Vyas: Mahabharata Block-2 PDF

BEGC-101 Indian Classical Indira Gandhi Literature National Open University School of Humanities Block 2 VYAS: MAHABHARATA Unit 1 The Mahabharata: An Overview 5 Unit 2...

BEGC-101 Indian Classical Indira Gandhi Literature National Open University School of Humanities Block 2 VYAS: MAHABHARATA Unit 1 The Mahabharata: An Overview 5 Unit 2 The Dicing from the Book of the Assembly Hall 18 Unit 3 The Sequel to the Dicing: A Reading 32 Unit 4 The Temptation of Karna from the Udyog Parva 44 1 EXPERT COMMITTEE Prof. Satyakam, Director Prof. Romika Batra School of Humanities Indira Gandhi University IGNOU, New Delhi Meerpur, Rewari Prof. Balaji Ranganathan Dr. Hema Raghavan (Retd) Gujarat Central University Formerly at Gargi College Gandhinagar, Gujarat University of Delhi Dr. Richa Bajaj Dr. Anand Prakash (Retd) Formerly at Hans Raj College Hindu College University of Delhi, Delhi University of Delhi Dr. Rajnish Kumar Mishra IGNOU FACULTY Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies Prof. Anju S. Gupta JNU, New Delhi Prof. Neera Singh Dr. Payal Nagpal Prof. Malati Mathur Janki Devi College Dr. Pema Eden Samdup University of Delhi Ms. Mridula Rashmi Kindo COURSE PREPARATION Dr Richa Bajaj Hindu College University of Delhi, Delhi CONTENT & LANGUAGE EDITING Dr Pema Eden Samdup School of Humanities, IGNOU, New Delhi COURSE COORDINATION Dr Pema Eden Samdup School of Humanities, IGNOU, New Delhi PRINT PRODUCTION Sh. C. N. Pandey Section Officer (Publication) April, 2019 © Indira Gandhi National Open University, 2019 ISBN: All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form, by mimeograph or any other means, without permission in writing from the Indira Gandhi National Open University. Further information on the Indira Gandhi National Open University courses may be obtained from the University’s office at Maidan Garhi, New Delhi-110 068 or the website of IGNOU www.ignou.ac.in Printed and Published on behalf of the Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, School of Humanities, IGNOU. Laser Typeset by : Rajshree Computers, V-166A, Bhagwati Vihar, Near Sector-2, Dwarka, Uttam Nagar, New Delhi-110059 BLOCK INTRODUCTION The second Block in this course looks at certain sections of the Indian Epic the Mahabharata. We are all aware of this epic, be it through religious texts that our grandmothers’ might have read out loud, through the TV Serial produced by B R Chopra in the late 1990s (1988), the slightly later version telecast by Star Plus between 2013 and 2014, or even via Amar Chitra Katha. The Mahabharata, is an epic that deals primarily with the story of two families laying claim to the throne of Hastinapur. The tragedy is the two families are of two brothers – the Kauravas and the Pandavas. This ongoing skirmish between the two families ultimately culminates in the battle of Kurukshetra where the 100 Kauravas are killed and the Pandavas emerge victorious aided by the guidance of Krsna. However, the Mahabharata is not just the story of the war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. There are a number of little tales, myths, and anecdotes in this huge Epic and in a sense it is a treasure trove of cultural content. Let us now plunge right into media res, into the thick of things and begin by reading the translated text and then going through the Units. You are required to read ‘The Dicing’, ‘The Sequel to Dicing’, ‘The Book of the Assembly Hall’, ‘The Temptation of Karna’ and ‘The Book of Effort from the Mahabharata’, Selections from the Sabha Prava and Udyos Prava, Trans. J A B Bitenen. Ed. Kanav Gupta & Meha Pande, Delhi: Worldview, 2016. Good Luck with your work! Vyas: Mahabharata 4 UNIT 1 THE MAHABHARATA: AN OVERVIEW Structure 1.0 Objectives 1.1 Introduction 1.2 The Structure of the Mahabharata 1.3 The Complex Narrative 1.3.1 The Question of Authorship and Reworking of the Narrative 1.3.2 Folk Tales, Fables and Parables in the Mahabharata 1.3.3 Social Life at the Time 1.4 The Mahabharata as a Literary Text 1.5 The Role of Fate and Chance 1.6 The Meaning of Dharma: The Law 1.7 Contemporary Interpretations of the Mahabharata 1.8 Let Us Sum Up 1.9 Hints to Check Your Progress 1.10 Glossary 1.0 OBJECTIVES The aim of this unit is to acquaint you with the diverse material that is available on the ancient Indian Epic the Mahabharata. It is to provide you with a perspective on the entire text along with its reception over the centuries. Certain elements pertaining to the form and structure of the epic have been discussed in order to clearly define the nature of the text which would help us in evaluating it better, as being students of Literature, we also need to develop critical skills. In the next section, we shall introduce the Mahabharata as a text, not the comic form or the TV Serial version. 1.1 INTRODUCTION The Mahabharata is the name of an Indian oral epic to begin with and compiled traditionally in Sanskrit later on, charting the story of a family involved in a tussle that leads to a battle. The epic is in effortless verse and has many episodes. Each story or episode has a beginning and an ending so that, these appear as individuals pieces while still being loosely connected to one another. The Mahabharata is a story of kinship and conflict for dynasty. It is thus, the story of a family quarrel in verse involving the two warring groups the Kauravas and the Pandavas. The succession conflict begins when Yudhisthira seeks a fair share for the Pandavas - rule of a mere five villages. When he is denied this rightful claim, the struggle for inheritance begins and the question of ‘who is the rightful heir?’ is posed and emphasised. Tracing the roots of the epic poem, we find that the epic is about the Dynasty of King Bharata. We are told that: The text of the Mahabharata is sometimes supposed to have developed in three stages. The first was that of 8800 verses called Jaya, the second of 23000 verses called Bharata, and the third of 100,000 verses called the Mahabharata. (Pande, 37) 5 Vyas: Mahabharata It is believed that in an earlier time the work was called “Jaya” (victory), that it was a poem of triumph which recounted the tale of a king who wins over his rival kinsmen. If we are to split the word Mahabharata into two syllables – Maha and Bharata, Maha would refer to “the great”; and Bharata to the “story”. Hence, the epic could also mean “Mahabharata” or “The Great Story.” Having said that by way of an introduction to the epic, it is but pertinent that we look at what an Epic is next. An epic is a heroic poem with a long narrative and a serious subject matter. It is a collection of a series of events but has at least one major happening that determines the fate of humanity at large. Epics are often of national/universal significance and deal with warriors, legends, folktales, and histories. The setting of the epic is usually grand and involves superhuman actions. It depicts larger than life scenes, vivid descriptions, long speeches and elaborate greetings, digressions as also hardships, long arduous journeys and misadventures. The epic encompasses a large timeframe that may include generations and ages. It is wide-ranging in time and space as also in its cast of characters. This is a generic introduction to the Epic form as most of us will know and is true of most Epics be they oral or written, of the West or the East. Epics do have some common features and we shall examine them next. Narrator — Every Epic has a narrator and epics also normally begin with an invocation / prayer to the Gods and this invocation is usually performed by the narrator, who then, sets the epic in motion. The narrator may introduce the epic question that would be dealt with, in the work and, around which the entire narrative is built. The theme and question is related to a general truth— it could open a debate on war and justice since both are important themes in epics. Episodic in nature — An epic has several episodes each connected to the other but each with its own beginning and ending. While these episodes have a bearing on one another they are logically complete in themselves. This is an essential quality of an epic. Grandiloquent — The style of an epic is formal and grandiloquent, which means the narration must be both grand in scope and eloquent in expression. The epic would reject ordinary speech in favour of oratory and stylised language. It would often have epic conventions and epic similes. Heroic — An epic has a hero (es) who have extraordinary or divine power. The hero is either a progeny of a god or a disciple. The hero of the epic is able to interact with the gods and in crucial moments see the gods in their divine avatar. These heroic characters are able to draw strength and knowledge from the gods who play an important role in their lives. There is a union between the human and the divine in the epic. At the same time, the heroes are not mere observers or spectators of events. They are participants and agents of change. These characters work out in their minds the different perspectives and take decisions as well as act on them. In the Mahabharata, however, no one person is heroic as in the case of the Ramayana (another Indian epic of significance). The Mahabharata is meant to be a record of human beings who fall prey to temptations. Unlike the Ramayana, which is focused on the character of Ram, the Mahabharata focuses on the complexity of events and characters spread over three generations. The 6 latter is not a one-man show and in this sense closer to our reality than the The Mahabharata:An Overview former. However, while the Ramayana is an epic in praise of an ideal man, the Mahabharata focuses on