Duryodhana Prepares For His Own Coronation : Episode 44 (29-12-13)

Scene 1

Duryodhana and Dushasana come to Shakuni to discuss when Duryodhana could be crowned as the king. Shakuni advises them to wait a little longer because he is uncertain about Pandava's death, and he feels any undue hurry in Duryodhana's coronation would be counter productive.

Duryodhana and Dushasana feel that Shakuni is over-cautious and decide to do their own investigation. They send a spy with some instructions. Then they send for an astrologer for consultation. Shakuni's confidante, the clownish Nilava, asks what the matter was, so that he could report to Shakuni. Duryodhana doesn't reveal much, but sends away Nilava. Then they send for a jewelry-maker and instruct him to make the most exquisite and unique throne that would outshine Indra's throne. The jeweller promises to make the best throne and crown and departs. Nilava is overhearing all this conversation.

Nilava informs Shakuni that his nephews called for an astrologer for fixing the date for coronation and have also ordered a throne studded with the world's best precious stones. At this rate, Nilava says, Shakuni will not have much say in the polical affairs of Hastinapura and would become a redundant piece.

Scene 2

Pandavas go out seeking alms. They are hesitant, being unaccustomed to begging. Yudhishtra reminds them that this task has been entrusted to them by none other than Sage Vyasa and has to be carried out. They go as a group first, but find out nobody was willing to feed such a big group. They then decide to go their separate ways. Afterwards they join together and give the day's collection to their mother Kunti. She puts together all the food collected and feeds them herself, recalling their royal days of dining. Finally, she tells them they should share whatever they get and always eat together.

The Pandavas retire to bed at night, but Bheema is unable to sleep because of hunger pangs. He goes to a stream nearby home and quenches his hunger with the water. Kunti notices this and grieves; she tells Bheema to take a bigger vessel while going to beg for food.

While Bheema is going for Bhiksha the next day, a passerby remarks that Bheema, with his able body, shouldn't be begging and that too bring a big vessel. He grabs the the bhiksha-patra and throws it to the ground and breaks it. Bheema is seething with anger, but Yudhishtra manages to keep Bheema calm. He gives his own collection of food to Bheema and tells him to give it to Kunti and get her to cook food for him.

Bheema gives the food materials to Kunti and narrates the incidents. While he is narrating, they hear a lot of cries and find all the family members crying. Each of the family member wants to save others lives. The wife doesn't want to live without the husband as she would have to face untold miseries and might fall prey to lascivious men. Bheema and Kunti look at each other.

Scene 3

At Vidarbha, Rukmini is dressing herself to go to temple. She goes to seek permission from her father Bhishmaka, the king of Vidarbha. At the court, Bhishmaka is chatting with his son Rukmi.

At Hastinapura, Bhishma wants to talk to the Army General, but finds that he has been sent on official duties. He asks for the finance minister but he too has been sent out on royal duties. Bhishma understands that something is going on secretively behind the scenes.

Scene 4

Dhrishtadyumna is thinking of ways to humor the ever morose Drupada. Since the purpose of his birth has been clearly to avenge his father's humiliation by killing Drona, he decides to meet him head-on. Drupada says he needs to be trained first, and for that he needs an able guru. Only Sage Parasurama and Bhishma were capable of this feat. Of the two, Parasurama would not train Kshatriyas and Bhishma did not train his own great grand children – the Pandavas and the Kauravas, but sent them for training under Drona. Draupadi says the ideal choice would be Drona himself. Drupada expresses his reservation: after all, Dhrishtadyumna was born with the specific objective of killing Drona, and Drona would have known that by now. Draupadi countracts by saying that Sage Parasurama gave training to Bheeshma, knowing fully his Kshatriya background and the two in fact fought together. This despite Parasurama's ability to know the future. And the gods always gave boons to asuras, despite knowing such a boon would be used against them.

Drupada gets convinced by Draupadi's arguments and announces happily to Dhrishtadyumna that Drona would be his Guru. Just then a messenger informs them that Krishna has performed the final rites of the Pandavas.