SECTION LXVI
Vaisampayana said,--"Intoxicated with pride, the son of Dhritarashtra
spake,--'Fie on Kshatta! and casting his eyes upon the Pratikamin in
attendance, commanded him, in the midst of all those reverend seniors,
saying,--'Go Pratikamin, and bring you Draupadi hither. Thou hast no
fear from the sons of Pandu. It is Vidura alone that raveth in fear.
Besides, he never wisheth our prosperity!'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Thus commanded, the Pratikamin, who was of the
Suta caste, hearing the words of the king, proceeded with haste, and
entering the abode of the Pandavas, like a dog in a lion's den,
approached the queen of the sons of Pandu. And he said,--'Yudhishthira
having been intoxicated with dice, Duryodhana, O Draupadi, hath won thee.
Come now, therefore, to the abode of Dhritarashtra. I will take thee, O
Yajnaseni, and put you in some menial work.'
Draupadi said,--'Why, O Pratikamin, dost you say so? What prince is
there who playeth staking his wife? The king was certainly intoxicated
with dice. Else, could he not find any other object to stake?'
"The Pratikamin said,--'When he had nothing else to stake, it was then
that Ajatasatru, the son of Pandu, staked thee. The king had first staked
his brothers, then himself, and then thee, O princess.'
"Draupadi said,--'O son of the Suta race, go, and ask that gambler
present in the assembly, whom he hath lost first, himself, or me.
Ascertaining this, come hither, and then take me with thee, O son of the
Suta race.'
Vaisampayana continued,--"The messenger coming back to the assembly told
all present the words of Draupadi. And he spoke unto Yudhishthira sitting
in the midst of the kings, these words,--Draupadi hath asked thee, Whose
lord wert you at the time you lost me in play? Didst you lose thyself
first or me? Yudhishthira, however sat there like one demented and
deprived of reason and gave no answer good or ill to the Suta.
"Duryodhana then said,--'Let the princess of Panchala come hither and put
her question. Let every one hear in this assembly the words that pass
between her and Yudhishthira.'
Vaisampayana continued,--"The messenger, obedient to the command of
Duryodhana, going once again to the palace, himself much distressed, said
unto Draupadi,--'O princess, they that are in the assembly are summoning
thee. It seemeth that the end of the Kauravas is at hand. When
Duryodhana, O princess, is for taking you before the assembly, this
weak-brained king will no longer be able to protect his prosperity.'
"Draupadi said,--'The great ordainer of the world hath, indeed, ordained
so. Happiness and misery pay their court to both the wise and unwise.
Morality, however, it hath been said, is the one highest object in the
world. If cherished, that will certainly dispense blessings to us. Let
not that morality now abandon the Kauravas. Going back to those that are
present in that assembly, repeat these my words consonant with morality.
I am ready to do what those elderly and virtuous persons conversant with
morality will definitely tell me.
Vaisampayana continued,--"The Suta, hearing these words of Yajnaseni,
came back to the assembly and repeated the words of Draupadi. But all sat
with faces downwards, uttering not a word, knowing the eagerness and
resolution of Dhritarashtra's son.
"Yudhishthira, however, O bull of the Bharata race, hearing of
Duryodhana's intentions, sent a trusted messenger unto Draupadi,
directing that although she was attired in one piece of cloth with her
navel itself exposed, in consequence of her season having come, she
should come before her father-in-law weeping bitterly. And that
intelligent messenger, O king, having gone to Draupadi's abode with
speed, informed her of the intentions of Yudhishthira. The illustrious
Pandavas, meanwhile, distressed and sorrowful, and bound by promise,
could not settle what they should do. And casting his eyes upon them,
king Duryodhana, glad at heart, addressed the Suta and said,--'O
Pratikamin, bring her hither. Let the Kauravas answer her question before
her face. The Suta, then, obedient to his commands, but terrified at the
(possible) wrath of the daughter of Drupada, disregarding his reputation
for intelligence, once again said to those that were in the
assembly,--what shall I say unto Krishna?'
"Duryodhana, hearing this, said,--'O Dussasana, this son of my Suta, of
little intelligence, feareth Vrikodara. Therefore, go you thyself and
forcibly bring hither the daughter of Yajnasena, Our enemies at present
are dependent on our will. What can they do thee?' Hearing the command of
his brother, prince Dussasana rose with blood-red eyes, and entering the
abode of those great warriors, spake these words unto the princess,
'Come, come, O Krishna, princess of Panchala, you hast been won by us.