human weaknesses. The Mahabharata has a spate of characters important to the narrative while in the Ramayana, everything revolves around the figure of Ram and his actions. This makes the Mahabharata more realistic. It is seen as a historical epic spanning across generations. While in the Ramayana ‘god’ is at the centre of the narrative, in the Mahabharata it is the human being in interaction with the gods who occupies centre-stage. It has been suggested that the Mahabharata does not fit in the western model of the heroic epic. It in fact: Reflects the critical representation of a bygone heroic age from the point of view of a subsequent age of enlightenment (Pande, 38) Thus, the European idea of the epic cannot be applied to the Mahabharata per se, even as the text has epic dimension and deploys freely the characteristics of the epic. Human-Divine characters — some gods appear as characters in epics and they have a part to play in the narrative. They make the human being the object of inquiry as they keep testing the strength and vigour of the important characters. For instance, the narrative acquaints us with the author Vyas, who is a god who has taken a human avatar. Similar is the case with the character of Krsna in the text. Temperament and moral attitude— each character in the epic displays a particular temperament and moral attitude. This determines their speech and behaviour. By extension they become the epitome of the set of values they hold dear. In this way the conflict between characters in the epic actually becomes a conflict between two value systems. Optimism — An Epic is meant to have a positive end which promises a better and just world. Good must be rewarded and evil punished. The Mahabharata in many ways can be looked at as a fight between good and evil as also dharma and adharma. These are some of the important constituents of an epic in general, the Indian epic and the text under consideration – the Mahabharata in particular. Let us now briefly look at the structure of the Mahabharata. Check Your Progress 1 1) What is an Epic?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2) What are some of the common features of an Epic?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 1.2 THE STRUCTURE OF THE MAHABHARATA The Mahabharata has a principal narrative that binds the entire work and all the episodes together. The Epic is divided into eighteen books and a Khila/ 7 Vyas: Mahabharata Harivamsa Parva, (which is ‘The Book of the Genealogy of Hari’, an addendum to those parts of the life of Krsna that are not covered in the 18 Parvas of the Mahabharata), that are called parvas and each book has several sub-books. Each Parva has its own structure—a beginning and an end unified by action. The eighteen books are as follows: Adi Parva with 7982 couplets; Sabha Parva with 2511 couplets; Vana Parva containing 11663 couplets; Virata Parva having 2500 couplets; Udyog Parva –6698 couplets; Bhishma Parva –5863; Drona Parva—8909, Karna Parva 3900; Shalya Parva— 3220; Sauptija Parva—870; Stri Parva—775; Shanti Parva—13525; Anushasana Parva—6700; Ashvamedhika Parva—3320; Ashramavasika Parva –1506; Mausala Parva—300; Mahaprasthanika Parva—120; Svargarohana Parva—200 and the Khila/ Harivamsa Parva, as mentioned earlier. In the next section, we shall look at the complexities in the narrative of the Mahabharata. Sauti reciting the Shlokas of the Mahabharata, [wikipedia.org] 1.3 THE COMPLEX NARRATIVE The first page of the Mahabharata does not introduce us to the royal courts (which would occupy much of the action later) with its dynastic struggles but the humble surroundings of a hermitage where sages are gathered to perform a ritual lasting twelve years. Here Ugrashrava, the bard, is urged by the seers assembled in the Naimisa forest to recite the interesting and grand tale of the Bharatas, as recited earlier by Vaishampayana to King Janamejaya. This sets the tone for the beginning of the narrative. It is believed that Krsna Dvaipayana Vyas composed the Mahabharata. He is understood to be a participant in the events and a trustworthy eye witness. As author of the text he narrates the story to his disciples. According to certain religious readings of the text, “of the pupils to whom Vyasa told this story, Narada recited it to the Gods, Asita Devala to the Ancestors, his son Shuka to the Gandharvas, Yakshas, and Rakshasas, and Vaishampayana to the mortals” (Mehta, 72). Vyas’s disciple Vaishampayana narrates the tale to King 8 Janamejaya (son of King Parikshita and grandson of Abhimanyu) of Hastinapura who wished to know about the deeds of his ancestors. The Mahabharata:An Overview Vaishampayana narrates the Mahabharata to the assembly present at the court at the sacrifice of the Nagas. The tale as recited by Vaishampayana to King Janamejaya is heard by one Ugrashrava, the son of a bard (famous story- teller) and he recounts it to a group of sages who are involved in performing sacrifices and rituals for twelve years. The narrative is thus, tortuous. The Mahabharata as a whole is recited by Ugrashrava /the loud voiced, who may be seen as the first narrator of the book. The second narrator is Vaishampayana who narrates in the first person the story up to a point making way for the third narrator Sanjaya, who recounts the battle scene step – by - step, following which Vaishampayna resumes his narrative. A number of stories within the text are recounted by other narrators as well. 1.3.1 The Question of Authorship and Reworking of the Narrative It is believed that a generation of narrators conforming to the changes in language and style in their specific context, reworked the text of the Mahabharata. For instance, many critics believe that the “Bhagvad Gita” was a later addition and does not essentially fit in the logic of the text. Many episodes and legends too, it is believed have been added to the original composition of Vyasa. Thus, we have stories within stories. The Mahabharata for us, in this sense, has many narrators and authors. Also, “the essential thing in such oral communication is that from the very beginning, the story is told to someone, by someone face- to - face, somewhere, at some point of time, where the teller and the auditor are in an engaged relationship with the story told”. Thus, each time the text was told, new elements were added to it that was specific to the context of the teller and the auditor. The oral tradition enabled many versions of the Mahabharata. With later scholarship, the Mahabharata attained a standard form when it was passed on as a written text meant to be read and not heard. M A Mehendale has suggested that the Mahabharata “has come down to us not in its original form but with many additions made in it, in the course of its long transmission, first by reciters and later by writers of manuscripts at different places and different times”. These interpolations in the Mahabharata are only natural as he further suggests that “it would have been a matter of great surprise if a popular text like the Mbh. (Mahabharata) which was orally transmitted for many centuries was not burdened with many additions” (Interpolations in the Mahabharata, 2001, 195). In fact, oral literature is defined as a collective ownership by a community or a people who add to the compositions passed on from one generation to another. This kind of literature is often attributed as folk literature. 1.3.2 Folk Tales, Fables and Parables in the Mahabharata The Mahabharata is also a part of a strong folk tradition in India which is freely adapted and reworked; new fables and parables have been added over the centuries. Still, there is a lyrical quality about the text as it was sung by bards at courts as also by wandering minstrels. Written in simple verse form, the Mahabharata like the Ramayana was a narrative that was sung from place to place. Underpinning the significance of the folk tale several critics have viewed the great epic as primarily divided into “two main parts (i) The main story of the Kauravas and the Pandavas and (ii) the vast tale-literature” (Dange ix). Further it has been observed that, 9 Vyas: Mahabharata Tales like the ‘Swan and the Crow’, ‘the Pigeon’ Sacrifice’ or ‘the Bidalavrata’ come under fable while ‘king Brahmadatta and Piyani’ and ‘Sibi’ can be classed as parables, the difference being that in the former the whole tale is told as of the beasts and birds while in the latter we have human being as the central figure. Both the fable type and the parable type of tales are one in the point of a purpose which is –imparting instructions... (Dange, Legends in the Mahahbharta, xxxvii, 1969). Thus, the Mahabharata is didactic in tone and is meant to be a manual of a moral code of conduct. However, it also has strong contemplative and philosophical strains that bring into focus the dilemma of human choice and venture. Let’s look at the society at the time of the Mahabharata next. 1.3.3 Social Life at the Time What was society like at the time when the Mahabharata was composed? For that we need to ascertain when the Mahabharata was composed. Critics differ on the exact dates but it has been largely agreed that it was composed around 1000 B.C. This constitutes India’s ancient period. G C Pande tells us that: The society described in the Mahabharata is regularly conceived as a fourfold one, one, that, consisted of the four Varnas. It has been opined that the Kshattriyas constituted the pre-eminent class in this society because of their control of political power... (An Age of Change, 53) It is also believed that the social tussle for supremacy defined the relation between the Brahmanas (who had the traditional role of advising the King and