Draupadi's Disrobing

The hall of dice had grown heavy with ruin.

Shakuni looked at Yudhishthira and spoke with mocking sweetness. "Maharaj Yudhishthira—no, Maharaj, how should I call you now? Your wealth, your treasure, your kingdom, your royal seat, your clothes—everything is gone. Not even one chariot is left. Tell us, son of Dharma, what remains now? What will you stake next?"

Then Duryodhana added, "What are you saying, uncle? Can a king who has performed the Rajasuya sacrifice ever be without wealth? Dharmaraj Yudhishthira is not yet poor. Some wealth still remains to him. Speak, Yudhishthira. The game is not over. Speak, son of Dharma. Do not remain silent."

Yudhishthira lifted his face slowly. His voice was tired, but he still answered. "Yes, Duryodhana, you are right. I still have more wealth left. This time... this time I will stake that wealth. There sits that dark young man, with red eyes, lion-like shoulders, and mighty arms. That young man is my dear younger brother Nakula. I now stake Nakula."

At once Shakuni cried out, "Oh, oh, Yudhishthira, what have you staked? Your own dear brother, the young prince himself! But then what else could you do? Little remains in your hands. Very well. I win your Nakula, O king. Think carefully now about what you will stake next. Here, I have won your Nakula. Nakula is our servant from today. The fourth Pandava, Nakula, has become the servant of the Kauravas—servant Nakula. It does not suit you to sit on that throne. Go. Stand beside the servants."

Then Shakuni pressed further. "So then, Yudhishthira, one brother is gone. What difference does one make? Three more still remain beside you. Tell me, will you stake again?"

Yudhishthira turned toward Sahadeva. "My brother Sahadeva gives lessons of dharma to the whole world. People know him as a learned man. Sahadeva is not fit to be staked. Because of his sense of dharma, Sahadeva is very dear to me too. But as I move more and more toward becoming poor, then... then I must be forced to play by staking Sahadeva. Sahadeva."

Shakuni smiled cruelly. "Very well, very well. If that is your wish, then what can be done? And besides Sahadeva, what else do you have to give, O king? Nakula is already lost. What can poor unlucky Sahadeva do now? Stay well with your brother Nakula, Sahadeva. Look, now I have won you too."

Karna laughed and said, "Friend Duryodhana, perhaps there is no one so learned in all your servants' hall. From today, that Sahadeva will be the ornament of your servant house."

Duryodhana answered, "You have spoken rightly, friend. Who else will teach the scriptures to servant Shudras? Now they too will become as wise as Maharaj Yudhishthira."

Shakuni then turned with false innocence and said, "What is this, Yudhishthira? You called Nakula and Sahadeva dear, and yet you gave them away as stakes in dice? But they are the youngest. They should be protected, should they not? Then Bhima and Arjuna must be dearest to you. Is that not so, Yudhishthira?"

Yudhishthira answered at once, anger rising through his grief. "Fool! You are speaking like a fool, son of Subala. We look upon one another equally. Love and trust among us are unbroken. Our hearts are very generous. Do not try, like a sinner, to create division among us."

Shakuni bowed his head slightly and said in oily tones, "Oh no, when did I say such a thing, Dharmaraj? What did I say, and what did you understand? No, no, Dharmaraj, I never thought such things even in my dreams. Besides, people say many things in the excitement of a game. Does that make those words true? Are such words to be taken seriously? You are a king. In wisdom, virtue, learning—in everything—you are greater than us, Yudhishthira. Do not mind such words. Come, let us finish the game. Now tell me, what will you stake next?"

Yudhishthira closed his eyes for a moment and then said, "He who carries the duty of taking us across in battle as a boat carries men across a river, he who is mighty, destroyer of enemies, a great hero, he who should never be used as a gaming stake—that bearer of the Gandiva, Arjuna—I now stake him."

Shakuni asked, "Yudhishthira, have you thought carefully? You will not change your declaration afterward, will you?"

"The people of the earth know me as truthful and righteous, son of Subala," Yudhishthira replied. "I never break my vow, nor do I turn away from the path of dharma. Therefore there is no difference between my words and my actions."

