The Mahabharata Read online

  It took a lot of courage to offer a suggestion like this openly, but Vidura was sure of his stand, and saw that Sakuni was practising some subtle deceit. “Those who collect honey after ascending giddy heights never notice that they are about to step off the precipice at their back,” continued Vidura. “O King, you have enough wealth, you do not have to earn by gambling…. The Pandavas themselves won to your side could prove to be your greatest wealth. You will not need anything more. Dismiss Sakuni at once, let him go back to his country. Don’t carry on this contest with the Pandavas….”

  Duryodhana was annoyed at this advice and said, “Vidura, you have always been a champion of our enemies and have detested the sons of Dhritarashtra, to whom you owe your food and shelter. I only follow my conscience, which tells me to do this or that, and I see nothing wrong in it. You follow your conscience and I will follow mine, even if it takes me down to perdition. If we do not suit your temperament, go away wherever you please.”

  Vidura turned to the old King. “All right, I will leave now,” he stated. “You are fickle minded and partial to this jackal in your family. You think that your sons are your well-wishers, and if you wish to follow them to your doom, I can’t prevent you. Any advice I give will be like a medicine rejected by a diseased man, a man who is dying….” But after saying this, he stayed on, not having the heart to abandon the old King to his fate. Dhritarashtra remained silent.

  Yudhistira looked around and, pointing to his youngest brother, Nakula, who was standing behind him, said, “He is the brother I adore; he is my wealth….”

  “I win,” declared Sakuni, and beckoned Nakula to walk over to his side. There was hardly any pause before Yudhistira turned to point at Sahadeva next and said, “Sahadeva is the most learned and wise youth, whose knowledge of justice in all the worlds… ”

  “I win,” said Sakuni, and Sahadeva was summoned to cross over to the winner’s side. Sakuni eyed the remaining two brothers and added slyly, “Bhima and Arjuna, they are your mother’s sons, while those two are only your stepmother Madri’s sons, whom you could afford to stake away….” Yudhistira’s anger rose at this insinuation, and he cried, “How your evil mind works! You are trying to impute partiality to me, and bring a division amongst us….”

  Sakuni responded with a great deal of humility, and with a bow, “Forgive me, O King, you know when carried away by his success a gambler is likely to rant whatever comes to his mind, words which one would not dare to speak even in a dream. Forgive my levity….”

  Yudhistira pointed at Arjuna and declared, “Here is the one, perhaps the greatest hero, who should not be staked, but I will. Let us see… ”

  “I win,” Sakuni said again, and added, “Now, any one left?” Looking at Bhima, he caressed the dice between his fingers.

  Yudhistira rose to the occasion. “Yes, I will now stake Bhimasena, wielder of the thunderbolt, who has no equal in strength, a pulveriser of foes… ”

  “I win,” said Sakuni and asked, “Is there anything or any one you have not lost?”

  With the dice poised and ready, Yudhistira replied, “I alone am still not won. I will stake myself and do whatever is to be done by one lost to you.”

  Again came the words, “I win.” Sakuni said now, “Only the Princess of Panchala is left; will she not feel lonely with all her husbands gone suddenly in this manner?”

  Yudhistira, having lost his judgement completely, replied, “Yes, that sounds reasonable. Panchali is like the goddess Lakshmi, the spouse of Lord Vishnu at Vaikunta,” and then he launched into a lengthy description of her. “She is the goddess Lakshmi herself in stature, grace, and complexion; eyes like lotus petals; a woman who is an ideal wife to guide, serve, and sustain a man at all times. Oh! Suvala*, with her our luck will now turn and we will win back every bit we have lost so far…. She is our symbol of luck and prosperity, now I will stake her….”

  When Yudhistira said this, there was an outcry of protest in the assembly. Vidura hung down his head, unable to bear the spectacle. Dussasana and Karna laughed derisively. Dhritarashtra, alternating between righteous conduct and bias towards his son, could not contain himself, but eagerly asked, “Has she been won, has she been won?” He heard the dice roll and Sakuni say with gusto, “Yes, Maharaja, I have won….”

