Selflessness - Yudhiṣṭhira Pāṇḍava Speaks

1 years ago

BrhannadaArmour

@BrhannadaArmour

Selflessness - Yudhiṣṭhira Pāṇḍava Speaks

It's a kṣatriya's dharma to accept the enemy's challenge, whether for war, for single combat, or for gambling. So, here I sit in the assembly hall, facing Śakuni who has won everything I own. My city, my kingdom, my land, all non-brāhmaṇa wealth, and all non-brāhmaṇa people belong to Duryodhana now. I have forfeited the kuṇḍalas and niṣkas and other golden ornaments that my brothers wore as princes. Yet dharma obligates me not to retreat from the conflict while I can still fight. One by one, I send Nakula and Sahadeva, Phalguna and Bhīmasena over to Duryodhana's side. They are his slaves now.

Śakuni asks me if I have any property left. I have no kingdom left, and no warriors, but I must still fight like a king. I have no one left except Kṛṣṇā, the wife I share with my brothers who are slaves. If she were only my wife, I would have to admit that she is subject to me, as my brothers were. However, Kṛṣṇā belongs equally to each of my brothers, and it would be adharma for me to gamble with anyone else's property.

When all of the non-brāhmaṇa people of my kingdom became Duryodhana's people, all of the non-brāhmaṇī women were included of course, each of them retaining her caste. No one became a slave, and whoever was already a slave remained with the same master, just as wives remained with the same husbands. It would be adharma to make Kṛṣṇā herself anyone's slave, separating her from her enslaved husbands. It would be adharma to transfer my wife to another man.

Duryodhana wants Kṛṣṇā for himself; every kṣatriya wanted her from the day she appeared at her svayaṃvara. That's why Śakuni asked me to declare what property I have left. As a kṣatriya, my dharma is to save every woman from being taken against her will. For Kṛṣṇā's safety, I have to stake myself as if I have nothing else left.

I expect that when I stake myself, I will lose, as I have lost every round so far. It would be a welcome failure to share my brothers' misfortune. I would follow them even into naraka. And when I join them, so will Kṛṣṇā; our wife will follow us automatically.

When I become Duryodhana's slave, this horrific game will finally be over and Kṛṣṇā will be safe. One who doesn't have himself can't stake a dependent. There can be no gambling match between master and slave. Every combat must be between equals.

I stake myself, promising Duryodhana that when we're won, we'll perform his work even to our own detriment. Śakuni wins, of course. I lose myself. The game is finally over; all five of us who conquered the world are slaves now; and Kṛṣṇā stays with us.

Śakuni isn't happy. Calling me "King" as if he imagines I'm still free to gamble, he tells me I've done the worst wrong by losing myself when I had property left. I say nothing. It would be adharma to contradict the representative of my master, Duryodhana.

Śakuni tells me that I have one stake yet unwon; I can stake Kṛṣṇā and win myself back. Of course, he commits adharma by inviting a slave to play against the King, by suggesting what his opponent should stake, and by saying that Kṛṣṇā is mine to stake when he knows the truth that she belongs equally to my brothers. However, I can't speak up about this adharma. My promise to sacrifice my own self-interest for Duryodhana's interest is my dharma now that I'm his slave.

I describe Kṛṣṇā's physical attributes, personality, and housekeeping as if I want my master to desire her all the more. No self-respecting prince would gamble with his wife, but I am a slave now. As I declare the stake, the assembly hall becomes agitated with elders calling shame, shame, and princes murmuring. Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Kṛpa are perspiring, while Vidura holds his head, facing downward, and sighs heavily. Dhṛtarāṣṭra is excitedly asking whether they've won. Karṇa is cheering loudly, and Duḥśāsana is leading his brothers in chorus. Everyone else in the assembly is weeping.

What if divine destiny intervenes, and Śakuni loses this one round? Kṛṣṇā will belong to my enslaved brothers and to me, but I'll control myself again. When Duryodhana is no longer my master, my dharma will be to rescue my brothers from him.

I throw the dice, and "Won!" cries Śakuni. I have done exactly what I was trying to avoid; like some anārya from the lawless frontier, I've transferred my own wife to another man.

