Yuyutsu - the Kaurava Who Sided with the Pandavas

The news of the birth of Yudhishthira, the eldest son of Pandu and Kunti, made Dhritarashtra, the King of Hastinapur restless. 

He poured his heart out to his charioteer, Sanjaya, who was more than a charioteer. He was the king’s mentor, counsellor, and closest friend, all rolled into one.

“Would this mean Yudhisthira gets the first right to the throne of Hastinapur, Sanjaya?”

“Why are you worrying about something that is still many years away, my king?”

“You don’t and never will understand what it is to have a handicap,” replied the king, in a chagrined voice. “Thanks to my blindness, my younger brother, Pandu, was made king. Only when Pandu went into self-exile was I placed on the throne, and that too, only as a Regent. Bhishma, our grandsire, keeps the primary control. I fear this secondary treatment will pass on to my sons.”

“Don’t worry, King Dhritarashtra. Queen Gandhari is holding 100 sons in her womb, thanks to Sage Vyasa’s boon. Your wish for an heir will soon be fulfilled.”

“But why is it taking so long? Gandhari and Kunti conceived around the same time, and yet Pandu’s son is already born, and we are still waiting. I am getting restless, Sanjaya.”

“So, you don’t believe Sage Vyasa’s boon will come true, my dear husband?” Gandhari, who wore a blindfold permanently so that she could share the darkness of life with her husband, quipped as she walked into the room, helped by two maids.

Sanjaya got up, took over from Gandhari’s maids, and helped the queen to her seat, close to King Dhritarashtra. The maids then left the room.

The king held his wife’s hand and said, “No, my dear, I don’t doubt the words of the wise sage at all. I just don’t know how to handle my impatience and restlessness.”

Gandhari said smilingly, “Maybe you need a distraction!”

At this point, Sanjaya took leave of his king and queen, giving them the privacy they were seeking.

“What kind of distraction?”

“Well, another woman, perhaps?”

“What rubbish! I don’t need that, Gandhari.”

“Yes, you do! I can do nothing but wait until Sage Vyasa’s boon materializes, and I deliver our children. But I understand your impatience. My maid, Sughada, is keen on having a Kshatriya son. She is a good woman, too. The child born to her would be mine as much as yours. He might be the eldest Kaurava you seek so much!”

Dhritarashtra didn’t reply, and simply stared unseeing at the floor beneath his feet. 

“I will take the silence as your approval. I will send Sughada to you right away.”

And so, Yuyutsu, the half-sibling of the 100 Kaurava brothers and the lone sister, Dushala, was conceived. He was born on the same day as his half-brothers. Gandhari, true to her word, treated Yuyutsu as her own. He also trained under Guru Dronacharya, the revered teacher of the Kuru clan. 

However, Yuyutsu felt more attracted to the Pandavas than to his half-brothers. He sided with the five cousins right from their student days. 

One day, he overheard Duryodhana, the eldest Kaurava’s plan to poison Bhima, the powerfully brawny third Pandava, and throw him into the river. He revealed this plan to the Pandavas, who were able to save Bhima from certain death. 

When Vidura, Hastinapur’s trusted prime minister (and half-brother of Pandu and Dhritarashtra), heard of this incident, he appointed Yuyutsu as his informer. Yuyutsu would report everything the Kauravas discussed and planned to Vidura. 

Childhood matured to youth, and the animosity between the cousins only deepened. The feuds were endless. The Kuru elders were flummoxed, wondering how the inheritance issue would be solved.

When Yudhisthira lost Draupadi, his wife, to Duryodhana in the infamous dice game, she was dragged to court and insulted in public. Dushasana, one of the Kauravas, even tried to disrobe her, claiming that she was now their slave, and they could do what they pleased with her.

