OR

"THE BINDING OF THE BRAID OF HAIR."

Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, is dragged by the _veni_ or braid of

hair into the public assembly by the hand of Duhsasana, one of the

Kaurava princes, a disgrace that weighs most heavily upon the Pandavas,

who contemplate most bitter revenge.

Krishna returns to the Pandava camp from a visit to the Kaurava princes,

as a mediator between the contending chiefs. Ferocious Bhima expresses,

to his brother Sahadeva, his refusal to have any share in the

negotiations instituted by Krishna and his determination to make no

peace with the enemy until the insult offered to Draupadi is avenged. He

announces his resolution, in case the dispute be amicably adjusted, to

disclaim all connection with his own brothers, and throw off obedience

to Judhishthira.

The price of peace is the demand of five villages or towns,

Indraprastha, Tilaprastha, Mansadam, Varanavatam, and another. Sahadeva

attempts to calm the fury of Bhima, but in vain; and Draupadi, with her

hair still dishevelled, and pining over her ignominious treatment, comes

to inflame his resentment. She complains also of a recent affront

offered by Bhanumati, the queen of Duryodhana, in an injurious comment

upon her former exposure, which serves to widen the breach.

Krishna's embassy is unsuccessful, and he effects his return only by

employing his divine powers against the enemy. All the chiefs are

summoned by the trumpet to prepare for battle.

Before day-break, Bhanumati repeats, to her friend and an attendant, a

dream in which she has beheld a _Nakula_ or Mungoose destroy a hundred

snakes. This is very ominous, _Nakula_ being one of the Pandavas, and

the sons of Kuru amounting to a hundred. Duryodhana overhears part of

the story, and at first imagines the hostile prince is the hero of the

vision. He is about to burst upon her, full of rage, and when he catches

the true import of the tale, he is at first disposed to be alarmed by

it, but at last wisely determines to disregard it.

For, by Angira it is sung, the aspect of the planets, dreams and signs,

meteors and portents, are the sports of accident, and do not move the

wise. Bhanumati offers an _arghya_ of sandal and flowers to the rising

sun to avert the ill omen, and then the king appears and soothes her.

Their dialogue is disturbed by a rising whirlwind from which they take

shelter in a neighbouring pavilion. The mother of Jayadratha, the king

of Sindhu, then appears, and apprises Duryodhana that Arjuna has vowed,

if sunset finds Jayadratha alive, he will sacrifice himself in the

flames. His wrath is especially excited by the death of his son

Abhimanyu, in which that chieftain had borne a leading part. Duryodhana

laughs at her fears and those of his wife, and despises the resentment

of the Pandavas. He observes, that this was fully provoked by the

treatment which Draupadi received by his command, when in the presence

of the court and of the Pandavas, she called out in vain for mercy.

Duryodhana then orders his war-chariot and goes forth to the battle. Up

to the period of the contest, the following chiefs have fallen,

Bhagadatta, Sindhuraja, Angadhipa, Drupada, Bhurisravas, Somadatta, and

Bahlika.

Ghatotkacha is also slain, and Bhima is about to avenge his fall, on

which account Hirimba, the queen of the Rakshasas and mother of

Ghatotkacha, has ordered goblins to be ready to assist Bhimasena.

Drona is seized by Dhrishtadyumna and slain. Aswatthama, the son of

Drona, appears armed and is overtaken by his father's charioteer who

tells him of the treachery by which Drona was slain, having been induced

to throw away his arms by a false report that his son Aswatthama had

perished, and been then killed at a disadvantage. Aswatthama's distress

is assuaged by his maternal uncle Kripa, who recommends him to solicit

the command of the host from Duryodhana.

In the meantime, proud Kerna, the friend and ally of Duryodhana, fills

the mind of the Kuru chief with impressions hostile to Drona and his

son, persuading him that Drona only fought to secure Aswatthama's

elevation to royal dignity, and that he threw away his life, not out of

grief, but in despair at the disappointment of his ambitious schemes.

