Just when you began to think this phoenix wasn’t coming out of the ashes, we pick up where we left, oh, about a month and a half ago.
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At this point in the epic poem, there are two sets of brothers that are rivals: The Pandavas, who are the sons of Kunti and various gods, and the Kauravas, who are the sons of Gandhari and Dhrtarastra.
Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, hates the Pandavas the most. He sees Arjuna as his chief rival, and he’s tired of being bullied by Bhima. He would like to cause their downfall.
It turns out that his uncle, the brother of Gandhari, is excellent with dice. They decide to play the Pandavas at dice.
Yudhisthira, the eldest brother of the Pandavas, has a gambling problem. The dice game is on, but Yudhisthira has rotten luck. He loses everything–his kingdom, his brothers, and himself. In a last desperate gamble, he bets Draupadi, the wife of the five brothers, and he loses.
Duryodhana sends his brother Duhsasana to fetch Draupadi, because she is know his slave. Draupadi is off in her seclusion because she is menstruating, but Duhsasana drags her in front of all the men in disgrace because she is now Duryodhana’s property.
Draupadi is pretty angry. She is angry at the Pandavas for getting her into this situation. She is angry at the elders of the family for not protecting her honor. She is angry at Duhsasana and Duryodhana because they disgrace her.
Duryodhana makes lewd comments, which makes the Pandavas vow vengeance. Especially, Bhima says he will kill Dusasana and drink his blood in revenge for dishonoring Draupadi. Duryodhana orders Draupadi stripped naked to show her slave status.
Krsna (the god!) is on the Pandavas’ side, and he will not allow this to happen to Draupadi. She is suddenly wrapped in the never ending sari, and she stays clothed, much to the amazement of everyone.
The Kauravas decide that it’s a bad idea to make the Pandavas their slaves, so they send them out to the wilderness instead, because exile is better than nothing, and the Pandavas obviously have the divine on their side.
So, what about the wilderness anyway? That’s next time.
Catherine