"Very well," said Shakuni. "You have staked Arjuna. And now look—I throw the dice. Here, look. I have won Arjuna. Arjuna now belongs to us. Arjuna will now serve the Kauravas as a slave. Tell me, Yudhishthira, do you have any stake left? Do you wish to play with anyone else? Speak, speak, speak."

Yudhishthira answered, "There is. Our one great hero still remains. Like Indra, king of the gods and enemy of demons, he protects us. In battle he leads us. His body is like a huge mountain, his palms like a lion's, his shoulders broad. Though noble in spirit, he is terrible to enemies. That mighty Bhima Sena—him I now stake. Bhima Sena."

Shakuni cast the dice and said, "All right, very well, Bhima then. Look, I have won him too."

At once Duryodhana cried out in delight, "Bhima Sena! Bhima will be a servant in my private hall and will serve me. Bhima Sena, today all my wishes are fulfilled. Uncle, today I am truly very happy."

But Shakuni raised his hand. "Wait. The dice game is not over yet. Son of Dharma Yudhishthira, you have lost endless wealth, elephants and horses, and even your own brothers. Do you still have any wealth left?"

Yudhishthira said slowly, "There is. I... I am the eldest among all my brothers. They all love me deeply. They do what pleases me. When all my brothers have accepted slavery, then how can I remain free? Now I stake my own self."

Shakuni laughed. "Ah, I have never heard of such a stake before. Someone wishes to give away himself! Very well, Maharaj, your wish shall be fulfilled. Now I will win this throw too. See—I have won."

The blow landed deep. Yudhishthira said in a hollow voice, "I have nothing left to give. Everything that was under my own control has been given away. I am now truly poor."

Then Shakuni leaned forward and said, "Son of Dharma Yudhishthira, you have committed a sin."

Yudhishthira looked up. "A sin? What sin are you speaking of?"

"You still had more wealth left," said Shakuni. "How could you lose yourself in stake while that wealth remained? Self-defeat is itself a sin. Do you not know that, son of Dharma?"

"No, no, son of Subala," Yudhishthira answered, "truly I have nothing left that I can stake."

Shakuni replied, "You speak wrongly, son of Dharma. Or perhaps you yourself have forgotten. You did not stake your dearest one. Princess Draupadi of Panchala still remains. If this time you stake her and win one throw, then you may free yourself, Dharmaraj."

For a moment the hall seemed to stop breathing.

Then Yudhishthira spoke the terrible words. "Very well, let it be so then. She who is neither too tall nor too short, neither dark nor stout, whose hair is long and curly, who carries the fragrance of a lotus—that daughter of Panchala, Draupadi—I now declare as my stake."

As soon as Yudhishthira declared Draupadi as the stake, cries of shame rose throughout Dhritarashtra's court. It was as if the sky itself had fallen upon the heads of the aged elders.

Bhishma, son of Ganga, felt a terrible evil omen strike his heart. Dronacharya, Kripacharya, and the other invited kings were filled with fear. They lowered their heads in shame. Vidura held his head with both hands and breathed hard like a snake. With great effort Bhishma controlled himself and cried out in pain, "What are you doing, Yudhishthira! This decision—"

But in the shameless joy of Dhritarashtra, the grief of the wise seemed buried. Excited and restless, the blind king kept asking, "Vidura, Vidura, has Duryodhana won? Has Duryodhana truly won?"

Duryodhana turned eagerly to Shakuni. "Vidura, uncle—I want this stake. Somehow, somehow make me win this stake."

Shakuni answered, "Ah, my son, has your uncle ever let you lose? Here, here, I have won this stake too."

Then he announced, "Duryodhana, we have won Draupadi, daughter of Panchala too."

Karna said with delight, "Congratulations, friend. The earth surrounded by the seas is now yours alone. All the finest treasures of the world have come under your control. You are now lord of all. You are now lord of the five Pandavas and of that daughter of Drupada, Draupadi. I praise you, friend."

Duryodhana's joy rose like flame. "I had been waiting for this day, friend. Today truly my joy has no limit. Without your good wishes, this great victory would never have been possible, O king of Anga. In everything I have won, you too have equal share, friend. Vidura, come here. Bring Draupadi, the beloved wife of the Pandavas, here at once. Bring that sinful woman here and make her clean this hall. Later she will go to the inner chambers and serve us like the other maidservants. Go, Vidura, bring Draupadi here."

