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Hastinapur。
‘Then Duryodhana was exceedingly wroth； and he said to his
father； 〃O Maharaja； is it not a saying that when your enemy
hath fallen down； he should be annihilated without a war？ And
now that we had thrown the Pandavas to the earth； and had taken
possession of all their wealth； you have restored them all their
strength； and permitted them to depart with anger in their
hearts； and now they will prepare to make war that they may
revenge themselves upon us for all that has been done； and they
will return within a short while and slay us all： Give us
leave then； I pray you； to play another game with these Pandavas；
and let the side which loses go into exile for twelve years； for
thus and thus only can a war be prevented between ourselves and
the Pandavas。〃 And the Maharaja granted the request of his son；
and messengers were sent to bring back the brethren； and the
Pandavas obeyed the commands of their uncle； and returned to his
presence； and it was agreed upon that Yudhishthira should play
one game more with Sakuni； and that if Yudhishthira won the
Kauravas were to go into exile； and that if Sakuni won； the
Pandavas were to go into exile； and the exile was to be for
twelve years； and one year more； and during that thirteenth year
those who were in exile were to dwell in any city they pleased；
but to keep themselves so concealed that the others should never
discover them； and if the others did discover them before the
thirteenth year was over； then those who were in exile were to
continue so for another thirteen years。 So they sat down again
to play； and Sakuni had a set of cheating dice as before； and
with them he won the game。
‘When Duhsasana saw that Sakuni had won the game； he danced
about for joy； and he cried out：〃Now is established the Raj of
Duryodhana。〃 But Bhima said； 〃Be not elated with joy； but
remember my words： The day will come when I will drink your
blood； or I am not the son of Kunti。〃 And the Pandavas； seeing
that they had lost； threw off their garments and put on deer…
skins； and prepared to depart into the forest with their wife and
mother； and their priest Dhaumya； but Vidura said to
Yudhishthira：〃Your mother is old and unfitted to travel； so
leave her under my care；〃 and the Pandavas did so。 And the
brethren went out from the assembly hanging down their heads with
shame； and covering their faces with their garments； but Bhima
threw out his long arms and looked at the Kauravas furiously； and
Draupadi spread her long black hair over her face and wept
bitterly。 And Draupadi vowed a vow； saying：
‘ 〃My hair shall remain dishevelled from this day； until Bhima
shall have slain Duhsasana and drank his blood； and then he shall
tie up my hair again whilst his hands are dripping with the blood
of Duhsasana。〃 '
Such was the great gambling match at Hastinapur in the heroic age
of India。 It appears there can be little doubt of the truth
of the incident； although the verisimilitude would have been more
complete without the perpetual winning of the cheat Sakuniwhich
would be calculated to arouse the suspicion of Yudhishthira； and
which could scarcely be indulged in by a professional cheat；
mindful of the suspicion it would excite。
Throughout the narrative； however； there is a truthfulness to
human nature； and a truthfulness to that particular phase of
human nature which is pre…eminently manifested by a high…minded
race in its primitive stage of civilization。
To our modern minds the main interest of the story begins from
the moment that Draupadi was lost； but it must be remembered that
among that ancient people； where women were chiefly prized on
sensual grounds； such stakes were evidently recognized。
The conduct of Draupadi herself on the occasion shows that she
was by no means unfamiliar with the idea： she protestednot on
the ground of sentiment or matrimonial obligationbut solely on
what may be called a technical point of law； namely； ‘Had
Yudhishthira become a slave before he staked his wife upon the
last game？' For； of course； having ceased to be a freeman；
he had no right to stake her liberty。
The concluding scene of the drama forms an impressive figure in
the mind of the Hindoo。 The terrible figure of Draupadi； as she
dishevels her long black hair； is the very impersonation of
revenge； and a Hindoo audience never fails to shudder at her
fearful vowthat the straggling tresses shall never again be
tied up until the day when Bhima shall have fulfilled his vow；
and shall then bind them up whilst his fingers are still dripping
with the blood of Duhsasana。
The avenging battle subsequently ensued。 Bhima struck down
Duhsasana with a terrible blow of his mace； saying；‘This day I
fulfil my vow against the man who insulted Draupadi！' Then
setting his foot on the breast of Duhsasana； he drew his sword；
and cut off the head of his enemy； and holding his two hands to
catch the blood； he drank it off； crying out； ‘Ho！ ho！ Never did
I taste anything in this world so sweet as this blood。'
This staking of wives by gamblers is a curious subject。 The
practice may be said to have been universal； having furnished
cases among civilized as well as barbarous nations。 Of course
the Negroes of Africa stake their wives and children；
according to Schouten； a Chinese staked his wife and
children； and lost them； Paschasius Justus states that a
Venetian staked his wife； and not a hundred years ago certain
debauchees at Paris played at dice for the possession of a
celebrated courtesan。 But this is an old thing。 Hegesilochus；
and other rulers of Rhodes； were accustomed to play at dice for
the honour of the most distinguished ladies of that islandthe
agreement being that the party who lost had to bring to the arms
of the winner the lady designated by lot to that indignity。＇18＇
＇18＇ Athen。 lib。 XI。 cap。 xii。
There are traditions of such stakes having been laid and lost by
husbands in _England；_ and a remarkable case of the kind will be
found related in Ainsworth's ‘Old Saint Paul's；' as having
occurred during the Plague of London； in the year 1665。 There
can be little doubt that it is founded on fact； and the conduct
of the English wife； curiously enough； bears a striking
resemblance to that of Draupadi in the Indian narrative。
A Captain Disbrowe of the king's body…guard lost a large sum of
money to a notorious debauchee； a gambler and bully； named Sir
Paul Parravicin。 The latter had made an offensive allusion
to the wife of Captain Disbrowe； after winning his money； and
then； picking up the dice…box； and spreading a large heap of gold
on the table； he said to the officer who anxiously watched his
movements：‘I mentioned your wife； Captain Disbrowe； not with
any intention of giving you offence； but to show you that；
although you have lost your money； you have still a valuable
stake left。'
‘I do not understand you； Sir Paul；'