DRAUPADI -77

  

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - 77

The Drupad messenger returned

cloud smeared all over, glum and hurt

the message was writ large on his face.

He narrated how he was treated

unwelcome intruder into Hastina's rights

Dhritarastra refused to speak as he

expected Yudhistira to come in person

Duryodhan chided the message, messenger

the Pandavas, claiming they were exposed

before expiry of the exile period

hence they should be exiled for another

thirteen years repeating their forest life.

 

The Pandavas felt betrayed

Drupad, Virat, Vasudeva, seethed

in anger at the irrational, disgraceful

demeanour of the  Hastinapur breed:

What were Bhisma Drona doing? Have the Kurus

lost all logic, dharma and propriety?

Shouted Yajnasena in ruthless temper,

when Arjuna and Bhima stood up

Krishna laughed aloud raising their temper.

Calm Bhima, sit down Arjuna the time is

not propitious for such madness, wait

time's revelations must be perceived

in calm contemplation not in agitation.

I am confident King Dhritarastra will send

an emissary to cajole you to accept

their terms, some diplomat or messenger

will come and then you would know

their mind and plan your future course.

How do you know Vasudeva asked Drupad

that someone will come from Hastinapur?

It's politics Rajan, the conspiracy of

denial of the Pandava rights must be

softened by protestations of intimacy

kind words and conciliatory tone:

The assembly broke in desperate unease.

 

To prove Krishna's prophetic wisdom

Sanjay, the old charioteer of Dhritarastra

a wise sober man of honour

arrived  one morning with a message

of peace and good will for the Pandavas.

The Virat Assembly of eager heads

listened to Sanjay's words of peace

in restless consternation, Yudhistira

asked whether Indraprastha would be given

Sanjay clammed up lowering his head.

 

The stunned Pandavas, Virat, Drupad

became speechless, rage and disbelief

writhing them in unspeakable pain.

Krishna finally broke the silence saying

they have left no choice for us, war

is now the only way to open up their

minds to human law, logic and liberty.

But I doubt even blood and death

may not make them see reason.

Power mad Duryodhana and son mad

Dhritarastra prefer death to life,

destruction to the blossoms of peace  -

If war it is, why waste time,

Arjuna arose with menacing finality,

Bhima's intemperate choler shook his frame

Yudhistira in confusion looked at Vasudeva,

If Dhritarastra wanted me to go in person

let me go ask for Indraprastha - No, No

all the brothers shouted, no further talks.

The Kauravas must be destroyed and

we must have what is rightfully ours:

Patience said Virat, war should be our

last recourse to uncertain glory, think

whether all doors to peace are closed

leaving one door open to perdition. War

is an exciting game in the training fields

when the battle lines are drawn in blood -

What is our scope now, should we abjure

life and go in saffron to meditate

our willing impotence in nature's shady

concerns hiding away from the manly

who rule over the world?  Arjuna  said almost

shaking in frustration -  Calm down Partha

I think, I have to go to mediate for your

rights to give peace its deserved chance:

Everyone's eyes gleamed with hope  -

If I fail, continued Krishna, history will not

pardon me but I don't know if history

ever will pardon me otherwise.

 

Draupadi eavesdropping from behind

the curtains felt weak, but collected

herself, she wanted to enter the hall

and participate in the discussions -

Why should Sakha negotiate on our behalf,

what's there to negotiate when arrogant

affront is vaulted in the name of peace?

Yudhistira still appealed, let's ask for

one city if not Indraprastha, at least

five villages for we brothers five

to seek our fortunes to create our

faith in our manly endeavour to fulfill

our promise to our Maker: Why brother

why this meek surrender to evil,

how is war a sin as you say,

how withdrawal from life is merit?

Krishna continued, Brother! Man ought to

observe three dharmas , First kuladharma

duty towards the family you create

second is Rajadharma, duties towards

the people you serve in your kingdom,

finally Swadharma duty towards

self and society; the person who shirks

these duties is a coward, a non Man,

he who turns away from life, he who

abstains  lapses into negativity.

You must do your duty for by abstaining

you disturb the equilibrium of the world.

 

Draupadi knew it is not cowardice

but convictions which motivates Yudhistira,

she moved apart to her solitariness;

Krishna would argue, she mused, for us

but would he agree to settle for five

villages, if Duryodhana throws like

scornful toys at the Pandavas to show

his magnanimity as the future Kuru King?

Draupadi started at her own thoughts:

No, if our rights are crushed under

arrogant feet, it's our duty to hack

the feet with all our determined might.

Why live under self imposed guilt

of having sacrificed our humanness?

Will history record our sacrifice

as the best illustration of human merit?

No, posterity will call this a sacrilege

of human essence, our children would

call us cowards who threw away their

rights out of fake faith in non violence.

Draupadi shook her head to shake off

such stormy thoughts from her mind.