Vidura's eyes blazed. "Foolish Duryodhana! Only a witless man like you can speak such words. Do not increase the anger of the tiger-like Pandavas by behaving like a deer. Your poison has crossed all limits, Duryodhana, all limits. With your own hands you are opening the door of your own hell. Draupadi can never become a slave, because Maharaj Yudhishthira first staked himself and only then staked Draupadi. Then he no longer had any right over Panchali. This stake has no basis—no basis at all. And, Duryodhana, the wrong you are doing cannot be forgiven. There is still time. Purify yourself, Duryodhana, purify yourself. Otherwise your end will be terrible. I tell you now, because of you this whole line will be destroyed."

Duryodhana said harshly, "I condemn the old coward Vidura. He does not know how to speak to the king and the crown prince. Pratikami!"

Pratikami stepped forward. "Command me, Crown Prince."

"Listen, Pratikami," Duryodhana said. "Go to the inner chambers and bring Draupadi here. Vidura is afraid of the Pandavas. That is why he tries to tie our hands and feet with endless false arguments. He wants our harm. You need not fear, Pratikami. Carry out my order without fear."

Pratikami bowed. "As you command, Crown Prince."

Pratikami, the charioteer's son, went into the inner chambers and came before Draupadi.

"Princess," he said, "I have come to take you."

Draupadi looked at him in surprise. "Where will you take me?"

Pratikami answered, "King Yudhishthira staked you in the dice game, Queen. He has lost that stake. Duryodhana has won you from him. You are now a servant of Hastinapura. Crown Prince Duryodhana has ordered me to explain your duties to you. Now come with me to the royal court."

Draupadi's eyes widened in disbelief. "Have you gone mad, Pratikami? What are you saying? Does any king or prince ever gamble by staking his own wife? Did Maharaj Yudhishthira have no knowledge of his own duty? Could he find nothing else to stake?"

Pratikami lowered his head. "No, Princess. Truly he had nothing else left to stake. He did not stop the game even after losing his kingdom and all his wealth one by one. Then Maharaj staked his brothers, after that himself, and at last you. And he has lost that stake too."

Draupadi said firmly, "Listen, son of a charioteer. Go back to the court. Ask that dice-mad king whom he lost first—himself or me. Learn this first, Pratikami. Then I will go with you."

Pratikami returned to the royal court. Duryodhana saw him come alone and asked, "What happened, Pratikami? Why have you returned? Where is Draupadi? Did you not bring her?"

Pratikami answered, "First, Crown Prince, Princess Draupadi has sent me to ask Maharaj Yudhishthira whether he still had authority over her when he staked her. She has said that unless she gets the answer to this question, she will not come."

Duryodhana said, "What more will Yudhishthira say? He himself is now a slave of the Kauravas. Whatever questions Draupadi has, let her come here to this court and ask them herself. The other kings present here will hear them too. Go at once and bring Draupadi here. This is my order. Whatever the princess of Panchala wishes to ask, she will ask here in this open court. We have won her. Did you not hear the order of the crown prince, Pratikami? Then go, delay no more. Bring Drupada's daughter here."

Pratikami went again to Draupadi's chamber. Panchali had been waiting for Yudhishthira's answer. Seeing Pratikami at the door, she quickly asked, "What happened, Pratikami? Has Maharaj Yudhishthira answered my question?"

Pratikami replied, "No, Princess. Dharmaraj gave no answer to your question. He sat silently with his head lowered. But the men of the court have ordered that you should come to that assembly at once."

Then he added sorrowfully, "It seems to me that the time of the Kauravas' destruction has come, O Queen. Proud of themselves, they are bringing ruin upon themselves. When the small insult the great, their destruction becomes certain. Now the same fate has come upon the Kauravas."

Draupadi, though wounded by grief, spoke with dignity. "No, Pratikami, do not grieve. Dharma is still above our heads. The wise and the foolish both argue about dharma, but for the truly wise, dharma is the highest thing. If we hold on to dharma, dharma itself will bless us. I pray that the Kauravas too may hold to that dharma. Pratikami, go to the righteous and just men in that court and ask them what I should do now. Whatever they command, I will bow my head to that command."

