Kunti's secret

Duryodhana's grief

A fierce call of Duryodhana's name from behind the crowd made everyone turn sharply. There stood Krishna with an expression of rage in his face most unlikely for him. Krishna proceeded forward until he and Duryodhana were face to face with each other. "Oh it's you Krishna come see what your aunt has done to my friend", shouted Duryodhana in anger.  Calming down a little Krishna said "Duryodhana who are you to judge someone's actions? Do you know in what situation she took this decision? Then how... But before he could continue Duryodhana said in a malicious tone "Wow so now you are trying to cover up your aunt yet you claim to be free of relationships don't you?" Not withstanding Duryodhana's malicious tone Krishna said" Duryodhana you asked her the reason for not telling the truth didn't you? But will you be able to bear what I'll have to say? Duryodhana said in a hurt voice whatever you wanna say let me tell you something first, my dear friend Karna is no more nothing can be worse to me than that so you don't have to worry  tell me whatever you want to now." "You can't predict what is going to happen Duryodhana. But let me tell you this our ways, our motives, our ethics everything is different but like you I too have love for Karna everybody here has" "After knowing that he is your aunt's son?" Asked Duryodhana anger dripping in each of his words. Krishna calmly nodded a no and said " It is true that I knew Karna was my cousin from the very first but that is not the reason for why I loved and respected him and even wanted save him from this dreadful end. He was good by heart Duryodhana. His intentions were good. Yes it is true that he called Draupadi a whore but by then it was his way of bucking you up. He was true to your friendship. He fought the war for you even after knowing that he won't win and will be killed by Arjuna. He fought against the Pandavas even after knowing that they were his brothers and that he was the eldest of all which meant Duryodhana, neither you nor Yudhistra was the heir but he. Everyone gasped while Kunti buried her face in her hands and cried even more fiercely. Duryodhana couldn't believe his ears Did Krishna say that Karna knew that he was the eldest Pandava already? No no that is not possible I should have misheard him he thought. But one look at the grave but straight face of Krishna and the shocked ones of everyone else around told him that he had heard Krishna quite alright. But why, why didn't Karna tell him about his identity? Then a doubt occurred in his mind Did Karna like everyone else also think that he Duryodhana just used him as a weapon against Arjuna and that his friendship for him is fake? He couldn't bear to think that. Duryodhana can be stubborn and foolish at times but today he saw real love for his friend whom he loved more than himself in Krishna's eyes so he believed whatever Krishna said though it was quite unbelievable. As if reading his thoughts Krishna said “ No Duryodhana don't ever think Karna doubted you for he never did. You know that too don't you? Still he didn't tell you  not in the fear of loosing your confidence but because he knew very well that you won't accept the throne if you had known that it actually belonged to him. For the first time Duryodhana did not bother about the presence of anybody. He collapsed heavily on to the ground and let the tears fall, the tears that did not fall when he lost his brothers the tears that did not fall when he lost his mighty warriors fell when he realised his friend's greatness.