  Duryodhana jumped up and embraced his uncle in sheer joy and cried, “You are… you are a master, a great master indeed. None your equal in the seven worlds….” Then he turned to Vidura and commanded, “Go, get that beloved wife of the Pandavas. Let her learn her duties as a sweeper of the chambers of noble men, and how to wait on their pleasure…. Go, bring her….”

  Vidura was infuriated and replied, “You jackal in human form, don’t talk. You are provoking the tigers. When destruction begins, it will be total, caused by you and your indulgent, thoughtless father. Even now it is not too late… don’t utter such irresponsible, sinful words….”

  Duryodhana turned to an attendant. “This Vidura has lost his sense and is raving. He does not like us; he is the jackal in our midst. You go and tell Panchali that she is no longer a princess but a slave won by us and that we command her to come hither, without a moment’s delay….”

  The attendant hurried on to Draupadi’s chambers and conveyed the message apologetically. In a short while he returned. “She has asked me to bring back an answer to this question, ‘Whom did Yudhistira lose first, me or himself? Whose lord were you at the time you lost me?’” He addressed the question to Yudhistira, who looked at the floor, unable to face anyone.

  At this moment Duryodhana ordered, “Let her first come, and then put the question to her late lord herself; and the assembly shall hear the words that pass between them.” The messenger went to Draupadi and again came back without her. Duryodhana asked him to go out a third time. When this attendant hesitated, he turned to his brother Dussasana and said, “Perhaps this fellow is a coward, afraid of this ruffian, Bhimasena, but he doesn’t know he can do nothing now, being our slave…. Go and bring her without a moment’s delay. She has no right to question and dawdle. She is a puppet for us to handle. Go and bring her here.”

  When Dussasana appeared, Draupadi said again, “I must have an answer to my question. Did Yudhistira lose me before or after he lost himself?”

  “What is that to you?” asked Dussasana.

  She replied, “If he had lost himself first, he could have no right to stake me, and so… ”

  “Stop your argument. Will you follow me to the assembly or not?” As he approached her, she shrank back saying, “I cannot come before any one today… I am in the woman’s month… I am clad in a single wrap… go away….” She tried to escape him by attempting to run into the women’s apartments. Dussasana sprang on her, seized her by the hair, and dragged her along to the assembly hall….

  “I am in my monthly period… clad in a single piece….”

  ‘Whether in your season or out of it, or clad in one piece or none, we don’t care. We have won you by fair means and you are our slave….’

  With her tresses and sari in disarray through Dussasana’s rude handling, Draupadi looked piteous as she stood in the centre of that vast assembly facing the elders and guests. “This is monstrous,” she cried. “Is morality gone? Or else how can you be looking on this atrocity? There are my husbands—five, not one as for others—and they look paralysed! While I hoped Bhima alone could crush with his thumb the perpetrators of this horrible act, I do not understand why they stand there transfixed, speechless and like imbeciles….”

  Karna, Dussasana, and Sakuni laughed at her and uttered jokes and also called her “slave” several times. She looked at their family elder, Bhishma, pleadingly and he said, “O daughter of Drupada, the question of morality is difficult to answer. Yudhistira voluntarily entered the dice game and voluntarily offered the stakes. Sakuni is a subtle player, but Yudhistira went on recklessly. I am unable to decide on the question you have raised. While he played and staked out of his own free will, we can have
nothing to say, as long as he was the master, but after he had lost himself, how far could he have the authority to stake his wife? On the other hand, a husband may have the absolute right to dispose of his wife in any manner he pleases, even if he has become a pauper and a slave…. I am unable to decide this issue….”

  Draupadi was undaunted. “How can you say that he voluntarily entered this evil game? Everyone knew that the King had no skill, but he was inveigled into facing a cunning gambler like Sakuni. How can you say that he played voluntarily, or that the staking was voluntary? He was involved and compelled and lost his sense. He acted like one drugged and dragged. Again, I ask the mighty minds assembled here, when he put up his stake, did anyone notice whether the other side put up a matching stake? Did Duryodhana offer his wife or his brothers? This has all been one-sided. The deceitful player knows he can twist the dice to his own advantage and so does not have to offer a matching stake. Yudhistira in his magnanimity never even noticed this lapse. All wise minds gathered here, saintly men, equal to Brihaspathi in wisdom, you elders and kinsmen of the Kauravas, reflect on my words and judge, answer the points I have raised here… ’ Saying this, she broke down and wept.

