In the previous episode, we had witnessed Sanjaya getting off to sleep after a long journey to Hastinapura from Viraata Desha after meeting Yudishtra and Co. King Dhritarashtra’s anxiety increases as Sanjaya gives an encrypted reply before going to bed! Before going off, Sanjaya once again tells thus, “Oh King Dhritarashtra! Now you’re feeling extremely tense and anxious! But what is the use? You should have had this same anxiety when Draupati was insulted in public amidst everyone! At that time you were silent and watching the show as a mute spectator and by doing so, you failed in your duty as a king. If you would have had real concern for Yudishtra or the Paandava brothers, you should have raised up to the occasion and shown Duryodhana his place. You failed to control the actions of your son at that stage and now what is the use of getting anxious? What is going to change in between tonight and tomorrow morning? Hence, please wait till tomorrow morning to listen to my full accord as to what Yudishtra had said to me!”
We would also have this same feeling too – Whenever we write an examination and come out of the exam hall, we would feel relieved that the exam is over. However, when the day of results being published arrives closer, our fear and anxiety would increase, wouldn’t it? Whether we would pass the examination or not? What happens if we fail the examination? We wouldn’t think of all these while we study for the examination and while we write the examination. We should understand one thing here – When was the examination result decided? Was it decided just a day before the results were published? Or, was it decided while we were writing the examination? Obviously, the fate of whether we pass or fail the examination gets decided when we are writing the examination in the hall! This is exactly what is happening to King Dhritarashtra here too! Here, the examination hall was Hastinapura courtroom. The examination was whether King Dhritarashtra rises to the occasion and thwarts Duryodhana’s attempt to ill-treat Draupati! If King Dhritarashtra would have performed this examination well, he wouldn’t have worried so much today as Sanjaya is going to declare the results the next day! However, the problem comes because King Dhritarashtra as a king, has miserably underperformed during the examination at Hastinapura courtroom! This is the reason why King Dhritarashtra is extremely tensed and anxious!
As we understand this, we now move into the “Prajaakara Parva” under the main “Udyoga Parva”. The phrase “Prajaakara” means, “keeping awake all through the night”. King Dhritarashtra is unable to get a proper night’s sleep because Sanjaya has left a huge suspense before resting for the night! King Dhritarashtra is walking here and there in his chamber, unable to lie down and sleep. So many thoughts run through his mind as he is struggling to find an amicable solution to the brewing disaster! King Dhritarashtra feels that the situation is going out of hand now, but still, he is unable to take a decision. On one hand, he knows that Yudishtra is grossly being ill-treated by Duryodhana and he also knows that Duryodhana is clearly walking the path of “Adharma”. Bhagawan Krishna, who is all-pervasive, is on the side of the Paandava brothers, and if this continues, Duryodhana is surely going to face defeat and a humiliating end to his life! However, on the other hand, King Dhritarashtra’s “Putra-Vatsalya” (Excessive affection and attachment towards his son) towards Duryodhana is blinding him completely to whatever “Adharma” Duryodhana is committing day after day! King Dhritarashtra is unable to raise his voice and criticise Duryodhana for his heinous actions because he has a worry that his son would feel bad if his father is not supporting his cause!
This is a huge confusion to have as a father, isn’t it? So for today, let us understand King Dhritarashtra’s dilemma clearly as we enter into the “Prajaakara Parva” and in the next episode we shall witness what King Dhritarashtra is going to do next, as he has a long sleepless night ahead of him before Sanjaya opens up next morning in the courtroom! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 