Shakuni : The king of Kandhara

Shakuni is one of the most important key player and main antagonist in Hindu epic Mahabharat.  Infect Shakuni was the character who ignite the fire of hate and rivalry in Dhuryodhan’s heart. Shakuni was the prince of Ghandhar kingdom and Ghandhari was his sister. Dhuryodhan was the eldest son of Ghandhari and Dhritrastra hence Shakuni was maternal uncle of prince Dhuryodhan.

Shakuni was born in Ghandhar and his father’s name was Subala who was king of Ghandhar. Uluka and Vrikaasur were two sons of Shakuni.  Shakuni and his whole family was great devotee of lord shiva. There are several stories behind why Shakuni hate Hastinapur kingdom specially Bhishma.  Bhishma was the chief mentor of Hastinapur.

Shakuni Mama

According to Hindu Epic Mahabharat Dhritrastra was the king of Hastinapur and he was blind by birth and there were lot of difficulties for his marriage due to this problem. Meanwhile Bhishma bring the marriage proposal of blind king Dhritrastra for shiv devotee and Shakuni’s sister Ghandhari. Ghandhari was agreeing for this proposal but Shakuni was unhappy with his sister Ghandhari’s marriage to blind king. This whole incident made a wrong and deep mark in Shakuni’s heart and Shakuni promised himself to destroy Hastinapur and Bhishma as well.

After entering in Hastinapur Palace Shakuni start poisoning his nephew Dhuryodhana’s mind. Shakuni had always a keen intention how to generate differences between Pandavas and kaurava. Pandavas were cousin of Kaurava. Shakuni had deep disrespect for Pandavas.  He took wrong advantage of Dhuryodhana’s ambitions. He tried several schemes to kill Pandavas but every time Pandavas saved their selves due to scholar Vidur and Bhishma.

Shakuni advised Dhuryodhana to mix poison in Bhim’s food, he hire Purochana to kill Pandavas in burning house he indirectly forced hermit Dhurvasa to curse Pandavas.  Shakuni never leave any single trick to kill Pandavas  but every time he failed due to some reasons.

Finally Shakuni convinced Yudhisthir and Dhuryodhana for a game of dice. Shakuni was the master in the game of dice.Shakuni got boon from his father that he will never defeated by anyone in dice. Shakuni took part in dice game from the behalf of Dhuryodhana. This game is the most dramatic part of Mahabharat which led the foundation of war. Yudhisthir who took participate in dice game from Pandavas sidelost everything to Dhuryodhana even himself and his wife with his four other brothers. Other punishments for that defeat were twelve year of exile and one year of disguise.

After coming from exile and disguise Yudhisthir demanded his kingdom from Dhuryodhana but he refused. Finally Mahabharat take place due to Dhuryodhana’s intransigence.  Shakuni was the person who every time changed and divert the mind of Dhuryodhana by dreaming him to become king of Hastinapur.  Due to Shakuni’s deceptive schemes, war of Mahabharat was occurring in the battle field of Kurushetra.

Shakuni knew Pandavas are more powerful in comparison of Kauravas so he tried to convince kings of other kingdoms to fight with their side.During Kurushetra war Shakuni killed Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu by breaking war rules. Shakuni was master in martial art too. He fought bravely in battle field. On the eighteenth day of Kurukshetra war Shakuni was killed by youngest brother of Pandava’s Sahadeva.