THE MAHABHARATAM : 12. Swami Advayananda Acharyaji.

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Wednesday, April 20, 2022. 20:00.

Prelude to the Bhagavad Geeta :

Meditation on the Bhagavad Geeta.

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18 Episodes : 

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Episode 1: How the Writing Began

Episode 2: The Story of Bhishma

Episode 3: Amba Seeks Revenge on Bhishma

Episode 4: The Story of Vidhura

Episode 5: The Story of Queen Kunti

Episode 6: The Young Princes Grow Up Together 

Episode 7: The Development of Karna 

Episode 8: The “Wax Palace”

Episode 9: The Pandavas Enjoy Some Peace!

Episode 10: Draupadi’s Swayamwaram

Episode 11: The Pandavas Settle in Indraprastham

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Episode 12: The “Gambling Match”

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Man is usually caught in any one or more of the following traps:

i) Lust: woman; even a spy can be spied upon by a woman. To train a spy is big

business in a crooked world of intrigue and selfishness. Even in the Cold War, many spies

were trapped by setting women on them.

ii) Wine: the property of wine is to ‘open’ up a man’s tongue. Give a man alcohol and

he will start telling all his secrets.

iii) Gambling: This evil ruins a man utterly. It sucks him into a world of make-belief

where he thinks he is always going to win the next round. Ultimately, he goes on losing and

shamelessly gives away all he has.

Yudhishthira, the Lord of Dharma, was himself given this role in the Mahabharata.

What could be more ironical! The Lord of Dharma himself succumbing to this weakness. This teaches a great lesson – these vile habits are no respecters of one’s honour. They get hold of anyone and bring them to ruin, to a state of shamelessness.

This is what happened in the episode we are about to read.

Duryodhana had a cunning that could out-fox any fox! He gathered his close allies together – Duhsasana, Shakuni and Karna. That was his plotting team. Vidhura had to be kept as far away as possible (Vidhura was Dhritarashtra’s brother, the Kauravas’ uncle).

When the plan was ready, they went to the King for his “thumb-print”.

“Son, what is it you want?” asked Dhritarashtra.

Duryodhana explained at length the embarrassment of visiting the Pandavas’ palace at Indraprastha. 

“You see how they tortured me? You see how the ladies laughed and mocked at me? How can I bear all these insults? Father, we are going to invite them (the Pandavas) for a game of dice, and entertain them in return.”

Nothing else was discussed; everything was well understood. Dhritarashtra gave the permission for the game to take place. Somehow Vidhura smelt some mischief and tried to stop it, but the King said, “Even kings require a pastime to relax. Don’t see problems where there is joy, Vidhura.” Vidhura was ordered to go away and not be present for the game.

Yudhisthira accepted the invitation. Fate laughed and gave a cruel smile!

As expected, Yudhisthira proved no match for a cunning Shakuni who played with loaded dice. Yudhishthira lost game after game. With each game he lost his shame, too. He began staking anything he could clutch. All the gains that the Pandavas had made at Indra prastha were gambled away in the twinkle of an eye. Then came the moment of weakness that was to write itself in history for its utter insanity. It deserves an episode all its own.

He was an embodiment of Dharma, yes – but a human embodiment. He fell……now there was just tragedy after tragedy after tragedy in the lives of the Pandavas.

What could have made Yudhishthira accept the gambling match?

i) An inherent weakness for the game.

ii) The tendency of the Kshatriyas to accept a challenge.

iii) His own decision to respect his father’s wishes.

iv) Fate, moving inexorably towards an inevitable war.

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Next - Episode 13 : The De-Robing of Draupadi 

To be continued ...

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