DYUTA PARVA: Chapter 71

Draupadi's obtaining boon

कर्ण उवाच त्रयः किलेमे ह्यधना भवन्ति। दासः पुतश्चास्वतन्त्रा च नारी। दासस्य पत्नी त्वधनस्य भद्रे हीनेश्वरा दासधनं च सर्वम्॥
Karna said Of all the persons in this assembly, Bhisma, Khattwa (Vidura) and the preceptor of the Kurus (Droria) appear to be independent (men), for they always speak of their master as wicked, they always censure him and never wish for his prosperity.

प्रविश्य राज्ञः परिवारं भजस्व तत् ते कार्यं शिष्टमादिश्यतेऽत्र। ईशास्तु सर्वे तव राजपुत्रि। भवन्ति वै धार्तराष्ट्रा न पार्थाः॥
The slave, the son, and the wife, (these three) are always dependent. They can have no wealth, for whatever they possess belong to their master. You are (now) the wife of a slave incapable of possessing anything of her own.

अन्यं वृणीष्व पतिमाशु भाविनि यस्माद् दास्यं न लभसि देवनेन। नित्यं दास्ये विदितं तत् तवास्तु॥
Go to the inner apartments of the king and serve his relatives. This is the work that is now justify assigned to you. O princess, the sons of Dhritarashtra, and not the sons of Pritha (the Pandavas), are now your masters.

पराजितो नकुलो भीमसेनो युधिष्ठिरः सहदेवार्जुनौ च। दासीभूता त्वं हि वै याज्ञसेनि पराजितास्ते पतयो नैव सन्ति।॥
O beautiful lady, select now another husband who will not make you a slave by gambling. It is well known that it is not censurable in a slave to proceed with freedom in selecting her husband.

प्रयोजनं जन्मनि किं न मन्यते पराक्रमं पौरुषं चैव पार्थः। पाञ्चाल्यस्य दुपदस्यात्मजामिमां सभामध्ये यो व्यदेवीद् ग्लहेषु॥
O Yajnaseni, Nakula, Bhimasena, Yudhisthira, Sahadeva and Arjuna are all won (by us). You are (also) now a slave. Your husbands who are slaves cannot be now your masters.

वैशम्पायन उवाच तद् वै श्रुत्वा भीमसेनोऽत्यमर्षी भृशं निशश्वास तदाऽऽर्तरूपः। राजानुगो धर्मपाशानुबद्धो दहन्निवैनं क्रोधसंरक्तदृष्टिः॥
Did not the son of Pritha (Yudhisthira) consider life as useless, did he not care for prowess and manhood, that he offered the daughter of Drupada, the Panchala king, as a stake at dice in the presence of all this assembly.

भीम उवाच नेष सत्यं दासधर्मः प्रदिष्टः। र्नादेवीस्त्वं यद्यनया नरेन्द्र॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing these words, the wrathful Bhima breathed hard; he became a very picture of woe. But obedient to the king (Yudhisthira) and bound by the ties of virtue and duty, (he still did nothing awful). But as if burning every thing with his eyes inflamed with anger, he thus spoke.

वैशम्पायन उवाच भीमसेनवचः श्रुत्वा राजा दुर्योधनस्तदा। युधिष्ठिरमुवाचेदं तूष्णीम्भूतमचेतनम्॥
Bhima said I cannot be angry at these words of the Suta's son (Karna), for we have really entered the state not played staking this princess, could our enemies ever dare to speak thus to me?

भीमार्जुनौ यमौ चैव स्थितौ ते नृप शासने। प्रश्नं ब्रूहि च कृष्णां त्वमजितां यदि मन्यसे॥
Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of Bhimasena, king Duryodhana thus addressed Yudhisthira who was sitting silent as one who is deprived of his senses.

एवमुक्त्वा तु कौन्तेयमपोह्य वसनं स्वकम्। स्मयन्नवेक्ष्य पाञ्चालीमैश्वर्यमदमोहितः॥
"O king, Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) are ever under your seat. Answer this question. Say whether you regard Krishna as won".

कदलीस्तम्भसदृशं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम्। गजहस्तप्रतीकाशं वज्रप्रतिमगौरवम्॥ अभ्युत्स्मयित्वा राधेयं भीममाधर्षयन्निव। द्रौपद्याः प्रेक्षमाणायाः सव्यमूरुमदर्शयत्॥
Having spoken thus to the son of Kunti, Duryodhana proud of his affluence, and desirous of encouraging the son of Radha (Karna) and of insulting Bhima, uncovered his right thigh, which was like a stem of the plantain tree or like the trunk of an elephant and which was graced with every auspicious mark, and endued with the strength of thunder; he showed it to Draupadi in her very sight.

