Parīkchit
continued his wailing of protest. "Even ogres and
barbarians respect their women-folk. Among them,
if one woman is thus insulted, they avenge it as
if the entire tribe is ill-treated. When such is
the case, the elders of the clan, the emperor,
their preceptors, sages and learned men, were all
present there and watching in open assembly, this
atrocious act; did the intelligence of those high
placed witnesses suddenly disintegrate? Were their
eyes suddenly blinded by some dire disease? Did
they feed on grass that their taste became so
beastly? Did they forget in their animality the
honour of the race? And the elders! Their sense of
discrimination deserted them and they must have
looked pathetic caricatures of themselves."
Vyāsa interrupted this tirade
against those elders who sat quiet during those
awful moments; he said, "Son! Parīkchit! Do not
jump to conclusions and confusion. No one of the
elders in that assembly was in favour of the
wicked behaviour of Duryodhana, Dussasana and
others; they warned them of the consequences of
their iniquity; what could they do if those foul
men perpetrate sin? When Dussasana was dragging
Draupadī by the hair, right into the royal hall
which was tilled with courtiers and others, the
agony of Vidura, Bhishma, and Drona was beyond
control. Words are inadequate instruments to
describe it. Tears flowed in streams down their
cheeks. They could not lift their faces and cast
their eyes upon the abominable gang.
There was another
reason, too. Sparks flew from the angry eyes of
Draupadī when she was so tortured and, if they had
fallen on any one in the Hall he would have been
reduced to ashes! Luckily, she was looking only at
your eldest grandfather, Dharmaraja; his fortitude
and equanimity were imprinted on her mind; so, the
assembled men were saved from destruction. Or
else, Duryodhana, Dussasana and the rest of that
foul brood would not have survived at all.
The face of
Dharmaraja, so full of equanimity, had such
transforming effect. Your grandfathers, Bhima,
Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva were watching that
face, while their hearts were being torn by
Draupadī's struggles; but as they watched, their
tempers cooled. Dharmaraja's unruffled face saved
every one from cataclysm that day; else, all would
have been consumed in the fire of her anger,
making the battle of Kurukshethra superfluous.
Nothing can happen
unless God wills it so, isn't it? How can any one
over-ride the Will of Lord Krishna? She wailed
that no one of her masters rose to save her,
though she called upon them and reminded them of
their prowess and valour. Just then, the thought
of Krishna, the Saviour, flashed like lightning,
and filled her drooping heart with courage. "0
Shyamsunder!" she cried out, "This is not an
insult dealt to me. Nor is it an infamous injury
dealt to the Pandavas. It is an insult, an injury,
dealt on you. You are our all. We depend on you
for everything. Is it then just that you should
now tolerate this cruel injury being perpetrated
on our honour? We have dedicated our hearts to
you. Listen! I have dedicated myself to you.
Perhaps, you are not content with what we have so
far offered at your feet. Let your will prevail."
Thus, she surrendered, fully and unreservedly, to
the Lord.
At this, the
Guardian of the Forlorn, the Saviour of those who
surrender, the Lord, took upon Himself the burden
of rescuing her from distress; He moved in silent
and unseen, and blessed her, unnoticed. And,
wonder of wonders, the sari which the human ogres
were attempting to remove in order to disgrace her
was rendered endless; every one, including the
tormentors, were stunned at the demonstration of
Krishna's Grace and
Draupadī's devotion. (See also S.B.
1.8).
Good men and wise
realised that Sathya and Dharma can never come to
harm. The tears of joy that rolled from their eyes
gave proof of the exaltation they experienced. The
wicked Dussasana fell down, exhausted and
humiliated. Draupadī did not suffer the least
dishonour. All the dishonor fell to the lot of the
Kauravas, and the Pandavas were unaffected.
Can God permit the
just and moral Pandavas to suffer humiliation? The
harm that the Kauravas planned to inflict on the
Pandavas recoiled on them only. This was the
direct consequence of the Grace that Lord Krishna
showered on your grandfathers and grandmother and
of the devotion and faith they had reposed on Lord
Krishna.
Intending to declare
to the world the intense devotion of the Pandavas
and its efficacy, and also to hold them up as
examples for the Kali Age that was to come, the
Lord contrived this thrilling drama; there is
nothing more in this than that purpose of the
Lord. You may be subjected to calumny, insult and
dishonour; You may be plunged in poverty or pain;
but, the person who has surrendered to the Will of
God will welcome each of these gladly and bear it
with equanimity. The Lord will never give up His
children; those devoted to God have to be patient
and calm, under the most poignant provocations.
The fact is, the pious and the God-fearing are
those who are visited by travails and troubles: in
order to teach mankind these great truths, Krishna
enacted this drama, with the Pandavas as the cast.
Every incident in their lives is but a scene in
His Play.
