The Ramayana and the Mahabharat are two famous and revered epics of India.Both these were written thousands of years back in Sanskrit and have a number of lessons which are very relevant even today.
A version of Ramayana in Hindi (Avadhi), named Ramcharit Manas was written by Goswami Tulasi Das. Copies of this are kept in most Hindu households and this version/translation is as revered as the original version in Sanskrit by Valmiki. The Mahabharat is not given the same place and is generally not kept in the house even by the staunch Hindus. It would be a rare house which may have a copy of this book. Only one part of this big book, known as Gita, which covers dialogues between Lord Krishna and Arjun, is kept as a holy scripture and is read/studied. Mahabharat is the story of war between two group of cousins in which one group which was not on the path of ‘Dharma’ was eliminated and the one which was on the path of ‘Dharma’ was victorious. It has a number of stories within the main story dealing with the different characters of the plot. All these stories within the main story contain a number of teachings and give us messages. A number of these lessons are still relevant even in the modern world. It is not the place to discuss the message of Gita or what these books mean to Hindus. Only point to note is the fact that while Ramayana and/or Ramcharit Manas is found in most houses, Mahabharat is not.
Recently Kamala Hasan made some statements about the episode dealing with the ‘Game of Dice’ and got into controversy. I had heard the debate on this issue on TV and found that most of the ‘experts’, arguing one point or the other, had missed and what I consider as the most relevant lesson/message that this episode has for present times.
As readers would recall Yudhishthir, King of Khandav Pradesh, was invited for a ‘Game of Dice’ by Duryodhan. As per the practice of those times such an invitation could not be refused. So the 5 brothers went to Hastinapur and the game started in the main court with Dhratrashtra, the King and Maharani Gandhari, the Queen in the chair. The attendance in the court was full and it had great grandfather Bhishm and Guru Dronacharya and other important senior members. Mahatma Vidur objected and did not want the ‘Game of Dice’ to be played. He kept giving different reasons why the King should not give permission to start the game. Pitted against him were Shakuni, Duryodhan and company. Poor Kaka Vidur could not get the king to agree with him and in protest he staged a walk out and left the court.
The game started and as is well known Yudhishthar lost all that belonged to him – his kingdom, personal property and belongings etc. He then staked his bothers and lost them; after that he lost himself and then he put his queen Draupadi on stake and lost her too. The game plan of Duryodhan and his wicked uncle, Mama Shakuni had succeeded. They all were too thrilled. Duryodhan ordered that Draupadi, now a slave woman, be summoned to the court. The court messenger was sent and on return he reported that she was not ready to come and that she had declined to come to court. This enraged Duryodhan who ordered his brother Dushashan to go and get her and if required even drag her to the court. Karna who was on Duryodhan’s side uttered insulting words for her. The Pandavas, being slaves of Duryodhan could not protest. Finally Dushashan caught her by her heir and dragged her to the court. She appealed to all those in the court to have mercy on her. She argued that it was wrong to assume Duryodhan and Dushashan had any right to do what they were doing. She urged and explained them how wrong it was that she was brought into the court in that manner. Her words fell on deaf ears. No one supported her or came to her rescue.
Duryodhan then ordered his brother to disrobe her and Dushashan pulled her sari. At that moment Lord Krishna came to her rescue and saved her. Dudhashan kept pulling the sari till he was tired and stopped but Draupadi was not disrobed because Lord had increased the length of the sari. When he stopped she addressed that King, Queen and the full court and was about to curse all of them, when the Queen, Gandhari requested her to stop. She pleaded with Draupadi and requested her not to curse the kingdom or Kauravas. She asked the king to return all that Yudhishthir had lost and to free Pandavas of slavery and to restore ‘status quo ante’ and the king quickly did that. So before Duryodhan, Shakuni and others realized all was returned to Yudhishthir. Draupadi left the court for inner chambers.
At the behest of mama Shakuni, the crown prince Duryodhan asked one more round of the ‘Dice Game’ and kept the famous condition of ‘Vanvaas’ with one year of ‘Agyant Vaas’. As the readers will recall the last round was played and Yudhishthar lost and Pandavas went for Vanvaas.
This episode does not end here, in fact the story take a turn at this point. Pandavas go to the forest and prepare for war in case they have to fight one and Kauravs get busy enjoying what they had. Duryodhan got more determined to inherit the full kingdom and not to share any part of it with Pandavas.
How was the injustice done to Draupadi avenged? She had vowed not to tie her heir till she got justice. Bhima had vowed that he would bring blood of Dushashan to wash her heir. He had also vowed to kill Dushashan and Duryodhan. Arjun had vowed to cut Karna’s tongue as he had uttered bad words for Drupadi. Later at one place in Mahabharat the Lord explained that Duryodhan, Shakuni, Dushashan and Karna were certainly guilty of insulting Draupati but those others who were present in the court and did nothing to protect/defend her were also as guilty. He was very clear that not only the active players in the ‘Game of Dice’ but the passive spectator,s who did not come forward to help and protect Draupadi, shall also be killed in the war.
This episode has two clear learning points/ messages –
- that women should not be disrespected or insulted and anyone doing it will have to pay for it with his life. Therefore, no one should even dream to committing such a sin, and
- those who see any such act or any atrocity being inflicted on women have a duty to confront the perpetrator, to oppose any such action and to protect and defend the woman. If they do not defend/protect her then they too are as guilty as those who commit such a sin/crime.
I am sure a lot of crime against women will stop if all remember these lessons from this great epic.
