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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00063 Mar 2005

 
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Dear Members :

There have been some discussions on Draupadhi
doing SaraNAgathy or not . Sriman KrishNaswamy has
assembled the original text (Translated ) from MahA BhAratham.
You can judge for yourself.

V.Sadagopan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "m_k_krishna_swamy" <krishnaswamy@xxxxxxxxxxx>

> Dear Members,
> I am reproducing below the translation of the relevant portion of MB
> detailing the harrowing experience of the Pandava Princess and the
> the complete absence of action to assist her by even the very dharmic
> and otherwise brave personages present. Even Bhishma with the title
> of Pitamaha expressed his inability to interfere in the public
> humiliation of a royal princess belonging to the family with the
> statement that a tricky legal point was involved because: "wives are
> always under the orders and at the disposal of their lords."
>
> Bhishma and Yudhishtira preferred to follow the saamanya Dharma of
> Royalty in preference to the absolute Dharma of Compassion. In a
> similar manner, when Sri Rama chose to observe Royal Dharma and
> allowed Sita to prove her chastity through Agnipariksha, even a great
> Bhakta like Narayana Bhattathiri expressed his discomfort (in sloka
> 35 Verse 10 of his Narayaneeyam) by euphimistically suggesting that
> Rama's intention was to demonstrate how addiction to Dharma (the
> letter of the Law) will push one to such Adharma as abandonment of
> innocent ones. .
> See
> http://home.comcast.net/~krishnaswamy/Rama/Rama_Page.htm#Narayaneeyam
>
> Strangely, it was the lone voice of Vikarna the son of Dhritarashtra
> to declare boldly:
>
> "How is it that Bhishma and Dhritarashtra, both of whom are the
> oldest of the Kurus, as also the high-souled Vidura, do not say
> anything! The son of Bharadwaja who is the preceptor of us, as also
> Kripa, is here. Why do not these best of regenerate ones answer the
> question? Let also those other kings assembled here from all
> directions answer according to their judgment this question, leaving
> aside all motives of gain and anger. Ye kings, answer ye the question
> that hath been asked by this blessed daughter of king Drupada, and
> declare after reflection on which side each of ye is.' Thus did
> Vikarna repeatedly appeal to those that were in that assembly. But
> those kings answered him not one word, good or ill. And Vikarna
> having repeatedly appealed to all the kings began to rub his hands
> and sigh like a snake. And at last
>
> p. 131
>
> the prince said--'Ye kings of the earth, ye Kauravas, whether ye
> answer this question or not, I will say what I regard as just and
> proper. Ye foremost of men, it hath been said that hunting, drinking,
> gambling, and too much enjoyment of women, are the four vices of
> kings. The man, that is addicted to these, liveth forsaking virtue.
> And people do not regard the acts done by a person who is thus
> improperly engaged, as of any authority. This son of Pandu, while
> deeply engaged in one of these vicious acts, urged thereto by
> deceitful gamblers, made Draupadi a stake. The innocent Draupadi is,
> besides, the common wife of all the sons of Pandu. And the king,
> having first lost himself offered her as a stake. And Suvala (Sakuni)
> himself desirous of a stake, indeed prevailed upon the king to stake
> this Krishna. Reflecting upon all these circumstances, I regard
> Draupadi as not won."
>
> Dasan
> Krishnaswamy
>
> Vaisampayana:  "Dussasana dragging Krishna of long long locks unto
> the presence of the assembly--as if she were helpless though having
> powerful protectors--and pulling at her, made her tremble like the
> banana plant in a storm. And dragged by him, with body bent, she
> faintly cried--'Wretch! it ill behoveth thee to take me before the
> assembly. My season hath come, and I am now clad in one piece of
> attire. But Dussasana dragging Draupadi forcibly by her black locks
> while she was praying piteously unto Krishna and Vishnu who were
> Narayana and Nara (on earth), said unto her--'Whether thy season hath
> come or not, whether thou art attired in one piece of cloth or
> entirely naked, when thou hast been won at dice and made our slave,
> thou art to live amongst our serving-women as thou pleasest."
>
> Vaisampayana continued,--"With hair dishevelled and half her attire
> loosened, all the while dragged by Dussasana, the modest Krishna
> consumed with anger, faintly said--"In this assembly are persons
> conversant with all the branches of learning devoted to the
> performance of sacrifices and other rites, and all equal unto Indra,
> persons some of whom are really my superiors and others who deserve
> to be respected as such. I can not stay before them in this state. O
> wretch! O thou of cruel deeds, drag me not so. Uncover me not so. The
> princes (my lords) will not pardon thee, even if thou hast the gods
> themselves with Indra as thy allies. The illustrious son of Dharma is
> now bound by the obligations of morality. Morality, however, is
> subtle. Those only that are possessed of great clearness of vision
> can ascertain it. In speech even I am unwilling to admit an atom of
> fault in my lord forgetting his virtues. Thou draggest me who am in
> my season before these Kuru heroes. This is truly an unworthy act.
> But no one here rebuketh thee. Assuredly, all these are of the same
> mind with thee. O fie! Truly hath the virtue of the Bharata gone!
> Truly also hath the usage of those acquainted with the Kshatriya
> practice disappeared! Else these Kurus in this assembly would never
> have looked silently on this act that transgresseth the limits of
> their practices. Oh! both Drona and Bhishma have lost their energy,
> and so also hath the high-souled Kshatta, and so also this king.
> Else, why do these foremost of the Kuru elders look silently on this
> great crime?"
>
> Vaisampayana continued,--"Thus did Krishna of slender waist cry in
>
> p. 129
>
> distress in that assembly. And casting a glance upon her enraged
> lords--the Pandavas--who were filled with terrible wrath, she
> inflamed them further with that glance of hers. And they were not so
> distressed at having been robbed of their kingdom, of their wealth,
> of their costliest gems, as with that glance of Krishna moved by
> modesty and anger. And Dussasana, beholding Krishna looking at her
> helpless lords, dragging her still more forcibly, and addressed
> her, 'Slave, Slave' and laughed aloud. And at those words Karna
> became very glad and approved of them by laughing aloud. And Sakuni,
> the son of Suvala, the Gandhara king, similarly applauded Dussasana.
> And amongst all those that were in the assembly except these three
> and Duryodhana, every one was filled with sorrow at beholding Krishna
> thus dragged in sight of that assembly. And beholding it all, Bhishma
> said, 'O blessed one, morality is subtle. I therefore am unable to
> duly decide this point that thou hast put, beholding that on the one
> hand one that hath no wealth cannot stake the wealth belonging to
> others, while on the other hand wives are always under the orders and
> at the disposal of their lords. Yudhishthira can abandon the whole
> world full of wealth, but he will never sacrifice morality. The son
> of Pandu hath said--'I am won.' Therefore, I am unable to decide this
> matter. Sakuni hath not his equal among men at dice-play. The son of
> Kunti still voluntarily staked with him. The illustrious Yudhishthira
> doth not himself regard that Sakuni hath played with him deceitfully.
> Therefore, I can not decide this point."
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Namo VenkateshAya namah:
>
>
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