The Mahabharata (9 page)

Dhritarashtra, though he disputed his son's view, ultimately weakened and agreed to do his bidding. When he heard of the Hall of Marbles at Indraprastha, he decided to build one for Duryodhana immediately. He summoned his minister and ordered, “Let a million men work on this, but I must have this hall of assembly built in the quickest time; it must rise as if by a conjurer's spell. Let the hall be as wide and long as the Lake of Manasarovar, of which I have heard, so that a man standing at one end cannot be seen from the other end. Let there be a thousand marble pillars supporting the roof. Let the roof be set with countless gems and scintillate
like a starry night. The Prince has described to me vividly all that he saw at Indraprastha. Gold and the nine kinds of precious stones must be embedded in every wall and pillar—not an inch of space must be left vacant. Let there be no delay. Put up a lotus pond so still that people may want to walk on it. Let the marble on the floor be shining bright so that people might tuck up their garments while stepping over it. Let a million men be engaged.”

When the hall was ready, he dispatched Vidura to Indraprastha to invite the Pandavas to visit, as desired by Duryodhana.

Yudhistira felt happy and puzzled when on a certain day Vidura arrived at Indraprastha. After the initial courtesies, Vidura explained, “King Dhritarashtra invites you to visit his new hall, which he has named the Crystal Palace. He is inviting all the princes known to him. He wants you to come without delay, and bring along your brothers, mother, and Panchali. He says that you should stay and enjoy, and also amuse yourself with a game of dice in that distinguished hall.” After delivering the message in the official manner, Vidura expressed his personal impressions and judgement. He explained the circumstances under which the hall had come into being. “Nothing that I said could have any effect on him. He is carried away by his son's views and interests, ignoring all else. If you decide not to respond to this call, I can go back and say so. I am, after all, only a messenger.”

Yudhistira thought over the invitation, remembering Vyasa's warning. “Could it be pre-ordained?” He had uneasy feelings and said, “Gambling is immoral; it leads to bitterness and conflict. Why should we engage ourselves in such an evil game? We know fully where it will lead us.”

Vidura remained silent. He merely repeated, “O King, do what seems to you the best under these circumstances.”

Yudhistira said, “When Dhritarashtra commands, how
can I refuse? It is against the kshatriyas' code to refuse when invited to play a game. I will come.”

Arriving at Hastinapura, the Pandavas went up to each one of their relations, starting with King Dhritarashtra, and greeted them. Then they were shown their chambers, where they were served food and drink, and were also provided with music to put them to sleep. They were awakened in the morning by bards singing and playing on their instruments. After exercise and repast, having bathed, donned new clothes, prayed, and anointed themselves with sandal paste and perfume, they set out to the assembly hall.

D
HRITARASHTRA FELT
an inordinate enthusiasm for the coming gambling match between his son and the Pandavas, and was proud of the hall he had built for this purpose. The hall was packed with visitors—rulers from the neighbouring countries and several distinguished guests. In the central portion of the hall, on one side sat Yudhistira, backed by his brothers; on the other, Duryodhana, Sakuni, and their supporters. The royal seats were occupied by Dhritarashtra, with Sanjaya as ever at his side, and Vidura, Karna, Bhishma, and the hundred brothers. When they were all settled and ready to play, Yudhistira said to his opponents, “Please play a fair game and do not try to win by unfair means. Gambling itself is not harmful, but it becomes a vice when deceit is employed.”

Sakuni replied, “There can be no such thing as deceit in a game. One who knows how to handle the dice and how to
throw them is gifted with a special knowledge and deserves success. He should not be called a cheat. One who knows his dice imparts life to them, and then they obey his commands. How can you call this deceit? There is no such thing. The real evil is the stake; one who stakes irresponsibly and blindly commits a sin. In every contest, whether of arms, wits, or learning, the competent one seeks to defeat the incompetent one; and there is nothing wrong in it. If you have your misgivings, let us not play. We are ready to withdraw.”

