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And he staked all the jewels belonging to his brothers; and he
lost them; and he staked his two younger brothers; one after the
other; and he lost them; and he then staked Arjuna; and Bhima;
and finally himself; and he lost every game。 Then Sakuni said to
him:〃You have done a bad act; Yudhishthira; in gaming away
yourself and becoming a slave。 But now; stake your wife;
Draupadi; and if you win the game you will again be free。〃 And
Yudhishthira answered and said:〃I will stake Draupadi!〃
And all assembled were greatly troubled and thought evil of
Yudhishthira; and his uncle Vidura put his hand to his head and
fainted away; whilst Bhishma and Drona turned deadly pale; and
many of the company were very sorrowful; but Duryodhana and his
brother Duhsasana; and some others of the Kauravas; were glad in
their hearts; and plainly manifested their joy。 Then Sakuni
threw the dice; and won Draupadi for Duryodhana。
‘Then all in that assembly were in great consternation; and the
Chieftains gazed upon one another without speaking a word。 And
Duryodhana said to his uncle Vidura:〃Go now and bring Draupadi
hither; and bid her sweep the rooms。〃 But Vidura cried out
against him with a loud voice; and said:〃What wickedness is
this? Will you order a woman who is of noble birth; and the wife
of your own kinsman; to become a household slave? How can you
vex your brethren thus? But Draupadi has not become your slave;
for Yudhishthira lost himself before he staked his wife; and
having first become a slave; he could no longer have power to
stake Draupadi。〃 Vidura then turned to the assembly and said:
〃Take no heed to the words of Duryodhana; for he has lost
his senses this day。〃 Duryodhana then said:〃A curse be upon
this Vidura; who will do nothing that I desire him。〃
‘After this Duryodhana called one of his servants; and desired
him to go to the lodgings of the Pandavas; and bring Draupadi
into the pavilion。 And the man departed out; and went to the
lodgings of the Pandavas; and entered the presence of Draupadi;
and said to her:〃Raja Yudhishthira has played you away; and
you have become the slave of Raja Duryodhana: So come now and do
your duty like his other slave girls。〃 And Draupadi was
astonished at these words; and exceedingly wroth; and she
replied:〃Whose slave was I that I could be gambled away? And
who is such a senseless fool as to gamble away his own wife?〃
The servant said:〃Raja Yudhishthira has lost himself; and his
four brothers; and you also; to Raja Duryodhana; and you cannot
make any objection: Arise; therefore; and go to the house of the
Raja!〃
‘Then Draupadi cried out:〃Go you now and inquire whether Raja
Yudhishthira lost me first or himself first; for if he played
away himself first; he could not stake me。〃 So the man returned
to the assembly; and put the question to Yudhishthira; but
Yudhishthira hung down his head with shame; and answered not a
word。
‘Then Duryodhana was filled with wrath; and he cried out to his
servant:〃What waste of words is this? Go you and bring
Draupadi hither; that if she has aught to say; she may say it in
the presence of us all。〃 And the man essayed to go; but he
beheld the wrathful countenance of Bhima and he was sore afraid;
and he refused to go; and remained where he was。 Then Duryodhana
sent his brother Duhsasana; and Duhsasana went his way to the
lodgings of Draupadi and said:〃Raja Yudhishthira has lost you
in play to Raja Duryodhana; and he has sent for you: So arise
now; and wait upon him according to his commands; and if you have
anything to say; you can say it in the presence of the
assembly。〃 Draupadi replied:〃The death of the Kauravas is
not far distant; since they can do such deeds as these。〃 And
she rose up in great trepidation and set out; but when she came
near to the palace of the Maharaja; she turned aside from the
pavilion where the Chieftains were assembled; and ran away with
all speed towards the apartments of the women。 And Duhsasana
hastened after her; and seized her by her hair; which was
very dark and long; and dragged her by main force into the
pavilion before all the Chieftains。
‘And she cried out:〃Take your hands from off me!〃 But
Duhsasana heeded not her words; and said:〃You are now a slave
girl; and slave girls cannot complain of being touched by the
hands of men。〃
‘When the Chieftains thus beheld Draupadi; they hung down their
heads from shame; and Draupadi called upon the elders amongst
them; such as Bhishma and Drona; to acquaint her whether or no
Raja Yudhishthira had gamed away himself before he had staked
her; but they likewise held down their heads and answered not a
word。
‘Then she cast her eye upon the Pandavas; and her glance was like
the stabbing of a thousand daggers; but they moved not hand or
foot to help her; for when Bhima would have stepped forward to
deliver her from the hands of Duhsasana; Yudhishthira commanded
him to forbear; and both he and the younger Pandavas were obliged
to obey the command of their elder brother。
‘And when Duhsasana saw that Draupadi looked towards the
Pandavas; he took her by the hand; and drew her another way;
saying:〃Why; O slave; are you turning your eyes about you?〃
And when Karna and Sakuni heard Duhsasana calling her a slave;
they cried out:〃Well said! well said!〃
‘Then Draupadi wept very bitterly; and appealed to all the
assembly; saying:〃All of you have wives and children of your
own; and will you permit me to be treated thus? I ask you one
question; and I pray you to answer it。' Duhsasana then broke in
and spoke foul language to her; and used her rudely; so that her
veil came off in his hands。 And Bhima could restrain his wrath
no longer; and spoke vehemently to Yudhishthira; and Arjuna
reproved him for his anger against his elder brother; but Bhima
answered:〃I will thrust my hands into the fire before these
wretches shall treat my wife in this manner before my eyes。〃
‘Then Duryodhana said to Draupadi:〃Come now; I pray you; and
sit upon my thigh!〃 And Bhima gnashed his teeth; and cried out
with a loud voice:〃Hear my vow this day! If for this deed I
do not break the thigh of Duryodhana; and drink the blood of
Duhsasana; I am not the son of Kunti!〃
‘Meanwhile the Chieftain Vidura had left the assembly; and
told the blind Maharaja Dhritarashtra all that had taken place
that day; and the Maharaja ordered his servants to lead him into
the pavilion where all the Chieftains were gathered together。
And all present were silent when they saw the Maharaja; and the
Maharaja said to Draupadi:〃O daughter; my sons have done evil
to you this day: But go now; you and your husbands; to your own
Raj; and remember not what has occurred; and let the memory of
this day be blotted out for ever。〃 So the Pandavas made haste
with their wife Draupadi; and departed out of the city of
Hastinapur。
‘Then Duryodhana was exceedingly wroth; an