In the previous episode, we had witnessed an important phase of the entire Mahabharata story wherein Draupati is being insulted amidst the public courtroom by Duchaasana, who is stripping her saree off! However, Draupati’s steadfast “Bhakti” towards Bhagawan Krishna saves her at the right time, as Bhagawan Krishna ensures that her saree length becomes infinite. As Duchaasana pulls out the saree from one end, the saree keeps on growing in length! Thus, Bhagawan Krishna ensures that Draupati is completely draped with the saree at all times, and her chastity is intact. We’ve also witnessed yesterday that as this heinous crime is taking place, Bhagawan Krishna is not there physically at Hastinapura. He had gone somewhere to Shaalva Desha for fighting a war. However, true devotion melts Bhagawan’s heart from wherever He is! Draupati is the biggest example of pure “Bhakti” and unconditional surrender towards Bhagawan. Also, we had a small note on the significance of “Naamasankeerthanam”. More than Bhagawan protecting all of us, His divine names are more powerful than Him! We’ve witnessed the perfect example in Draupati for this point. Even though Bhagawan isn’t physically around, it was His divine name “Govinda” that protects Draupati at the critical point, isn’t it? Thus, we’ve to understand here that Sage Veda-Vyaasa has indirectly explained the significance of “Naamasankeertanam” through this instance.
Moving on further thus, as Duchaasana is continuously pulling Draupati’s saree, it just keeps growing and growing in length! At one point in time, Duchaasana becomes tired and almost falls on the ground unconscious. Nobody could believe what had just happened! How can a saree grow like this to an infinite length? Bhishmachaarya and Vidura understood what had happened! It was Bhagawan Krishna’s divine “Anugraha” at work! Vidura thanks Bhagawan Krishna whole-heartedly within himself and so is Bhishmachaarya, even though he couldn’t open his mouth and speak against Duryodhana’s and Duchaasana’s actions. As Duchaasana falls on the floor, Bheemasena stands up with all his might! As Bheemasena stands up, his anger and aggression is clearly visible on his face! The entire place shakes up for a moment with his enormous raw muscle power. He has had enough! Yudishtra’s pledge that he and his Paandava brothers shouldn’t hurt others by using harsh words has only resulted in such a disastrous consequence, and Bheemasena decides that enough is enough!
Now it is time for Bheemasena to storm the audience! Just like how Yudishtra took “Shabadhams”, Bheemasena decides that he too can – But not in the way as his brother took! Bheemasena decides to “go for the kill” here! He thunders thus, “Oh King Dhridiraashtra! Oh Bhishmachaarya! Oh Guru Dhronachaarya! Thank you for the wonderful treatment that all of you have meted out to us and our wife Draupati! Take it from me today – I shall avenge this insult in every way possible! I shall make sure that your son Duryodhana pays a heavy price for this very soon! Saying thus, Bheemasena turns towards Duryodhana now and thunders aloud: “Oh wicked Duryodhana! You’ve shown us today, the heights of your wicked behaviour. Now let me tell you something – You called Draupati to come and sit on your lap didn’t you? Take this from me – I would plunder your lap with my muscle power and squeeze you to death with these powerful arms of mine! Take this as a pledge of mine in front of everyone! You would definitely pay a very heavy price for what you’ve done to us and Paanchaali!”
Saying thus, Bheemasena turns towards Duchaasana and roars thus: “Oh wicked Duchaasana! How dare you keep your nasty hands on my wife? How dare you even go ahead and physically assault her in public? I’ve been patient till this moment only because of Yudishtra’s pledge. Else things would have been different by now! But let me tell you one thing very clearly – The very same hands that pulled Draupati’s saree today – Would be twisted and chopped off from your body by my raw muscle power! I shall amputate your hands from your body with all my might! Your hands do not deserve to be part of your body anymore! Now here’s my pledge amidst the entire courtroom – Duryodhana’s and Duchaasana’s death will only be in my hands in the near future! Time will come and this will definitely happen!”
These words from Bheemasena stuns the audience and all of them start freezing at their places! King Dhridiraashtra is stunned beyond words! He did not expect such a disaster to take place. Duchaasana himself is extremely stunned and starts getting scared of Bheemasena’s might and brute power! Perhaps he started repenting for the heinous crime that he had just committed? Upon seeing Bheemasena fuming with anger, Arjuna gets up now! He takes cue from his brother’s angry pledge and thunders amidst the entire courtroom thus, “Oh King Dhridiraashtra! Till now I had great respect for you and your family. Now with whatever happened today, all that respect is completely gone! Now let me tell you something – I shall ensure that Duryodhana has a tough time in the battlefield very soon. I shall ensure that he can’t even see my arrows striking him! Oh Karna! What did you say about my wife? She is a “Daasi” and she should obey Duryodhana’s words, isn’t it? Now let me tell you something – Your end is in my hands! If you have the guts, come to the battlefield and utter the same words! I shall show who this Arjuna really is! Today let me take this pledge in front of everyone – Karna’s death is going to be in my hands only! I shall pound him with all my arrows and ensure that he has a painful death for all that he has done today!”
In similar lines, Nakula and Sahadeva take pledges too – To kill Sahuni and the others at Hastinapura during the war! As the Paandava brothers start taking pledges one after the other, the entire courtroom is left baffled! King Dhridiraashtra doesn’t know what to talk. Clearly, Duryodhana’s plan has backfired very badly. Sahuni has rubbed the wrong side of the Paandava brothers. Now he has to do something to firefight and doze down the simmering anger between the two camps! What is he going to do? Let us wait and witness an important accord in the next episode! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 