And O you of eyes large as lotus leaves, come now and accept the Kurus
for your lords. Thou hast been won virtuously, come to the assembly.' At
these words, Draupadi, rising up in great affliction, rubbed her pale
face with her hands, and distressed she ran to the place where the ladies
of Dhritarashtra's household were. At this, Dussasana roaring in anger,
ran after her and seized the queen by her locks, so long and blue and
wavy. Alas! those locks that had been sprinkled with water sanctified
with mantras in the great Rajasuya sacrifice, were now forcibly seized by
the son of Dhritarashtra disregarding the prowess of the Pandavas. And
Dussasana dragging Krishna of long long locks unto the presence of the
assembly--as if she were helpless though having powerful protectors--and
pulling at her, made her tremble like the banana plant in a storm. And
dragged by him, with body bent, she faintly cried--'Wretch! it ill
behoveth you to take me before the assembly. My season hath come, and I
am now clad in one piece of attire. But Dussasana dragging Draupadi
forcibly by her black locks while she was praying piteously unto Krishna
and Vishnu who were Narayana and Nara (on earth), said unto her--'Whether
thy season hath come or not, whether you are attired in one piece of
cloth or entirely naked, when you hast been won at dice and made our
slave, you are to live amongst our serving-women as you pleasest."
Vaisampayana continued,--"With hair dishevelled and half her attire
loosened, all the while dragged by Dussasana, the modest Krishna consumed
with anger, faintly said--"In this assembly are persons conversant with
all the branches of learning devoted to the performance of sacrifices and
other rites, and all equal unto Indra, persons some of whom are really my
superiors and others who deserve to be respected as such. I can not stay
before them in this state. O wretch! O you of cruel deeds, drag me not
so. Uncover me not so. The princes (my lords) will not pardon thee, even
if you hast the gods themselves with Indra as your allies. The
illustrious son of Dharma is now bound by the obligations of morality.
Morality, however, is subtle. Those only that are possessed of great
clearness of vision can ascertain it. In speech even I am unwilling to
admit an atom of fault in my lord forgetting his virtues. Thou draggest
me who am in my season before these Kuru heroes. This is truly an
unworthy act. But no one here rebuketh thee. Assuredly, all these are of
the same mind with thee. O fie! Truly hath the virtue of the Bharata
gone! Truly also hath the usage of those acquainted with the Kshatriya
practice disappeared! Else these Kurus in this assembly would never have
looked silently on this act that transgresseth the limits of their
practices. Oh! both Drona and Bhishma have lost their energy, and so also
hath the high-souled Kshatta, and so also this king. Else, why do these
foremost of the Kuru elders look silently on this great crime?"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Thus did Krishna of slender waist cry in
distress in that assembly. And casting a glance upon her enraged
lords--the Pandavas--who were filled with terrible wrath, she inflamed
them further with that glance of hers. And they were not so distressed at
having been robbed of their kingdom, of their wealth, of their costliest
gems, as with that glance of Krishna moved by modesty and anger. And
Dussasana, beholding Krishna looking at her helpless lords, dragging her
still more forcibly, and addressed her, 'Slave, Slave' and laughed aloud.
And at those words Karna became very glad and approved of them by
laughing aloud. And Sakuni, the son of Suvala, the Gandhara king,
similarly applauded Dussasana. And amongst all those that were in the
assembly except these three and Duryodhana, every one was filled with
sorrow at beholding Krishna thus dragged in sight of that assembly. And
beholding it all, Bhishma said, 'O blessed one, morality is subtle. I
therefore am unable to duly decide this point that you hast put,
beholding that on the one hand one that hath no wealth cannot stake the
wealth belonging to others, while on the other hand wives are always
under the orders and at the disposal of their lords. Yudhishthira can
abandon the whole world full of wealth, but he will never sacrifice
morality. The son of Pandu hath said--'I am won.' Therefore, I am unable
to decide this matter. Sakuni hath not his equal among men at dice-play.
The son of Kunti still voluntarily staked with him. The illustrious
Yudhishthira doth not himself regard that Sakuni hath played with him
deceitfully. Therefore, I can not decide this point."
"Draupadi said,--"The king was summoned to this assembly and though
possessing no skill at dice, he was made to play with skilful, wicked,
deceitful and desperate gamblers. How can he be said then to have staked
voluntarily? The chief of the Pandavas was deprived of his senses by
wretches of deceitful conduct and unholy instincts, acting together, and
then vanquished. He could not understand their tricks, but he hath now
done so. Here, in this assembly, there are Kurus who are the lords of
both their sons and their daughters-in-law! Let all of them, reflecting
well upon my words, duly decide the point that I have put.