भीमसेनस्तमालोक्य नेत्रे उत्फाल्य लोहिते। प्रोवाच राजमध्ये तं सभां विश्रावयन्निव॥
Seeing this Bhimasena, expanding his red eyes, thus spoke to him (Duryodhana) in the midst of the kings, as if piercing them (with his words).

पितृभिः सह सालोक्यं मा स्म गच्छेद् वृकोदरः। यद्येतमूरूं गदया न भिन्द्यां ते महाहवे॥
"Let not Vrikodara go to the regions obtained by his ancestors, if he does not break that thigh in a great battle."

क्रुद्धस्य तस्य सर्वेभ्यः स्रोतोभ्यः पावकर्चिषः। वृक्षस्येव विनिश्चेरुः कोटरेभ्यः प्रदह्यतः॥
Like the fire that comes out of every crevice of a burning tree, sparkles of fire emitted from every part of angry Bhima's body.

विदुर उवाच परं भयं पश्यत भीमसेनात्। तद् बुध्यस्वं धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राः। दैवेरितो नूनमयं पुरस्तात् परोऽनयो भरतेषूदपादि॥
Vidura said O kings of Pratipa's race, look at the great danger that arise from Bhimasena. Know for certain that this great calamity that threatens to overtake the descendants of Bharata has been sent by Destiny itself.

अतिद्यूतं कृतमिदं धार्तराष्ट्रा यस्मात् स्त्रियं विवदध्वं सभायाम्। योगक्षेमौ नश्यतो वः समग्रौ पापान् मन्त्रान् कुरवो मन्त्रयन्ति॥
The sons of Dhritarashtra have gambled disregarding every proper consideration. They are now quarrelling in the Sabha over a lady. Your kingdom's prosperity is at an end. Alas! The Kurus are engaged in sinful consultation.

इमं धर्मं कुरवो जानताशु ध्वस्ते धर्मे परिषत् सम्प्रदुष्येत्। दीशोऽभविष्यदपराजितात्मा॥
O Kurus, take to your heart this high precept that I declare to you. If virtue is persecuted (in · an assembly,) the whole assembly becomes polluted. If he (Yudhisthira) had staked her before he was himself won, he would have certainly been regarded as her master.

देवं मन्ये यस्य दीव्यत्यनीशः। गान्धारराजस्य वचो निशम्य धर्मादस्मात् कुरवो मापयात॥
If a man stakes any thing at a time when he has no wealth, to win from him any wealth (then) is like obtaining wealth in a dream. O Kurus, listening to the words of the Gandhara king, do not fall from the path of virtue.

दुर्योधन उवाच भीमस्य वाक्ये तद्वदेवार्जुनस्य स्थितोऽहं वै यमयोश्चैवमेव। मथो दास्यान्मोक्ष्यसे याज्ञसेनि॥
Duryodhana said I am willing to abide by the words of Bhima, Arjuna and the twins. Let them say that Yudhisthira is not their master; and Yajnaseni will (then) be freed from slavery.

अर्जुन उवाच ईशो राजा पूर्वमासीद् ग्लहे नः कुन्तीसुतो धर्मराजो महात्मा। ईशस्त्वयं कस्य पराजितात्मा तज्जानीध्वं कुरवः सर्व एव॥
Arjuna said This illustrious son of Kunti, Dharmaraja (Yudhisthira) was certainly our lord and master before he began to play. But having lost himself, let all the Kurus decide whose master he is now.

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो राज्ञो धृतराष्ट्रस्य गेहे गोमायुरुच्चाहरदग्निहोत्रे। तं रासभाः प्रत्यभाषन्त राजन् समन्ततः पक्षिणश्चैव रौद्राः॥
Vaishampayana said Thereupon a jackal cried in the Homa chamber of king Dhritarashtra. O king asses began to bray responsively (with the jackal), and fearful birds from all quarters joined with them in their cries.

तं वै शब्दं विदुरस्तत्त्ववेदी शुश्राव घोरं सुबलात्मजा च। भीष्मो द्रोणो गौतमश्चापि विद्धान् स्वस्ति स्वस्तीत्यपि चैवाहुरुच्चैः॥
At this sound, Vidura, learned in everything, and also the daughter of Subala (Gandhari), knew what it meant. Bhisma, Drona, and the learned Goutama (Kripa) also knowing it, loudly cried, "Svasti" "Svasti" (peace).