Kripa and Aswatthama now arrive and Duryodhana professes to condole with

Aswatthama for his father's loss. Kerna sneeringly asks him what he

purposes, to which he replies:--

"Whoever confident in arms is ranked amongst the adverse host--whomever

the race of proud Panchala numbers, active youth, weak age or unborn

babes, whoever beheld my father's murder, or whoever dares to cross my

path, shall fall before my vengeance. Dark is my sight with rage, and

Death himself, the world's destroyer, should not escape my fury."

Kripa then requests Duryodhana to give the command of the army to

Aswatthama. The king excuses himself on the plea of having promised it

to Kerna, to whom he transfers his ring accordingly. A violent quarrel

ensues between Kerna and Aswatthama, and Duryodhana and Kripa have some

difficulty in preventing them from single combat. Fiery Aswatthama at

last reproaches Duryodhana with partiality, and refuses to fight for him

more. Bhima proclaims that he has at last encountered Duhsasana, the

insulter of Draupadi, and is about to sacrifice him to his vengeance.

Kerna, instigated by Aswatthama, foregoes his anger and is about to

resume his arms when a voice from heaven prevents him. He is obliged,

therefore, to remain an idle spectator of the fight, but desires Kripa

to assist the king. They go off to fight.

Duhsasana is killed and the army of the Kauravas is put to the rout.

Duryodhana is wounded and becomes insensible. On his recovery, he hears

of Duhsasana's death and gives vent to his sorrows.

In the conflict between Arjuna and Vrishasena, the son of Kerna, the

young prince is slain to his father's distress. Sundaraka, a follower of

Kerna, brings a leaf on which Kerna has written to Duryodhana, with an

arrow dipped in his own blood, message for aid. Duryodhana orders his

chariot, and prepares to seek the fight again, when he is prevented by

the arrival of his parents, Dhritarashtra and Gandhari, who with

Sanjaya, endeavour to prevail upon Duryodhana to sue for peace, but he

refuses.

A tumult and the entrance of the king's charioteer announce the death of

Kerna. Duryodhana, after expressing his grief, determines to go and

avenge him, and mount the car of Sanjaya, the charioteer of

Dhritarashtra, for that purpose, when Arjuna and Bhima arrive in search

of him.

On finding the seniors there, Arjuna purposes to withdraw; but Bhima

insists on first addressing them, which they do, but in insulting terms.

Dhritarashtra, reproaching them for this language, is told they use it

not in pride, but in requital of his having witnessed, without

interfering to prevent, the oppression and barbarous treatment the

Pandavas experienced from his sons. Duryodhana interferes and defies

Bhima, who is equally anxious for the combat; but Arjuna prevents it,

and the brothers are called off by a summons from Yudhishthira, who

orders the battle to cease for the day and the dead bodies of either

party to be burnt. Aswatthama is now disposed to be reconciled to

Duryodhana; but the prince receives his advances coldly, and he

withdraws in disgust. Dhritarashtra sends Sanjaya after him to persuade

him to overlook Duryodhana's conduct. Duryodhana mounts his car, and the

aged couple seek the tent of Salya, the king of Madra.

Duryodhana is discovered concealed in a swamp, and compelled to fight

with Bhimasena, by whom he is slain. Yudhisthira orders public

rejoicings on the occasion.

Charvaka, a Rakshasa disguised as a sage, then enters, requiring rest

and water. He relates that he has seen Arjuna engaged with Duryodhana,

Bhima having been previously slain by the latter, and gives his hearers

to understand that Arjuna also has fallen. Draupadi determines to mount

the funeral pile, and Yudhishthira, to put an end to himself when the

Rakshasa, satisfied with the success of his scheme, which was intended

to prevail on this couple to perish, departs. The pile is prepared, and

Yudhishthira and Draupadi are about to sacrifice themselves, when they

are disturbed by a great clamour. Supposing it to precede the approach

of Duryodhana, Yudhishthira calls for his arms, when Bhima, his club

besmeared with blood, rushes in. Draupadi runs away; he catches her by

the hair, and is seized by Yudhishthira--on which the mistake is

discovered.

The braid of Draupadi's hair is now again bound up. Arjuna and Vasudeva

arrive, and announce that they have heard of the fraud of Charvaka. On

hearing that the mendicant is slain by Nakula, Krishna expresses great

satisfaction.