34. YUDHISHTHIRA CHOOSES TO HONOUR HIS WORD

SRIMAD MAHABHARATA > AARANYA PARVA > ARJUNAABHIGAMANA PARVA > CHAPTER 34 - YUDHISHTHIRA CHOOSES TO HONOUR HIS WORD

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Thus addressed by Bhimasena, the high-souled king (Mahanubhaava in Sanskrit) Ajaatashatru (Yudhishthira) firmly devoted to truth (Satya Vrata in Sanskrit), mustering his patience, after a few moments said these words, ‘No doubt, O Bharata (Bhimasena), all this is true. I cannot criticize you for you torturing me thus by piercing me with your arrowy words. From my foolishness alone has this calamity come against you. I sought to cast the dice desiring to snatch from Dhritarashtra’s son his kingdom with the sovereignty. It was therefore that, that cunning gambler – Saubala – played against me on behalf of Suyodhana (Duryodhana).

“Shakuni, a native of the mountaineous country (Gaandhara), is exceedingly artful. Casting the dice in the presence of the sabha, unfamiliar as I am with trickery of any kind, he vanquished me artfully. It is, therefore, O Bhimasena, that we have been overwhelmed with this calamity. Seeing the dice favourable to the wishes of Shakuni in odds and evens, I could have controlled my mind. Anger, however, drives off a person’s patience. O child, the mind cannot be kept under control when it is influenced by arrogance, ego or pride.

“I do not criticise you, O Bhimasena, for the words you use. I only regard that what has happened us was pre-ordained. When king Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, coveting our kingdom, plunged us into misery and even slavery, then, O Bhima, it was Draupadi that rescued us. When summoned again to the sabha for playing once more, you know as well as Arjuna what Dhritarashtra’s son told me, in the presence of all the Bharatas, regarding the stake for which we were to play.

“His words were, ‘O prince Ajaatashatru, (if defeated), you shall have with all your brothers, to dwell, to the knowledge of all men, for twelve years in the forest of your choice, passing the thirteenth year in secrecy. If during the latter period, the spies of the Bharatas, hearing of you, succeed in discovering you, you shall have again to live in the forest for the same period, passing once more the last year in secrecy. Thinking upon this, pledge yourself to it. As regards myself, I promise truly in this sabha of the Kurus, that if you can pass this time confounding my spies and undiscovered by them, then, O Bharata, this kingdom of the five rivers is once more yours. We also, O Bharata (Yudhishthira), if vanquished by you, shall, all of us, abandoning all our wealth, pass the same period, according to the same rules.’

“Thus, addressed by the prince (Duryodhana), I replied to him in the middle of all the Kurus, ‘So be it!’ The wretched game then commenced. We were defeated and have been exiled. It is for this that we are wandering miserably over different forests abounding with discomfort. Suyodhana (Duryodhana), however, still dissatisfied, gave himself up to anger, and urged the Kurus as well as all those under his rule to express their joy at our calamity. Having entered into such an agreement in the presence of all good men, who dares break it for the sake of a kingdom on earth?

“For a respectable person, I think, even death itself is lighter than the acquisition of sovereignty by an act of violation. At the time of the play, you had desired to burn my hands. You were prevented by Arjuna, and accordingly did only squeeze your own hands. If you could do what you had desired, could this calamity befall us? Conscious of your prowess, why did you not, O Bhima, say so before we entered into such an agreement? Overwhelmed with the consequence of our pledge, and the time itself having passed, what is the use of your addressing me these harsh words?

“O Bhima, the great grief of mine is that we could not do anything seeing Draupadi harassed in that way. My heart burns as if I have drunk some poisonous liquid. Having, however, given that pledge in the middle of the Kuru heroes, I am unable to violate it now. Wait, O Bhima, for the return of our better days, like the scatterer of seeds waiting for the harvest. When one that has been first injured, succeeds in revenging himself upon his enemy at a time when the latter’s enmity has borne fruit and flowers, he is regarded to have accomplished a great thing by his prowess. Such a brave person earns undying fame. Such a man obtains great prosperity. His enemies bow down to him, and his friends gather round him, like Devas clustering round (Lord) Indra for protection.

“But know, O Bhima, my promise (Pratignaam in Sanskrit) can never be untrue. I regard Dharma as superior to life itself and a blessed state of divine existence. Kingdom, sons, fame, wealth – all these do not come up to even one-sixteenth part of truth (Satya in Sanskrit).’”