Vaisampayana continued,--'Unto Krishna who was thus weeping and crying
piteously, looking at times upon her helpless lord, Dussasana spake many
disagreeable and harsh words. And beholding her who was then in her
season thus dragged, and her upper garments loosened, beholding her in
that condition which she little deserved, Vrikodara afflicted beyond
endurance, his eyes fixed upon Yudhishthira, gave way to wrath."
"Bhima said,--'O Yudhishthira, gamblers have in their houses many women
of loose character. They do not yet stake those women having kindness for
them even. Whatever wealth and other excellent articles the king of Kasi
gave, whatever, gems, animals, wealth, coats of mail and weapons that
other kings of the earth gave, our kingdom, thyself and ourselves, have
all been won by the foes. At all this my wrath was not excited for thou
art our lord. This, however, I regard as a highly improper act--this act
of staking Draupadi. This innocent girl deserveth not this treatment.
Having obtained the Pandavas as her lords, it is for you alone that she
is being thus persecuted by the low, despicable, cruel, and mean-minded
Kauravas. It is for her sake, O king, that my anger falleth on thee. I
shall burn those hands of thine. Sahadeva, bring some fire."
'Arjuna hearing this, said,--'Thou hast never, O Bhimasena, before this
uttered such words as these. Assuredly your high morality hath been
destroyed by these cruel foes. Thou shouldst not fulfil the wishes of the
enemy. Practise you the highest morality. Whom doth it behave to
transgress his virtuous eldest brother? The king was summoned by the foe,
and remembering the usage of the Kshatriyas, he played at dice against
his will. That is certainly conducive to our great fame.
'Bhima said,--'If I had not known, O Dhananjaya, that the king had acted
according to Kshatriya usage, then I would have, taking his hands
together by sheer force, burnt them in a blazing fire."
Vaisampayana continued,--"Beholding the Pandavas thus distressed and the
princess of Panchala also thus afflicted, Vikarna the son of
Dhritarashtra said--'Ye kings, answer the the question that hath been
asked by Yajnaseni. If we do not judge a matter referred to us, all of us
will assuredly have to go to hell without delay. How is that Bhishma and
Dhritarashtra, both of whom are the oldest of the Kurus, as also the
high-souled Vidura, do not say anything! The son of Bharadwaja who is the
preceptor of us, as also Kripa, is here. Why do not these best of
regenerate ones answer the question? Let also those other kings assembled
here from all directions answer according to their judgment this
question, leaving aside all motives of gain and anger. Ye kings, answer
ye the question that hath been asked by this blessed daughter of king
Drupada, and declare after reflection on which side each of the is.' Thus
did Vikarna repeatedly appeal to those that were in that assembly. But
those kings answered him not one word, good or ill. And Vikarna having
repeatedly appealed to all the kings began to rub his hands and sigh like
a snake. And at last the prince said--'Ye kings of the earth, ye
Kauravas, whether the answer this question or not, I will say what I
regard as just and proper. Ye foremost of men, it hath been said that
hunting, drinking, gambling, and too much enjoyment of women, are the
four vices of kings. The man, that is addicted to these, liveth forsaking
virtue. And people do not regard the acts done by a person who is thus
improperly engaged, as of any authority. This son of Pandu, while deeply
engaged in one of these vicious acts, urged thereto by deceitful
gamblers, made Draupadi a stake. The innocent Draupadi is, besides, the
common wife of all the sons of Pandu. And the king, having first lost
himself offered her as a stake. And Suvala himself desirous of a stake,
indeed prevailed upon the king to stake this Krishna. Reflecting upon all
these circumstances, I regard Draupadi as not won."
"Hearing these words, a loud uproar rose from among those present in that
assembly. And they all applauded Vikarna and censured the son of Suvala.
