The stories of Mahabharata have fascinated us since childhood. Known for his arrogance and unrighteousness, Duryodhana was the main reason for the great Mahabharata war. His arrogance and unjust actions led to the destruction of the Kaurava clan. The war created animosity between the brothers and eventually led to the death of Duryodhana. He was defeated by Bhima, who stabbed him in the thigh on the battlefield, leading to his death. Lord Krishna played a key role in this epic war. Interestingly, in his last moments, Duryodhana repeatedly showed three fingers to Lord Krishna. Let us understand the meaning behind this gesture and the three mistakes that Duryodhana confessed to on his deathbed.

Three mistakes of Duryodhana

1. Not choosing Lord Krishna

The first mistake of Duryodhana was to give priority to Lord Krishna's Narayani Sena instead of Krishna. When given the choice between Krishna or his army, Duryodhana chose his army. On his deathbed, he confessed to Krishna that if he had chosen him instead of the army, the result of the war could have been different, and he could have been victorious.

2. Ignoring his mother's advice
Mata Gandhari's husband i.e. Duryodhana's father Dhritarashtra was blind and due to this Mata Gandhari also blindfolded herself and lived like a blind person. She prepared to protect Duryodhana with her divine energy. She asked him to appear before her without clothes so that her sight would make his body invincible. However, Krishna intervened and advised Duryodhana to wear a loincloth, as he found it inappropriate to stand naked before his mother. As a result, only the areas covered with clothes remained vulnerable. Bhima took advantage of this weakness and attacked Duryodhana's thigh, causing his collapse.

3. Delaying his participation in the war
Duryodhana admitted that his third mistake was delaying his active participation in the war. He believed that if he had joined the war earlier, the situation could have been different.

Krishna's Insight
After hearing Duryodhana's confession, Lord Krishna revealed the truth: these three mistakes were not the real reason for his defeat. Krishna explained that Duryodhana's ego, unrighteousness and support of adharma (unjust actions) were the real reasons for his downfall.

This story of Mahabharata highlights the consequences of ego, selfishness and disregard for righteousness, giving us eternal lessons about humility and honesty.