Bits of life

S-15 words-2000

and the voice of the unknown entity.
When the brothers touched the feet of Yudhishtar in respect, he embraced them all and said that Draupadi must be waiting for them. They took a potful of water and walked to where they left Draupadi.

When they reached the spot where Draupadi was sitting under a tree they found her worried. When she saw the Pandavas, Draupadi came running to them and told them that she just saw Duryodhana who must be searching for them in order to make them re begin exile.

Arjuna took up his bow and arrow and read a chant released an astra that created fog and thick climate. Under the cover this veil of smog the Pandavas and Draupadi escaped from the forest. After many days of travel they reached the kingdom of Matsya.
The name of the king of Matsya was Virata. The Pandavas decided this country ideal for their last year of living in disguise. They went to the outskirts of the country and hid their bows and arrows in the thick leaves of a tall tree. Then they made separate entrances into the king’s court.

Yudhishtar called himself Kanku Bhattu and was selected to be the king’s companion to play chess in his leisure time. He told the king Virata that he was previously in the service of Yudhishtar, the king of Indraprastha. Bhima, with the name Vallabha became the chief cook in king’s galley, and Arjuna became a unisexual individual called Brihannala and started teaching dance and music to the king’s daughter, Uttara.

Nakula was employed in the stables and Sahadeva became the keeper of cows in king Virata’s court. As for Draupadi, she became a hair dresser in the queen’s chambers and she changed her name to Syrandhri.

Thus the Pandavas and their queen Draupadi found suitable jobs in different departments in the palace and the court of Virata.

Virata’s queen’s name was Sudeshna. When she Draupadi whose name was now Syrandhri, was asked by the queen Sudeshna about her previous appointment, Draupadi replied that she used to work in Indraprastha as Draupadi’s hair dresser. Queen Sudeshna wanted to know the details of how Draupadi was able to take the insult heaped on her by Duryodhana and the way her husband Yudhishtar staked her and his brothers while the gambling competition was conducted in Hastinapur.

Yudhishtar, now in the guise of Kanku Bhattu was most of the time silent. Queen Sudeshna expressed her displeasure at her husband King Virata was being drawn into throwing dice with Kanku Bhattu. This was so mainly because of the tragic tidings that happened at Hastinapur and the way the Pandavas were subjected to humiliation having lost the dice at the hands of shakuni and driven away to exile by the conditions laid down by Duryodhana. Sudeshna questioned the wisdom of Dharmaraja in accepting the challenge from Duryodhana knowing that dice involved intoxicating bets and illusion of winning at some point.

Dharmaraja replied to her saying that Yudhishtar had to accept this challenge because it was considered the protocol among the royal families.

Nakula, the fourth of the Pandavas was working in the royal stables. He missed his family very much. One day he went to see his younger brother, Sahadeva who was employed in the dairy, taking care of the cows. On seeing his younger brother, Nakula burst forth in tears and expressed his misery at their own condition. Sahadeva consoled him and said that he should not have come to him. They needed to be careful during their last year of exile. Nakula said,

“It has two months since I last saw you. I could not wait any longer. So I came to see you.”

“We all miss each other very much. Do you know our middle brother Bhima is appointed as the chief cook in the royal kitchen? His name is Vallabha. And let me tell you that our brother Arjuna is employed as Brihannala teaching dance and music to the princess, Uttara,” said Sahadeva supplying information to his brother. He also told him that Draupadi was syrandhri decorating the hair styles of the women of the royal family.

Nakula felt frustrated and angered beyond limits at the condition in which they were. He was extremely angry with Duryodhana and Shakuni who were responsible for the whole tragedy.

“Dear brother Sahadeva, I don’t have the kind of patience that you have. Middle brother Bhima had vowed that he would kill Duryodhana and Dushasana for their evil deeds. Brother Arjuna pledged to kill Karna. Everybody forgot about Shakuni who was actually responsible for our ruin and exile. Here I am, pledging to take the life of Shakuni,” said Nakula with emotion and violent anger. Sahadeva just gazed at him unable to stop him from taking a terrible vow.

After a while Sahadeva went to see Bhima with another cowherd. The fellow cowherd introduced him to Bhima as a new hand at the cow sheds. He also requested him to feed the poor guy who did not have good food for a long time. Then he left leaving the two brothers by themselves.

Bhima was unable to control his tears at the condition of their youngest brother who was also the most delicate of the siblings. He embraced him and fed him a hearty meal with his own hands.

As for Brihannala, that was Arjuna taught the art of dancing to the satisfaction of his pupil, Uttara, the princess of Matsya country. She often wondered at the skill and expertise of her teacher. She was an obedient and enthusiastic student who was always ready to practice her art for long hours. Her devotion and determination along with hard work of long practicing hours soon made her a great dancer. Brihannala told her that she was ready for individual performance. Having heard of their daughter’s skill and the art of dancing, king Virata and his queen Sudeshna arranged for watching Uttara’s dancing.