Yudhistira replied, “Having accepted the challenge, I will not withdraw. Let us begin. With whom am I to play in this assembly? I have wealth, gems, and gold—an inexhaustible source. Whoever can match my stakes, let him begin.”

At this point, Duryodhana said, “I am also pouring out my wealth and jewels on this occasion and Sakuni, my uncle, will play on my behalf….”

Yudhistira said, “Playing by proxy is not permissible. But if you insist, let the game begin; here is my stake.”

Beginning modestly with a handful of pearls, the stakes grew in size. Yudhistira slipped into a gambler's frenzy, blind to consequences, his vision blurred to all but the ivory-white dice and the chequered board. He forgot who he was, where he was, who else was there, and what was right or wrong. All he knew was the clatter of the rolling dice, followed every few minutes by Sakuni's raucous chant, “I win,” and the cheers that burst from Duryodhana's party. Yudhistira was provoked to raise his stakes higher each time Sakuni's voice was heard.

“I have hundreds of women of ethereal beauty and capacity to serve and please…. I have a chariot drawn by eight horses before whose pace no mortal can survive; it has gold-inlaid wheels and bells that can ring across the earth….” At each stage he was hoping that the other side would give up, but they accepted the highest challenge calmly as they were in no doubt about Sakuni's “I win.” Again and again it happened. The elders in the assembly hall were aghast at
the trend of the events. Yudhistira endlessly described the enormous wealth that he possessed in elephants, armies, cattle, and territory, and offered each item in the hope it would be unmatched. But within two minutes, an interval just sufficient to roll the dice, Sakuni would declare, “I win, I win.”

Suddenly Sakuni was heard to say to Yudhistira, with a great deal of mock solicitude, “King, I notice that you have lost a great deal. I'll give you time to recollect anything you may still have in your possession, and tell me… ”

Yudhistira's ego was roused. “Why do you ask for an estimate of my wealth? I have still enough in millions and trillions. You don't have to concern yourself with my limits…. Here is…”

“I win,” declared Sakuni.

“Never mind, I still have cattle, horses, and sheep extending up to the banks of Sindhu. I will play with them, continue.”

“I win.”

“I have my city, the country, land and wealth, and all dwelling houses… ”

“I have won.”

“Now my wealth consists of my allies, princes. You see them decked in gold and royal ornaments… ”

“I win.”

Within a short time Yudhistira had lost all his dependent princes, soldiers, and attendants, and Sakuni asked with a leer, “Have you anyone left?”

At this point, Vidura said to Dhritarashtra, “This has gone too far. Stop it, and if you are not obeyed, get that jackal in our midst, your son, destroyed. Otherwise, I see the complete destruction of your entire family, sooner or later. To save a family or a clan it is proper to sacrifice an individual. Even at birth, Duryodhana never cried like a baby, but let out a howl like a jackal which everyone understood as an evil sign. They advised you to destroy that monster forthwith,
but you have allowed him to flourish in your family. You are partial to him and accept all his demands, and you have sanctioned this monstrous game, which is undermining the Pandava family. But remember that this setback to them is illusory; whatever they lose now, they will recover later with a vengeance. Before it is too late, stop it and order Dhananjaya
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to kill Duryodhana here and now, and you will save the entire race….”

It took a lot of courage to offer a suggestion like this openly, but Vidura was sure of his stand, and saw that Sakuni was practising some subtle deceit. “Those who collect honey after ascending giddy heights never notice that they are about to step off the precipice at their back,” continued Vidura. “O King, you have enough wealth, you do not have to earn by gambling…. The Pandavas themselves won to your side could prove to be your greatest wealth. You will not need anything more. Dismiss Sakuni at once, let him go back to his country. Don't carry on this contest with the Pandavas….”

