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 thou 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 thee in some menial work.'
"Draupadi said,--'Why, O Pratikamin, dost thou 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 thou at the time thou lost me in play? Didst thou
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 thee 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 thou 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, thou hast been won by us.
And O thou of eyes large as lotus leaves, come now and accept the Kurus
for thy 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 thee 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 thou art attired in one piece of cloth or entirely
naked, when thou hast been won at dice and made our slave, thou art to
live amongst our serving-women as thou 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 thou of
cruel deeds, drag me not so. Uncover me not so. The princes (my lords)
will not pardon thee, even if thou hast the gods themselves with Indra
as thy 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 thou
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 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
thee 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 thy high morality hath been
destroyed by these cruel foes. Thou shouldst not fulfil the wishes of
the enemy. Practise thou 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 ye 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 ye
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 ye 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 thy
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, art bursting with wrath, for though
but a boy thou speakest in the assembly as if thou wert old. O younger
brother of Duryodhana, thou dost not know what morality truly is, for
thou sayest like a fool that this Krishna who hath been (justly) won as
not won at all. O son of Dhritarashtra, how dost thou 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 thou
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 thou
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 thou who dwellest in Dwaraka, O Krishna, O thou who art fond
of cow-herdesses (of Vrindavana). O Kesava, seest thou 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, thou 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 one, 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, ye 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 ye 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 thy 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 thy 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 thy child, thou hast adhered to virtue, I command, let this son of
thine 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.