And at that sound, the son of Radha, deprived of his senses by anger,
waving his well-shaped arms, said these words,--'O Vikarna, many opposite
and inconsistent conditions are noticeable in this assembly. Like fire
produced from a faggot, consuming the faggot itself, this your ire will
consume thee. These personages here, though urged by Krishna, have not
uttered a word. They all regard the daughter of Drupada to have been
properly won. Thou alone, O son of Dhritarashtra in consequence of thy
immature years, are bursting with wrath, for though but a boy thou
speakest in the assembly as if you wert old. O younger brother of
Duryodhana, you dost not know what morality truly is, for you sayest
like a fool that this Krishna who hath been (justly) won as not won at
all. O son of Dhritarashtra, how dost you regard Krishna as not won,
when the eldest of the Pandavas before this assembly staked all his
possessions? O bull of the Bharata race, Draupadi is included in all the
possessions (of Yudhishthira). Therefore, why regardest you Krishna who
hath been justly won as not won? Draupadi had been mentioned (by Suvala)
and approved of as a stake by the Pandavas. For what reason then dost
thou yet regard her as not won? Or, if you thinkest that bringing her
hither attired in a single piece of cloth, is an action of impropriety,
listen to certain excellent reasons I will give. O son of the Kuru race,
the gods have ordained only one husband for one woman. This Draupadi,
however, hath many husbands. Therefore, certain it is that she is an
unchaste woman. To bring her, therefore, into this assembly attired
though she be in one piece of cloth--even to uncover her is not at all an
act that may cause surprise. Whatever wealth the Pandavas had--she
herself and these Pandavas themselves,--have all been justly won by the
son of Suvala. O Dussasana, this Vikarna speaking words of (apparent)
wisdom is but a boy. Take off the robes of the Pandavas as also the
attire of Draupadi. Hearing these words the Pandavas, O Bharata, took of
their upper garments and throwing them down sat in that assembly. Then
Dussasana, O king, forcibly seizing Draupadi's attire before the eyes of
all, began to drag it off her person."
Vaisampayana continued,--"When the attire of Draupadi was being thus
dragged, the thought of Hari, (And she herself cried aloud, saying), 'O
Govinda, O you who dwellest in Dwaraka, O Krishna, O you who are fond
of cow-herdesses (of Vrindavana). O Kesava, seest you not that the
Kauravas are humiliating me. O Lord, O husband of Lakshmi, O Lord of
Vraja (Vrindavana), O destroyer of all afflictions, O Janarddana, rescue
me who am sinking in the Kaurava Ocean. O Krishna, O Krishna, O thou
great yogin, you soul of the universe, Thou creator of all things, O
Govinda, save me who am distressed,--who am losing my senses in the midst
of the Kurus.' Thus did that afflicted lady resplendent still in her
beauty, O king covering her face cried aloud, thinking of Krishna, of
Hari, of the lord of the three worlds. Hearing the words of Draupadi,
Krishna was deeply moved. And leaving his seat, the benevolent one from
compassion, arrived there on foot. And while Yajnaseni was crying aloud
to Krishna, also called Vishnu and Hari and Nara for protection, the
illustrious Dharma, remaining unseen, covered her with excellent clothes
of many hues. And, O monarch as the attire of Draupadi was being dragged,
after one was taken off, another of the same kind, appeared covering her.
And thus did it continue till many clothes were seen. And, O exalted on,
owing to the protection of Dharma, hundreds upon hundreds of robes of
many hues came off Draupadi's person. And there arose then a deep uproar
of many many voices. And the kings present in that assembly beholding
that most extraordinary of all sights in the world, began to applaud
Draupadi and censure the son of Dhritarashtra. And Bhima then, squeezing
his hands, with lips quivering in rage, swore in the midst of all those
kings a terrible oath in a loud voice.
"And Bhima said,--Hear these words of mine, the Kshatriyas of the world.
Words such as these were never before uttered by other men, nor will
anybody in the future ever utter them. Ye lords of earth, if having
spoken these words I do not accomplish them hereafter, let me not obtain
the region of my deceased ancestors. Tearing open in battle, by sheer
force, the breast of this wretch, this wicked-minded scoundrel of the
Bharata race, if I do not drink his life-blood, let me not obtain the
region of my ancestors."
Vaisampayana continued,--"Hearing these terrible words of Bhima that made
the down of the auditors to stand on end, everybody present there
applauded him and censured the son of Dhritarashtra. And when a mass of
clothes had been gathered in that assembly, all dragged from the person
of Draupadi, Dussasana, tired and ashamed, sat down. And beholding the
sons of Kunti in that state, the persons--those gods among men--that were
in that assembly all uttered the word 'Fie!'(on the son of
Dhritarashtra). And the united voices of all became so loud that they
made the down of anybody who heard them stand on end. And all the honest
men that were in that assembly began to say,--'Alas! the Kauravas answer
not the question that hath been put to them by Draupadi. And all
censuring Dhritarashtra together, made a loud clamour. Then Vidura, that
master of the science of morality, waving his hands and silencing every
one, spake these words;--'Ye that are in this assembly, Draupadi having
put her question is weeping helplessly. Ye are not answering her. Virtue
and morality are being persecuted by such conduct. An afflicted person
approacheth an assembly of good men, like one that is being consumed by
fire. They that are in the assembly quench that fire and cool him by
means of truth and morality. The afflicted person asketh the assembly
about his rights, as sanctioned by morality. They that are in the
assembly should, unmoved by interest and anger, answer the question. Ye
kings, Vikarna hath answered the question, according to his own knowledge
and judgment. Ye should also answer it as the think proper. Knowing the
rules of morality, and having attended an assembly, he that doth not
answer a query that is put, incurreth half the demerit that attacheth to
a lie. He, on the other hand, who, knowing the rules of morality and
having joined an assembly answereth falsely, assuredly incurreth the sin
of a lie. The learned quote as an example in this connection the old
history of Prahlada and the son of Angirasa.