performed sacred rituals) and the Kshattriyas who managed royal power and defended the state. Ksattriyas had a definite code of morality to guide them. They were expected to be hospitable, never to refuse protection to a refugee, never to forget a good deed or an injury, never to refuse a challenge, (53) The Pandavas in the text can be seen practicing these laws—for instance, Bhima particularly would not forget the injury done by the Kauravas at the time of the Dicing, and Yudhisthira could not refuse once challenged by Shakuni at the game of dice. In any case, The social landscape of the Mahabharata is largely sylvan and rural. The forests are abode of hermits and Sabaras. Nisadas and Candalas exemplified the tribals. (Pande 50) The peasantry mainly consisted of vaishyas. There were mostly villages and mention of some towns and cities (such as Hastinapura, Indraprastha, Mathura and Mithila) make us aware that these were centres of money, market and trade. With regard to the region and the culture we find that “agriculture and cattle breeding, craft and trade constituted the mainstay of economic life”. Also there was prevalence of slavery. The following observation of Duryodhana makes us aware of it when seeing the pomp and show of Indraprastha, he says, There are eighty-eight thousand snataka householders whom 10 Yudhisthira supports, each of them with thirty slave girls. Eventually we find that the two important places– Hastinapura (situated The Mahabharata:An Overview somewhere near modern Delhi) and Indraprastha, become contending centres of power. In the next section we shall look at the Mahabharata as a Literary Text. Check Your Progress 2 1) Comment on the important narrators in the Mahabharata. Who is the tale being told to?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2) How have folktales, parables and myths been used in the Mahabharata?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3) Construct an image of society during the time of the Mahabharata............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1.4 THE MAHABHARATA AS A LITERARY TEXT What is the Mahabharata? Is it a historical text or a poetic expression of the times? Is it a book of moral laws and scriptures? These questions necessarily come to mind when dealing with ancient literature. Sheldon Pollock explains It (the Mahabharata) represents itself for most part as itihasa, an account of ‘the way things indeed were’. However, much modern scholarship may complicate the factuality of that record… Yet the Mahabharata was not only itihasa, it was also kavya. Note, that as Pollock suggests, the Mahabharata represents itself as a historical narrative depicting events as they took place by, one who is also a character in the narrative—Vyas. The author is the composer of the tale and a participant in the story. Viewed from a literary angle, the historical framework is a form adopted by Vyas. Still, Pollock notes, Eventually the Mahabharata came to also be viewed as a transcendently authoritative moral discourse; one ninth century literary theorist conceived of the work as ‘moral discourse with the aura of literature. (Sheldon Pollock) At the same time the Mahabharata has been viewed as a political narrative. T R S Sharma has observed that: While the Kuru and the Panhala lineages are historically recorded, there is no mention of Pandavas in any historical records. So it is only proper we consider the Mahabharata as an epic poem. (Ed. T R S Sharma. 5) Thus, for us the primary concern is to view the Mahabharata as a literary text with an internal logic and structure—the text never wavers from the core 11 Vyas: Mahabharata narrative that is the struggle between two groups of cousins for succession and political power. From the literary point of view, the Mahabharata has been analysed in different ways. According to Anandavardhana (the famous Sanskrit literary critic of the 9th AD) known primarily for his work “Dhvanyalok”, the Mahabharata is a “dhvani-kavya” or the poetry of suggestion. The suggested sense and creation of “dhvani-alok”, found in the Mahabharata in his view, is the highest form of poetic composition. With respect to its content, he notes that the Mahabharata … teaches man ultimately to renounce vanity of earthly glories and attain dharma (truth and righteousness), vairagya (renunciation), santi (eternal peace) and moksha (salvation) (qtd. in Julian F. Woods 163) With respect to form, J P Sinha has provided us with the following classifications:.......the metres which have been employed in the Mahabharata may be classified under two heads—the varnavratas and the matravratas…so far the matravartas are concerned only aryais are to be found in the Mahabharata and that too in a small number. He suggests that, “the vast majority of the verses of the Mahabharata are composed in the anustubh metre”. The anustubh is a sloka, is a metre of four feet of eight syllables each. In the anustubh the fifth letter of all the feet and the seventh of the second and fourth feet must necessarily be short, similarly, the sixth letter of every foot must be long. After anustubh the largest number of verses in the Mahabharata has been composed in the upjati metre (9) The anustubh was used in the oldest written document, the Rigveda and is known for its simple structure. The simple metre enabled recitation. Thus, didactic literature and moral tales were written using this metre. The original text in Sanskrit is almost entirely in verse while the English translation of the Mahabharata by J A B van Buitenen is largely in prose. Buitenen tells us that the … verse syntax in Sanskrit is quite free and an easy-on-the-ear-attention adjective qualifying a subject at the beginning may comfortably appear at the end of the couplet (xi) Taking about the variations in the text he suggests: Unlike the Homeric epics, the Mahabharata employs a variety of meters, but by far the commonest used is the sloka. This meter presents a very free pattern well suited to narratives. Like all Sanskrit meters, it is divided into two halves, each half containing in its case sixteen syllables, while each half divides into two quarters (padas) of eight syllables each. The first four syllables of each eight are free, the second four parsed. (xxxviii) Thus, the Mahabharata is defined by its simple verse form and lyrical quality. The meter and style varies in the text in relation to the subject being narrated. It may reflect the mood of the poet as also the times. Let us examine the role 12 of fate and chance in the Mahabharata next.  The Mahabharata:An 1.5 THE ROLE OF FATE AND CHANCE Overview The Mahabharata fosters the idea of destiny as unalterable. Foreknowledge of events cannot correct grievous wrongs nor can it prevent them from happening. There is a kind of failure of human endeavour that gets established with the notion of predetermined fate. And yet, human choice is provided adequate importance in the text. The characters in the epic do not give up when faced with dilemma, they go through the struggle of choosing a path and following it. The innate impulse in human beings to strive and act even when faced with odds keeps the text human-centric and optimistic. Interestingly, Duryodhana fosters the idea of fate that plays against him while fortune favors the Pandavas in the scenes preceding the dicing sequence. He claims: Fate, methinks reign supreme and man’s acts are meaningless, when I see such bright fortune fetched to the Pandava. In the past I have made attempts to kill him, Saubala, but he survived it all and grew like a lotus in the water. Therefore, methinks, fate reigns supreme and man’s acts are meaningless, for the Dhartarastras decline and the Parthas are always prospering. (8) The idea that a man’s acts are meaningless is reiterated in the Mahabharata time and again. In fact, it appears to be the central truth of life and emphasises determinism. Yudhisthira is saddened by the truth divulged to him by Vyas in the text that, bitter animosity among the cousins is in store—one that would wipe out most of the Kshatriyas from the earth. Yudhisthira tries in vain to cement ties and build friendly relations with Duryodhan. His vow to not get angry at the instigation of his cousins or brothers is a case in point. Events as they unfold in the epic show us that destiny takes its course and no one can turn the course of events. Thus, human endeavours, whatever their nature, are shown to be meaningless. Can we agree with such a proposition? Is our destiny predefined and any attempt to change it meaningless? Should we accept the given circumstances or strive to change them? The Mahabharata leaves us with such uneasy questions that are relevant in our time as well. Let us look at the notion of dharma/ the law in the context of the Mahabharata in the next section. Check Your Progress 3 1) In what way is the Mahabharata different from the western epic? What makes it realistic and human?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2) Is the Mahabharata a literary text? Discuss............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3) Would you agree with the view that a human being cannot change his/ her destiny? Examine the notion of fate in the Mahabharata............