Mahabharata (English)

by Kisari Mohan Ganguli | 2,566,952 words | ISBN-10: 8121505933

The English translation of the Mahabharata is a large text describing ancient India. It is authored by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa and contains the records of ancient humans. Also, it documents the fate of the Kauravas and the Pandavas family. Another part of the large contents, deal with many philosophical dialogues such as the goals of life. Book...

Section LXVII

"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 you are our lord. This, however, I regard as a highly improper act—this act of staking Draupadi. This innocent girl deserves 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 falls on you. I shall burn those hands of thine. Sahadeva, bring some fire."

'Arjuna hearing this, said,—

'You have never, O Bhimasena, before this uttered such words as these. Assuredly your high morality has been destroyed by these cruel foes. You should not fulfil the wishes of the enemy. Practise you the highest morality.

Whom does 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 Pancala also thus afflicted, Vikarna the son of Dhritarashtra said—

'You kings, answer you the question that has 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 Bharadvaja 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.

You kings, answer you the question that has been asked by this blessed daughter of king Drupada, and declare after reflection on which side each of you 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—

'You kings of the earth, you Kauravas, whether you answer this question or not, I will say what I regard as just and proper. You foremost of men, it has 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, lives 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 you. These personages here, though urged by Krishna, have not uttered a word. They all regard the daughter of Drupada to have been properly won.

You alone, O son of Dhritarashtra in consequence of your immature years, art bursting with wrath, for though but a boy you speakest in the assembly as if you were old.

O younger brother of Duryodhana, you dost not know what morality truly is, for you sayest like a fool that this Krishna who has 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 has 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 you yet regard her as not won?

Or, if you think 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, has 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 art 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 you great yogin, you soul of the universe,
You 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, you Kshatriyas of the world. Words such as these were never before uttered by other men, nor will anybody in the future ever utter them. You 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 has 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;—

'You that are in this assembly, Draupadi having put her question is weeping helplessly.

You are not answering her. Virtue and morality are being persecuted by such conduct. An afflicted person approaches 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 asks the assembly about his rights, as sanctioned by morality. They that are in the assembly should, unmoved by interest and anger, answer the question.

You kings, Vikarna has answered the question, according to his own knowledge and judgment.

You should also answer it as you think proper. Knowing the rules of morality, and having attended an assembly, he that does not answer a query that is put, incurs half the demerit that attaches to a lie.

He, on the other hand, who, knowing the rules of morality and having joined an assembly answers falsely, assuredly incurs 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 Virocana. And Virocana, for the sake of obtaining a bride, quarrelled with Sudhanvan, the son of Angiras. It has 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 Sudhanvan.

And Sudhanvan in rage, burning like unto the mace of Yama, told him,—

If you 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 Sudhanvan, the Daitya, trembling like a leaf of the fig tree, went to Kasyapa of great energy, for taking counsel with him.

And Prahlada said,—

'You are, 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 you, 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 knows, but answers not a question from temptation, anger or fear, casts 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, speaks carelessly, casts a thousand nooses of Varuna upon his own person.

On the completion of one full year, one such noose is loosened. Therefore, he that knows, should speak the truth without concealment. If virtue, pierced by sin, repairs 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 attaches 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 deserves censure is rebuked, the head of the assembly becomes freed from all sins, and the other members also incur none. It is only the perpetrator himself of the act that becomes 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 has lost all his wealth,
of one who has lost a son,
of one who is in debt,
of one who is separated from his companions,
of a woman who has lost her husband,
of one that has lost his all in consequence of the king’s demand,
of a woman who is sterile,
of one who has 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 has 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 speaks false. A person becomes 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 loses his religious merits and earthly possessions also.'

Hearing these words of Kasyapa, Prahlada told his son,

"Sudhanvan is superior to you, as indeed, (his father) Angiras is superior to me. The mother also of Sudhanvan is superior to your mother. Therefore, O Virocana, this Sudhanvan is now the lord of the life."

At these words of Prahlada, Sudhanvan said,

"Since unmoved by affection for your child, you have 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."

Conclusion:

This concludes Section LXVII of Book 2 (Sabha Parva) of the Mahabharata, of which an English translation is presented on this page. This book is famous as one of the Itihasa, similair in content to the eighteen Puranas. Book 2 is one of the eighteen books comprising roughly 100,000 Sanskrit metrical verses.

FAQ (frequently asked questions):

Which keywords occur in Section LXVII of Book 2 of the Mahabharata?

The most relevant definitions are: Draupadi, Krishna, Pandavas, Sudhanvan, Dhritarashtra, Prahlada; since these occur the most in Book 2, Section LXVII. There are a total of 57 unique keywords found in this section mentioned 166 times.

What is the name of the Parva containing Section LXVII of Book 2?

Section LXVII is part of the Sisupala-badha Parva which itself is a sub-section of Book 2 (Sabha Parva). The Sisupala-badha Parva contains a total of 42 sections while Book 2 contains a total of 7 such Parvas.

Can I buy a print edition of Section LXVII as contained in Book 2?

Yes! The print edition of the Mahabharata contains the English translation of Section LXVII of Book 2 and can be bought on the main page. The author is Kisari Mohan Ganguli and the latest edition (including Section LXVII) is from 2012.

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