Chapter 14

Vaisampayana said, “When Kunti’s son, king Yudhishthira the just,remained speechless after listening to his brothers who were tellingthese truths of the Vedas, that foremost of women, viz., Draupadi, oflarge eyes and great beauty, and noble descent, O monarch, said thesewords unto that bull among kings seated in the midst of his brothers thatresembled so many lions and tigers, and like the leader in the midst of aherd of elephants. Ever expectant of loving regards from all her husbandsbut especially from Yudhishthira, she was always treated with affectionand indulgence by the king. Conversant with duties and observant of themin practice, that lady of large hips, casting her eyes on her lord,desired his attention in shooting and sweet words and said as follows.

“Draupadi said, These thy brothers, O Partha, are crying and drying theirpalates like chatakas but thou dost not gladden them.. O monarch, gladdenthese thy brothers, that resemble infuriated elephants (in prowess), withproper words,–these heroes that have always drunk of the cup of misery.Why, O king, while living by the side of the Dwaita lake, didst thou sayunto these thy brothers then residing with thee, and suffering from coldand wind and sun, even these words, viz.,–‘ rushing to battle from.desire of victory, we will slay Duryodhana and enjoy the earth that iscapable of granting every wish. Depriving great car-warriors of theircars and slaying huge elephants, and strewing the field of battle withthe bodies of car-warriors and horsemen and heroes, ye chastisers offoes, ye will perform great sacrifices of diverse kinds with presents inprofusion. All these sufferings, due to a life of exile in the woods,will then end in happiness.’ O foremost of all practisers of virtue,having thyself said these words unto thy brothers then, why, O hero, dostthou depress our hearts now? A eunuch can never enjoy wealth. A eunuchcan never have children even as there can be no fish in a mire (destituteof water). A Kshatriya without the rod of chastisement can never shine. AKshatriya without the rod of chastisement can never enjoy the earth. Thesubjects of a king that is without the rod of chastisement can never havehappiness. Friendship for all creatures, charity, study of the Vedas,penances,–these constitute the duties of a Brahmana and not of a king, Obest of kings! Restraining the wicked, cherishing the honest, and neverretreating from battle,–these are the highest duties of kings. He issaid to be conversant with duties in whom are forgiveness and wrath,giving and taking, terrors and fearlessness, and chastisement and reward.It was not by study, or gift, or mendicancy, that thou hast acquired theearth. That force of the enemy, O hero, ready to burst upon thee with allits might, abounding with elephants and horse and cars, strong with threekinds of strength[32] protected by Drona and Karna and Aswatthaman andKripa, has been defeated and slain by thee, O hero! It is for this that Iask thee to enjoy the earth. Formerly, O puissant one, thou hadst, Omonarch, swayed with might,[33] the region called Jambu, O tiger amongmen, abounding with populous districts. Thou hadst also, O ruler of men,swayed with might that other region called Kraunchadwipa situate on thewest of the great Meru and equal unto Jambu-dwipa itself. Thou hadstswayed with might, O king, that other region called Sakadwipa on the eastof the great Meru and equal to Krauncha-dwipa itself. The region calledBhadraswa, on the north of the great Meru and equal to Sakadwipa was alsoswayed by thee, O tiger, among men! Thou hadst even penetrated the oceanand swayed with might other regions, too, O hero, and the very islandsbegirt by the sea and containing many populous provinces. Having, OBharata, achieved such immeasurable feats, and having obtained (throughthem) the adorations of the Brahmanas, how is it that thy soul is notgratified? Seeing these brothers of thine before thee, O Bharata,–theseheroes swelling with might and resembling bulls or infuriated elephants(in prowess),–why dost thou not address them in delightful words? All ofyou are like celestials. All of you are capable of resisting foes. All ofyou are competent to scorch your enemies. If only one of you had becomemy husband, my happiness would even then have been very great. What needI say then, O tiger among men, when all of you, numbering five, are myhusbands (and look after me) like the five senses inspiring the physicalframe? The words of my mother-in-law who is possessed of great knowledgeand great foresight, cannot be untrue. Addressing me, she said, ‘Oprincess of Panchala, Yudhishthira will ever keep you in happiness, Oexcellent lady! Having slain many thousands of kings possessed of activeprowess, I see, O monarch, that through thy folly thou art about to makethat feat futile. They whose eldest brother becomes mad, have all tofollow him in madness. Through thy madness, O king, all the Pandavas areabout to become mad. If, O monarch, these thy brothers were in theirsenses, they would then have immured thee with all unbelievers (in aprison) and taken upon themselves the government of the earth. Thatperson who from dullness of intellect acts in this way never succeeds inwinning prosperity. The man that treads along the path of madness shouldbe subjected to medical treatment by the aid of incense and collyrium, ofdrugs applied through the nose, and of other medicines. O best of theBharatas, I am the worst of all my sex, since I desire to live on eventhough I am bereaved of my children. Thou shouldst not disregard thewords spoken by me and by these brothers of thine that are endeavouringthus (to dissuade thee from thy purpose). Indeed, abandoning the wholeearth, thou art inviting adversity and danger to come upon thee. Thoushinest now, O monarch, even as those two best of kings, viz., Mandhatriand Amvarisha, regarded by all the lords of earth, did in former days.Protecting thy subjects righteously, govern the goddess Earth with hermountains and forests and islands. Do not, O king, become cheerless.Adore the gods in diverse sacrifices. Fight thy foes. Make gifts ofwealth and clothes and other objects of enjoyment unto the Brahmanas, Obest of kings!’