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Vyas: Mahabharata 1.6 THE MEANING OF DHARMA: THE LAW The concept of dharma is central to the epic the Mahabharata. The text underpins the idea of “Yatho dharma: tatho jayah” (Where Dharma is, there is victory). However, dharma stands inverted in many a case in the text. The law is often subverted, and dharma involves an arduous struggle as it extracts its price from those who follow it. The presence of dharma and its reiteration in the text is often accompanied by its negation. And yet the term dharma is important for the concept of existence in the Mahabharata. It gives meaning to the notion of existence as well as direction to the characters. Dharma is translated by J A B van Buitenen in the text as the ‘Law’. This may facilitate the English reader to some extent, however, to the Indian reader the term is incomplete and needs to be understood in relation to the ideas of ‘truth’, ‘justice’, ‘morality’, ‘righteousness’, ‘code of conduct’, ‘obligation’ as also ‘duty’. Dharma denotes all these. Dharma is defined by a person’s position in society and the role one plays. There is the King’s law (dharma) which defines what the King ought to do and his acts are based on an ethical awareness of his duties. He is meant to follow the principle of justice above all. There is the dharma of a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, a father, a mother, a husband, and a wife, each of which determine human relationships. The roles come with pre-determined laws that the characters are supposed to live up to. It is this dharma that Draupadi calls out to in the Dicing sequence and it is dharma alone which keeps the Pandava brothers quiet when Yudhisthira loses them in a game of dice. The question of dharma haunts the Pandavas even after the fateful war has been won by them—a war fought for land. The Pandavas perform the horse sacrifice to establish their sovereignty. Sheldon Pollock has suggested, “If the Pandavas’ political power has now been confirmed, both the war and the Kali Age it has inaugurated have sapped their strength and will: ‘Cursed be the law of power’, they declare, ‘that has left us dead in life’, they eventually renounce sovereignty and begin the mahaprasthana, the Great Departure” towards Mount Himavan. Thus, the Law of power destroys them as it did their counterparts in war. Both sides stand to lose. Though the Mahabharata is an ancient text, as mentioned in the Block Introduction, it has been serialised twice on television by two different production houses, and is also available in comic form printed by Amar Chitra Katha. Even today, the text is read aloud in many households. Having said that, can we assume that the text is somehow still relevant in some way even today in 2019? The next section will examine contemporary interpretations of the Mahabharata to give us a sense of how such an ancient text still has a hold on people’s imagination even today. 1.7 CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATIONS OF THE MAHABHARATA Discussing the modern retellings of the Mahabharata, we find that the context of the adaptations is juxtaposed with the world of the ancient text. The complexities of human endeavour elaborated in the original text become a constant reference point for later retellings. 14 Scholarship on the Mahabharata has steadily increased over the last century. The Mahabharata:An Overview Several critical works have opened new dimensions of the text. On the other hand, creative versions of the Mahabharata have also come to the fore. Characters and events of the Mahabharata have received renewed interest among writers. Its influence has been pan-India and the text has been adapted freely. For instance, the Telugu writer Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad (b. 1953), has written a novel titled Draupadi that charts different aspects of Draupadi’s character as a strong woman, confidante, mother and daughter. Similarly, Pratibha Rai, the Odiya writer has written a novel titled Yagyaseni, written in the form of a letter where Draupadi explains her plight to Krsna. In fact, in Odisha, as early as in the 15th century, Sarala Das (Odisha’s ‘Adikavi’) presented an Odiya Mahabharata. His Mahabharata however carried various indigenous myths and legends as also Odiya folklore. Similar, is the case with Assamese versions of the Mahabharata where medieval poets and translators selected parts of the epic keeping the core story of the fraternal feud intact and created a new text out of it. For instance, the Assamese Nariparva written by an unknown author is not a mere translation of the Sanskrit Striparva— in the Assamese version the women of the two warring groups take up arms and fight one another even after the men have died. Draupadi here leads the Pandava women and with her excellent knowledge of war she wins it by deploying her weapon, the vayu-astra. Variations such as these make the text of the Mahabharata more productive (in that there is always scope for a new narrative to emerge) and compelling. The first Marathi novel influenced by the Mahabharata was Viratparva-Hyabi Bakhar written by Chintamanshastri Thatte and published in 1862 this was followed by Pativrata Savitri written by S N Joshi (1929) and Astika (1940), by P S Sane alias Sane Guruji. The Mahabharata continued to influence novels post independence with the publication of the Marathi novel Yayati: A Classic Tale of Lust (1959) by the Jnanpith Awardee, Vishnu Khandekar, exploring the life of the Pandavas’s ancestors. The play by Girish Karnad too, with the same title Yayati (1960), was inspired by the Mahabharata. Add to this, the reworking of the Mahabharata that exists in Malayalam literature. From early representations by poets of the 13th and 15th centuries such as Bharatmala by Niranam poets, Bharatam Gatha by Cherusseri to contemporary reinterpretations of the 20th century offered by P K Balakrishnan and M T Vasudevan in their novels Eni Jnan Urangatte (Let Me Sleep Now, 1973) and Randamoozham (The Second Turn, 1983), respectively, the unique place of the canonical epic is revealed to us. Still, Dharamvir Bharati’s play Andha Yug evokes the post-war world of devastation in the Mahabharata to speak about the contemporary malaise caused by the partition of the country in 1947. The Mahabharata in this sense has a bearing on current happenings and writers make use of myths and stories to express their views of the times. In more recent times, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (b. 1956), has written a novel from Drapaudi’s perspective called, The Palace of Illusions (2008). The Mahabharata has been extensively projected on stage, television series (of B R Chopra and Ravi Chopra (1988 – 90); and Swastik Productions (2013- 2016)); and cinema (Shyam Benegal’s Kalyug 1980). Among western 15 Vyas: Mahabharata admirers of the epic we have the French playwright Jean-Claude Carriere who staged the Mahabharata (as a French play, nine hours long) in 1985. Peter Brook, adapted it for his cinematic reproduction of the Mahabharata (the film) in 1989. Both these adaptations offered a 20th century westerner’s view of the Mahabharata. Here, the western and the eastern contexts combine. However, Peter Brook’s representation particularly has been viewed by several critics in India (Gautam Dasgupta, Rustom Bharucha) as an exercise in Orientalism for it exoticises and appropriates Indian culture. Ramesh Menon’s The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering (2 Volumes) (published in 2003) provides to the English reader the ancient tale in a novelistic form from an Indian perspective. Gurucharan Das’s The Difficulty of Being Good explores the concept of dharma as exposited by the Mahabharata and tests its validity in contemporary society. These are but a few instances that acquaint us with the vast reach and influence of the Mahabharata in the Indian region and beyond. We have managed quite an over view of the Mahabharata and we think we should summarise all that has been said so far before we end this episode/ unit in the Mahabharata fashion and move on to the next episode/ unit. Check Your Progress 4 1) Write a note on the role dharma plays in determining the lives of the characters in the Mahabharata............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2) Have you watched the Mahabharata or read any of the works based on the Mahabharata? What do you think this tells you about the Mahabharata?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 1.8 LET US SUM UP Having watched the Mahabharata at some point in our lives or read the comic version or even read The Palace of Illusions, and gone through this unit, you would have noticed that the Mahabharata has a deep cultural and historical significance in the Indian subcontinent. In the discussion it is evident that the text of the Mahabharata underwent modifications in different regions at different points of time. It has become a text that is ever-productive as new narratives continue to spring from it. Still, the discussion on authorship made us privy to the fact that, the Mahabharata may have been composed by Vyas but it has gone through many additions in the later centuries. It is in this sense a collective/ social epic. Also the complex narrative tells us that the text was meant for recitation and not reading. It belonged to the oral-folk literature of India. The unit focused on the idea of the epic and particularly the Indian epic to facilitate a better understanding of the text. The question of form was taken up in the discussion in order to place the Mahabharata within a literary framework so that we can view it as a text governed by specific aesthetic principles. In so far, as the themes of the text are concerned, the major theme of dharma as also pre-determined fate has been outlined in this unit. The social set-up of the times in which the Mahabharata is believed to have been composed has also been provided in this unit to help us contextualise the narrative 16 vis-à-vis the Indian society of that period.  