DRAUPADI - XXXI

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - XXXI

 

Hastinapur Court

Dhritarashtra wore a worried look

the silence was grim following

Vidur's exhortations, his advice,

his sane proposal was politically

correct, morally infallible, socially

acceptable: Rejoice O King the Pandavs

your children are alive and now

famous and powerful as sons in law

of the Great Panchal King Drupad,

welcome them with open arms,

they are yours, they belong here,

the Yuvaraj was presumed dead

but Yudhistir is alive, Pandu's wife,

your brother's wife Kunti is alive

all her children are safe, bring them here

make Yudhistir the Yuvaraj

The Crown Prince of Hastinapur

abusing their messenger is not in order.

The message now is loud and clear

they are alive and they should get

their legitimate share of the kingdom.

 

      Duryodhan stood up

shouted down his Uncle the Minister

the sage like Vidur - If the Pandavs

are not dead they will die soon,

they have no place in the Palace

no place anywhere in Hastinapur -

Dhritarashtra looked around, his

blind eyes moved from darkness

to darkness, no light anywhere.

Whatever Drona said or Vidur advised

was snubbed and sneered by 

Karna, Shakuni, and Duryodhan, 

was lost in his inner darkness.

 

Finally Dhritarashtra asked Bhisma

Grandfather! What shall we do now

I am happy that my sons are alive,

I am prepared to bring them home

but how can I make Yudhistir

Yuvaraj again since Duryodhan

is now the Yuvaraj by universal

consent! And Grandfather can we

now ask Duryodhan to relinquish

his position -  No never, shouted

Duryodhan and the hubbub was deafening.

Dhritarashtra asked his son to keep quiet

you listen my son to Pitamah

he will take the final decision,

We cannot afford to ignore Pandavs

they are our own, they too have rights.

 

Bhisma stood up his face gloomy:

I am ashamed that this has become

a subject for debate in the court!

If my children are alive let Vidur

go and bring them here to their home -

Duryodhan and Dussasan flared up -

Bhisma raised his hand in disgust

if the Kuru King Dhritarashtra

cannot stop his interfering son

what justice can he give the Pandavs.

The court suddenly fell silent

Dhritarashtra lowered his head -

Bhisma resumed, the news that

should have cheered Hastinapur

has brought internal conflict

we reject our own blood, we refuse

to give Pandavs what is theirs,

O King if you have any royal sense

still inspiring you to sit

on this great throne of Hastinapur,

own them up and give them justice -

There was uproar as Duryodhan

his supporters raised Hullabaloo,

Bhisma waited, his piercing eyes

looked at the Throne and the Court

as though they would burn everything

he shouted - Now listen, my heart

cracks even to think of it but

it seems there is no choice left:

Divide the Kingdom and give Pandavs

their share let them rule over

Indraprastha with rightful authority -

So saying Bhisma rushed out

leaving a stunned court in stupor.