स्तमुत्पातं घोरमालक्ष्य राज्ञे। निवेदयामासतुरातवत् तदा ततो राजा वाक्यमिदं बभाषे॥
Seeing that fearful omen, Gandhari and the learned Vidura told everything in great affliction to the king (Dhritarashtra). Then the king thus spoke.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच हतोऽसि दुर्योधन मन्दबुद्धे यस्त्वं सभायां कुरुपुङ्गवानाम्। स्त्रियं समाभाषसि दुर्विनीत विशेषतो द्रौपदी धर्मपत्नीम्॥
Dhritarashtra said O wicked minded Duryodhana, O wretch, destruction has already overtaken you when you insult in such language a wife of the Kuru chief, especially this wedded wife (of the Pandavas) Draupadi.

एवमुक्त्वा धृतराष्ट्रो मनीषी। हितान्वेषी बान्धवानामपायात्। कृष्णां पाञ्चालीमब्रवीत् सान्त्वपूर्व विमृश्यैतत् प्रज्ञया तत्त्वबुद्धिः॥
Vaishampayana said Having said this, the wise Dhritarashtra, who possessed great knowledge, reflecting (on the matter) with the aid of his wisdom and being desirous of saving his relatives and friends from destruction, consoled the Panchala princes Krishna and thus spoke to her.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच वरं वृणीष्व पाञ्चालि मत्तो यदभिवाञ्छसि। वधूनां हि विशिष्टा मे त्वं धर्मपरमा सती॥
Dhritarashtra said O Panchali ask from me any boon you desire. Chaste and devoted to virtue, you are the foremost of all my daughters-in-law.

द्रौपद्युवाच ददासि चेद् वरं मह्यं वृणोमि भरतर्षभ। सर्वधर्मानुगः श्रीमानदासोऽस्तु युधिष्ठिरः॥
Draupadi said O best of the Bharata race, if you grant me a boon, I say, let the handsome Yudhisthira, ever obedient to all duties, be freed from slavery.

मनस्विनमजानन्तो मैवं ब्रूयः कुमारकाः। एष वै दासपुत्रो हि प्रतिविन्ध्यं ममात्मजम्॥
Let not unthinking children speak of my greatly intelligent son Prativindhya as the son of a slave.

राजपुत्रः पुरा भूत्वा यथा नान्यः पुमान् क्वचित्। राजभिालितस्यास्य न युक्ता दासपुत्रता॥
Having been born a prince, to whom there is no man superior, and nurtured by kings, it is not proper that he should be called the son of a slave.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच एवं भवतु कल्याणि यथा त्वमभिभाषसे। द्वितीयं ते वरं भद्रे ददानि वरयस्व ह। मनो हि मे वितरति नैकं त्वं वरमर्हसि॥
Dhritarashtra said O blessed girl, what you have said, let it be so. O excellent one, ask for a second boon. I shall grant it to you. My heart desires to give you a second boon. You do not deserve to get only one boon. me

द्रौपद्युवाच सरथौ सधनुष्कौ च भीमसेनधनेजयौ। यमौ च वरये राजन्नदासान् स्ववशानहम्॥
Draupadi said O king, grant this boon that Bhimasena, Arjuna and the twins with their bows and cars be freed from slavery and gain their liberty.

धृतराष्ट्र उवाच तथास्तु ते महाभागे यथा त्वं नन्दिनीच्छसि। तृतीयं वरयास्मत्तो नासि द्वाभ्यां सुसत्कृता। त्वं हि सर्वस्नुषाणां मे श्रेयसी धर्मचारिणी॥
Dhritarashtra said O greatly blessed girl, let it be what you say. O daughter, ask for a third boon, you have not been sufficiently honoured with two boons. Ever trading the path of virtue, you are the foremost of all my daughters-in-law.

द्रौपद्युवाच लोभो धर्मस्य नाशाय भगवन् नाहमुत्सहे। अनर्हा वरमादातुं तृतीयं राजसत्तम॥
Draupadi said O illustrious one, covetousness destroys virtue. O foremost of kings, I do not deserve a third boon; I dare not ask any.

एकमाहुर्वैश्यवरं द्वौ तु क्षत्रस्त्रिया वरौ। त्रयस्तु राज्ञो राजेन्द्र ब्राह्मणस्य शतं वराः॥
O king of kings, it is ordained that a Vaisya may ask one boon, a Kshatriya woman two, a Kshatriya three and a Brahmana one hundred.

पापीयांस इमे भूत्वा संतीर्णाः पतयो मम। वेत्स्यन्ति चैव भद्राणि राजन् पुण्येन कर्मणा॥
O king, these my husbands, freed from the wretched state of slavery, will be able to achieve prosperity by their own virtuous acts.