The Mahabharata:An 1.9 HINTS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS Overview Check Your Progress 1 1) Read Section 1.1 carefully, understand it, and then frame the answer in your own words. 2) Read Section 1.1 Check Your Progress 2 1) Read 1.3 & 1.3.1 2) Read Section 1.3.2 3) Read Section 1.3.3 Check Your Progress 3 1) Read Section 1.4 2) Read Section 1.4 3) Read Section 1.5 Check Your Progress 4 1) Read Section 1.6 2) Read Section 1.7 1.10 GLOSSARY Epic simile is an extended simile running into several lines in which the comparisons are elaborated in great detail. These are “formal sustained similes in which the secondary subject, or vehicle, is elaborated far beyond its specific points of close parallel to the primary subject, or tenor, to which it is compared” (M H Abrams, A Glossary of Literary Terms) Epic Conventions: Epic conventions are formal characteristics that epic poems generally share such as: In medias res; Invocation; Statement of theme; Stock epithets; Cataloguing; Long, formal speeches; Divine Intervention; Epic Digressions; Vast Settings; Grandiose/Elevated Language; Definitive Meter; Epic Battles; Descent into the Underworld; Epic Similes; Didactic Nature; Dire, Foreshadowing Warnings; Heroic Oath (unisophomoreenglish.wordpress2016/com/09/13/epicconvertion/) Avatar: A manifestation of a deity or released soul in bodily form on earth; an incarnate divine teacher; An incarnation, embodiment, or manifestation of a person or idea; An icon or figure representing a particular person in a video game, Internet forum, etc. From the Sanskrit avatâra ‘descent’, from ava ‘down’ + tar- ‘to cross’ (oxforddictionaries.com/definition/avata) Dharma: Explanation in Section 1.6 Adharma: unrighteousness or wickedness Orientalism: Literally refers to writings about the Orient (the East) as imagined, understood and defined by Europe /the West. It is about the attitude of the western writers towards the eastern parts of the world. As a term of discourse it was used by Edward Said in his book Orientalism (1978) to elaborate the distorted view the occident (the outsiders) hold of the orient/east. 17 Vyas: Mahabharata UNIT 2 “THE DICING” FROM THE BOOK OF THE ASSEMBLY HALL Structure 2.0 Objectives 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Duryodhana’s Misery and the Grandeur of the Pandavas 2.2.1 Sakuni’s Reassurance and Conspiracy 2.2.2 The Emotional Manipulation of Dhrtarastra 2.3 Reversal of Fortune 2.4 The Game of Dice 2.4.1 Yudhisthira’s Dharma 2.4.2 Losing the Kingdom, Brothers and Self in Gambling 2.4.3 Losing Draupadi 2.5 The Case of Draupadi 2.5.1 Humiliation of Draupadi 2.5.2 The Legal Point and Draupadi’s Questions 2.5.3 The King’s Offering of Three Boons to Draupadi 2.6 Let Us Sum Up 2.7 Hints to Check Your Progress 2.0 OBJECTIVES T he present unit will help us to critically analyse the epic under study - the Mahabharata. It will acquaint us with the major themes of the epic in general and the episode of ‘The Dicing’ in particular. Here, questions of Dharma, the law and its relevance in the lives of the characters will be explored at some length. A discussion on some unexplored aspects of Duryodhana’s character will also be undertaken. We will then be in a position to also decipher the workings of power and wealth. Importantly, the character of Draupadi and the significance of events that follow the dicing game will be evaluated in detail. This will help us see the place and condition of women in ancient times. These and other related questions will be explored. In the next section we will get a brief idea of the background of ‘The Dicing’ which is the prescribed text under study. If you have not read the text, please do so immediately. 2.1 INTRODUCTION We are made aware in the beginning of the “Book of the Assembly Hall” that the Pandavas have risen to great power and a “celestial” assembly hall has been built by Maya, a ‘Danava’ to reciprocate the good acts of Arjuna who rescued him. Despite all attempts of the Kauravas to cause harm to the Pandavas, the latter shine in the splendour of newly acquired wealth.”The Dicing” from the “Book of the Assembly Hall” (Sabha Parva) shows us that Duryodhana has been overpowered and tricked by the marvels of Yudhisthira’s palace. Let us look at the causes of Duryodhana’s misery next. 18  ‘‘The Dicing’’ from the 2.2 DURYODHANA’S MISERY AND THE Book of the Assembly Hall GRANDEUR OF THE PANDAVAS Duryodhana having witnessed the exuberance of Yudhistra’s ‘Maya’ palace at the Rajasuya sacrifice is in acute distress and despair that is incurable. He recounts the tale to his maternal uncle Sakuni who in turn tries to pacify his nephew but in vain. For in trying to pacify Duryodhana, Sakuni reiterates the power and luck of the Pandavas. Sakuni says: You must harbor no resentment against Yudhisthira, for the Pandavas have always enjoyed good luck. In the past you have often made attempts on them with many wiles, and the tiger like men escaped because of their luck. They won Draupadi for their wife, and Drupada with his sons for their ally, and the heroic Vasudeva for their helper in the winning of the earth. They won undiminished wealth as their father’s portion, king of the earth, and it grew through their energy. Why lament about that? Dhanamjaya, by sating the Fire, won the bow Gandiva, the two inexhaustible quivers, and celestial weapons. With that superb bow and the might of his own arms he subjugated the kings—why lament about it? He freed the Danava Maya from the forest fire and had him build that hall—why lament about it? (9) The Pandavas lose the game of dice and Draupadi is presented in court, [wikipedia.org] Note that in the above passage Sakuni concedes that the Pandavas have displayed the will to work hard and tirelessly—they received their father’s portion but with their contribution “it grew through their energy”. This has brought them appreciation and wealth. Importantly, they have won all things mentioned by Sakuni with effort, including Draupadi—who is actually not a thing but a person. However, Draupadi in the text is clubbed time and again with objects and things that can be either won or lost! Sakuni’s assessment of the Pandavas’ has an opposite effect on Duryodhana as it further accentuates his suffering. The palace of illusion ‘Maya’ in fact becomes a source of yearning for Duryodhana. It sows the seeds of revenge in him. The palace of illusion reminds Duryodhana of his humiliation at 19 Vyas: Mahabharata Yudhisthira’s palace at Indraprastha. The incident at the palace of ‘Maya’ where Duryodhana is mocked at by the Pandavas adds fuel to fire. Vaisampayana narrates the episode thus: Mighty Bhimasena saw him that way, as did Arjun and the twins, and they burst out laughing. A choleric man, he (Duryodhana) did not suffer their mockery; to save his face he did not look at them. Once more he pulled up his robe, as though crossing a pool, to ascend firm land, again those people all laughed at him. He once tried a door, which appeared to be open, and hurt his forehead; another time, thinking the door was closed, he shrank from the doorway. (7) These incidents leave Duryodhana in a state of utter despair and he is driven to thoughts of suicide. Says Duryodhana to Sakuni— When I saw all that blazing fortune at the Pandava’s, I fell prey to resentment and I am burning, though that is not my way. I shall enter the fire, or drink poison, or drown myself, for I shall not be able to live. Duryodhana attaches significance to the fact that the five brothers united with several kings who act as their allies are invincible. He on the other hand views himself as alone— All alone I am not capable of acquiring such a regal fortune; nor do I see any allies, and therefore I think of death. The thought of death comes easy to Duryodhana even when Sakuni is quick to remind him of his own allies and wealth. The latter iterates: You say you have no allies, King Bharata; that is not true, for your war like brothers are your allies. So is the grand archer Drona and his sagacious son, and the Suta’s son Radhey and the warrior Gautama. So am I with my brothers and the heroic Saumadatti and together with all of us you must conquer the entire world” (9) Duryodhana is barely convinced. You will notice that Duryodhana despairs because his own fame appears faded when compared to the dazzle of the court at Indraprastha. In itself, Duryodhana’s wealth or power has not diminished. While his rivals may have prospered Duryodhana has not met with any misfortune. It is only when he sees his own palace and kingdom in relative worth vis-à-vis the Pandavas that he becomes insecure and dejected. Thus, he asserts “what man like me who sees their sovereignty over earth, with such wealth and such a sacrifice, would not burn with fever?” Still, his authority and power stands jeopardised in the face of an alternate centre of power, as he says “For what man of mettle in this world will have patience when he sees his rivals prosper and himself decline”? At the personal level, his life-long enmity with the Pandavas adds to his discomfiture; despite all his efforts to see their ruin he finds that they have emerged victorious and won many friends, favored by fortune as they were. 2.2.1 Sakuni’s Reassurance and Conspiracy Duryodhana receives assurance from Sakuni but the latter also admits that “Dhanamjaya, Vasudeva, Bhimsena, Yudhisthira, Nakula and Sahadeva and 20 the august Draupada cannot be defeated in battle by force, not even by the hosts of the Gods. They are great warriors and archers, know their ‘‘The Dicing’’ from the Book of the Assembly Hall weapons and are battle crazy”. (9-10) The Pandavas’s invincibility is aptly highlighted by Sakuni. Even the gods he