Maha-bharata Part 10

By thy all-subduing glory monarchs bore Yudhishthir's sway, Came with gifts and costly presents, came their tributes rich to pay,

Must thou part? my uttered accents may not bid thee, friend, to go, In thy absence vain were empire, and this life were full of woe,

Yet thou partest, sinless Krishna, dearest, best beloved friend, And to Dwarka's sea-washed mansions Krishna must his footsteps bend!"

Then unto Yudhishthir's mother, pious-hearted Krishna hies, And in accents love-inspiring thus to ancient Pritha cries:

"Regal fame and righteous glory crown thy sons, revered dame, Joy thee in their peerless prowess, in their holy spotless fame,

May thy sons' success and triumph cheer a widowed mother's heart, Grant me leave, O n.o.ble lady! for to Dwarka I depart."

From Yudhishthir's queen Draupadi parts the chief with many a tear, And from Arjun's wife Subhadra, Krishna's sister ever dear,

Then with rites and due ablutions to the G.o.ds are offerings made, Priests repeat their benedictions, for the righteous Krishna said,

And his faithful chariot-driver brings his falcon-bannered car, Like the clouds in ma.s.sive splendour and resistless in the war,

Pious Krishna mounts the chariot, fondly greets his friends once more, Leaves blue Jumna's sacred waters for his Dwarka's dear-loved sh.o.r.e,

Still Yudhishthir and his brothers, sad and sore and grieved at heart, Followed Krishna's moving chariot, for they could not see him part,

Krishna stopped once more his chariot, and his parting blessing gave, Thus the chief with eyes of lotus spake in accents calm and brave:

_"King of men! with sleepless watching ever guard thy kingdom flair, Like a father tend thy subjects with a father's love and care,_

_Be unto them like the rain-drop nouris.h.i.+ng the thirsty ground, Be unto them tree of shelter shading them from heat around,_

_Like the blue sky ever bending be unto them ever kind, Free from pride and free from pa.s.sion rule them with a virtuous mind!"_

Spake and left the saintly Krishna, pure and pious-hearted chief, Sad Yudhishthir wended homeward and his heart was filled with grief.

BOOK IV

DYUTA

(The Fatal Dice)

Duryodhan came back from the Imperial Sacrifice filled with jealousy against Yudhishthir, and devised plans to effect his fall. Sakuni, prince of Gandhara, shared Duryodhan's hatred towards the sons of Pandu, and helped him in his dark scheme. Yudhishthir with all his piety and righteousness had one weakness, the love of gambling, which was one of the besetting sins of the monarchs of the day. Sakuni was an expert at false dice, and challenged Yudhishthir, and Yudhishthir held it a point of honour not to decline such a challenge.

He came from his new capital, Indra-prastha, to Hastina-pura the capital of Duryodhan, with his mother and brothers and Draupadi. And as Yudhishthir lost game after game, he was stung with his losses, and with the recklessness of a gambler still went on with the fatal game. His wealth and h.o.a.rded gold and jewels, his steeds, elephants and cars, his slaves male and female, his empire and possessions, were all staked and lost!

The madness increased, and Yudhishthir staked his brothers, and then himself, and then the fair Draupadi, and lost! And thus the Emperor of Indra-prastha and his family were deprived of every possession on earth, and became the bond-slaves of Duryodhan. The old king Dhrita-rashtra released them from actual slavery, but the five brothers retired to forests as homeless exiles.

Portions of Section lxv. and the whole of Sections lxix., lxxvi., and lxxvii. of Book ii. of the original text have been translated in this Book.

I

Draupadi in the Council Hall

Gla.s.sed on Ganga's limpid waters brightly s.h.i.+ne Hastina's walls Queen Draupadi duly honoured lives within the palace halls,

But as steals a lowly jackal in a lordly lion's den, Base Duryodhan's humble menial came to proud Draupadi's ken.

"Pardon, Empress," quoth the menial, "royal Pandu's righteous son, Lost his game and lost his reason, Empress, thou art staked and won,

Prince Duryodhan claims thee, lady, and the victor bids me say, Thou shalt serve him as his va.s.sal, as his slave in palace stay!"

"Have I heard thee, menial, rightly?" questioned she in anguish keen, "Doth a crowned king and husband stake his wife and lose his queen,

Did my n.o.ble lord and monarch sense and reason lose at dice, Other stake he did not wager, wedded wife to sacrifice!"

"Other stakes were duly wagered," so he spake with bitter groan, "Wealth and empire, every object which Yudhishthir called his own,

Lost himself and all his brothers, bondsmen are those princes brave, Then he staked his wife and empress, thou art prince Duryodhan's slave!"

Rose the queen in queenly anger, and with woman's pride she spake "Hie thee, menial, to thy master, Queen Draupadi's answer take,

If my lord, himself a bondsman, then hath staked his queen and wife, False the stake, for owns a bondsman neither wealth nor other's life,

Slave can wager wife nor children, and such action is undone, Take my word to prince Duryodhan, Queen Draupadi is unwon!"

Wrathful was the proud Duryodhan when he heard the answer bold, To his younger, wild Duhsasan, this his angry mandate told:

"Little-minded is the menial, and his heart in terror fails, For the fear of wrathful Bhima, lo! his coward-bosom quails,

Thou Duhsasan, bid the princess as our humble slave appear, Pandu's sons are humble bondsmen, and thy heart it owns no fear!"

Fierce Duhsasan heard the mandate, blood-shot was his flaming eye, Forthwith to the inner chambers did with eager footsteps hie,

Proudly sat the fair Draupadi, monarch's daughter, monarch's wife, Unto her the base Duhsasan spake the message, insult-rife:

"Lotus-eyed Panchala-princess! fairly staked and won at game, Come and meet thy lord Duryodhan, chase that mantling blush of shame!

Serve us as thy lords and masters, be our beauteous bright-eyed slave, Come unto the Council Chamber, wait upon the young and brave!"

Proud Draupadi shakes with tremor at Duhsasan's hateful sight, And she shades her eye and forehead, and her bloodless cheeks are white,

At his words her chaste heart sickens, and with wild averted eye, Unto rooms where dwelt the women, Queen Draupadi seeks to fly.

Vainly sped the trembling princess in her fear and in her shame, By her streaming wavy tresses fierce Duhsasan held the dame!

Sacred looks! with holy water dewed at _rajasuya_ rite, And by _mantra_ consecrated, fragrant, flowing, raven-bright,

Base Duhsasan by those tresses held the faint and flying queen, Feared no more the sons of Pandu, nor their vengeance fierce and keen,