Pratikami returned once more and reported all Draupadi's words. But the righteous men present there, like Bhishma and Kripacharya, did not speak even a single word. All sat with heads lowered.

Then Yudhishthira himself sent a messenger with his own words. The messenger went to Draupadi and said, "Great Queen, I have brought a message from Maharaj Yudhishthira for you. He has said that you are menstruating, and so you are wearing only a single cloth. Even in that condition, weeping, you must go to the court and stand before the Kuru elders."

Yet even after hearing Yudhishthira's message, Draupadi did not come.

Then Duryodhana again ordered Pratikami to go. But Pratikami, not knowing the will of the righteous men in the court, was afraid. Folding his hands humbly, he asked, "What answer shall I give to the Great Queen's question? Please tell me."

Duryodhana burst out, "You ruined Pratikami! Are you too such a coward? You cannot do even this small task? Dushasana, this Pratikami is afraid of Bhima. Listen, brother, now you go yourself. Those who are our slaves are never to be feared. Slaves cannot harm us. Go and bring Draupadi by force."

At Duryodhana's words Dushasana stood up. His two eyes were red. A smile of revenge lay on his face, and his fists were like thunder. All the wise men in the court looked at him once and then sat silently with lowered eyes.

In proud haste Dushasana entered the house of the Pandavas and stood before Draupadi's chamber.

"Princess of Panchala," he said in command, "we have won you in the dice game. Yes, yes, we have won you according to dharma. Leave your shame and come at once to the Kaurava court. I have come to take you there. Draupadi, the Pandavas too are now our slaves. You also will serve us like a maidservant. Crown Prince Duryodhana has sent for you. Do not disobey his order. Come, Panchali, come."

Seeing Dushasana's fierce form, Draupadi was struck by fear, shame, and insult. She turned and ran toward the queens' chambers of Dhritarashtra. Queens other than Gandhari were there in that hall. Trembling with anger and speaking harshly, Dushasana rushed after her.

"You sinful woman," he shouted, "are you disobeying Crown Prince Duryodhana's order? The whole world respects him, and you, a mere woman, dare to insult him? You are very bold, are you not? Do you think Bhima will save you? That huge Bhima Sena, like a mountain, is now our slave—our slave! Did you hear me? Yes, Bhima is now Duryodhana's slave. There is no one here to save you. Come with me. If you will not go with honor, then I will drag you by the hair like a slave before everyone. Come."

Draupadi cried out, "Ah, beware, Dushasana! Do not touch me. Let go, let go, I say. Do not commit this great sin. Do not, Dushasana, do not!"

Dushasana laughed. "Ah, leave it! The wife of five husbands is speaking of sin and virtue now? A mere woman—and such roaring? Yes, look, I will drag you by your hair itself. Come!"

"Dushasana, Dushasana, let me go," Draupadi pleaded with folded hands. "I am menstruating. I have only one cloth on my body. You cannot take me before everyone in this state, Dushasana. You cannot, you cannot."

But Dushasana said, "Draupadi, did you not understand what I said? You are now our slave, slave, slave. Whether you are menstruating, clothed, or unclothed, however you may be, I will take you before everyone. You will serve us. You will attend upon us."

As Dushasana pulled her, Draupadi's hair came loose, and half of her single cloth slipped away. In that condition, gripping her thick curly hair, dark as clouds, in his hard fist, Dushasana dragged her into the court.

There he brought her.

Bhishma, Dronacharya, and Kripacharya saw this hateful insult to Draupadi, bride of a royal house, and sat with faces lowered in silence. Vidura covered his face with both hands. His body trembled in fear and shame. The invited kings were stunned. No words came from anyone. In grief, shame, and insult, they sat like stone images.

In that still and silent court, the abused Draupadi stood before them. And in the hearts of the Kauravas—Duryodhana, Karna, and Shakuni—lust and revenge lit cruel smiles. Their joy could no longer remain hidden. The eyes of the other Kaurava princes shone like sharp blades. Even in the blind eyes of old king Dhritarashtra it seemed as if a hundred flashes of lightning gleamed.

