Suyodhana’s Saga (Version 1.0)

Kauravas, the evil princes of the East,
Duryodhana, the envious mastermind
That is how they twisted
The legacy of Suyodhana’s kind

The tale begins with two brothers
Sickly Pandu and Dhritarastra, the blind
Weak Pandu goes to the forest
Leaving his throne and kingdom behind

Thus are conceived the five Pandavas
Like golden apples on a dying tree
People who taste those apples realize
Gold never came for free

Also are born the revered Kauravas
As skilled as the cruel quintet
Sparks of enmity have begun
Requisites of the fire are set

Strong Bhīma bullies them all
No one matches his might
While the sly Dharma watches
As Suyodhana loses the fight

Time has passed, tables have turned
The rightful Kauravas have got the throne
The envious Pandavas are plotting
But their evil plan is unknown

Manipulations have worked
Strings have been pulled
Pandavas now have half the kingdom
Which the Kauravas earlier ruled

Peaceful Kauravas want their kingdom back

So they arrange a fair game of dice
Dharma agrees to play, ironically
With a heart stained with vice

He stakes his kingdom
He loses it all
He stakes his palace
Even that is gone

The cruel man has lost everything
Everything but his faithful wife
Greed becomes so dominating
That he even stakes her free life

To teach Dharma a lesson

Suyodhana makes Draupadi dance
The haughty princess blames Dharma
For playing the risky game of chance

-Mangesh Gawankar