Rajadharmanushasana Parva — Exhortation by Draupadi

Vaishampayana said When after listening to his brothers who were telling these truths of the Vedas, Kunti's son king Yudhishthira just remained silent.

That foremost of nobly born women, viz., Draupadi, of large eyes and great beauty, O king, said these words unto that foremost of kings seated in the midst of his brothers who were like many lions and tigers, and like the leader of an elephantine herd in the midst of a herd of elephants.

Always expecting respectful love from all her husbands but especially from Yudhishthira, she was always treated with love and indulgence by the king. Conversant with duties and always satisfying them, that lady of large hips, eyeing her husband, drew his attention in soothing and sweet words, and said as follows:

These your brothers, O Partha, are crying and drying their tongues like Chatakas, but you do not please them.

O king, cheer up these your brothers, who are like infuriate elephants (in prowess) with proper words,-these heroes who have always suffered miseries!

Why, O king, while living on the bank of the Dvaita lake, did you say to these your brothers then living with you, and suffering from cold and wind and sun, these words, viz.,-engaging in battle to win victory, we will kill Duryodhana and enjoy the Earth that is capable of granting every desire.

Depriving great car-warriors of their cars and killing huge elephants, and covering the battle-field with the bodies of car-warriors and horsemen and horses, O chastiser of foes, you will celebrate great sacrifices of various kinds with profuse presents! All these sufferings of a life of exile in the forest will then end in happiness!

O foremost of the virtuous, having yourself said these words to your brothers then, why, O hero, do you depress our hearts now?

A eunuch can never enjoy wealth. A eunuch can never have children, as there can be no fish in a mud (destitute of water).

A Kshatriya without the rod of chastisement never prosper. Without the rod of chastisement a Kshatriya can never enjoy the Earth. The subjects of a king who has no rod of chastisement can never enjoy happiness!

Love for all creatures, charity, study of the Vedas, penances, are are the duties of a Brahniana and not of a king, O best of kings!

Suppressing the wicked, maintaining the honest, and never retreating from battle are the highest duties of kings! can

He is the master of duties in whom reside forgiveness and anger, giving and taking, terror and fearlessness, and chastisement and reward!

It was not by study, or gift, or mendicancy, that you have acquired the Earth?

That army of the enemy, O hero, ready to attack you with all its might, consisting of elephants and horses and cars, protected by Drona and Karna and Ashvatthaman and Kripa, has been defeated and killed by you, O hero. It is for this that I request you to enjoy the Earth.

(Formerly), O powerful one, you had, O king, governed with might, the region called Jaimbu, O foremost of men, abounding with populous districts!

You had also, O king, governed with might, that other region called Kraunchadvipa situated on the west of the great Meru and equal to Jambudvipa itself!

You had governed with might, O king, that other region called Shakadvipa on the east of the great Meru and equal to Kraunchadvipa itself!

The region called Bhadrashva, on the north of the great Meru and equal to Shakadvipa was also governed by you, O foremost of Men!

You had even entered the ocean and governed with inight other regions, too, O hero, and the very islands encircled by the sea and containing many populous districts.

Having, O Bharata, made such wonderful conquests, and having obtained (through them) the worship of the Brahmanas, how is it that your mind is not satisfied.

Seeing these brothers of your before you, O Bharata,these heroes endued with might and resembling bulls or infuriate clephants-why do you not speak to them sweet words.

All of you are like celestials. All of you are capable of withstanding enemies. All of you are capable of scorching your enemies. If only one of you had become my husband. my happiness would even then have been very considerable.

What need I say then, O foremost of men, when all of you, five in number, are my husbands (and take care of me) like the five senses working up the body.

The words of my mother-in-law who is endued with great knowledge and foresight, cannot be untrue. She said,-O princess of Panchala, Yudhishthira will always keep you in happiness, O excellent lady.

Having killed many thousands of powerful kings, I see, O monarch, that through your folly you are about to make such an attachment futile.

They whose eldest brother runs mad, have all to follow him like mad men. For your madness, O king, all the Pandavas, are about to become mad.

If, O King, these your brothers had been sane, they would then have locked you up with all unbelievers (in a prison) and taken charge of the government of the Earth. The man who for feeble intellect acts thus never succeeds in winning prosperity.

The man who behaves like a mad, man should be subjected to medical treatment by the aid of incense and collyrium, of drugs applied through the nose, and of other medicaments.

O best of the Bharatas, I am the worst of all females, since I wish to live on even though I am deprived of my children.

You should not disregard the words spoken by me and by these brothers of yours who are trying thus to dissuade you. Indeed, abandoning the whole Earth, you are inviting adversity and danger to assail you.

You appear in splendour now, O monarch, even as those two foremost of kings, viz., Mandhatri and Ambarisha, respected by all the kings, did in former days.

Protecting your subjects righteously, rule over the goddess Earth with her mountains and forests and islands. Do not, O king, become disspirited.

Worship the gods with various sacrifices. Fight your foes! Present wealth, clothes and other objects of enjoyment to the Brahmanas, O foremost of kings!