Uttara excelled in her performance and soon won congratulations from her royal parents. Both the king and the queen were pleased with their daughter’s dancing and they paid their respects to Brihannala. They expressed their gratitude to Brihannala for being such a wonderful teacher to her.

As they were talking pleasantly thus, a messenger announced that queen Sudeshna’s brother, by the name Keechaka had just arrived from a victory tour. The queen was happy and received her brother with much ado.
One day, when Syrandhri, that was Draupadi, had finished styling queen Sudeshna’s hair and was on her way out of the queen’s chambers, she came across a huge man who was Keechaka. With one look he took in her beauty and fell for her loveliness. He walked to his sister and asked,

“Who is this woman? When did she join service as your maid?”
“dear brother, don’t be naughty with my maid,” said sudeshna smiling at her brother.
But Keechaka was absolutely serious and one could see his fixed with determination. He said,
“Sudeshna, I must have her. There is a fire in my heart which cannot be extinguished without possessing her.”
Sudeshna was saddened at the seriousness in her brother’s voice and kept silent.

On the next day Syrandhri was sitting in the flower garden after her work in the palace was over. Keechaka, who was tracking her movements ever since he first met her, followed her and started expressing his feelings for her.

“O beautiful woman, you are not fit to be a maid. My sister had done injustice with you. You can stop working for her and be my queen. I am ready to give up all my other wives and just have you by my side. Your looks have pierced my heart like cupid’s arrows. Please come to me and be the sole charge of my heart.”
Draupadi alias Syrandhri was taken aback at his lustful words. She recovered from this unexpected accosting by Keechaka and was overcome with anger. She said,

“I am a married woman. The kind of words you are uttering lower my status. You are the chief of army for the kingdom of Matsya. You should safeguard the respect and prestige of all in your country. I am the wife of five gandharvas. If they come to know of your misbehavior, they will destroy you. You cannot harm me. I am like a mountain. If try to be vulgar, you will be smashed into thousand pieces by your clash against the mountain.”

With these words uttered with anger and threatening, Draupadi walked away from there. Keechaka who never knew what disobedience and contempt shown by anyone to him, shouted with anger.

He walked straight to his sister’s palace and told her that he could not live without having syrandhri. Sudeshna said,
“Dear brother, Syrandhri is in my defense. She feels I am like secure shade for her. How can I do this to her? I cannot ask her to as you want. I know the difference between ethical and unethical behavior. But you are my brother. I will have to find a way to make her go to you.”

Keechaka was satisfied with his sister’s reply. Before leaving her, he said,
“I will be waiting for her in my palace.”

A few minutes later Draupadi came to the presence of the queen. Looking at her the queen said,
“I wanted to send word to you to come. Good that you have turned up youself. Well, my brother Keechaka wanted to send some quality wine for the king. Go to my brother’s palace and bring that wine.”
Draupadi alias Syrandhri looked at the queen and said,

“O Queen, you know that your brother lusts after me. I, as a married woman cannot go to a man at night to fetch wine.”
Queen Sudeshna replied sternly,
“You alone should go. Don’t go at night if you don’t want to. Go in broad daylight. He is brother. I cannot send anyone else for this work.”

Draupadi replied,
“Alright queen, I will go. But you will be responsible for the outcome of sending me to your brother’s place.”
When Syrandhri reached the palace of Keechaka it was in broad daylight. She entered his palace without fear and saw him standing in the wide hall.

“ O chief of Matsya army, I am sent here by my queen to fetch wine for the king.”

“Syrandhri, you are even more intoxicating than wine. Come to me and give the taste of heaven in your arms.”

Saying the lustful words, Keechaka tried to take her into her arms. She shook his hands away from her, struggled to get out of his person blocking her way. She could just escape from his rooms and straight ran to the king’s court in order to complain against Keechaka. She reached there and told the king of the abuse that Keechaka tried on her person.

But the king remained quiet unable to do anything about Keechaka. Everyone was in fear of Keechaka in Matsya including the king. Keechaka followed her to the court and dealt her violent blow on the cheek and she started bleeding from her mouth. Yudhishtar alias Kanku Bhattu was present in the court but he was chained by disguise. He however interfered and said,

“Don’t be too sorrowful or angry Syrandhri. Learn to forgive. Forgiveness is mercy and divine. I am sure your husbands have taken note of the crime against you. They will take care of everything. So don’t worry and things will be fine.”

Keechaka, who followed Draupadi to the court, stood laughing at the scene. He said arrogantly,
“Kanku has stopped me. Otherwise I would have taught her a better lesson.”
Draupadi then went to the queen and asked her as to why she had sent her to her brother knowing his bad intentions. Sudeshna replied,

“Syrandhri, yes I am guilty. I have sent you to my brother deliberately because he desired you. I have a weakness towards my brother.