  Bhima, who had stood silently till now, burst out, “Yudhistira, there have been other gamblers in this world, thousands of them. Even the worst among them never thought of staking a woman, but you have excelled others in this respect. You have staked all the women in our service, and also your wife, without a thought. I did not mind your losing all the precious wealth and gems we had, but what you have done to this innocent creature! Looking at her plight now, O brother, I want to burn those hands of yours…. Sahadeva, bring some fire. I shall scorch those hands diseased with gambling. Or give me leave to smash these monsters… ”

  Arjuna placated Bhima. “When you talk thus, you actually fulfil the aim of our enemies, who would have us discard our eldest brother. Yudhistira responded to the summons to play dice, much against his will.”

  Bhima answered rather grimly, “Yes, I know it. If I hadn’t thought that the King had acted according to kshatriya usage, I would myself have seized his hands and thrust them into fire.”

  Seeing the distress of the Pandavas and of Draupadi, Vikarna, one of the younger sons of Dhritarashtra, said, “This unfortunate person has asked a question which has not been answered. Bhishma, Drona, Dhritarashtra, and even Vidura turn away and remain silent. Will no one give an answer?” He paused and looked around and repeated Draupadi’s question, but no one spoke. Finally he said, “Whether you Kings of the earth answer or not, I will speak out my mind. It has been said that drinking, gambling, hunting, and the enjoyment of women in excess will bring down a king, however well protected and strong he might be. People should not attach any value or authority to acts done by anyone under the intoxication of wine, women, or dice. This rare being, Yudhistira, engaged himself in an unwholesome game, steeped himself in it, staked everything—including Draupadi—at the instigation of the wily Sakuni. She is the common wife of the other four also, and the King had first lost himself and then staked her. Reflecting on these things, I declare that Draupadi has not been won at all.’ A loud applause resounded through the hall and his supporters cursed Sakuni aloud.

  At this point, Karna stood up and motioned everyone to remain quiet. “This Vikarna is an immature youth, not fit to address an august assembly of elders. It is not for him to tell us what is right or wrong, the presumptuous fellow! Yudhistira gambled and staked with his eyes wide open. Don’t consider him an innocent simpleton, he knew what he was doing. He knew when he staked Draupadi, he was offering his wife. Whatever has been won has been won justly. Here take off the princely robes on those brothers. Moreover, what woman in any world would take five husbands? What does one call the like of her? I will unhesitatingly call her a whore. To bring her here, whatever her state, is no sin or act that should cause surprise. You, Yudhistira and the rest, take off your princely robes and come aside.”

  At this order, the Pandavas took off their coats and gowns and threw them down and stood in their loincloths. Duryodhana ordered, “Disrobe her too….”

  Dussasana seized Draupadi’s sari and began to pull it off. She cried, “My husbands, warrior husbands, elders look on helplessly. Oh God, I can expect no help from any of you….” As Dussasana went on tugging at her dress, she cried, “O God Krishna! Incarnation of Vishnu, Hari, help me.” In a state of total surrender to God’s will, she let go her sari with her hands raised to cover her face, eyes shut in deep meditation.

  The god responded. As one piece of garment was unwound and pulled off, another appeared in its place, and another, and another, endlessly. Dussasana withdrew in fatigue, as a huge mass of cloth unwound from Draupadi’s body lay in a heap on one side. But her original sari was still on her.

  Everyone was moved by this miracle and cursed Duryodhana. Bhima loudly swore, “If I do not tear open this wretch’s chest someday in battle and quaff his blood… ”

  When the novelty of the miracle wore off, the Kauravas engaged themselves again in bantering and baiting their victims. Duryodhana said, “Let the younger Pandava brothers swear here and now that they will not respect Yudhistira’s commands any more. Then we will set Panchali free.”

  Bhimasena cried, “If Yudhistira commands me, I will slay you all with my bare hands. I don’t need a sword to deal with rats.”

