Madhuvidya

Author(s): S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 455

188
M. A. MEHENDALE
(1) There are three categories of persons who are not supposed to own any property (adhana). They are: slaves, pupils, and women.'
(2) Accordingly a slave has no wealth of his own which he may use as a stake. But a slave's wife is his property'.
(3) Hence Yudhisthira, although a slave of the Kuravas, has Draupadi, his wife, as property which he can stake (2. 63. 1),
What Karna is driving at is that although, generally speaking, a slave has no property (and hence cannot participate in a game of dice), if he is married he has his wife as property which he may stake. Hence Yudhisthira is within his rights to stake Draupadi. This he did and lost the game. Hence Draupadi was a slave of the Kauravas.
Duryodhana just listens, as everybody else does, to what Karpa has to say. But Duryodhana's decision now no longer rests on what Karna or, for that matter, any one else in the sabha says. He has already declared that the ball was in the court of the Pandavas and that he would abide by their decision.
(14) Duryodhana, therefore, completely neglects Karna's reply although the reply was favourable to him. He once more invites the Pandavas to express their opinion. He says: "I shall abide by the decision given by Bhima, Arjuna, or the twins. Let the Pandavas say that Yudhisthira was no longer the lord of Draupadi when he staked her and I shall release Draupadi from the bondage (2, 63, 20;
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A very critical moment had arrived in Draupadi's life. Her fate-was she to spend the rest of her life as a slave of the Kauravas doing their menial jobs, or was she to lead the life as an independent, honourable woman this question was in the balance. Duryodhana invited the Pandavas to decide the issue, Arjuna did not lose the golden opportunity.
(15) No sooner did Duryodhana end his speech, Arjuna began his. He said: "When the game of dice began Yudhisthira was our master. But once he has lost himself, whose master can he be? Kauravas, you take note of this. ( ito raja curvam dsid glahe nah Kuntiputro dharmarajo mahātmā | Isas tv ayam kasya pirajitätma taj junidhvam Kuravah sarva eva // 2, 63, 21).
Arjuna's reply is quite clear. "Whose master is defeated Yudhisthira ?" Of course of none-not even of Draupadi.
I According to Mbh 1. 77. 22, they are a wife, a slave and a son.
2 Before this. Vidura once again (2, 63. 18) expresses his opinion although nobody has asked him to do so. According to him Yudhisthira, once he had lost himself, had no right to stake Draupadi. This he has already told once before (2, 59, 4).
Madhu Vidya/430