Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha Justice in the Hands of Torture - Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha
human mind can think of and work. How much can an emotiondrive a man to and to what all states and situations, how far on theother hand can reason and intelligence lead and save one, was aspecial subject of talk. In this connection we were reading and rereadingthe portions of the Mahabharata, particularly the scene inwhich Draupadi was humiliated and tortured and the supreme andprovidential way in which it all ended.I shall mention some salient points of the whole anecdote as it isdescribed by Sage Vyasa.Duryodhana was always jealous and intolerant about the Pandavabrothers and their prosperous and victorious life. He was bentupon destroying them by some means or other. With the consent ofhis father Dhritarashtra, therefore, he called Yudhishthira for agame of dice. Shakuni, the maternal uncle of Duryodhana wasadept in foul play. He played on Duryodhana's side. Yudhishthiraand others knew of this, yet being addicted to the game of dice, theeldest of the Pandavas accepted the invitation. In the game, as wasanticipated, Yudhishthira began to lose. He was induced to stake inthe game everything he possessed, kingdom, wealth, his kith, kinetc. one after the other. Yudhishthira accepted the challenge andstarted staking everything, things as well as people, one after another.Every time Shakuni cleverly provoked him to part with hisbelongings. Shakuni used teasing and wounding remarks and gotthe king to part with his belongings.Yudhishthira staked his brothers – Sahadeva, Nakula, Arjuna andBheema. All of them he lost too. Shakuni then had Yudhishthirastake himself and try his luck. Yudhishthira did so, but only to losehimself. Accepting defeat the king said: ‘Yes, I am defeated. I standa slave and servant to Duryodhana. I am left with nothing now, not4
even myself.’ At this Shakuni laughed and pointed out that hiswife, Draupadi, was still left behind independent, and withoutstaking her, it was wrong for him to have staked himself. Sayingthis he persuaded Yudhishthira to stake Draupadi also.Yudhishthira rose up to the occasion and describing Draupadi asthe most ideal, beautiful, graceful, dutiful woman, he declared heras staked.When the king was declaring thus, staking Draupadi, the wholeassembly consisting of Kuru elders and well-wishers shuddered,but sat mute heaving and sighing. Bheeshma, Drona, Kripa and theothers knew it was all wrong and unfair but seeing KingYudhishthira himself consenting to all the demands of the enemies,they could say nothing.The dice was cast only to defeat Yudhishthira. Shakuni won andwith that the Pandavas and all their belongings became Duryodhana's,losing all their freedom, power and authority outright.Duryodhana and his group who were all the time bubbling withjoy and exhilaration, now exploded into a frenzy of laughter at thethought of revenge. Instigated by Karna and Shakuni, Duryodhanasent Pratikami to fetch Draupadi telling her that she had been wonover by himself and his brothers. From then on they, not the Pandavas,were her Lords.Pratikami went to Draupadi's apartment and breaking the news ofher lot he asked her to proceed to Duryodhana's court as commandedby him. Draupadi shuddered at what her Lord,Yudhishthira, had done. She asked: 'Did the king stake his wife?Had he nothing else to stake?' Pratikami said 'No madam, hestaked all and lost all, incIuding himself.' At this Draupadi asked5
- Page 3 and 4: Justice “In the Hands of Torture
- Page 7: Where the role of women is rightly
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- Page 15 and 16: give a fitting and final answer. So
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- Page 24 and 25: "Look at my long sturdy hands. Even
- Page 26 and 27: To these words of Bheema, Yudhishth
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- Page 30 and 31: tice and moral propriety. He strong
- Page 32 and 33: Even with the two I have given, my
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- Page 38 and 39: In India, right from the ancient da
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- Page 42 and 43: In the case of Draupadi, I will not
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- Page 46 and 47: noyance all that was his was won by
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- Page 50 and 51: Many get steeped in delusion, or th
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- Page 56 and 57: out what he wishes to. Then he has
even myself.’ At this Shakuni laughed and po<strong>in</strong>ted out that hiswife, Draupadi, was still left beh<strong>in</strong>d <strong>in</strong>dependent, and withoutstak<strong>in</strong>g her, it was wrong for him to have staked himself. Say<strong>in</strong>gthis he persuaded Yudhishthira to stake Draupadi also.Yudhishthira rose up to <strong>the</strong> occasion and describ<strong>in</strong>g Draupadi as<strong>the</strong> most ideal, beautiful, graceful, dutiful woman, he declared heras staked.When <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g was declar<strong>in</strong>g thus, stak<strong>in</strong>g Draupadi, <strong>the</strong> wholeassembly consist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> Kuru elders and well-wishers shuddered,but sat mute heav<strong>in</strong>g and sigh<strong>in</strong>g. Bheeshma, Drona, Kripa and <strong>the</strong>o<strong>the</strong>rs knew it was all wrong and unfair but see<strong>in</strong>g K<strong>in</strong>gYudhishthira himself consent<strong>in</strong>g to all <strong>the</strong> demands <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> enemies,<strong>the</strong>y could say noth<strong>in</strong>g.The dice was cast only to defeat Yudhishthira. Shakuni won andwith that <strong>the</strong> Pandavas and all <strong>the</strong>ir belong<strong>in</strong>gs became Duryodhana's,los<strong>in</strong>g all <strong>the</strong>ir freedom, power and authority outright.Duryodhana and his group who were all <strong>the</strong> time bubbl<strong>in</strong>g withjoy and exhilaration, now exploded <strong>in</strong>to a frenzy <strong>of</strong> laughter at <strong>the</strong>thought <strong>of</strong> revenge. Instigated by Karna and Shakuni, Duryodhanasent Pratikami to fetch Draupadi tell<strong>in</strong>g her that she had been wonover by himself and his bro<strong>the</strong>rs. From <strong>the</strong>n on <strong>the</strong>y, not <strong>the</strong> Pandavas,were her Lords.Pratikami went to Draupadi's apartment and break<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> news <strong>of</strong>her lot he asked her to proceed to Duryodhana's court as commandedby him. Draupadi shuddered at what her Lord,Yudhishthira, had done. She asked: 'Did <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>g stake his wife?Had he noth<strong>in</strong>g else to stake?' Pratikami said 'No madam, hestaked all and lost all, <strong>in</strong>cIud<strong>in</strong>g himself.' At this Draupadi asked5
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