claims cannot defeat the Pandavas in battle. However, Duryodhana must find a way of submitting them to his authority. Sakuni suggests that the formidable group of Pandavas be defeated in gambling—that is the Achilles heel of Yudhishtra. Sakuni proclaims himself to be undefeatable in gambling as he suggests: The kaunteya loves to gamble but does not know how to play. If the lordly king is challenged, he will not be able to resist. And I am a shrewd gambler. I don’t have my match on earth or in all three worlds! Challenge the Kaunteya to a game of dice. With my skill with the dice, King, I am certain to take from him his kingdom and his radiant fortune, in your behalf, bull among men. Mention all this to the king, Duryodhana, and if your father permits, I shall certainly defeat him (10). Interestingly, what cannot be done on the field will be achieved on the table and by one who is far from a warrior. In the game of minds then valour plays little part. The Pandavas sure are not known for wit or cunning. They could neither deceive nor play with strategy. That was Sakuni’s skill. Duryodhana too is rash and restless, known little for pragmatism or diplomacy. He is identified with valour as also ruthlessness. Here, however a different side of Duryodhana’s character comes to the fore. He displays an inferiority complex and appears diffident as also self-conscious. These attributes go against his grain as it were. Still, when Sakuni claims he can defeat the Pandavas in a game of dice, Duryodhana is thoughtful of his allies and friends as he says “if they (the Pandavas) can be defeated without inconsiderateness to our friends and other great-spirited allies, then tell me, uncle” (10). Duryodhana is cautious to not displease his allies and aware of the ties he must maintain with friends. Further, when Sakuni urges Duryodhana to speak to the king about permitting a challenge of the dice, Duryodhana goes on a back foot and is hesitant to speak to his father. He contrarily persuades Sakuni to take the task of presenting the matter to the king in “the right way”. See how he articulates his hesitation, “No, you yourself must mention it in the right way to Dhrtarastra, the first of the Kurus, O Saubala. I shall not be able to bring up the matter” (10) Why does Duryodhana feel incapacitated to speak to his father about permitting a game of Dice? Does he suspect it would betray his ill-intent? Contrarily, does Duryodhana’s conscience not allow him to justify his vicious plan? These questions surface in the reading of the text. In fact, we will note that such variations and doubts in the character of Duryodhana make him a more human and plausible character. 2.2.2 The Emotional Manipulation of Dhratrastra As we move further into the text we see Sakuni making a case for the game ceremony before Dhrtarastra dramatically. He exploits the king’s emotions by cashing in on the pain and suffering of Duryodhana who “looked pale and 21 Vyas: Mahabharata yellow and wan…and (is) brooding”. Dhrtarastra unable to understand the cause, asks Duryodhana: I do not see a cause for your grief, for this grand sovereignty entirely devolves on you, son, and your brothers and friends do not do you ill. You wear fine clothes, you eat hash of meat, purebred horses carry you—why are you yellow and wan? Costly beds and charming women, well-appointed houses and all the recreation you want—all this waits on your word, without a doubt, as though on the words of Gods. You are unassailable, yet seem sad? Why do you pine, my son? (11) Note how the wealth of the court is described as also the privileges the King enjoys—a pure breed horse to carry him and all kinds of recreation made available for him, including “charming women” who are clubbed with “costly beds” as if one is the extension of the other. That costly beds and charming women are spoken in one breadth tell us a lot about the place of women in that society where they were viewed as objects of possession and recreation. This will inform us a great deal about the events that would unfold later in the episode when Draupadi is dragged into the court. To return to the case of Duryodhana, we find that he doubts the power he wields. The Pandavas’ aura continues to haunt him as he tells Dhrtarastra, “I eat and dress like any miserable man” and that “my pleasure no longer satisfies me, now that I have seen the radiant fortune at Yudhisthira Kaunteya’s, which causes my pallor”. Almost in a trance, Duryodhana seems to live the memory of his visit at Indraprastha. He savours the experience and describes what he saw (a second time) to Dhrtarastra who must imagine all that is being told to him—Duryodhana relives imaginatively the experience he narrates. Both go over in their minds the splendour of Indraprastha. Duryodhana sets the scene and describes it vividly in the following manner: There are eighty-eight thousand snataka householders whom Yudhisthira supports, each of them with thirty slave girls. Ten thousand more eat daily the best food at Yudhisthira’s house from golden platters. The Kamboja send him hides of the kadall deer, black, dark, and red, and costly blankets, chariots, women, cows, horses by the hundreds and thousands, and three hundred times a hundred camel mares wander about there. The kings brought all manner of precious things to the son of Kunti at his superb ritual, O king, and in great plenty. Nowhere have I seen or heard of such an inflow of wealth as at the sacrifice of the sagacious son of Pandu! And as I have seen the limitless flood of wealth of my enemy, king, I find no shelter and brood incessantly, my lord. (12) Duryodhana’s description may be exaggerated and understandable as he, has been deeply influenced by the scene at Indraprastha. However, the exaggerated speech is also meant to persuade the blind Dhrtarastra who must make his judgement on the bases of what he hears. To add to the astonishment of Dhrtarastra, Duryodhana elaborates “And listen to me as I tell of a miracle there” and he continues with the saga till “it raised my hairs”. You will note that the evocative nature of Duryodhana’s speech makes a compelling scene. Dhrtarastra is almost convinced about the “sublime fortune” of the Pandavas. 22 Duryodhana through his description has justified his wish, in fact, the necessity to take prompt action and gain supremacy over the Pandavas. He says “This ‘‘The Dicing’’ from the Book of the Assembly Hall man knows the dice, King, and he is able to take the fortune of the Pandava in a game. Pray allow it.” (13) Duryodhana who had earlier felt incapable of speaking the truth states it explicitly here. Dhrtarastra visibly moved but not yet vulnerable, decides to seek advice from “my wise councilor the Steward” who is “farsighted” and “will put first the Law and our ultimate benefit”. Note the difference between Duryodhana’s wish for instant gratification and Dhrtarastra’s emphasis on “ultimate benefit”. The latter’s is an appeal for broader humanism while the former speaks of individual uplift. Here, it is the Steward who is seen as the pronouncer of truth and in whose judgment the king places his faith. However, the idea is nipped in the bud when Duryodhana intervenes and says “the Steward will turn you down, if he comes in on this”. Even Duryodhana is aware that from the point of view of justice and the state’s welfare (which the Steward represents) the act of challenging the Pandavas to a game of dice could cost them dear. Still, Duryodhana’s urgency of tone conveys to his father the turmoil brewing in his mind. He gives the king no time to think and in fact plays the part of the victim, manipulating his father’s emotions. He says, … when you are turned down, lordly king, I shall kill myself! Let there be no doubt! When I am dead, be happy with your Vidura, king. Surely, you shall have the pleasure of all earth: why bother about me? (13) This reproach by Duryodhana moves the king whose affection gets the better of him as he acts contrary to his own wisdom. He orders the servants to have: “the carpenters build me a big hall of a thousand pillars and a hundred doors, heart-fetching and beautiful, and do it at once! And when they have splattered it with gems and thrown out the dice everywhere, report to me quietly” (13) Once the orders are given, Dhrtarastra turns into a person of steely resolve. He does not budge even when Vidura pleads with him to call the game off. The King proclaims: My decision shall not be circumvented, Vidura, I tell you! I deem it supreme destiny that makes this befall. (13) Note first that the King who was initially keen on taking Vidura’s advice now turns it down. This is because Dhrtarastra here speaks in the capacity of a king—his language carries the mark of authority. This is not the self-conscious man who sought Vidura’s advice in the privacy of his chambers. Secondly, Dhrtarastra seems to shift the onus of his decision on destiny entirely by suggesting that it is “supreme destiny that makes this befall”—where he as an individual is only a carrier of command not an active agent. The emphasis on destiny in the book is a significant motif that recurs time and again. Ironically however, Dhrtarastra while speaking to Vidura counters fate as well— When I and the bull of the Bharatas Bhisma are near, no foul play ordained by fate can possibly occur. As events in the book unfold it is revealed that, neither the King nor the supremo Bhisma can alter the course of events or keep in check the wrongdoing of 23 Vyas: Mahabharata Duryodhana. They become helpless “ mute spectators when the Pandavas are insulted. Does this suggest that destiny played a part in seeing the ruin of the Bharata clan? We may explore this area further (Refer to the discussion on Fate in Unit 1). A quick glance at the role of fate will show us how easily fortunes can be reversed I the blink of an eye. This we shall take up in the next section. Check Your Progress 1 1) What do you think is the significance of the Palace of Illusion/ “Maya” Palace in the Mahabharata?