Dushasana: Shooting at The Eye of A Fish To Win in Marriage

point Duryodhana ordered that Draupadi, who was now a slave to him, be brought to the court.
None of the Pandavas fought for their wife's honour. Duryodhana's younger
brother Dushasana dragged Draupadi to the royal court, pulling her by her hair, insulting her
dignity and asserting that she, like the Pandava brothers, was now their servant. This caused
immense anguish to all the great warriors seated in the court, but each of them,
namely, Bhishma (grandsire of the clan), Dronacharya (teacher/guru of Kauravas and Pandavas)
and Kripacharya except Vidura remained silent. Duryodhana then ordered Dushasana to disrobe
Draupadi before everyone, as a slave girl has no rights. The elders and warriors in audience
were shocked but did not intervene. As Dushasana began to disrobe her, she prayed to God to
protect her honour, and Lord Krishna protected her by providing her garments an unending
length. Finally, as the blind king Dhritharasthra realised that this humiliation could prompt
Draupadi to curse his sons, he intervened, apologising to Draupadi for the behaviour of his sons,
and turned the winnings of dice game back over to the Pandava brothers, releasing them from
the bondage of slavery.
Arjuna shooting at the eye of a fish to win Draupadi in marriage, Kalighat painting
Incensed at the loss of all that he had won, Duryodhana threatened suicide and coerced his
father into inviting the Pandavas for one last round of gambling, the terms of which were that the
loser would be condemned to 12 years of exile into forests and a 13th year to be spent incognito,
and if the cover be blown during the 13th year, another cycle of 13 years would ensue. Obeying
their uncle's orders, the Pandavas played the round and again lost to Shakuni's cheating.
However, this time, their patience had been nearly pushed to its edge. During the 12 years of
exile in the forest, they prepared for war. Arjuna performed penance and won the entire gamut of
celestial weapons (Divyasatras) as boons from the Gods. They spent the 13th year
masquerading as peasants in the service of the royal family of Virata, the king of Matsya. Upon
completion of the terms of the last bet, the Pandavas returned and demanded that their kingdom
be rightfully returned to them. Duryodhana refused to yield Indraprastha. For the sake of peace
and to avert a disastrous war, Krishna proposed that if Hastinapur agrees to give the Pandavas
only five villages named Indraprastha (Delhi), Swarnprastha (Sonipat), Panprastha (Panipat),
Vyaghrprastha (Baghpat) and Tilprastha (Tilpat)[2][3] if these five villages given they would be
satisfied and would make no more demands.[4] Duryodhana vehemently refused, commenting
that he would not part even with land as much as the point of a needle. Thus the stage was set
for the great war, for which the epic of Mahabharata is known most of all.
The war was intense and lasted 18 days, over the course of which both parties worked around,
bent and even broke rules of warfare. At the end, all 100 Kaurava brothers and their entire army
was slain, with only four surviving on their side. The Pandavas too lost several allies but the five
brothers survived. After having won the war Yudhishthira was crowned the king. [citation needed]
Death of Pandavas[edit]
Yudhishthira and his dog ascending to Heaven
The Pandavas ruled Hastinapur for 36 years and established a righteous kingdom. Shortly
after Lord Krishna left the Earth, they all decided that the time had come for them to renounce
the world, as the age of Kali yuga had started.
So the five Pandavas and Draupadi left to the path of liberation. For this purpose they all
climbed Mount Kailash, which leads to the Swarga Loka. On their way, all except Yudhisthira
slipped and died one by one. Yudhisthira was accompanied by a dog who was none other than
Lord Yama himself.
The first to die was Draupadi; she was imperfect because she preferred Arjuna over her other
husbands. Then it was Sahadeva, imperfect because he was smug about his knowledge. He was
followed by Nakula, imperfect because he was arrogant about his good looks. Then fell Arjuna,
imperfect because he was always jealous of other archers. Next was Bhima, imperfect because
he was a glutton. Only the eldest Pandava, Yudhisthira, reached the door of Swarga Loka,
carried on Lord Indra's chariot. On reaching Heaven he did not find either his virtuous brothers or
his wife Draupadi. Instead he saw Karna, Bhishma, Dronacharya etc. and their sons.
He wanted an explanation from Lord Yama, the lord of death. Lord Yama explained that the
Kauravas had been allowed into heaven because they died as warriors on the battlefield. This
earned them so much merit and credit that it wiped out all their debts. Yudhisthira demanded to
know where his brothers and his wife were. He was then taken to hell. Lord Yama explained that
they were experiencing the reactions of their actions but it was temporary. Once the debt had
been repaid, they would join them in Swarga. Yudhisthira loyally met his brothers, but the sight
and sound of gore and blood horrified him. Though initially he was tempted to flee, he mastered
himself and remained after hearing the voices of his beloved brothers and Draupadi calling out to
him, asking him to stay with them in their misery. Yudhisthira decided to remain, ordering the
divine charioteer to return. He preferred to live in hell with good people than in a heaven of his
enemies. Eventually this turned out to be another illusion to test him.But aster few minutes the
pandavas returned to heaven. [citation needed]
Krishna's help to Pandavas[edit]
Five Pandavas in Wayang form. From left to

right: Bhima, Arjuna, Yudhishthira, Nakula and Sahadeva. Indonesia Museum, Jakarta.
Krishna, being a well wisher of the Pandavas, helped them in various ways during the time of
their ordeals. When the kurukshetra war was going to be held, both Arjuna on behalf of the
Pandavas, and Duryodhan on behalf of the Kauravas, went to Krishna to seek help. Duryodhan
reached first and Arjuna was just behind him. They entered Krishna's room and found him
sleeping. Duryodhan sat on a raised chair near Krishna's head and Arjuna sat near Krishna's feet
closing his hands. When Krishna woke up, he saw Arjuna first and asked him about the purpose
of his visit. Then he found Duryodhan sitting next to him, and asked him the same question.
Krishna was then told that war was going to be held and Arjuna and Duryodhan had come to him
seeking his military help. To this Krishna replied that he had seen Arjuna first and so he would
give him priority, and asked what he needed. He gave Arjuna two options - either his one lakh fit
and healthy army or Krishna himself who shall not fight in the war. To this Arjuna immediately
opted for Krishna for his help and thus Duryodhan was given Krishna's one lakh army.
Duryodhan was very satisfied to have received the huge army. [citation needed]

Dushasana: Shooting at The Eye of A Fish To Win in Marriage

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dushasana: Shooting at The Eye of A Fish To Win in Marriage

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dushasana: Shooting at The Eye of A Fish To Win in Marriage

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

point Duryodhana ordered that Draupadi, who was now a slave to him, be brought to the court.

Arjuna shooting at the eye of a fish to win Draupadi in marriage, Kalighat painting

Yudhishthira and his dog ascending to Heaven

Krishna's help to Pandavas[edit]

Five Pandavas in Wayang form. From left to

You might also like