Palace of Illusions
“A magical palace. A foolish visitor. The jealousy that would burn the world.”
Story Summary
After the burning of Khandava forest, Maya, the divine architect, approaches Arjuna with gratitude for saving his life. To repay the debt, Maya offers to build a magnificent assembly hall for the Pandavas—a palace unlike any on Earth, filled with magical illusions that make walls appear as doorways and floors as pools of water. The palace rises at Indraprastha, a testament to the Pandavas' prosperity. When Duryodhana visits for the inauguration, his pride and envy lead to a series of humiliating mistakes—walking into walls, falling into pools he thought were floors. Draupadi's laughter at his misfortune wounds his pride deeply. Duryodhana returns to Hastinapura consumed by a burning jealousy that will set in motion events leading to the great war.