Into the middle of that court full of savage shame came Draupadi, her cloth slipping, her hair disordered, standing like a piece of fire. Perhaps all her tears had ended on the way from her chamber to this hall.

Before the demonic joy of the Kauravas, the voice of Yajnaseni blazed up.

"Merciless villain Dushasana, you shall not touch my cloth. Even if Indra, king of the gods, and all the gods stand beside you, there will still be no escape for you from the hands of those five princes. They will not forgive you, Dushasana. Hear this— the son of Dharma has committed no unrighteous act. The dharma held by one who upholds dharma is very subtle. Unless one knows that dharma well, one cannot judge it. So I cannot speak of his fault. But you, Dushasana—you are guilty, you are sinful, you are doing an unrighteous deed."

Dushasana sneered. "I am sinful, am I? And a woman with five husbands is a chaste wife?"

Draupadi answered, "I am menstruating. Yet you dragged me into this full court before these great Kuru warriors. You will never be forgiven for this wrong, Dushasana. And this court—these righteous great souls filled with the courage and valor of the Kuru line who sit here—why are they all silent? Why? Why does not even one person condemn this sinful act? Does that mean they all support Dushasana? Has the dharma of the Bharata line perished? Has the character of righteous kshatriyas been destroyed? The honor of the Kaurava house is being broken. In open court such terrible insult is being done to a Kaurava royal wife, and you all sit still like statues! I condemn this whole court. I condemn it, I condemn it."

Dushasana replied, "We have won you according to dharma, Draupadi. Why not ask your own Dharmaraj? And all the other righteous men are silent for that very reason. Do you not understand this, Krishnaa?"

"Dharma!" Draupadi cried. "What do you know of dharma, Dushasana? Bhishma, Drona, wise Vidura, king Dhritarashtra—do they have no life in them? Best of the Kauravas, do these elders not even look at such terrible unrighteousness? How does Dushasana dare insult the bride of their house before them?"

In the royal court tears and fire stood together.

The aged wise men sat still before her, unable to answer.

Then Draupadi cast a crooked glance toward her five husbands. Under that look of Yajnaseni, the five Pandavas could not keep their heads raised. Along with Yudhishthira, all of them lowered their heads. Losing kingdom, wealth, and honor had not caused them such pain, but now Draupadi's look burned their hearts to ashes. Their inward torment grew stronger. Their chests seemed ready to break with the grief of Yajnaseni.

Draupadi looked helplessly toward her husbands, yet not one of them could step forward to protect Panchali.

Seeing this, Dushasana laughed loudly. Pushing the nearly fainting Draupadi before all, he cried, "Slave woman! Slave woman! Slave of the Kauravas! Crown Prince Duryodhana, put her to your service work."

Karna said, "You have spoken rightly, Dushasana. Friend Duryodhana, why delay any longer? Put that slave woman to work in the royal court."

Dhritarashtra said from his seat, "Son Duryodhana, now everything is in your hands. Give whatever orders you wish."

At last Bhishma spoke, though his words came heavy with pain. "Daughter, a good person can stake only what is in his own control, and nothing else. And a husband does have authority over his wife. This is one subtle side of dharma. Now, in this court, I cannot give the proper answer to your question, Panchali, by unfolding that subtle net of reasoning. Yudhishthira can never abandon truth in any way. That Dharmaraj has himself admitted his defeat. This Shakuni is unmatched in the game of dice. This son of Subala awakened in Maharaj Yudhishthira the desire to play dice, but not once during the game did Yudhishthira call Shakuni's throws false or the game unfair, Panchali."

Draupadi asked in sorrow, "How did Shakuni awaken the desire to play dice, Grandfather?"

Bhishma answered, "Maharaj Yudhishthira could not understand Shakuni's trickery. He is pure in nature, so this Shakuni has defeated him very easily."

Draupadi said, "But you—you are the protectors of bad sons and daughters-in-law, you are the glory of the Bharata line. How then did you let this terrible thing happen? And even if you did, I beg you, do not stay silent now. Please tell me, have I... have I truly been won?"

