Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's
DRAUPADI - 56
Draupadi's Disgrace
Bring that Draupadi here
she is now my slave let's see
whether her whimpers are as loud
as her laughter was - No Bhima no
you cannot rise just sit there
do my bidding if you love your life,
you, yes you Prasastha go and tell
Draupadi her master needs her here:
Prasastha hesitated a bit then moved.
Meantime the royal court was in horror -
This is too much
Yuvraj spare the
kulabadhu the ignominy, don 't blacken
the Kuru culture with your vengeance -
Kripacharya, Bhisma raised their arms
don't disregard the noble Kuru tradition.
No good will ever come of it, curb your
irrational anger with magnanimity.
Let the game stop here, Pandavas have
lost everything leave them alone: Why
Pitamah, why Kulguru I didn't transgress
the noble norms of your moral authority.
I am within my rights; Yes, yes said Karna,
Dussasana and Shakuni said what's wrong
if the winner claims his prize - seal
your lips all, humped Duryodhana.
All faces fell, the king looked blank
a premonitory silence petrified the court.
Reclining on a sofa Draupadi
heard guffaws and loud noises
without deciphering content or words.
She was in a world apart thinking of
life's impalpable truths eluding her
questing mind when Prasastha entered:
He bowed reverentially and said - Pardon
Queen pardon, Yuvraj Duryodhana
has asked you to appear in the court:
Why? I have no business there,
if your Yuvraj has questions of me
ask him to come to my presence.
Your Majesty, he gulped saliva,
Majesty your husband lost you in the dice game
What? Yes your majesty,
king Yudhistira lost kingdom,
property, all Pandavas and himself
and finally wagered you but sadly lost.
You have no freedom to say no to
Duryodhana's orders: Draupadi closed
eyes for a moment and said: Go
ask that gambler Yudhistira whether he
wagered me first or after he had lost
himself to Duryodhana, I shall go when
you return with the proper answer.
Prasastha left and reported
- The Queen
my Liege sent me back to ask whether
king Yudhistira lost himself first or her?
How preposterous shouted Duryodhana
and what queen she is now, a dasi
she has no right to ask questions.
The crowns of her five husbands are crushed
under my feet, Dussasana go and drag her
by the hair, that stubborn woman has no
rights, my - Stop Duryodhana ventured Vidura
Draupadi cannot be anyone's dasi for
Yudhistira staked her when he himself had
lost all his identity freedom and will
how can a dasa a slave retain his
authority to stake his wife - Don't interfere
you have given your unwanted opinion
now sit there and watch - Go Dussasana
drag her by the hair if she resists.
Draupadi stood up she
knew her moments
are poised on the precipice of disaster
she braced herself tied her saree edge
around her waist, she was ready for
more humiliation - Dussasana rushed in.
You arrogant woman how dare you
ask questions and defy
your masters?
Come with me else I shall drag you
by your hair - he lunged forward
caught Draupadi's arm, Draupadi
somehow backed off and said look here
don't touch me I am in period - Ha ha
no excuse you slave stop your gimmicks
he held her thick tuft of hair by force
dragged her along the corridor while
Draupadi howled in pain humiliation
shouting - leave me you demon - much to
the amusement of the gang of four.
Bhisma, Vidura and the elders lowered
their eyes in helpless shame, fidgeting
in their seats like imprisoned kings.
Her pain increased as her struggle
weakened by the taunts and guffaws
of the Kauravas led by Shakuni's
cheer leading vituperations - See how
she flutters! Come and sit on my thighs
that is your place now - Bhima stood up
in a rage shouting you Duryodhana
and Dussasana remember this day I take
this vow, If I am a true Pandava
I'll drink the blood of Dussasan's hand
that has touched my Draupadi and
crush the thighs of Duryodhana -
Shut up! You slave, sit down,
you will do all that if you survive:
The Kuru Princes laughed,
the arched globe over head
shook in evil forebodings the earth's,
destiny ran its tremored course
Draupadi trying to free herself
fell spreadeagled on the royal floor.
Ah! Alas drowned by Hahas, the Pandavas
Bhima, Arjuna fisted the breathless air
in impotent agony. Bhisma Drona
closed their eyes in sinking souls
Vidura looked at Dhritarastra's bland face,
still eyes registered nothing.
Draupadi breathed fast, wiped her eyes
her inner fire ignited her being
her arms legs her entire frame
of syncretic beauty glowed with synergy.
A look of defiance made her charms
biting, penetrative, she moved her eyes
sphered around the vast Durbar Hall:
Yes I am here as the desecraters
in their inflamed victory desired
blackening the palace values and killing
all moral mutuality of relationships.
