One of the key reasons behind the great war of Mahabharata was Duryodhana's arrogance and unrighteousness. On the final day of the war, when Bhima and Duryodhana engaged in a fierce battle, Bhima struck Duryodhana's thigh, leaving him writhing in pain on the battlefield.
As Duryodhana was nearing death, in immense pain, he tried to communicate with Lord Krishna by raising three fingers. Though unable to speak, the three fingers held a deep significance. Duryodhana was pointing out three major mistakes he believed led to his downfall in the war.
- First Mistake: Duryodhana chose to align with Krishna's Narayani army instead of Krishna himself. He believed that had he chosen Krishna's direct support, the outcome of the war could have been different.
- Second Mistake: Duryodhana didn't appear naked before his mother Gandhari. He believed that if he had done so, Bhima wouldn't have been able to kill him, as his mother had granted him a special blessing.
- Third Mistake: Duryodhana joined the war too late. He felt that if he had participated earlier, the situation might have been different, and the result would have favored him.
However, Lord Krishna did not accept Duryodhana's reasoning. This moment symbolizes Duryodhana's arrogance and his inability to accept his mistakes, which ultimately led to his defeat in the great war.