"There was of old a chief of the Daityas of the name Prahlada. He had a
son named Virochana. And Virochana, for the sake of obtaining a bride,
quarrelled with Sudhanwan, the son of Angiras. It hath been heard by us
that they mutually wagered their lives, saying--I am superior,--I am
superior,--for the sake of obtaining a bride. And after they had thus
quarrelled with each other, they both made Prahlada the arbitrator to
decide between them. And they asked him, saying;--Who amongst us is
superior (to the other)? Answer this question. Speak not falsely.
Frightened at this quarrel, Prahlada cast his eyes upon Sudhanwan. And
Sudhanwan in rage, burning like unto the mace of Yama, told him,--If thou
answerest falsely, or dost not answer at all your head will then be split
into a hundred pieces by the wielder of the thunderbolt with that bolt of
his.--Thus addressed by Sudhanwan, the Daitya, trembling like a leaf of
the fig tree, went to Kasyapa of great energy, for taking counsel with
him. And Prahlada said,--'Thou art, O illustrious and exalted one, fully
conversant with the rules of morality that should guide both the gods and
the Asuras and the Brahmanas as well. Here, however, is a situation of
great difficulty in respect of duty. Tell me, I ask thee, what regions
are obtainable by them who upon being asked a question, answer it not, or
answer it falsely. Kasyapa thus asked answered.--'He that knoweth, but
answereth not a question from temptation, anger or fear, casteth upon
himself a thousand nooses of Varuna. And the person who, cited as a
witness with respect to any matter of ocular or auricular knowledge,
speaketh carelessly, casteth a thousand nooses of Varuna upon his own
person. On the completion of one full year, one such noose is loosened.
Therefore, he that knoweth, should speak the truth without concealment.
If virtue, pierced by sin, repaireth to an assembly (for aid), it is the
duty of every body in the assembly to take off the dart, otherwise they
themselves would be pierced with it. In an assembly where a truly
censurable act is not rebuked, half the demerit of that act attacheth to
the head of that assembly, a fourth to the person acting censurably and a
fourth unto those others that are there. In that assembly, on the other
hand, when he that deserveth censure is rebuked, the head of the assembly
becometh freed from all sins, and the other members also incur none. It
is only the perpetrator himself of the act that becometh responsible for
it. O Prahlada, they who answer falsely those that ask them about
morality destroy the meritorious acts of their seven upper and seven
lower generations. The grief of one who hath lost all his wealth, of one
who hath lost a son, of one who is in debt, of one who is separated from
his companions, of a woman who hath lost her husband, of one that hath
lost his all in consequence of the king's demand, of a woman who is
sterile, of one who hath been devoured by a tiger (during his last
struggles in the tiger's claws), of one who is a co-wife, and of one who
hath been deprived of his property by false witnesses, have been said by
the gods to be uniform in degree. These different sorts of grief are his
who speaketh false. A person becometh a witness in consequence of his
having seen, heard, and understood a thing. Therefore, a witness should
always tell the truth. A truth-telling witness never loseth his religious
merits and earthly possessions also.' Hearing these words of Kasyapa,
Prahlada told his son, "Sudhanwan is superior to thee, as indeed, (his
father) Angiras is superior to me. The mother also of Sudhanwan is
superior to your mother. Therefore, O Virochana, this Sudhanwan is now the
lord of the life." At these words of Prahlada, Sudhanwan said, "Since
unmoved by affection for your child, you hast adhered to virtue, I
command, let this son of yours live for a hundred years."
"Vidura continued,--Let all the persons, therefore, present in this
assembly hearing these high truths of morality, reflect upon what should
be the answer to the question asked by Draupadi".
Vaisampayana continued,--"The kings that were there hearing these words
of Vidura, answered not a word, yet Karna alone spoke unto Dussasana,
telling him. Take away this serving-woman Krishna into the inner
apartments. And thereupon Dussasana began to drag before all the
spectators the helpless and modest Draupadi, trembling and crying
piteously unto the Pandavas her lords."
--------------------END OF PARVA 2 : UPA-PARVA 66 ---------------------