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2) Is Duryodhana’s manipulation of his father Dhrtarastra effective?............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2.3 REVERSAL OF FORTUNE We find that in the first half of the chapter ‘The Dicing’, Duryodhana goes on narrating accounts of the vast influence and wealth of King Kaunteya (Yudhisthira), exemplified in instances such as the following— “Chinese men I saw and Huns, Scythians, Orissans, the ones who live in the interior forest, Varneyas, Robber Huns, Black Folk and Himalayans—I cannot get over the many who came and were denied admission, yet paid tribute to him, of so many shapes and so numerous” (17) Such descriptions cover the first part of the book and paint for us a picture of exuberance, plenitude and luxury that belong to the Pandavas. This is the peak of power for the Pandavas. The latter half of the chapter on the other hand reveals to us a complete reversal of fortune. From riches the Pandavas are reduced to slaves. The detailed descriptions provided by Duryodhana create a dramatic effect and against these the fall of the Pandavas appears more shocking. Also it is worth noting that Dhrtarastra calls this a “family game of dice” and as we see later, the entire logic of a family game stands on its head. The ‘family’ game turns into a ‘fatal’ game as it augments the fight between the two warring groups, the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Still, Janamajeya the eager listener of the tale, we note, is full of questions and earnestly urges the narrator of this section Vaisampayana to explain in detail the sequence around the dicing event which as Janamajaya suggests “was the root of the destruction of the world”. The reversal in the case of the Pandavas is complete when Yushisthira not only loses his riches, himself, his brothers and Draupadi as well. We will need to analyse the actual game of dice next. 2.4 THE GAME OF DICE Yudhisthira is invited by Vidura to Dhrtarastra’s palace to “play and enjoy a family game” (28). Yudhisthira’s first reaction is, “At a dicing we surely 24 shall quarrel”. Vidura is quick to agree and proclaims “I know that the game will bring disaster”. Interestingly, both Vidura and Yudhisthira, considered wise ‘‘The Dicing’’ from the Book of the Assembly Hall men in the book, hold similar opinions on the consequence of the dice game. Yet, both agree to become part of it and not stall it. They are both bound by a sense of duty or Dharma towards King Dhrtarastra. 2.4.1 Yudhisthira’s Dharma Yudhisthira is acutely aware of the danger involved in playing the game of dice, as he suggest, “most dangerous gamblers have been collected, who are sure to play with wizard tricks” and yet he adds “it is the King Dhrtarastra’s behest, so I will not refuse, sage, to go to the game. A son will always respect the father” (29) The reason for agreeing to the game has a moral provided to it —that a son should be ever-obedient. 2.4.2 Losing the Kingdom, Brothers and Self in Gambling At the game, Yudhisthira loses everything bit by bit. It begins with his inexhaustible gold, “regal chariot”, a “thousand must elephants”, a “hundred thousand slave girls and male slaves”. He goes on to lose “myriads of chariots, carts and horses” along with “My city, my country, the wealth of all my people” till he is left with nothing but his brothers and wife. Them too he stakes and loses all including himself in the game. At each turn we are told “Sakuni decided, tricked and cried ‘Won’” (33). The Pandavas turns into the slaves of the Kauravas and this invites the wrath of the elders but no one dares to chide Duryodhana or put an end to the game. Even when Vidura tells Dhrtarastra This man (Duryodhana) drunk with playing dice, does not look about him, like the mead-drinker, and in starting a feud with great warriors he does not reckon his downfall (36) - the King ignores his advice. 2.4.3 Losing Draupadi At Sakuni’s insinuation Yet there is your precious queen and one throw is yet unwon. Stake Krsna of Pancala, and win yourself back with her Yudhisthira stakes her and loses the game. At this moment Dhrtarastra is “exhilarated” than saddened while “Bhisma, Drona, Krpa and others broke out in sweat”. The King is thrilled by the Kauravas’ winning spree and is blinded by power like his son Duryodhana who with deep satisfaction orders his steward to bring Draupadi to the court— The beloved wife whom the Pandavas honor, let her sweep the house and run on our errands—what a joy to watch—with the serving wretches! (35) Vidura again makes Duryodhana aware that … the incredible happens through people like you, you don’t know it, nitwit, you are tied in a noose! You hang over a chasm and do not grasp it, you dumb deer to anger tigers! 25 Vyas: Mahabharata Constantly, Vidura underpins the fact that in the clash between the two groups – the Kauravas and the Pandavas — the latter are far more powerful and that Duryodhana is a “dumb deer” before, the Pandavas who are described as “angry tigers”. Vidura we are told, is a wise sage who can see the future and thus, his words carry an air of ominous finality. He further asserts, For this to be sure spells the end of the Kurus, a grisly end, the perdition of all (36) However, Duryodhana maddened with rage and revenge instructs the steward to bring Draupadi to the court. The next section deals with the scene when Draupadi is dragged into the Assembly Hall where Yudhisthira is engaged in the fatal game of dice. 2.5 THE CASE OF DRAUPADI It is worth noting that the assembly to which Draupadi is dragged is meant for men to engage in politcal activities as also entertainment. Both these spheres are exclusive to men. Here, women seldom enter. When Draupadi is brought to this space dominated entirely by men, she is the only woman in the hall with all men watching the show as it were. In her fiery speech, after attempt has been made to disrobe her, she claims, What greater humiliation than that I, a woman of virtue and beauty, now must invade the men’s hall? What is left of the law of the kings? From of old, we have heard, they do not bring law-minded into their hall (58) This reveals to us her precarious position. She says as she is dragged in the court by Duhsasana, … in the hall are men who have studied the books, all follow the rites and are like unto Indras. They are all my gurus or act for them: before their eyes I cannot stand thus (50) When the steward enters the chambers of Draupadi his bold words “to your chores I must lead you” irks and shocks her. She gives voice to her anger thus –“how dare you speak so, an usher, to me?” Next, she questions the judgement of Yudhisthira in “What son of a king would hazard his wife?” Draupadi raises a significant question regarding Yudhisthira’s right on her when he had lost himself. “Go to the game” she sends the steward back “and ask in the assembly ‘Bharata, whom did you lose first, yourself or me?” On Yudhisthira’s word sent by a messenger, Draupadi comes to the hall, … in her one garment knotted below, weeping and in her courses, she went to the hall, the Pancala princess and stood before her father- in-law (37-8) 2.5.1 Humiliation of Draupadi The scene where Draupadi is being dragged into the court by Duhsasana is appalling. Duhsasana speaks to her in a brazen manner thus: All right now, come Pancali, you’re won! Look upon Duryodhanas, without shame! You shall now love the Kurus, long-lotus-eyed one, You’ve been won under law, come along to the hall! (39) 26 The foul language of Duhsasana and Karna, the lewd gestures of Duryodhana ‘‘The Dicing’’ from the Book of the Assembly Hall point towards the malice they bear towards Draupadi. When Draupadi tells Duhsasana, … it is now my month! This is my sole garment, man of slow wit, - Duhsasana shrewdly puts in with authority – Sure you be in your month, Yajnasena’s daughter Or wear a lone cloth, or go without one! You’ve been won at the game and been made a slave, and one lechers with slaves as the fancy befalls (50) What is the significance of referring to Draupadi menstruating time and again in the scene? At one level it could have been used by the writer to evoke deeper sympathy for the woman and her plight, however, at another it signifies her reproductive worth as a woman. The entire discourse of woman as the “jag-janani” (the giver of birth to the world) gets established here. The scene becomes more dramatic for this reason as the two attributes of woman as mother and slave get starkly presented here. The symbol of motherhood contrasts with the idea of the slave. Thus we find: Duhsasana, stroking her, led her and brought her, That Krsna of deep black hair, to the hall, As though unprotected amidst her protectors, And tossed her as wind tosses a plantain tree. (39) Draupadi with “her hair disheveled, her half skirt drooping, shaken about by Duhsasana, ashamed and burning with indignation” is brought before the gathering of men. Continuing with Drapaudi’s humiliation, let us look at the questions she poses next. 2.5.2 The Legal Point and Draupadi’s Questions Draupadi poses two questions before the audience—one, whether Yudhisthira who has lost his freedom, by losing the game of dice, has, any moral or legal right to stake Draupadi. Duhsasana comments, “the King, son of Dharma, abides by the Law, and the Law is subtle, for the