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.
