Vaisampayana said,--"That bull among men, Duryodhana, continued to
dwell in that assembly house (of the Pandavas). And with Sakuni, the
Kuru prince slowly examined the whole of that mansion, and the Kuru
prince beheld in it many celestial designs, which he had never seen
before in the city called after the elephant (Hastinapore). And one day
king Duryodhana in going round that mansion came upon a crystal
surface. And the king, from ignorance, mistaking it for a pool of
water, drew up his clothes. And afterwards finding out his mistake the
king wandered about the mansion in great sorrow. And sometime after,
the king, mistaking a lake of crystal water adorned with lotuses of
crystal petals for land, fell into it with all his clothes on.
Beholding Duryodhana fallen into the lake, the mighty Bhima laughed
aloud as also the menials of the palace. And the servants, at the
command of the king, soon brought him dry and handsome clothes.
Beholding the plight of Duryodhana, the mighty Bhima and Arjuna and
both the twins--all laughed aloud. Being unused to putting up with
insults, Duryodhana could not bear that laugh of theirs. Concealing his
emotions he even did not cast his looks on them. And beholding the
monarch once more draw up his clothes to cross a piece of dry land
which he had mistaken for water, they all laughed again. And the king
sometime after mistook a closed door made of crystal as open. And as he
was about to pass through it his head struck against it, and he stood
with his brain reeling. And mistaking as closed another door made of
crystal that was really open, the king in attempting to open it with
stretched hands, tumbled down. And coming upon another door that was
really open, the king thinking it as closed, went away from it. And, O
monarch, king Duryodhana beholding that vast wealth in the Rajasuya
sacrifice and having become the victim of those numerous errors within
the assembly house at last returned, with the leave of the Pandavas, to
Hastinapore."
"And the heart of king Duryodhana, afflicted at sight of the prosperity
of the Pandavas, became inclined to sin, as he proceeded towards his
city reflecting on all he had seen and suffered. And beholding the
Pandavas happy and all the kings of the earth paying homage to them, as
also everybody, young and old, engaged in doing good unto them, and
reflecting also on the splendour and prosperity of the illustrious sons
of Pandu, Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, became pale. In
proceeding (to his city) with an efflicted heart, the prince thought of
nothing else but that assembly house and that unrivalled prosperity of
the wise Yudhishthira. And Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, was so
taken up with his thoughts then that he spoke not a word to Suvala's
son even though the latter addressed him repeatedly. And Sakuni,
beholding him absent-minded, said,--'O Duryodhana, why art thou
proceeding thus'?
"Duryodhana replied,--'O uncle, beholding this whole earth owning the
sway of Yudhishthira in consequence of the might of the illustrious
Arjuna's weapons and beholding also that sacrifice of the son of Pritha
like unto the sacrifice of Sakra himself of great glory among the
celestials, I, being filled with jealousy and burning day and night, am
being dried up like a shallow tank in the summer season. Behold, when
Sisupala was slain by the chief of the Satwatas, there was no man to
take the side of Sisupala. Consumed by the fire of the Pandava, they
all forgave that offence; otherwise who is there that could forgive it?
That highly improper act of grave consequence done by Vasudeva
succeeded in consequence of the power of the illustrious son of Pandu.
And so many monarchs also brought with them various kinds of wealth for
king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, like tribute-paying Vaisyas!
Beholding Yudhishthira's prosperity of such splendour, my heart
burneth, efflicted with jealously, although it behoveth me not to be
jealous.'
"Having reflected in this way, Duryodhana, as if burnt by fire,
addressed the king of Gandhara again and said,--'I shall throw myself
upon a flaming fire or swallow poison or drown myself in water. I
cannot live. What man is there in the world possessed of vigour who can
bear to see his foes in the enjoyment of prosperity and himself in
destitution? Therefore I who bear to see that accession of prosperity
and fortune (in my foes) am neither a woman nor one that is not a
woman, neither also a man nor one that is not a man. Beholding their
sovereignty over the world and vast affluence, as also that sacrifice,
who is there like me that would not smart under all that? Alone I am
incapable of acquiring such royal prosperity; nor do I behold allies
that could help me in the matter. It is for this that I am thinking of
self-destruction. Beholding that great and serene prosperity of the son
of Kunti, I regard Fate as supreme and exertions fruitless. O son of
Suvala, formerly I strove to compass his destruction. But baffling all
my efforts he hath grown in prosperity even like the lotus from within
a pool of water. It is for this that I regard Fate as supreme and
exertions fruitless. Behold, the sons of Dhritarashtra are decaying and
the sons of Pritha are growing day by day. Beholding that prosperity of
the Pandavas, and that assembly house of theirs, and those menials
laughing at me, my heart burneth as if it were on fire. Therefore, O
uncle, know me now as deeply grieved and filled with jealousy, and
speak of it to Dhritarashtra.'