Mayuri (wife of Duryodhana)

Mayuri
File:The another spouse of Duryodhan, described to the fairest of all.jpg An illustration of Mayuri
Information
Affiliation	Kuru Queen
Family	Vasantraja (father), Vaishali (mother), Matrasena (brother) Shweta, Lata, Sudeshnavati, Indumati (sisters), Bhanumati(so called sister)
Spouse	Duryodhana
Children	Lakshmanaa and Laxman Kumara
Home	Trilokapura (by birth), Hastinapura (By marriage)

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 Vrushali, Karna's wife.

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.She is the only one who understands Bhanumati's problems.

Information

She is mentioned in the Shanti Parva about her marriage and kidnappings and in Stri Parva Mayuri and Bhanumatilose Duryodhana. After the death of Duryodhana, Mayuri and Bhanumati, together being sisters, 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 Vasantraja'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 Vasantraja of [[Trilokapura (Mahabharata)|Trilokapura]. 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.

In the Mahabharata

She was described by her mother-in-law Gandhari,Duryodhana loved his wife Mayuri so much. Duryodhana and Mayuri had two children: Laxman Kumara and Lakshmana. 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 Trilokapura, The Daughter of Vasantraja and Vaishali, the woman who was sorrowing for her husband, Duryodhana, the woman who committed Sati with Bhanumati 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 and "Bhanumateshwari" for Bhanumati. 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 Bhanumati, 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.

Relation with Bhanumati

She had cordial relations with the another or last wife of Duryodhana, Bhanumati. Her loyalty can be described to Karna, sometimes and Mayuri and Bhanumati had a love-relationship with Duryodhana, she used to never fight with anyone for small reasons. Her behaviour was extremely good with Bhanumati (wife of Duryodhana). Generally, Mayuri is not the sister of Bhanumati, but she used to care about Bhanumati as a elder one. As Mayuri had many siblings, she included Bhanumati as a so- called sister. Her adjustment with Karna was a complex, and Mayuri, Bhanumati, the wives of Duryodhana, became his friends.

Mayuri was also a friend of Duhsala, her husband, Duryodhana's sister. Since, Mayuri was her sister-in-law, Dushala used to call her,"Didi" in respect, means a big sister. Mayuri and Bhanumati had also respect to Jayadratha, Dushala's husband. Most of the stories say she is one of the most arrogant lady in Mahabharat but she acted like Duryodhana after his death.

In popular culture

• Arshin Mehta played Mayuri in Mahabharat Katha
• Sangeeta Sharma played Mayuri in Suryaputra Karn.
• Aparna Deshmukh played Mayuri in the serial Draupadi.
• Manali Shah portrayed Mayuri in Karn Sangini.