Maha-bharata - Anonymous

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and with the recklessness of a gambler still went on with the fatal game. His wealth and hoarded 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

      Glassed on Ganga's limpid waters brightly shine 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 vassal, as his slave in palace stay!”

      “Have I heard thee, menial, rightly?” questioned she in anguish keen,

       “Doth a crownéd king and husband stake his wife and lose his queen,

      Did my noble 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,

      Dragged her in her slipping garments by her long and trailing hair,

       And like sapling tempest-shaken, wept and shook the trembling fair!

      Stooping in her shame and anguish, pale with wrath and woman's fear,

       Trembling and in stifled accents, thus she spake with streaming tear:

      “Leave me, shameless prince Duhsasan! elders, noble lords are here,

       Can a modest wedded woman thus in loose attire appear?”

      Vain the words and soft entreaty which the weeping princess made,

       Vainly to the gods and mortals she in bitter anguish prayed,

      For with cruel words of insult still Duhsasan mocked her woo:

       “Loosely clad or void of clothing—to the council hall you go,

      Slave-wench fairly staked and conquered, wait upon thy masters brave,

       Live among our household menials, serve us as our willing slave!”

      II

      Draupadi's Plaint

      Loose-attired, with trailing tresses, came Draupadi weak and faint,

       Stood within the Council Chamber, tearful made her piteous plaint:

      “Elders! versed in holy sastra, and in every holy rite, Pardon if Draupadi cometh in this sad unseemly plight,

      Stay thy sinful deed, Duhsasan, nameless wrongs and insults spare,

       Touch me not with hands uncleanly, sacred is a woman's hair,

      Honoured elders, righteous nobles, have on me protection given,

       Tremble sinner, seek no mercy from the wrathful gods in heaven!

      Here in glory, son of Dharma, sits my noble righteous lord,

       Sin nor shame nor human frailty stains Yudhishthir's deed or word,

      Silent all? and will no chieftain rise to save a woman's life,

       Not a hand or voice is lifted to defend a virtuous wife?

      Lost is Kuru's righteous glory, lost is Bharat's ancient name,

       Lost is Kshatra's kingly prowess, warlike worth and knightly fame,

      Wherefore else do Kuru warriors tamely view this impious scene,

       Wherefore gleam not righteous weapons to protect an outraged queen?

      Bhishma, hath he lost his virtue, Drona, hath he lost his might,

       Hath the monarch of the Kurus ceased to battle for the right,

      Wherefore are ye mute and voiceless, councillors of mighty fame?

       Vacant eye and palsied right arm watch this deed of Kuru's shame!”

      III

      Insult

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