Let me know - you slut, you are
no more the Empress, all your glorious
past is now futureless at my feet:
How? A single turn of the spiteful dice
cannot rewrite my destiny, if it is so
come and fight with me, you Duryodhana -
Duryodhana stood up in rage, Karna
said a woman with five men
on her bed has no rights to talk of
values, you are a prostitute, a slur
on womanhood you should be denuded
before the public here, Dussa pull out
Draupadi's clothes shouted Duryodhana.
The stunned hall fell silent in total
disbelief but none protested none stood
for Draupadi's honour a woman's pride.
Draupadi stood upright folded her hands
prayed to Krishna Vasudeva, Sakha!
Your Sakhi needs you now, her honour
her entire Being, her birth and existence
are about to be looted in the public.
If I mean anything to you Sakha
if a woman's honour is a rooted value
in your human order save it now:
She closed her eyes and stood bracing
herself steeling her nerves for the onslaught.
The rough hands touched
the strings of her soul
a hymn of pain rang out
shivering her to the bones
her tears from her closed eyes
folded hands planted feet
every pore of her body
fumed as though cold tears
on her hot agony torn pride
raised smokey sparks of protest
silent firm defiant.
Ocean waves rose high
spraying foam on the stars
thunder blasted the sky
in reverberating fury
her sealed lips closed eyes
folded hands fuming body
messaged blazing blasphemy
to one and all in and out:
Minutes lapsed into eternity
ticking Sakha, Sakha, Sakha
Dussasana pulled and pulled
the saree edge did not stick
in his sweaty palms
each time he held his breath
and pulled the edge
his fingers burned
in wonder and fear he moved
from side to side
used his teeth on the saree
but he failed his arms ached
legs wobbled head reeled
he fell down in a swoon.
Bewildered and wondrous eyes
in the durbar hall of Dhritarastra
looked on the miracle
in open mouthed awe the king
in unseeing eyes sensed
a slight tremor in his throned body.
When the murmur died
in the frozen air of the hall
Draupadi opened her eyes
like an eclipsed moon
in slow synecdoche
eyed Dussasana on the floor
saw her dumb husbands
the awestruck hall
and broke down in loud sobs.
She sat down on the ground
shedding copious blood
her pores were all woman, defiled
in the philistine human wild.
Vidura came down caressed her
calm down Panchali - She looked
into Vidura's eyes and sighed
she raised herself and stood
facing King Dhritarastra.
May I speak king Dhritarastra
not as your daughter- in -law
not as your subject
I am just a woman wronged,
may I speak to the President
of this gambling den
which you have made of your
Hastinapur palace - But wait!
Who am I addressing here!
A man or a king or a victim
of his own nether ambitions!
No you cannot answer me
nor restore my lost womanhood
you don't see, your vision is blacked out.
She turned to Bhisma:
O Gangason the Protector
of kuru dynasty, disciple
of the greatest Guru Parshuram
whom you defeated in a challenge bout,
O' sage of sages wise honest
for you death is self chosen
how can you live then
an other directed life?
People call you grandfather
whose father are you that
I would call you my grandfather?
Bhisma's face fell a hint of
annoyance darkened his eyes -
you could not decide whether
a man losing himself would
retain his rights on his wife
all your knowledge of law morality
failed you to answer my question.
But O Sage if a woman is bound by law
to obey her husband till death
is not a husband bound by the marriage vows
to protect his wife till death?
Bhisma hung his head as though
an arrow pierced his neck:
I am 'nathbati anathbati'
with five husbands I am destitute.
Wonderful is your Vedas, Upanishadas
your Arthasastra, where the male
is the king he is god he is judge
he is everything and what am I
an expendable lump of flesh
to be chewed and thrown in gutters?
Don't you regret Kulguru
Kripacharya for dumping
an opportunity to prove your
intellectual equanimity when
Dussasana brought me here
dragging me by my hair?
And Acharaya Drona don't you
rue the day you accepted
the studentship of these five
Pandavas and hundred Kauravas
all the Pandavas are sedimentary cowards
and the Kauravas are uncultured brutes.
Did you great Drona my father's
one time friend and all time enemy,
teach these Princes to show themselves
in their blackest inhumanity
in the garb of royalty - see how
ugly and gnomic they look - Hey Draupadi
shouted Duryodhana, I'll cut you to pieces
and feed my dog: What else can you do.
You vengeful monster?
And who do you threaten?
One whose mind you have rent forever
whose body you have defiled
whose dignity status honour
you have crushed in a public display
of your inbred obscurantism?
