“I WILL DRINK THE BLOOD OF DUHSHAASANA”

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > SABHA PARVA > DYOOTA PARVA > CHAPTER 67(B) - “I WILL DRINK THE BLOOD OF DUHSHAASANA”

“Bhima said, ‘Hear these words of mine, O Kshatriyas of the world. Words such as these were never before uttered by other men, nor will anybody in the future ever utter them. O lords of earth, if having spoken these words I do not accomplish them hereafter, let me not obtain the region of my Pitaamahas. Tearing open in battle, by sheer force, the chest of this wretch, this wicked-minded scoundrel (Durjaate in Sanskrit) of the Bharata race, if I do not drink his life-blood, let me not obtain the region of my ancestors.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Hearing these terrible words of Bhima that made the down of the audience to come to the end of their seat, everybody present there applauded him and criticized the son of Dhritarashtra. When a mass of clothes had been gathered in that sabha, all dragged from the person of Draupadi, Duhshaasana, tired and ashamed, sat down. Seeing the sons of Kunti in that state, the persons – those gods among men – that were in that sabha all uttered the word ‘Fie!’ (on the son of Dhritarashtra). The united voices of all became so loud that they made the down of anybody who heard them stand on end. All the honest men that were in that sabha began to say, ‘Alas! the Kauravaas does not answer the question that has been put to them by Draupadi.’ All censuring Dhritarashtra together, made a loud sound.

“Then Vidura, that knower of all Dharma, waving his hands and silencing every one, spoke these words ‘O that are in this sabha, Draupadi having put her question is weeping helplessly. You are not answering her. Dharma are being persecuted by such conduct. A pained person approaches a sabha of good men, like one that is being consumed by fire. They that are in the sabha quench that fire and cool him by means of Satya and Dharma. The pained person asks the sabha about his rights, as sanctioned by Dharma. They that are in the sabha should, unmoved by interest and anger (Kaama Krodha in Sanskrit), answer the question. O kings, Vikarna has answered the question, according to his own knowledge and judgment. You should also answer it as you think proper. Knowing the rules of Dharma, and having attended a sabha, he that does not answer a query that is put, incurs half the demerit that attaches to a lie. He, on the other hand, who, knowing the rules of Dharma and having joined a sabha answers falsely, assuredly incurs the sin of a lie. The learned quote as an example in this connection the old history of Prahlaada and the son of Aangirasa.

“There was of old a chief of the Daityas of the name Prahlaada. He had a son named Virochana. Virochana, for the sake of obtaining a bride, quarrelled with Sudhanwaan, the son of Aangirasa. It has been heard by us that they mutually gambled their lives, saying ‘I am superior’, ‘I am superior’, for the sake of obtaining a bride. After they had thus quarrelled with each other, they both made Prahlaada the judge to decide between them. They asked him, saying, ‘Who among us is superior (to the other)? Answer this question. Speak not falsely.’

“Frightened at this quarrel, Prahlaada cast his eyes upon Sudhanwaan. Sudhanwan in anger, burning like Brahma Dandaa, told him, ‘If you answer falsely, or do not answer at all your head will then be split into a hundred pieces by the wielder of Vajra (Lord Indra) with that Vajra of His.’

“Thus, addressed by Sudhanwaan, the Daitya (Prahlaada), trembling like a leaf of the fig tree, went to Kashyapa of great energy, for taking counsel with him. Prahlaada said, ‘You are, O illustrious and noble one, fully knowledgeable with the rules of Dharma that should guide both Devas, Asuras and Brahmanas as well. Here, however, is a situation of great difficulty in respect of duty. Tell me, I ask you, what regions are obtainable by them who upon being asked a question, answer it not, or answer it falsely.’

“Kashyapa thus asked answered, ‘He that knows, but answers not a question from temptation, anger or fear, puts upon himself a thousand nooses (Paashaa in Sanskrit) of Varuna. The person who, cited as a witness with respect to any matter of visionary or hearing knowledge, speaks carelessly, puts a thousand nooses (Paashaa in Sanskrit) of Varuna upon his own person. On the completion of one full year, one such noose is loosened. Therefore, he that knows, should speak the truth without hidding. If Dharma, pierced by Adharma, comes to a sabha (for aid), it is the duty of everybody in the sabha to take off the arrow, otherwise they themselves would be pierced with it. In a sabha, where a truly criticizable act is not rebuked, half the demerit of that act attaches to the head of that sabha, one-fourth to the person acting criticizably and one-fourth to those others that are there. In that sabha, on the other hand, when he that deserves criticized is punished, the head of the sabha becomes freed from all sins, and the other members also incur none. It is only the one who commits the act that becomes responsible for it. O Prahlaada, they who answer falsely those that ask them about Dharma destroy the meritorious acts (Punya in Sanskrit) of their seven upper and seven lower generations. The grief of one who has lost all his wealth, of one who has lost a son, of one who is in debt, of one who is separated from his companions, of a woman who has lost her husband, of one that has lost his all in consequence of the king’s demand, of a woman who is infertile, of one who has been devoured by a tiger (during his last struggles in the tiger’s claws), of one who is a co-wife, and of one who has been deprived of his property by false witnesses, have been said by Devas to be uniform in degree. These different sorts of grief are his who speaks false. A person becomes a witness in consequence of his having seen, heard, and understood a thing. Therefore, a witness should always tell the truth. A truth-telling witness never loses his merits of Dharma and earthly possessions also.’

“Hearing these words of Kashyapa, Prahlaada told his son, ‘Sudhanwaan is superior to you, as indeed, (his father) Aangirasa is superior to me. The mother also of Sudhanwaan is superior to your mother. Therefore, O Virochana, this Sudhanwaan is now the lord of the life.’ At these words of Prahlaada, Sudhanwaan said, ‘Since unmoved by affection for your child, you have adhered to Dharma, I command, let this son of yours live for a hundred years.’

“Vidura continued, ‘Let all the persons, therefore, present in this sabha hearing these high truths of Dharma, think upon what should be the answer to the question asked by Draupadi.’

“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘The kings that were there hearing these words of Vidura, did not answered a word, yet Karna alone spoke to Duhshaasana, saying, ‘Take away this serving-woman (Daasi in Sanskrit) Krishna (Draupadi in Sanskrit) into the inner apartments.’ Immediately, Duhshaasana began to drag before all the spectators the helpless and modest Draupadi, trembling and crying piteously to the Paandavaas – her lords.’”