Section LXX

"Karna said,—

'Of all the persons in the assembly, three, viz., Bhishma, Vidura, and the preceptor of the Kurus (Drona) appear to be independent; for they always speak of their master as wicked, always censure him, and never wish for his prosperity. O excellent one, the slave, the son, and the wife are always dependent. They cannot earn wealth, for whatever they earn belongs to their master. You are the wife of a slave incapable of possessing anything on his own account. Repair now to the inner apartments of king Dhritarashtra and serve the king’s relatives. We direct that that is now your proper business. And, O princess, all the sons of Dhritarashtra and not the sons of Pritha are now your masters. O handsome one, select you another husband now,—one who will not make you a slave by gambling. It is well-known that women, especially that are slaves, are not censurable if they proceed with freedom in electing husbands. Therefore let it be done by you. Nakula has been won, as also Bhimasena, and Yudhishthira also, and Sahadeva, and Arjuna. And, O Yajnaseni, you are now a slave. Your husbands that are slaves cannot continue to be your lords any longer. Alas, does not the son of Pritha regards life, prowess and manhood as of no use that he offers this daughter of Drupada, the king of Pancala, in the presence of all this assembly, as a stake at dice?'"

Vaisampayana continued,—"Hearing these words, the wrathful Bhima breathed hard, a very picture of woe. Obedient to the king and bound by the tie of virtue and duty, burning everything with his eyes inflamed by anger, he said,—'O king, I cannot be angry at these words of this son of a Suta, for we have truly entered the state of servitude. But O king, could our enemies have said so unto me, it you had not played staking this princess?'"

Vaisampayana continued,—"Hearing these words of Bhimasena king Duryodhana addressed Yudhishthira who was silent and deprived of his senses, saying,—'O king, both Bhima and Arjuna, and the twins also, are under your sway. Answer you the question (that has been asked by Draupadi). Say, whether you regardest Krishna as unwon.' And having spoken thus unto the son of Kunti, Duryodhana. desirous of encouraging the son of Radha and insulting Bhima, quickly uncovered his left thigh that was like unto the stem of a plantain tree or the trunk of an elephant and which was graced with every auspicious sign and endued with the strength of thunder, and showed it to Draupadi in her very sight. And beholding this, Bhimasena expanding his red eyes, said unto Duryodhana in the midst of all those kings and as if piercing them (with his dart-like words),—'Let not Vrikodara attain to the regions, obtained by his ancestors, if he does not break that thigh of thine in the great conflict. And sparkles of fire began to be emitted from every organ of sense of Bhima filled with wrath, like those that come out of every crack and orifice in the body of a blazing tree.

Vidura then, addressing everybody, said,—'You kings of Pratipa’s race, behold the great danger that arises from Bhimasena. Know you for certain that this great calamity that threatens to overtake the Bharatas has been sent by Destiny itself. The sons of Dhritarashtra have, indeed, gambled disregarding every proper consideration. They are even now disputing in this assembly about a lady (of the royal household). The prosperity of our kingdom is at an end. Alas, the Kauravas are even now engaged in sinful consultations. You Kauravas, take to your heart this high precept that I declare. If virtue is persecuted, the whole assembly becomes polluted. If Yudhishthira had staked her before he was himself won, he would certainly have been regarded as her master. If, however a person stakes anything at a time when he himself is incapable of holding any wealth, to win it is very like obtaining wealth in a dream. Listening to the words of the king of Gandhara, fall you not off from this undoubted truth.'

"Duryodhana, hearing Vidura thus speak, said,—'I am willing to abide by the words of Bhima, of Arjuna and of the twins. Let them say that Yudhishthira is not their master. Yajnaseni will then be freed from her state of bondage."

"Arjuna at this, said,—

"This illustrious son of Kunti, king Yudhishthira the just, was certainly our master before he began to play. But having lost himself, let all the Kauravas judge whose master he could be after that."

Vaisampayana continued,—"Just then, a jackal began to cry loudly in the homa-chamber of king Dhritarashtra’s palace. And, O king, unto the jackal that howled so, the asses began to bray responsively. And terrible birds also, from all sides, began to answer with their cries. And Vidura conversant with everything and the daughter of Suvala, both understood the meaning of those terrible sounds.

And Bhishma and Drona and the learned Gautama loudly cried,—

Svashti! Svashti! ^[1]

Then Gandhari and the learned Vidura beholding that frightful omen, represented everything, in great affliction, unto the king. A

nd the king (Dhritarashtra) thereupon said,—

'You wicked-minded Duryodhana, you wretch, destruction has all ready overtaken you when you insultest in language such as this the wife of these bulls among the Kurus, especially their wedded wife Draupadi.

And having spoken those words, the wise Dhritarashtra endued with knowledge, reflecting with the aid of his wisdom and desirous of saving his relatives and friends from destruction, began to console Krishna, the princess of Pancala, and addressing her, the monarch said,—

'Ask of me any boon, O princess of Pancala, that you desirest, Chaste and devoted to virtue, you are the first of all my daughters-in-law.

"Draupadi said,—

'O bull of the Bharata race, if you will grant me a boon, I ask the handsome Yudhishthira, obedient to every duty, be freed from slavery. Let not unthinking children call my child Prativindhya endued with great energy of mind as the son of a slave.

Having been a prince, so superior to all men, and nurtured by kings it is not proper that he should be called the child of a slave.

"Dhritarashtra said unto her,—

'O auspicious one, let it be as you sayest. O excellent one, ask you another boon, for I will give it. My heart inclines to give you a second boon. You dost not deserve only one boon.

"Draupadi said,—

'I ask, O king, that Bhimasena and Dhananjaya and the twins also, with their cars and bows, freed from bondage, regain their liberty.'

'Dhritarashtra said,—

'O blessed daughter, let it be as you desirest. Ask you a third boon, for you have not been sufficiently honoured with two boons. Virtuous in your behaviour, you are the foremost of all my daughters-in-law.

Draupadi said,—

'O best of kings, O illustrious one, covetousness always brings about loss of virtue. I do not deserve a third boon. Therefore I dare not ask any.

O king of kings, it has been said that a Vaisya may ask one boon; a Kshatriya lady, two boons; a Kshatriya male, three, and a Brahmana, a hundred.

O king, these my husbands freed from the wretched state of bondage, will be able to achieve prosperity by their own virtuous acts!'"

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A word of benediction, similar to 'Amen.'