Before the final mace (gada) battle between Duryodhana and Bhima in the Mahabharata, Duryodhana visits his mother, Gandhari, to take her blessings. Gandhari decides to remove her blindfold and open her eyes so that the energy from her eyes would provide Duryodhana with a special power. It will make his body hard as a diamond so that Bhima cannot kill her eldest and only remaining son. She asks him to go and take bath and appear stark naked before her.
Desperate to get all the power before the most important battle in his life, Duryodhana took bath and made his way back to his mother.
But suddenly Krishna appeared in front of him and ridiculed him for walking naked.
When Duryodhana told Krishna that he was going to meet his mother, Krishna told him that he was no longer a child and it is inappropriate to go before her naked.
Krishna asked Duryodhana to cover his waist and thighs with banana leaves.
Duryodhana, who was embarrassed, took the advice of Sri Krishna and covered his waist and thighs.
He then appeared before his mother.
Gandhari took off her blindfold and saw her son for the first time in her life.
As her eyes fell upon him, Duryodhana felt a wave of energy passing through his body. He felt his strength increasing manifold.
Gandhari’s eyes made their way down her son’s body but she was surprised to see him covering his waist and thighs with banana leaves.
Gandhari was angry and sad to see her son covering his waist and thighs. She told him that she had asked him to come naked so that she could have made him invincible. Now the covered portion of his body will be vulnerable.
She then closed her eyes and blindfolded herself again.
Later, Bhima killed Duryodhana by striking with the mace on his waist and thighs.
Related
Story on Why Gandhari Lost Her Hundred Sons in the Mahabharata
Related
Story on Why Gandhari Lost Her Hundred Sons in the Mahabharata