One who has lost the world
doesn't count the
change in the purse
My body I hold at straw's price
come with your drawn sword
but give me one I'll not let you
kill me in docile helplessness.
She turned to her husbands:
Shall I call you Duryodhana's slave
or my husband number one
or a king fallen in his own esteem
or a Dharmaraj languishing
in the hell of his own making?
My vocabulary fails me, tell me
O sages, scholars, culture vendors
what shall I call Yudhistira who has
lost me in his dicey pleasures.
Something forbidden in the rule book
of kings to refrain from the four vices
hunting, drinking, dicing
and illegitimate sex beyond the
family and royal responsibilities.
The King is the servant of the people
He is paid taxes to serve them:
But what has this man done?
He has gambled away the property
which is never earned by him -
A stir disturbed the heavy peace
of the Durbar,
Dhritarastra, Bhisma,
Shakuni, Duryodhana the guest kings
and every breathing person in the Hall
revolted in half articulated fuss.
The noise shook the Hall - Shakuni
stood up crackling the dice - we are
not here to listen this
ramblings of a fallen woman -
Why not ? A woman is not your
footrest - Yes I am fallen, gambled
away by a king and yes
Emperor
who has staked the jewels, land
and people, human beings, his
working staff, helping hands, brothers
and finally his wife: May I ask
By what rights? How could he
stake away the hopes aspirations
well being of the millions of Indraprastha?
And my other worthy husbands!
Are you the personal property
of your brother too! I know
you love and respect your brother
which is great. I respect my brother,
my parents and all my elders:
But should respect drown
our morals rationality and
even the freedom to live
as entities seeking our
own destinies? And my victor.
My Arjuna how could you be quiet
when I was staked?
I am wife to you all
my Bhima and my Nakula Sahadeva
all saw my humiliation
but not a word was thrown
as a stale flower in my defence -
Draupadi broke down again
her eyes were streams, body
a limp frame sinking into
the sterile floor - but she
stood straight again: No it would be
a travesty of my birth
a negation of my self and soul,
a denigration of my womanhood
If I make meek surrender:
Hear you Heavens!
Hear you Nature
my Mother divine
O fire O Earth O Rivers
O Air O Sky - If Draupadi
has never deviated
from the right path -
If Draupadi respected
Men Women Animals Insects
with Nature's equanimity
let my curse on these
marauders of civilization...
No - No - my child
cried Gandhari unescorted
came dashing against
pillars falling rising crying
No my child no no don't curse
even without your curse these
infantile sinners will rot in hell.
Gandhari groped for her and
clasped her tight Draupadi
leaned on her shoulder crying
her guts out, Gandhari too
wept making the Hall
resound mortality.
No more tears my child
I had made my feelings known
to the king my husband
not to allow this dirty game
but he couldn't resist our son.
This madness must end O king
return everything our son
Yudhistira
lost here - Yes, yes Gandhari
said Dhritarastra rising, Draupadi
I return all the wealth, men women
to Yudhistira, I free all Pandavas
but don't curse pardon them
and Draupadi I will give you more
ask anything you want, Ask Draupadi
Gandhari held the face of Draupadi
I understand your agony, I am a woman
I was informed late but we will
make amends ask my child!
Draupadi looked up studied the faces
the King, Queen, Bhisma, Drona
the Pandavas the Kauravas all appeared
small, tiny, pigmies were they all.
You want me to ask but can you give?
Yes, Draupadi I give you word -
Can you give me my honour back?
Can you wipe off the memory of this day
from my mind, can you wash away
the imprint of Dussasana's hands
from my body and soul, tell me now
can your charity or godlike boon
free my soul of this greatest ignominy
a woman suffered in your world
in your presence under your Presidentship?
No king you are afraid my curse
would destroy your tinsel glory
your so called cultural pride your vanity.
I have got my reward O great king
today I know who I am, today I know
your court has poisoned the Amrit of life.
I saw my Being, my womanhood my worth
as Princess, Queen, Empress and all.
I am a mere life form a female
I can merely ask beg, I cannot offer
to give, my place is left of centre
only to repeat in rhyme all your words:
but here and now I deny all that
I am Draupadi I am myself
I will create my own Being
however lonely small and meaningless
it maybe - I am no one's daughter
wife or any such thing - I am my vastness
I will build my bridges to God, Nature and Man.
Kunti came running from the other side
held her hand and almost carried her
away from the Durbar
Hall.
All eyes turned inward for a while,
Only Bhisma and Vidura looked at each other
there was a glint in their eyes.
The churn of hate has rent the heart of love.
