After visiting and participating in the Rajasooya yaga of
Yudhishtra, Duryodhana was crest fallen with jealousy as he had seen the huge
accumulation of wealth, assets, ornaments, jeweleries etc of the Pandavas and the respect they have
from other kings and the number of friends they had. So he was sad and worried
and sat brooding over it.
His uncle Sakuni came to console him to whom Duryodhana
expressed his fears of the Pandavas becoming extremely powerful and rule the
world. Sakuni consoled him saying that he need not worry as he had the support
and help of Drona, Aswathama, Bheeshma, Kirupar and other relatives
including himself and hence he was not to worry. He also told him that if not by
force the Pandavas could be defeated by deceit
and could be driven out of Indraprastha and it could be taken over by
Duryodhana without any war.
Listening to this Duryodhana was impresses and with ecstasy
asked Sakuni how this could be achieved?
Sakuni replied that Yudhistra did not know to play ‘Sadhuranga’ and Sakuni was an expert in it.
So they could call Ydhishtra for playing
Sadhuranga betting all his wealth and state and even his brothers and
wife. Sakuni offered to play the game for Duryodhana.
So both uncle and nephew went to Dhirdhrashtra and apprised
him about the plan of calling the Pandavas for a gamble play. Initially
Dhirdhrashtra was not willing to agree for such low and unjustified plan but he
finally agreed after Sakuni and Duryodhana persuaded him after their assurance
of fair play in the game. Finally Dhirdhrashtra agreed to their plan and invite
the Pandava yudhishtra for playing the Sadhuranga game.
Vidhura objected to this and protested against this to
Dhirdhrashtra but as usual his protest was ignored. Vidhura was asked to go to Yudhishtra to
invite him to play Sadhuranga game , representing Dhirdhrashtra.
Vidhura was
received with all respects he was due
and given a high seat and after he has taken rest Yudhishtra asked him whether
all the relatives and others in Hastinapuram
were keeping good health. Vidhura said they were all fine and that he
had come to invite Yudhishtra for a game of Sadhranga. Even though Yudhishtra
was concerned about playing such a game, it was not proper to refuse a call
from one King to another one and as such accepted to play. So he and his brothers with all
their ministerial paraphernalia went to Hastinapuram. They were received by
Sakuni and Duryodhana and given all facilities to rest and enjoy their stay.
Later Yudhishtra was called by Sakuni to play the game as everything was kept
ready for playing.
All sat down to play and then Duryodhana said that he would
not play and for him Sakuni would play on his behalf. Initially Yudhishtra was
taken aback by this announcement but finally agreed to play.
They started playing and Yudhishtra was loosing his jewels,
diamonds, horses, palaces etc and finally lost all his belongings. Then he
pledged Bheem, Arjun, and Nakul and Sahadev. He lost them also. He lost
himself. Finally he had nothing to pledge but Duryodhana told him to pledge
Panchali or Draupathi and lost her also. Duryodhana asked Vidhura to go and
bring Draupadi to the hall. But Vidhura was so angry he scolded Duryodhana that he was doing a great sin and
that Yudhishtra had no right to pledge Draupadi as he had become a slave of
Duryodhana and he had lost his right to pledge her. Then Duryodhana asked his charioteer Prathikami to go and bring Draupadi to the
court of the King Dhirdhrashtra. Prathikami went to Draupadi and asked her to
come to the court explaining her the reason for that.
Then Draupadi asked him to go ask her Husband Yudhistra ‘whether he
pledged himself or his wife Draupadi first?
Prathikami went back to the court and asked yudhishtra the
question Draupadi asked him to ask Yudhishtra. Yudhishtra did not reply. Then
Duryodhana asked him to go back to Draupadi and asked her to come to the court.
When Prathikami said that Yudhishtra had not replied
Draupadi asked him to go back to the court and ask the members of the court the
same question. So he went back to the court and asked that question. Duryodhana
got angry and scolded him and told his brother Duchchadhana to go and bring
Draupadi to the court. Duchchadhana went to her and caught her hair and dragged
her to the court inspite of Draupadi telling him that she could not enter the
court as she was on her monthly periods.
Draupadi looked at all the great ministers, teachers and
others and demanded to know how she could be pledged by Yudhishtra when he himself
was pledged and defeated in the game.Vikarnan, a brother of Duryodhana was the
only one to get up and support her but was silenced by Karna. Duryodhana
shouted at her to come and sit on his lap. Listening to this Bheem swore
in a loud voice thet he would kill Duryodhana by hitting at his thighs.
Duchchdhana started pulling her saree with which she was draped. Draupadi
prayed to Lord Krishna to save her from this insult and shame and wonder of
wonder the saree Duchchadhana was pulling out of her was coming endlessly still
covering Draupadi. Duchchadhana became tired pulling her saree as it was coming
out endlessly and became weak and left it and sat down. Bheem got up and swore
again that he would kill Duchchadhana
that he would tear his heart away after killing him and drink his blood.
Hearing all this Dhirdhrashtra was terrified and knew that
his family and sons were going to be killed and destroyed by the Pandavas
returned all that Sakuni won back to Yudhishtra. But the Pandavas did not
accept it and again wanted to play in spite of all the people present there
except the Kauravas and played the game again on the condition that ‘the
defeated should leave the state and had to live in the jungles for twelve years
and one year incognito. Yudhishtra again played and lost and had to leave
everything except his brothers and wife and had to be away for thirteen years.
They left for the Jungles with people going after them
crying and cursing the Kauravas.