  Duryodhana bared his thigh and gestured to Draupadi to come to his lap. This maddened Bhimasena and he swore at that moment, “If I do not smash that thigh into a pulp some day… ” The Kauravas all laughed.

  Karna said, “O beautiful one, those ex-lords have no more right over you; slaves can have no rights. Now go into the inner chambers and begin your servitude as we direct….”

  Finally, Vidura said to Dhritarashtra, “Stop all this mean talk, O King. Although they stand here apparently in misery, they have the protection of God.”

  Dhritarashtra felt repentant, summoned Draupadi, and said, “Daughter, even in this trial you have stood undaunted, holding on to virtue. Please ask for any favour and I will grant it.”

  Promptly Panchali said, “Please free Yudhistira from slavery.”

  “Granted,” said Dhritarashtra, and since he was in a boon-granting mood, he added, “Ask for another boon.”

  “Let all his brothers be freed.”

  “Granted,” the king replied. “Now you may ask for a third boon.”

  “I do not want anything more.”

  Dhritarashtra turned to his nephew. “Yudhistira, you may take back all that you have lost—wealth, status, and kingdom. Now speed back to Indraprastha and rule in peace. Don’t have any ill will for your cousins. Don’t forget that you are all of one family. Go away in peace.”

  Presently the five brothers and Draupadi got into their chariots and started back for Indraprastha.

  After they were gone, Duryodhana, Sakuni, and Karna held a consultation among themselves. Karna said, “The brothers have been saved by the woman’s intercession—the shameless creature; it is not safe to let them go free like this. We will be attacked as soon as they find the time to sit and brood on all that has happened.”

  Duryodhana once again got the ear of his old father. “You have undone everything… everything. We carefully trapped the cobra and its family, but before the fangs could be pulled out, you have removed the lid of the basket and let them loose. Don’t imagine they will be gone; they will come back to finish us.”

  “What parable is this?” asked the old King, puzzled. Duryodhana explained, “Your nephews, who are such favourites of yours, are on their way to Indraprastha, their glamorous capital. Tomorrow at this time they will reach it. A day after this time they will be starting back with their forces, their allied forces, and all the satellites hanging on their favours, and will come back here in double-quick time and fall on us. We shall have no time to rally our forces or protect ourselves in any manner. Yudhistira’s mind is too complex for us to understand. He will have ma
de up his mind to regain his dignity, and you heard what that mound of flesh, Bhimasena, has promised to do to us….”

  As he went on, the picture became so terrifying that the old King cried, “What shall we do now?”

  “Call them back for another game, and this time they shall finally be dealt with. Get them back before they reach Indraprastha. Once they are on their soil, they may not care for your summons. Let your fastest courier fly to them. This time they shall be dealt with satisfactorily….”

  “How?”

  “You don’t have to bother about all those details. Leave it to us. Uncle Sakuni will manage. Only employ your authority to get them back here in the quickest time.”

  The King immediately dispatched a messenger to summon Yudhistira and his party back to Hastinapura. Learning of this decision, Gandhari, his wife wailed, “When Duryodhana was born, he howled ominously, like a jackal, and the seer Vidura advised, ‘Throw away this child and let him perish; otherwise our entire dynasty will be destroyed when he grows up….’ Now I understand what he meant. O King, ignore this son or cast him away and save our race. Don’t join in his malicious plans, don’t be the cause of the destruction of our race.”

  Dhritarashtra just said, “If our race is destined to be destroyed, how can I or anyone prevent it? I cannot displease my sons. Let the Pandavas return and resume the game.”

  The messenger reached Yudhistira when he had gone halfway to Indraprastha. “The King, your royal. uncle, wants me to say, ‘The assembly is ready again, O Yudhistira, son of Pandu, come and cast the dice.’”

  Yudhistira thought it over, and looked at his brothers and wife, who stood speechless, unable to comment. He was always their leader and they could make no decisions. Yudhistira said, “What God wills we cannot avoid. It is the King’s summons again. I must go back and play….” Impelled by the gambler’s inescapable instinct to try a last chance, he turned his chariot round and drove back to Hastinapura.