Kali Purusha Prevents Duryodhana From Committing Suicide : Episode 99

Duryodhana, Dushshasana and Shakuni are brought handcuffed before Yudhishtra who orders Arjuna and Bhima to release them. Bhima doesn't let go of the chance to taunt them. Though all the three of them feel the humiliation of being saved by their enemy, they still want to save their face. Shakuni says that since Duryodhana is the emperor and the Pandavas are only ordinary citizens under their dominion, Pandavas had merely done their duty. Under this premise, Duryodhana wants to bestow gift on Yudhishtra for saving his life, but Yudhishtra declines it. On repeated insistence, Yudhishtra says he would ask for his boon at a later date.

Duryodhana cannot stand the shame of being given the lease of life by their enemy. He wants to jump into fire. Karna, Dushshasana, Shakuni and Bhanumathi dissuade him, but Duryodhana is inconsolable. He jumps into fire. The king of Daityas divines Duryodhana's plight and sends an attendant to bring him. When Duryodhana regains consciousness, he finds himself in the company of the Daitya king, the Kali Purusha who tells him that Duryodhana was born as a result of their tapasya. In his fight against the Pandavas, he would be assisted by powerful allies who are demons who have taken rebirth for this purpose and it would be impossible to defeat him. If he chooses to die, the Devas represented by the Pandavas would powerful, driving the daityas to extinction. Thus, Duryodhana's ife had a purpose. The Daitya king also reveals that the spirit of Naraka resides in Karna, who is waiting to take his revenge on Arjuna and Krishna.

Duryodhana is filled with renewed energy and zeal and decides to go back. Shakuni, Dushshasana, Karna and Bhanumathi are wailing around the fire and suddenly Duryodhana comes out of the fire, alive and enthusiastic about his mission. Reference: Asramavasika Parva
Read also : Shakuni as Dwapara and Duryodhana as Kali Purusha Karna and Narakasura (Kisari mohan Ganguli English Translation Vana Parva Section CCL,CCXLIX)