Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

In the case of Draupadi, I will not segregate the protection she gotwhen Duhshasana was disrobing her and then say that that alonerepresents the Divine help. In fact, even after Duhshasana withdrewfrom this venture, the humiliation of this great woman continued.Duhshasana and others were again after her. The only forcethat kept all under check was her demand for a clear answer to thequestion about her slavery. Everyone, including Duryodhana, hadto concede to this point. That is why Duryodhana changed hisstand and said 'If the Pandava brothers admit that Yudhishthira isnot their Master, I shall let Draupadi free'. This was quite againsthis earlier statement, namely Draupadi was his property and she'should' accept his lordship.True, that the mysterious lengthening of the saree plugged onesource of Draupadi’s distress. But there were other holes too, in factlarger and deeper. If her slavery was a fact and she had to accept itwithout question, then not merely herself but the entire Pandavabrothers, her husbands, would have remained in total servitudeand there would be left no way of rescuing them. The earlier dangersand misfortunes could be avoided by some physical means orother – for instance the attempt to burn them off in the wax palace– but here was a situation which none other than the great Draupadicould take up and resolve. The solution lay in the right study,analysis and understanding of what transpired and how best itcould be implicated.An event which calls for the use and application of intelligence andthen for evolving the right formula or solution has no substitute.Where intelligence and its timely effort are needed, we should lookfor and exert the intelligence itself, none other.For right and authentic causes, the intelligence will definitely get38