We’re at a very important and a crucial juncture wherein the gambling game is taking a disastrous turn! As the play progresses even after Vidura’s emotional appeal to stop this nonsense from happening any further, Duryodhana stuck to his guns of making Yudishtra pay for what he had “illegally acquired” in the past! Duryodhana’s jealousy knew no bounds as he took step after step in humiliating Yudishtra, without even being aware that all his actions were against the rule of “Dharma”, and that, he is going to pay a heavy price for this later on. Now we’re at a stage wherein Yudishtra has lost his entire wealth, kingdom, servants, army, elephants, horses, lands, gold coins, garlands, etc. After all this, Yudishtra is pushed to stake his four Paandava brothers and play, only to lose them as servants to Duryodhana! As this was going on, Sahuni and Duryodhana instigated Yudishtra to continue the game by staking one brother after the other, which Yudishtra couldn’t deny! Finally, he ends up losing all his four brothers, which came as a rude shock to the Paandava camp. Then came a stage wherein Yudishtra had to stake himself and play, only to lose himself to Duryodhana! This was even more terrible and Yudishtra had to abjectly surrender to the might of the vicious Sahuni-Duryodhana duo. Their plan seemed to be working to perfection, with Yudishtra bearing the brunt of Duryodhana’s arrogance.
Moving on further, as the brothers were lost, Yudishtra now doesn’t know what else to stake and play! As he had lost himself in the run of play, Yudishtra literally had no right to take any decision henceforth! Now Duryodhana had the complete dominating upper hand and the onus now falls on Duryodhana upon deciding who / what to stake and play! Now Duryodhana roars with his instruction to Yudishtra thus, “Oh Yudishtra! Now that you’ve become my servant, obey my words – Why do you think you’re not having anyone else to stake and play? You have your wife Draupati still left, isn’t it? Why don’t you stake her and play? Go for it! Even now I give you my assurance – If you win this time, I shall guarantee that all whatever you’ve lost till now, would come back to your fold! If you win this time around, you would no longer be my servant. Your four brothers would no longer be my servants. I shall give your kingdom back to you! Everything would be yours again if you win this one time!”
As Duryodhana pushes Yudishtra thus, he doesn’t know how to react to this – On one hand, the offer made by Duryodhana is quite tempting and with this, he can seek revenge by obtaining all whatever he had lost. Whereas, on the other hand, his track record is dismal – He hasn’t won even for a single time. If he loses once again, he would have to lose his wife too to Duryodhana and this would become extremely disastrous! What can he do now? Maybe he can create an excuse to save Draupati from this? With this thought in mind, Yudishtra slowly talks to Duryodhana thus, “Oh brother! I can stake Draupati and play. That’s not a problem. But if I lose her, how would I answer my father-in-law? Won’t that be a big tragedy? Please, I request you! Let us not go any further. Let us stop it at this point atleast!”
As Yudishtra meekly makes an appeal of this sort, Duryodhana is not ready to listen to Yudishtra anymore! Karna joins the party as well! Now Karna talks on behalf of Duryodhana rudely thus, “Oh Yudishtra! Whom do you think Duryodhana is? He is the master and you’re after all his servant! Now do as he said, and don’t backanswer him! You have no rights to talk against Duryodhana’s wishes! Hence, stake Draupati and continue playing! If you win, you win everything! If you lose, we shall see what can be done! Continue the game without any hiccups!” As Karna talks harshly, anger starts to simmer amidst the Paandava camp. Bheemasena, Arjuna and the others are boiling with immense frustration, but they are not in a situation currently to open their mouths and talk! Things are too late now! Yudishtra too is clearly agitated with Karna’s words as they were like fuel to a burning fire! Finally, Yudishtra had no other option but to stake Draupati and play!
Now, the crucial time of staking Draupati arrives – As Yudishtra is about to do that, Bhishmachaarya and Guru Dhronachaarya were extremely agitated and scared too! However, none had the courage and guts to open their mouths and talk! King Dhridiraashtra is also a mute spectator to all this. Since he was blind, he could not visibly see what was happening. He is only able to hear heated arguments being exchanged on both sides. Hence, King Dhridiraashtra calls Bhishmachaarya by his side and asks him thus, “Oh Bhishmachaarya! Is the game over? Has Duryodhana won over Draupati? Is it all over? Has my son succeeded in whatever he wanted to do?” These words clearly show how King Dhridiraashtra is extremely one-sided here! Even though he knows that his son is walking the dangerous path of “Adharma”, he encourages his son to take that extreme step! He might be thinking that he and his son are smart enough here, but there is someone called Bhagawan Krishna, who is watching all this clearly from wherever He is! He is noting down every word spoken and every action that is performed at Hastinapura courtroom! Now, King Dhridiraashtra isn’t the silent spectator. Bhagwan Krishna is! He’s going to make all of them pay a heavy price for what they’re doing currently to the Paandavas and Draupati!
As King Dhridiraashtra asks this follow-up question, the dice are rolled! Sahuni has the last say in it! Yudishtra ends up losing Draupati as well! Now everyone is shouting aloud – “Jitham! Jitham”! “Victory to Duryodhana!” Yudishtra is crushed to pieces and is stunned beyond words! He is seeing in front of his eyes, the most unexpected thing in this world! Now Draupati is also lost and Yudishtra is just a nothing entity now! So for today, let us understand up to this point! Let us take a deep breath and try to digest the huge disaster that is currently happening at Hastinapura! But is this over with what had just happened? Or, is there something else that is going to unfold? Let us wait till tomorrow to find out! Stay tuned!
The Indian Dharma 