SECTION LXVII
(Dyuta Parva Continued)
"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 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,
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."
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