At Kamyakavana, the Pandavas were visited by Sri Krishna and the venerable elders of the Panchalas, Yadavas, Vrishnis, Bhojas, and Andhakas. The chiefs of these noble clans, beholding the humiliation heaped upon the sons of Pandu, were inflamed with righteous wrath. Their anger shook them like a storm, and they declared that the blood of Karna, Shakuni, Duryodhana, and Dussasana would soon quench the thirst of birds of prey upon the earth. They denounced those wicked souls as corrupt, deserving of capital punishment, for they had tarnished the sacred name of the Kuru lineage. “We shall cleanse the earth of this vile brood,” they said, “and raise the Pandava princes to their rightful throne.”
Arjuna, in fervent prayer, turned to Sri Krishna, whose presence seemed to him as terrible and majestic as Yama on the day of doom. “O Achyuta,” he exclaimed, “venerable and primeval Lord, sovereign over all beings, creator of the living and the still! In ages past, dwelling on roots and fruits, you performed penance for ten thousand years on Gandhamadana. At Pushkara, you endured eleven thousand years sustained by water alone; at Prabhasa, you stood on one leg in austerity for a thousand years; and in the gardens of Badari, you subsisted only on air. On the banks of Sarasvati, you raised your arms heavenward and performed penance for countless years. By these acts you conquered the worlds and sanctified them with great sacrifices, wherein in each you gave away a crore of golden coins. You blazed with the splendour of penance and yajna, overthrew the sons of Diti and Danu, and secured Indra’s throne. You are Lord of the three worlds, son of Aditi and Kashyapa, born as the brother of Indra, the divine Upendra. First you came as a dwarf, then you spanned the three worlds and became the bearer of the universe. Naraka and Sisupala are fated to perish at your hands. Your glory is unbounded; gods and sages alike praise you. Deceit, pride, envy, anger—such weaknesses of the mind can never touch you.” Thus speaking, Arjuna bowed with deep emotion.
Sri Krishna, smiling with serene majesty, replied: “Arjuna, you and I are the ancient sages Nara and Narayana. You are Nara, I am Narayana. We have descended into the mortal world clothed in immortal power. Between us, there is no difference: my friends are yours, and your enemies are mine.”
As they spoke thus, Draupadi, daughter of Drupada and sister of Dhrishtadyumna, approached. Born of sacred fire, her heart aflame with anguish, she bowed before Krishna and said: “O Lord, you are the Creator at the dawn of existence; so proclaimed Asita and Devala. You are the eternal flame of sacrifice, so taught sage Kashyapa. You pervade all things; so, declared Narada. You are the treasure of wisdom, so affirmed the ancient seers. O Krishna, merciful and invincible, ever obedient to dharma, you are our refuge. To you, I lay bare my grief. I am the daughter-in-law of King Pandu, wife of heroic sons of virtue, sister of Dhrishtadyumna, yet I was seized by my hair in the court of Hastinapura by the vile Dussasana and dragged before elders who sat silent. In shame, I was nearly disrobed, while my husbands uttered no word, and grandsire Bhishma stood mute. I cried for help, yet none rose to my rescue. What use is Bheema’s strength, what worth is Arjuna’s bow, if I, their wedded wife, must endure such infamy? The wicked laughter of Karna pierces me still more cruelly than the foul touch of Dussasana. Have the Pandavas forgotten the treacherous attempts on their lives—the house of wax set afire, the throwing of Bheema into the lake of serpents, the plots against our very existence? Now, through deceitful dice, our kingdom and wealth are lost, and my honour has been trampled. I place my sorrow at your feet, O Krishna.”
Her tears fell, yet her heart was eased by unburdening to her brother. Krishna, moved by her anguish, spoke solemnly: “The fire of your grief shall sanctify Arjuna’s arrows. The sons of Dhritarashtra shall be sent to Yama’s abode. My word shall stand firm though oceans dry and day and night change places.”
Arjuna, gazing at Draupadi, reassured her: “Fear not, for Krishna, the supreme soul, is with us. He shall destroy the sinners and safeguard our welfare. Under his shade, who can conquer the three worlds, we need not despair.” Then Dhrishtadyumna, aflame with fury, said: “O lotus-eyed sister, be comforted. Bheema shall slay Duryodhana and Dussasana, Arjuna shall vanquish Karna, and I shall end the life of Drona. Your grief shall not remain unanswered.”
Thus consoled, Draupadi’s sorrow abated, while the warriors pledged themselves to justice. Krishna turned to Yudhishthira and said, “I have heard of all that befell you from Yuyudhana in Dwaraka. My heart was heavy with sorrow, and I came swiftly. Alas, I was then engaged in battle with Salva on the ocean shores, which lasted ten long months, else I would have prevented the accursed game of dice. Gambling, like women, liquor, and hunting, is an evil that brings ruin; it is the root of this calamity. Had I been present, I would have restrained the elders—Kripa, Drona, Vidura, and even Bhishma. If gentle counsel had failed, stern measures would have cast down the wicked. But destiny willed otherwise.”
Yudhishthira, in turn, begged Krishna to narrate the battle with Salva. Thus began the discourse of Sri Krishna, and in that gathering of kinsmen and warriors, Draupadi’s lament gave birth to renewed courage. A mighty resolve took root among the Pandavas, who now saw clearly that reconciliation was never fated. The design of destiny, though woven with many twists and tumults, must be borne by all until its full course is run.
