Hari Aum.
This post continues the story of the events in the court of the Kurus after the fateful game of dice.
After attempting in vain to disrobe Queen Draupadi, Dushasana, completely exhausted, collapsed to the floor in a heap. Duryodhana, and the other Kauravas, watching these events, felt highly discomfited. This was not at all what they had expected!
To make matters worse, the second eldest Pandava, Bhima (whom Duryodhana particularly disliked), now made an extremely alarming threat.
Bhima had so far been controlling his intense rage at the events that had occurred in the courtroom. From the moment his brother had begun the ill-fated game of dice, and committed folly after folly, Bhima's fury had been growing.
This had increased exponentially when his brother had staked Draupadi. He had vehemently opposed this but was silenced by his brother, Arjuna, who reminded him of his obligation to adhere to the kshatriya code of dharma (which was to accept his older brother and King's decisions).
However, it was now simply unbearable. Filled with wrath, and appearing like the demi-god of death Yama himself, Bhima declared that he would avenge the diabolical behaviour of Dushasana by killing him in battle with his bare hands.
This statement further intensified the highly charged atmosphere in the courtroom. Everybody was terrified witnessing the intense hatred between the royal cousins that threatened a civil war in the country.
Hearing his cousin's words of rage, Duryodhana desired to insult him and humiliate Draupadi further (as the disrobing had not worked out as he had hoped). He then performed at act which is regarded as another defining moment in the story.
Glancing mockingly at Draupadi, in full view of the royal elders and public, he exposed his left thigh and invited her to come and sit there. Her five husbands were slaves and of no use to her, he said. She was better off without them!
She now had the option of choosing another husband for herself, preferably one who would not be foolish enough to stake her in a gambling match!
These provocative words of Duryodhana led to Bhima making another fateful pledge. He declared that, one day in battle, he would surely break the very thigh that Duryodhana had exposed (these words came true years later during the great Kurukshetra war) and avenge the humiliation of his wife and the Pandavas.
As he made this pledge, the silence in the courtroom was broken by the harsh cries of birds of prey and the howling of jackals outside; these were regarded as being a cosmic warning of great misfortune in the future.
These alarming pledges and disturbing cosmic signs finally jolted the royal elders to take some meaningful action.
Duryodhana's doting father, King Dhritarashtra, had quietly tolerated his proud and obstinate son's conduct so far. Now, however, he felt as though a great calamity would take place unless he intervened on his foolish son's behalf.
Realising that great injustice had been done to Draupadi and the Pandavas at the hands of his sons, he told the Queen that he would grant her any wish that she desired. By doing so, he hoped to pacify her and the Pandavas and to save his sons from death at their hands in battle.
Draupadi accepted King Dhritarashtra's offer. For her wish, she said that she desired that Yudhishthira be freed from slavery. The elderly King immediately granted this wish.
Then he said that he desired to grant her a second wish. She accepted this offer and said that she wished for the other four Pandava brothers to be granted their freedom. This wish too was granted.
Then Dhritarashtra said he wanted to grant her a third wish. However, Draupadi declined, saying that she was content with what had been already given. She said that the Pandavas would achieve prosperity and wealth again through their own efforts in accordance with dharma (thus she did not ask for the kingdom or wealth to be restored to them).
Yudhishthira now approached Dhritarashtra and asked him what should take place next, saying they would ever be obedient to his wishes. He was told to return home to his kingdom and rule in peace. Dhitrarashtra expressed his wish that there would be peace between the cousins.
The elderly King's wish was accepted and the Pandavas, accompanied by Draupadi, then departed for their kingdom.
(Duryodhana of course could not bear the idea at giving up the kingdom that he had stolen from them and contrived to deprive them of this again-- and the consequences of this led to the Mahabharata war in which he and his brothers were defeated by the Pandavas who were supported by Krishna).
I will now pause the story of this section of the Mahabharata. This episode of the game of dice, and the Lila (divine play) of Draupadi and Krishna beautifully highlights the sakha bhava (or relationship of friendship with the Divine). It also has many other key messages relevant to our lives today.
Here we see how one person, Yudhishthira, cousin and dear friend of Krishna, forgot to invoke Him at a vital moment in life. He had hoped to succeed based on his own skill but came under the influence of Maya/delusive power of the universe. Thus, he committed great mistakes and experienced much misery as a result.
In contrast, we see how Draupadi, also a beloved friend of Krishna, had the wisdom to remember Him in her time of great need. She, therefore, received His grace and protection in full. Not only was her own dignity preserved due to her wisdom, but she also managed to win back the lost dignity of the Pandava princes.
Her in-laws attempted to humiliate her, and her husbands placed her in grave danger and did nothing to protect her. However, she successfully overcame all this suffering by relying upon her own wisdom, by leaning upon the relationship that she had cultivated with the Divine (in the form of Krishna).
She utilised her great devotion and wisdom to overcome the suffering that would have been inflicted upon her family and kingdom by the Kauravas due to the poor judgement of her husband.
This story is not merely fiction. It highlights a very important truth of our lives. Those that come into our lives (whether relatives, friends, strangers or unfriendly people) have a limited ability to grant us anything (be it joy or sorrow). Their abilities are far superseded by the power of the Divine.
It is this relationship with the Divine which should therefore be the central one in the life of every wise person.
And, as women in particular, we know that we live in a world not at all dissimilar to that in which Draupadi lived. Every day, we hear and read in the news of the atrocities to which women are exposed (both at the hands of their relatives and strangers). We may even see this in our own social circles and experience this in our own lives.
Women remain vulnerable to harm by men in particular today in exactly the same way as Draupadi experienced.
Let every woman, therefore, be wise and strive to cultivate a strong and unbreakable bond with the Divine to ensure that she has as much protection as possible (for herself, her family and the good people in the world as a whole).
How, one might ask, can one develop this sakha bhava or friendship with the Divine today? There is no avatar of His on Earth at present as far as we are aware.
As in the case of Draupadi, it was the recitation of His divine names that granted her protection. Although present in physical form on Earth, Krishna was not visible at the courtroom when she called Him (though it is said that He ran there on foot upon hearing her prayer, and was invisibly present; this is said to demonstrate His love and care of His devotees). However, He responded to her prayer in full.
As women especially, we would be wise to follow in her footsteps. Even today, in this Kali yuga, the holy names that Draupadi uttered have power. They can grant us the same protection that she experienced. Many devotees of the Divine (as Krishna/ Shiva/ Divine Mother) have experienced this reality.
We should daily recite any name or mantra of any form the Divine that appeals to us for our own spiritual and material protection (We should take all practical steps to protect ourselves and also remember God.)
Equally, the wise learn from the mistakes of others. Let us remember the mistake of Yudhishthira in forgetting to invoke Krishna at a crucial time and the negative consequences. As our Gurus advise, we should invoke the Divine before every act as far as possible (or at least remember Him/Her periodically during the day as much as we are able).
May Krishna grant us true devotion and constant remembrance of Him.
Om Sri Krishnaya Namah. Om Bhaktavatsalaya Namah. Om Pushkarakshaya Namah.
Om Namo Narayanaya.
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
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