wise to find out” (50). The topic is again broached by Bhisma who has seen Draupadi brought in a pitiable state in the court. He says— As the law is subtle, my dear, I fail To resolve your riddle the proper way: A man without property cannot stake another’s— But given that wives are the husband’s chattels? Yudhisthira may give up all earth With her riches before he’d give up the truth. The Pandava said, “I have been won” Therefore I cannot resolve this doubt. (51-2) This riddle remains unresolved as none can say with certainty what the Law says in this case. However, Bhisma’s statement “given that wives are the husband’s chattels” speaks volume about the status of women in that age and the commonly held views on them. The statement reveals to us notions that were accepted as true and considered to be the ‘given’ in normative life. Karna in this scene too argues that “Draupadi is part of all he (Yudhisthira) owns” and thus she has been won. Note how Draupadi is seen as an object here owned by the man or in her case men. Karna questions her character in suggesting that: 27 Vyas: Mahabharata Or if you think that it was against the law to bring her into the hall clad in one piece of clothing, listen to what I have to say in reply to that. The gods have laid down that a woman shall have one husband, scion of Kuru. She submits to many men and assuredly is a whore! Thus there is, I think, nothing strange about taking her into the hall, or to have her in one piece of clothing, or for that matter naked! She, the Pandavas’ wealth, and the Pandavas themselves have all been won by Saubala here according the law. (55) Several points require notice here. One, that Draupadi has no right over her ‘self’ and that she is the Pandavas’ possession. She is derecognised as a human being merely because she is a woman tied in matrimony. Two, aspersion is cast on Draupadi’s character as Karna views her as a “whore” since she “submits to many men” who may be her husband(s) by law. It is the female sexuality that is at target here. If Draupadi can be made available to five men why can’t others in the gathering likewise ‘enjoy’ her?—this seems to be Karna’s suggestion. She cannot be considered a respectful-virtuous woman because she exercises her right to be with several men. This makes her a “whore” in Karna’s views and therefore, the men have all the right to bring her “for that matter naked” into the assembly hall. The point is taken forward and Duhsasana … forcibly laid hold of Draupadi’s robe, O king, and in the midst of the assembly began to undress her (55) The scene evokes both shock and pathos in the reader who connects with the misery of Draupadi. Note that the narrator’s tone too is full of sorrow when he exclaims “O King” in the quote above. Whether the scene also becomes a form of titillation for the audience hearing the tale (first Janamajeya and then the ascetics) is an unexplored area. Draupadi is molested and disrobed before the assembly of men—all her gurus, sages or relatives-in-law—yet none put a stop to it. Does it depict their helplessness? Were they bound by the Law too? Were they too appalled to react? In any case the story reaches a point when human agency fails to resolve a quandary, stands incapacitated before the law. In such a scenario the epic turns to dues ex machina—divine intervention—that saves Draupadi from the trauma of being stripped naked in public. Her humiliation and suffering finds release in the ‘godly’ act — But when her skirt was being stripped off, lord of the people, another similar skirt appeared every time. A terrible roar went up from all the kings, a shout of approval as they watched that greatest wonder on earth … A pile of clothes was heaped up in the middle of the hall, when Duhsasana, tired and ashamed, at last desisted and sat down. The gods among men in the hall raised the hair-raising cry of “Fie!” as they watched the sons of Kunti. (55-6) Draupadi was thus, saved by the agency of god. However, the second question that Draupadi raises before the men in the assembly hall is of great significance. She asks: How can I, wife of the Pandus, sister of Dhrstadyumna Parsata and friend of Vasudeva, enter the hall of the Kings? Is the wife of the King Dharma whose birth marches his, a slave or free? Speak Kauravas. I shall abide by your answer. For this foul man, disgrace 28  of the Kauravas, is molesting me, and I cannot bear it any longer. ‘‘The Dicing’’ from the Book of the Assembly Hall (59) Draupadi’s question is relevant in our times for it may be asked if a woman equal to a man becomes his possession in marriage that he can buy and sell or stake and lose? Was Draupadi Yudhisthira’s to lose? Did he have that kind of right over her? Even Bhisma cannot answer her question. He says “I cannot answer the question decisively, because the matter is subtle and mysterious as well as grave”. The complexity of Draupadi’s question dawns on the people in the assembly as none can say that Yudhisthira owned her. The issue is as tortuous in our context where patriarchy has a strong grip on social relations between men and women. Karna gives his view on the subject based on accepted knowledge system of the time: “there are three who own no property, a student, a slave, a dependent woman” (61). The point of significance here is the place women occupied in ancient literature—how they were looked at from male-centred viewpoint. This throws light on our ancient value system as well. In so far as Draupadi is concerned in this scene she voices her anger before the gathering thus: I on whom the assembled kings set eye in the arena at my Bridegroom Choice, but never before or after, I am now brought into the hall! …I whom the Pandavas did not suffer to be touched by the wind in my house before, they now allow to be touched by this miscreant. The Kurus allow —methinks that time is out of joint—their innocent daughter and daughter-in-law to be molested! (59) Draupadi reveals to the gathered assembly the truth of their action, that they have been mute spectators and thus, accomplices in the violent treatment meted out to her. The Kurus and the sages she asserts, have failed to follow the law for they allowed her molestation. The significance of the speech should not be lost to us in our present context. While Yudhisthira is troubled and confused, Bhima the “wolf-Belly” flies in rage at the entire act. He “looked and watched how she was dragged, in her courses, with upper cloth drooping, who so little deserved it, in desperate pain”. Bhima, angry with his own brother Yudhisthira for staking Draupadi and using her as a pawn in the game, gives voice to his anger thus: There are a lot of whores in the country of gamblers, Yudhisthira, but they never throw them, for they have pity Even for women of that stripe. The tribute that the king of the Kasis brought and all our vast wealth, the gems that the other Kings of the earth brought in, the mounts and prizes, the armor and weaponry, the kingdom, yourself and we have all been staked and lost to others. This I didn’t mind much, for you are the master of all we possess. But you went too far, I think, when you staked Draupadi. She did not deserve this! After she had won Pandavas As a girl, she is now because of you plagued by Kauravas… (53) The angle of law is again brought to bear upon the events. In his anger, Bhima calls Duhsasana “mean and cruel” and threatens to burn off his arms at which point Arjuna reminds Bhima: Never before have you said words like these, Bhimasena! Surely your respect for the law has been destroyed by our harsh enemies! Don’t 29 Vyas: Mahabharata fall in with the enemy’s plans, obey your highest law: no one may overreach his eldest brother by law. The king was challenged by his foes, and remembering the baronial law, he played at the enemy’s wish. That is our great glory!” (53) Clearly, Arjuna is more poised and detached than Bhima. For all his love for Draupadi, his sense of duty gets the better of him. It appears that the law in fact dehumanises him as he is unable to pledge support to his wife in this moment of crisis. Bhima alone speaks with passion. Again the question of law takes centre-stage. The baronial law of not refusing the enemy if challenged is being posed here to explain Yudhisthira’a action. 2.5.3 The King’s Offering of Three Boons to Draupadi Finally, the scene is made more dramatic by the “horrible sound” of jackals, donkeys and grisly birds. The ghastly omens make Dhrtarastra wary of the danger looming over the Kauravas. To settle the matter amicably, Dhrtarastra gives three boons to Draupadi. She asks for the freedom of Yudhisthira first and with the second boon she frees all her husband(s). The third boon she refuses to take saying that “my husbands…will find the good things, king, with their own good acts”. Draupadi is able to accomplish what none could. She as Karna points out has become the salvation of the Pandavas! When they were sinking, boatless and drowning, in the plumbless ocean, the Pancali became the Pandavas’ boat, to set them ashore (65) Thus, Draupadi ironically saves the Pandavas who were meant to save and protect her and who failed miserably at that. Nonetheless, Dhrtarastra gives back to the Pandavas all that they had lost in the game of dice and they leave for their home, Indraprastha. Check Your Progress 2 1) Do you think it wrong of Yudhisthira to have staked Draupadi in the game of dice? Give a reasoned answer............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 2) Attempt a sketch of the position of women in the Mahabharata from your reading of The Dicing............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................