Seeing Draupadi's lament, Bhima Sena could no longer control himself. The wise old men of the Kaurava court sat silent with lowered heads. Looking at them, Bhima turned a fierce gaze upon Yudhishthira. It was as if fire came from his eyes.

"Maharaj Yudhishthira," Bhima said, "in the dice game men do not even stake courtesans who live by others, because kings still show them some kindness. And you staked your lawful wife! Our wealth, riches, kingdom—everything is gone, but I have no grief for those things, because you are lord of all that property. But Draupadi! Today Draupadi suffers this insult because of you! No, no, no—I can never accept this great wrong of yours, Maharaj. Sahadeva, bring fire at once. I will burn that hand of the Maharaj with which he played dice."

Arjuna cried out, "What are you saying, elder brother? You never spoke like this before. Merciless enemies have destroyed both your dharma and your honor, elder brother. Do not insult Maharaj Yudhishthira, the very image of dharma. I beg you, elder brother."

Yet even after Draupadi's helpless pleading, neither Bhishma nor Drona nor Kripacharya made any protest. And at the same time Bhima was rising in anger against Yudhishthira.

Then, seeing all this with his own eyes, Vikarna could remain silent no longer. Though he was Duryodhana's brother by birth, in nature and ideals this third Kaurava was deeply righteous. In that very court where Bhishma, son of Ganga, sat silent, Vikarna now spoke aloud.

"O kings and wise men present in this court," he said, "why are you not answering Draupadi's question? Her question is most reasonable. If we do not answer it, we shall surely go to hell. What are you afraid of? Of whom are you afraid? Give up anger and desire, and take refuge in royal wisdom. What is this? Will no one speak? Very well, I will clearly say what I think. Listen.

"Hunting, drinking, gambling, and too much contact with women—by these four things people fall from the path of dharma. In such a state whatever a man does goes against the scriptures. Therefore this stake of Yudhishthira too is against the scriptures. By Shakuni's urging he was forced to make this stake. And by then he himself had already been won. How then could he still have authority over Draupadi? I understand what dharma is, elder brother. All the Pandavas have equal right over Draupadi. Then how could Yudhishthira alone stake her? Thinking clearly about all sides of this matter, I understand that Draupadi has not been won."

Vikarna's brave speech had scarcely ended when Karna answered in scorn.

"Vikarna, do not speak about what you do not understand. Under the force of circumstances, could it not be that they forgot their own dharma? Is that not so? You seem to be a great knower of dharma! Then surely you know that the Vedas speak of only one husband for a woman. But Draupadi has five husbands! Then in the eyes of dharma what is Draupadi, tell me? Yes, Draupadi is one such woman. So whether she is clothed in one cloth or unclothed, there is no wrong in dragging her into the court. Listen, Dushasana, what this boy Vikarna has said makes no difference at all. Strip the clothes from the five Pandavas and from Draupadi."

As soon as Karna gave that order, the five Pandavas themselves threw their upper garments to the ground before Dushasana could tear them away by force.

Then, in savage excitement, Dushasana rushed like a madman toward Draupadi. In spite of her resistance, he began to pull at her only cloth by force.

Bhishma, Dronacharya, Kripacharya, and Vidura—righteous and wise great souls—sat with heads lowered in shame. The Pandavas, with fists clenched, burned within with helpless rage. Only Duryodhana and the other Kauravas and Karna, king of Anga, waited shamelessly for Draupadi's final humiliation.

In the middle of the court Dushasana was pulling hard at Draupadi's cloth.

Yajnaseni's outer senses were slowly slipping away. To protect her modesty, she prayed in pain, "O Madhusudana, remover of shame, O Krishna of all the sorrowing, protect my honor. Friend, protect my honor. Other than you I have no protector. O supreme friend, O Krishna, O Lord, save me."

In the Kaurava royal court, on one side was Dushasana's wild joy, and on the other the trembling prayer of the nearly unconscious Draupadi. The drunken Kauravas did not even hear Panchali's trembling cry. Their greedy eyes were fixed on her body.

But then—what was this?

Why was Dushasana taking so long to pull away just one cloth?

Duryodhana's hungry face slowly froze in amazement.

Did Draupadi know some magic?