Mayuri (wife of Duryodhana)

Mayuri also known as Mayurī is the wife of Duryodhana and mother of Laxman Kumara and Lakshmanaa in folklores. She is one of the antagonists of the epic Mahabharata and she is the daughter in law of Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. She is a good friend of Supriya, Karna's second wife.

Mayuri
An illustration of Mayuri
Information
Affiliation	Kuru Queen
Family	Chitrangada (father), Vaishali (mother), Matrasena (brother), Shweta, Lata, Mridula (sisters)
Spouse	Duryodhana
Children	Lakshmanaa and Laxman Kumara
Home	Kalinga (by birth), Hastinapura (By marriage)

Mayuri is a prominent character in the epic Mahabharata. She is known basically as the wife of Duryodhana. She is the only one who is a mother Laxman Kumara and his sister Lakshmanaa. In the Mahabharata, Duryodhana's wife is mentioned four or five times, the complexion of beauty, and she was a Maharani of Hastinapura, capital of the Kuru Kingdom.

Information

She is mentioned in the Shanti Parva about her marriage and kidnappings and in Stri Parva Mayuri lose Duryodhana. After the death of Duryodhana, Mayuri committed Sati.

Marriage of Duryodhana and Mayuri

Story

Duryodhana's marriage is found in the Shanti Parva of Mahabharata. The tale of the Swayamvar of Chitrangada's daughter is narrated by Narada, the god sage. The text never mentions the name of the princess but states that she is fair and beautiful.

Duryodhana was invited to the Svayamvara of the daughter of King Chitrangada of Kalinga. Duryodhana went to the city of Rajapura, taking along his dear friend Karna. Many legendary rulers like Shishupala, Jarasandha, Bhishmaka, Vakra, Kapotaroman, Nila, Rukmi, Sringa, Asoka, Satadhanwan etc. attended the ceremony. After the commencing of the ceremony, the lovely princess entered the arena with a garland in her hand, surrounded by her nursemaid and bodyguards. As she was being informed about the names of the participants & their lineage, she walked away from Duryodhana. Duryodhana refuses to accept her rejection and already smitten by the princess, took her away on his chariot challenging other suitors to beat him & Karna. Karna successfully battled with the rest of the suitors to protect his friend. Karna easily defeated the pursuing Kings and the other royal suitors abandoned their pursuit after seeing Karna's fighting prowess. On reaching Hastinapur, Duryodhana justified his act by giving the example of his great grandfather Bhishma abducting three princesses of Kashi for his stepbrother, Vichitravirya. Finally, the fair lady consented and married Duryodhana.

Mayuri's story end with Gandhari's mentions after Duryodhana's death. In the Mahabharata, it is never mentioned if she married another man.

King Chitrangada had held a Swayamvara in which warriors like Duryodhana, Karna, Veerasena, Ashwayudha, and many other warriors were invited. The princes began to laugh at Duryodhana and thought that Princess Mayuri will only put the garland on them. The princess came with a beautiful garland in her hand and was choosing a man who will be suitable for her but when she came to Duryodhana, she refused to marry him. Duryodhana refused to accept her rejection and forcefully held her hands and put the garland in his neck and kidnapped her. All the prince's were about to attack him but Karna said to Duryodhana that I'll handle these warriors and so on, after defeating the princes, Karna and Duryodhana came on the chariot and took Princess Mayuri to Hastinapura and the poor princess accepted to marry Duryodhana. Their marriage was celebrated with Peace and Harmony.

In the Mahabharata

She was described by her mother-in-law Gandhari,Duryodhana loved his wife Mayuri so much. Laxman Kumara's main mother is considered as Mayuri. Gandhari describes her daughter in law to Krishna,

Behold, the beloved wife of Duryodhana and mother of Lakshmanaa and Laxman Kumara, the Queen of Hastinapura, the woman who was with her friend, Vrushali, who is the beautiful princess of Kalinga, The Daughter of Chitrangada and Vaishali, the woman who was sorrowing for her husband, Duryodhana, the woman who committed Sati and who mourned for her husband and son who died during the war, Mayuri fell on her heroic spouse, Duryodhana's breast, the king of Hastinapura

— Gandhari, Translated By Kisari Mohan Ganguli

Lakshmanaa's Swayamvara

At the time of Lakshmanā's marriage, her father Duryodhana held a Swayamvara and invited many princes. Samba heard this and wanted to marry Lakshmanā. Duryodhana eventually invited him also. Lakshmanaa came with a beautiful garland in her hand and came to choose her husband, but when she saw Samba he kidnapped her from her Svayamvara.

Her beauty was immense for Duryodhana and so he had kidnapped her. Karna also was with Duryodhana but as he died, she had commited sati and so Lakshmanaa, their daughter, too commited sati as her husband, Samba, was dead. In Kerala, Mayuri is given the title "Mayureshwari" for Mayuri is worshipped with Duryodhana. In the Yakshagana plays, Duryodhana is played and is further referred to some extent as Kondadakuli.

Duryodhan's love

She was a very beautiful girl who a played a role in Duryodhana's life. Karna and Shakuni chose her as a wife of Duryodhana. She had a love on Arjuna but for her father's wish, she didn't marry him and married Duryodhan, the main antagonist of the hindu epic Mahabharata. Mayuri remained silent after the death of Duryodhana, her spouse. But, she cursed Bhima for killing their husband. She was very concern about him till his death. Mayuri, still didn't forget about his memories when Duryodhana was dead peacefully. Mayuri's maids told her about the death of her husband, which was shocking for them. Draupadi consoled Gandhari when Duryodhana died.

Blessing Lakshmanaa and Laxman Kumar

She blessed her son for the Kurukshetra War but he was killed by Abhimanyu, the son of Pandava prince Arjuna and Yadava princess, Subhadra. With the death of her husband, Mayuri mourned for her husband and her son while her daughter was kidnapped in front of Duryodhana which made him angry.

Because of this problem, Duryodhana's wife Mayuri suffered. Kunti consoles her. Mayuri still think for Duryodhana, the love of her life. She was a heart for him (Duryodhana), she had immense and more love for him, some folktales describe that Mayuri, without the recongize for her husband, married Arjuna and became his wife. Some folklores also describe Mayuri, did not marry Arjuna as she was concerned for his death.