Yuyutsu was furious, first with Yudhisthira for wagering his wife, and then with his half-brothers, and then the elders of Hastinapura’s court, who watched the horrendous spectacle without lifting a finger to stop it. He openly opposed his brothers’ unforgivable behaviour and fought on behalf of Draupadi, an act that even her five brave husbands did not have the courage to do at that point in time.

Slowly but surely, the seemingly childish animosity between the Pandavas and Kauravas snowballed into the full-fledged 18-day, bloody Mahabharata war. It was called the Dharma War and all the warriors and soldiers were free to choose their side, according to their inner calling. 

Expectedly, Yuyutsu decided to cross over and fight for the Pandavas. The day before he announced his choice, he went to meet Gandhari. 

“Come, my son.” She hugged and welcomed him warmly. He hugged her back joyfully, and in the comfort of her loving embrace, Yuyutsu experienced a moment of hesitation. “Am I doing the right thing? Should I not stay on her side? Would it not be a betrayal to fight against the sons of this compassionate mother?”

“Have you come to take my blessings?”

“Yes, mother. But, you may not like what I have to say,” replied Yuyutsu, his voice clearly reflecting feelings of uncertainty and anxiety.

“I am your mother. I can sense your apprehensions from your mere presence. So, don’t worry. Go ahead and empty your worries in your mother’s lap.”

Yuyutsu sat at Gandhari’s feet like a child, hugging her knees and laying his head on her lap. She ran her hands gently through his hair. 

“I am sorry, mother. But I am siding with the Pandavas in the upcoming war.”

“I knew you would, Yuyutsu. I may be blind, but I keep track of all my children and know what is happening with each of you. I am not upset with your decision. You must do what your heart tells you to. Maybe your decision might be the saving grace for the Kaurava side.”

“You will, one day. Go Yuyutsu. You have my blessings! You will remain unharmed in the war, regardless of the outcome.”

The gory, bloody war ended with the victory of the Pandavas. When Yuyutsu witnessed the senseless destruction and battlefield stained with the blood of thousands and thousands of slain warriors and heard the pitiful wails of widowed women and orphaned children, he wondered if it can be a victory. He was the only surviving Kaurava. He understood the purport of his mother’s words when she cursed Krishna for being responsible for the death of all but one of her sons. 

He was joined by Yudhishthira as he watched the horrific scenes on the battlefield. 

“What are you thinking?”

“I am wondering if it would have been better for me to have fought with my brothers and met the same end as they did. I would have been spared the agony of this heartwrenching scene,” replied Yuyutsu as tears streamed down his face. 

“I have a confession to make, my dear Yuyutsu. Those 13 years in exile opened my eyes like no other. I was no different from Duryodhana before that. I was ambitious, jealous, driven by sensual and physical desires just as much as the Kauravas. During the exile, I was faced with challenges that pushed me to my limits and I was forced to turn inwards for solace.  It was a journey of self-discovery for me.”

“I found the strength to face all my weaknesses without shame and guilt which helped me find ways to overcome these weaknesses. The deeper I dug within myself, the more I purged my mistakes and sins. In fact, if the episode of the Yaksha’s questions had happened at the beginning of the exile, I would have been dead too, like my four younger brothers.”

“It took me a large part of my youth to gain the power of discernment between right and wrong. You, on the other hand, had this power even as a student. You always had the strength to stand up for righteousness. You are and always will be a better man than me, my dear brother. Don't grieve for the consequences of your objective, prudent choices. Come, let us rebuild our kingdom. Your expertise is needed there.”

When Yudhishthira became King of Hastinapura, he honoured Yuyutsu by giving him an important post in his court. “You are a part of the Kuru clan and represent the Kauravas. You will always be our brother,” promised Yudhishthira. 

When it was time for the Pandavas to leave their earthly bodies, they named Parikshit, Arjuna’s grandson, and Abhimanyu’s son, heir to the throne of Hastinapur. Yudhishthira made Yuyutsu the supervisor of the kingdom until Parikshit was old enough to take the responsibility entirely on his shoulders.