Duryodhana was annoyed at this advice and said, “Vidura, you have always been a champion of our enemies and have detested the sons of Dhritarashtra, to whom you owe your food and shelter. I only follow my conscience, which tells me to do this or that, and I see nothing wrong in it. You follow your conscience and I will follow mine, even if it takes me down to perdition. If we do not suit your temperament, go away wherever you please.”

Vidura turned to the old King. “All right, I will leave now,” he stated. “You are fickle minded and partial to this jackal in your family. You think that your sons are your well-wishers, and if you wish to follow them to your doom, I can't prevent you. Any advice I give will be like a medicine rejected by a diseased man, a man who is dying….” But after saying this, he stayed on, not having the heart to abandon
the old King to his fate. Dhritarashtra remained silent.

Yudhistira looked around and, pointing to his youngest brother, Nakula, who was standing behind him, said, “He is the brother I adore; he is my wealth….”

“I win,” declared Sakuni, and beckoned Nakula to walk over to his side. There was hardly any pause before Yudhistira turned to point at Sahadeva next and said, “Sahadeva is the most learned and wise youth, whose knowledge of justice in all the worlds… ”

“I win,” said Sakuni, and Sahadeva was summoned to cross over to the winner's side. Sakuni eyed the remaining two brothers and added slyly, “Bhima and Arjuna, they are your mother's sons, while those two are only your stepmother Madri's sons, whom you could afford to stake away….” Yudhistira's anger rose at this insinuation, and he cried, “How your evil mind works! You are trying to impute partiality to me, and bring a division amongst us….”

Sakuni responded with a great deal of humility, and with a bow, “Forgive me, O King, you know when carried away by his success a gambler is likely to rant whatever comes to his mind, words which one would not dare to speak even in a dream. Forgive my levity….”

Yudhistira pointed at Arjuna and declared, “Here is the one, perhaps the greatest hero, who should not be staked, but I will. Let us see… ”

“I win,” Sakuni said again, and added, “Now, any one left?” Looking at Bhima, he caressed the dice between his fingers.

Yudhistira rose to the occasion. “Yes, I will now stake Bhimasena, wielder of the thunderbolt, who has no equal in strength, a pulveriser of foes… ”

“I win,” said Sakuni and asked, “Is there anything or any one you have not lost?”

With the dice poised and ready, Yudhistira replied, “I alone am still not won. I will stake myself and do whatever is to be done by one lost to you.”

Again came the words, “I win.” Sakuni said now, “Only the Princess of Panchala is left; will she not feel lonely with all her husbands gone suddenly in this manner?”

Yudhistira, having lost his judgement completely, replied, “Yes, that sounds reasonable. Panchali is like the goddess Lakshmi, the spouse of Lord Vishnu at Vaikunta,” and then he launched into a lengthy description of her. “She is the goddess Lakshmi herself in stature, grace, and complexion; eyes like lotus petals; a woman who is an ideal wife to guide, serve, and sustain a man at all times. Oh! Suvala
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, with her our luck will now turn and we will win back every bit we have lost so far…. She is our symbol of luck and prosperity, now I will stake her….”

When Yudhistira said this, there was an outcry of protest in the assembly. Vidura hung down his head, unable to bear the spectacle. Dussasana and Karna laughed derisively. Dhritarashtra, alternating between righteous conduct and bias towards his son, could not contain himself, but eagerly asked, “Has she been won, has she been won?” He heard the dice roll and Sakuni say with gusto, “Yes, Maharaja, I have won….”

Duryodhana jumped up and embraced his uncle in sheer joy and cried, “You are… you are a master, a great master indeed. None your equal in the seven worlds….” Then he turned to Vidura and commanded, “Go, get that beloved wife of the Pandavas. Let her learn her duties as a sweeper of the chambers of noble men, and how to wait on their pleasure…. Go, bring her….”

Vidura was infuriated and replied, “You jackal in human form, don't talk. You are provoking the tigers. When destruction begins, it will be total, caused by you and your indulgent, thoughtless father. Even now it is not too late… don't utter such irresponsible, sinful words….”