Dyuta Parva — Draupadi's obtaining boon

Karna said Of all the persons in this assembly, Bhisma, Khattwa (Vidura) and the preceptor of the Kurus (Droria) appear to be independent (men), for they always speak of their master as wicked, they always censure him and never wish for his prosperity.

The slave, the son, and the wife, (these three) are always dependent. They can have no wealth, for whatever they possess belong to their master. You are (now) the wife of a slave incapable of possessing anything of her own.

Go to the inner apartments of the king and serve his relatives. This is the work that is now justify assigned to you. O princess, the sons of Dhritarashtra, and not the sons of Pritha (the Pandavas), are now your masters.

O beautiful lady, select now another husband who will not make you a slave by gambling. It is well known that it is not censurable in a slave to proceed with freedom in selecting her husband.

O Yajnaseni, Nakula, Bhimasena, Yudhisthira, Sahadeva and Arjuna are all won (by us). You are (also) now a slave. Your husbands who are slaves cannot be now your masters.

Did not the son of Pritha (Yudhisthira) consider life as useless, did he not care for prowess and manhood, that he offered the daughter of Drupada, the Panchala king, as a stake at dice in the presence of all this assembly.

Vaishampayana said Hearing these words, the wrathful Bhima breathed hard; he became a very picture of woe. But obedient to the king (Yudhisthira) and bound by the ties of virtue and duty, (he still did nothing awful). But as if burning every thing with his eyes inflamed with anger, he thus spoke.

Bhima said I cannot be angry at these words of the Suta's son (Karna), for we have really entered the state not played staking this princess, could our enemies ever dare to speak thus to me?

Vaishampayana said Hearing these words of Bhimasena, king Duryodhana thus addressed Yudhisthira who was sitting silent as one who is deprived of his senses.

"O king, Bhima, Arjuna, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) are ever under your seat. Answer this question. Say whether you regard Krishna as won".

Having spoken thus to the son of Kunti, Duryodhana proud of his affluence, and desirous of encouraging the son of Radha (Karna) and of insulting Bhima, uncovered his right thigh, which was like a stem of the plantain tree or like the trunk of an elephant and which was graced with every auspicious mark, and endued with the strength of thunder; he showed it to Draupadi in her very sight.

Seeing this Bhimasena, expanding his red eyes, thus spoke to him (Duryodhana) in the midst of the kings, as if piercing them (with his words).

"Let not Vrikodara go to the regions obtained by his ancestors, if he does not break that thigh in a great battle."

Like the fire that comes out of every crevice of a burning tree, sparkles of fire emitted from every part of angry Bhima's body.

Vidura said O kings of Pratipa's race, look at the great danger that arise from Bhimasena. Know for certain that this great calamity that threatens to overtake the descendants of Bharata has been sent by Destiny itself.

The sons of Dhritarashtra have gambled disregarding every proper consideration. They are now quarrelling in the Sabha over a lady. Your kingdom's prosperity is at an end. Alas! The Kurus are engaged in sinful consultation.

O Kurus, take to your heart this high precept that I declare to you. If virtue is persecuted (in · an assembly,) the whole assembly becomes polluted. If he (Yudhisthira) had staked her before he was himself won, he would have certainly been regarded as her master.

If a man stakes any thing at a time when he has no wealth, to win from him any wealth (then) is like obtaining wealth in a dream. O Kurus, listening to the words of the Gandhara king, do not fall from the path of virtue.

Duryodhana said I am willing to abide by the words of Bhima, Arjuna and the twins. Let them say that Yudhisthira is not their master; and Yajnaseni will (then) be freed from slavery.

Arjuna said This illustrious son of Kunti, Dharmaraja (Yudhisthira) was certainly our lord and master before he began to play. But having lost himself, let all the Kurus decide whose master he is now.

Vaishampayana said Thereupon a jackal cried in the Homa chamber of king Dhritarashtra. O king asses began to bray responsively (with the jackal), and fearful birds from all quarters joined with them in their cries.

At this sound, Vidura, learned in everything, and also the daughter of Subala (Gandhari), knew what it meant. Bhisma, Drona, and the learned Goutama (Kripa) also knowing it, loudly cried, "Svasti" "Svasti" (peace).

Seeing that fearful omen, Gandhari and the learned Vidura told everything in great affliction to the king (Dhritarashtra). Then the king thus spoke.

Dhritarashtra said O wicked minded Duryodhana, O wretch, destruction has already overtaken you when you insult in such language a wife of the Kuru chief, especially this wedded wife (of the Pandavas) Draupadi.

Vaishampayana said Having said this, the wise Dhritarashtra, who possessed great knowledge, reflecting (on the matter) with the aid of his wisdom and being desirous of saving his relatives and friends from destruction, consoled the Panchala princes Krishna and thus spoke to her.

Dhritarashtra said O Panchali ask from me any boon you desire. Chaste and devoted to virtue, you are the foremost of all my daughters-in-law.

Draupadi said O best of the Bharata race, if you grant me a boon, I say, let the handsome Yudhisthira, ever obedient to all duties, be freed from slavery.

Let not unthinking children speak of my greatly intelligent son Prativindhya as the son of a slave.

Having been born a prince, to whom there is no man superior, and nurtured by kings, it is not proper that he should be called the son of a slave.

Dhritarashtra said O blessed girl, what you have said, let it be so. O excellent one, ask for a second boon. I shall grant it to you. My heart desires to give you a second boon. You do not deserve to get only one boon. me

Draupadi said O king, grant this boon that Bhimasena, Arjuna and the twins with their bows and cars be freed from slavery and gain their liberty.

Dhritarashtra said O greatly blessed girl, let it be what you say. O daughter, ask for a third boon, you have not been sufficiently honoured with two boons. Ever trading the path of virtue, you are the foremost of all my daughters-in-law.

Draupadi said O illustrious one, covetousness destroys virtue. O foremost of kings, I do not deserve a third boon; I dare not ask any.

O king of kings, it is ordained that a Vaisya may ask one boon, a Kshatriya woman two, a Kshatriya three and a Brahmana one hundred.

O king, these my husbands, freed from the wretched state of slavery, will be able to achieve prosperity by their own virtuous acts.