his heart.

It was decided that Karna would continue to study the rituals and duties of the king with the minister Vidura, despite the fact that he himself now saw no point in it. Prince Duryodhana made it clear that he needed the king of Anga at hand, which means that Anga still remained the concern of Bhishma's henchman, who performed royal duties. Karna would have preferred to stop wasting time on an empty occupation that turned into a complete lie, but King Shakuni noticed that it was very useful, because it would finally lull the vigilance of the Pandavas who believed in reconciliation. After that, Karna wanted to erase forever from memory the way to Vidura's chambers, but Duryodhana laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.  "Will you survive this tedium for me, friend Karn?"

-"Of course, my friend.

For Prince Duryodhana, he would have experienced far worse things.

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