Dhrutarastra

Some might be wondering why my attention suddenly turned from an ideal King Janaka to King Dhrutarastra. I can assure you up front I am no fan of Kauravas like some movie director who names his movies after them. Few reasons why I am choosing this topic is

a) Dhrutarastra as a parent is someone who can teach us how not to be
b) As mentioned in one discourse by Malladi Chandra Sekhara Sastry garu we see so many parents who resemble Dhrutarastra by nature.
c) As Galileo famously quoted “I have never met a person in my life who is so ignorant that I cannot a learn anything from him” Similarly to inspect one positive trait of Dhrutarastra


Dhrutarastra is a striking example for a person who lost all his sons because he failed to admonish/abandon one bad son. He is an example of how excessive love for kids and not curtailing their cruel deeds can lead to complete destruction.

1. Dhrutarastra is an example for inferior complex and jealousy for his younger brother. His jealousy started from the time when his younger brother was given the throne ahead of him for the natural disability he has got. Instead of understanding the practical realities, he developed jealousy towards his dharmic and obedient brother. The same jealousy he passed on to his off springs as well.

2. Dhrutarastra knows very well of the bad deeds his sons are committing under direction of Duryadhana towards Dharmic Pandavas. He failed to punish his son and curtail his bad agenda against Pandavas out of excessive love he had for Duryodhana. He failed to realize the long term perspective that for sake of one son, he is losing entire bunch of hundred sons.

3. Dhrutarastra showed wickedness towards Pandavas and deliberately on his own assent went on to create troubles for pandavas. Despite the fact that Pandavas especially Dharmaraj have treated him with fatherly affection, he wanted their downfall. He is an example of a snake who is nurtured by delicious milk will still went out poison. We see so many people like this in today’s world, who try to damage persons who have done a favor to them.

4. Dhrutarastra paid no deserving attention to good sayings from elders like Bhisma, Drona, Krupa, Vidura and Sanjaya. Had he not turned deaf ears to these people he would have stopped the calamity of total destruction that came in the form of Kurukshetra war. As Maricha told Ravana in Ramayana, “It is difficult to find person who says good things and the prson who listens to these good things” It hold good even today where for sake ego satisfaction, we turn deaf ears to good things wise and/or elderly people say and eventually bring up our own problems in the long run.

5. Only good thing I can tell about Dhrutarastra is that all through his deeds he knew very well that he is doing bad deeds. Also he does get neither defensive nor aggressive (like most of us) when questioned about these deeds. He also voluntarily seeks verbal battering from his friends like Vidura and Sanjaya to get some mental relief from papa karmas he is committing. This is unlike some of us who try to do justify our actions and resort to vitarka or kutarka (irrational justification)