I see Vikarṇa fidgeting with his hands, as if he might say what no one else dares to say. If someone asks me if I was in control of myself to play this round, what answer will I give? If I tell the truth that I did wrong, it will break my promise to act in Duryodhana's interest. If I tell the lie that I was right to play, that will be like calling myself the equal of my master.

Silence is my only refuge, now that I have lost myself.

Yudhiṣṭhira gambles, prompted by Śakuni (Sabhāparvan 58.26-37):

Śakunir uvāca

Śakuni spoke:

bahu vittaṃ parājaiṣīr bhrātṝṃś ca sa-haya-dvipān

ācakṣva vittaṃ Kaunteya yadi te'sty aparājitam

You have forfeited much property, your brothers along with horses and elephants. Show your property, son of Kuntī, if you have any that isn’t forfeited.

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca

Yudhiṣṭhira spoke:

ahaṃ viśiṣṭaḥ sarveṣāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ dayitas tathā

kuryāmas te jitāḥ karma svayam ātmany upaplave

I am exceptional out of all my brothers, and dearer to myself too. Being won, we will do your work ourselves to our own detriment.

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca

Vaiśaṃpāyana spoke:

etac chrutvā vyavasito nikṛtiṃ samupāśritaḥ

jitam ity eva Śakunir Yudhiṣṭhiram abhāṣata

Hearing this, Śakuni engaged, resorting to cheating, and to Yudhiṣṭhira he declared only "Won!"

Śakunir uvāca

Śakuni spoke:

etat pāpiṣṭham akaror yad ātmānaṃ parājitaḥ

śiṣṭe sati dhane rājan pāpa ātma-parājayaḥ

This is the worst wrong that you’ve done, that you forfeited yourself; it’s wrong to forfeit yourself when you have wealth remaining, King!

Vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca

Vaiśaṃpāyana spoke:

evam uktvā mat'ākṣas tān glahe sarvān avasthitān

parājayal loka-vīrān ākṣepeṇa pṛthak pṛthak

Speaking thus, he who understood dice conquered all of those world-heroes who were present as stakes, snatching them one by one.

Śakunir uvāca

Śakuni spoke:

asti vai te priyā devī glaha eko'parājitaḥ

paṇasva Kṛṣṇāṃ Pāñcālīṃ tay'ātmānaṃ punar jaya

Indeed there remains your dear lady, one stake that isn't forfeited. Gamble with Kṛṣṇā of Pañcāla, and win yourself back with her.

Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca

Yudhiṣṭhira spoke:

n'aiva hrasvā na mahatī n'ātikṛṣṇā na rohiṇī

sarāga-rakta-netrā ca tayā dīvyāmy ahaṃ tvayā

śārad'otpala-patr'ākṣyā śārad'otpala-gandhayā

śārad'otpala-sevinyā rūpeṇa śrī-samānayā

Not short at all, nor giant, not too black nor ruddy, and red-eyed with passion - for her I play with you, for the one with autumn lotus-leaf eyes, for the one with autumn lotus scent, for the one equal in looks to Beauty who dwells in autumn lotuses.

tath'aiva syād ānṛśaṃsyāt tathā syād rūpa-saṃpadā

tathā syāc chīla-saṃpattyā yām icchet puruṣaḥ striyam

Whether it's by irreproachability, whether it's by wealth of looks, whether it's by wealth of character, she is only such a woman that a man would want.

caramaṃ saṃviśati yā prathamaṃ pratibudhyate

ā gopāl'āvipālebhyaḥ sarvaṃ veda kṛt'ākṛtam

She who retires last is first to awaken, and upto cowherds and goatherds, she knows everything done and not done.

ābhāti padmavad vaktraṃ sasvedaṃ mallike'va ca

vedī-madhyā dīrgha-keśī tāmr'ākṣī n'ātiromaśā

tay'aivaṃvidhayā rājan Pāñcālyā'haṃ sumadhyayā

glahaṃ dīvyāmi cārv-aṅgyā Draupadyā hanta Saubala

Her lotuslike face glistens with perspiration like a jasmine. Altar-shape-waisted, long-haired, red-eyed, not too hairy - for her who is like this, King, for the fine-waisted woman of Pañcāla as stake I play, for the lovely-limbed daughter of Drupada, all right, son of Subala!