Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

virtuous and loyal, are not leaving hold of Dharma, despite theirhumiliation and woeful plight. They never swerve from theavowed path of Dharma. O daughter of the Panchala king, thisstate is quite compatible with you, your nature and talents. Evenwhen tottering under pain and hardship, you do not slip from thewell-laid path of Dharma,""The great veterans like Drona and the rest, who are unshakablysteeped in Dharma, are struck mute like corpses, as if devoid of thelife-current. The one and only person who must give a decisive replyto your question is Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma(Dharmaputra; Yudhishthira is also called Dharmaputra); this ismy definite view. Let Yudhishthira say whether you are a slave ornot; whether you have lost your independence or not. Yudhishthiraalone can give the final answer."Let Pandavas confessIn fear of Duryodhana no one but the elderly Bheeshma raised hisvoice to offer reply to Draupadi, who, afflicted deeply, weakenedpitiably, was wailing aloud in distress like the Kurara bird all thewhile pressing her question to the Kauravas. On seeing the kings,their children and grand-children steeped in utter silence, Duryodhanasaid:"O Panchali, let your husbands Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva,let these persons pronounce an answer to your question! Ifthey declare in the midst of this assembly that Yudhishthira is nottheir Lord and they are not bound by what their MasterYudhishthira says and does, then I shall let you free. Let the righteousand Indra-like Yudhishthira be thus revealed to all presenthere as untruthful, weak and disloyal! The Kuru elders are not18