TWENTY
Duryodhana had followed Karna and Shakuni out of the sabha; he did not hear what Dhritarashtra finally said to the Pandavas. He thought his father had restored only their liberty to the sons of Pandu. But when the Pandavas left Hastinapura, Dusasana came running to his brother.
"What is the matter, Dusasana?"
"The king has given back everything you won from them," cried Dusasana.
"The coward!" his brother hissed and stalked back into the sabha where Dhritarashtra sat with Gandhari beside him.
"Father! What have you done? You swore you would not interfere and now you have given back everything: their kingdom, their wealth, their freedom, everything. Do you prefer your brother's sons to your own? Perhaps you want me to kill myself!"
Dhritarashtra grew increasingly distressed. Duryodhana was the only one who could tear the blind man's mask away from his father's face; for, the king loved his prince.
"How foolish could you be?" raged Duryodhana. "The Pandavas were more powerful than us and we decided to ruin them at dice. When that was done, it was safe to humiliate them and their woman. You have given them back their power. They were already dangerous; now they are like cobras spitting venom!
What madness possessed you, father? Already Arjuna, Bheema and the twins stroke their weapons in anticipation of revenge. Didn't you hear the oaths they swore? Yet, you set them free and gave them back their kingdom, their wealth, their army. Why, my lord? So they can come and kill us?
Once they reach Indraprastha, do you think they will forget what we did to them today? Even if they do, will Drupada stay quiet when he hears what happened to his precious daughter in Hastinapura? Do you think her brother Dhrishtadyumna will, when he hears how Dusasana dragged her into this sabha and tried to strip her naked?
Oh Dhritarashtra, you have been so rash. We must fetch them here at once and take it all back again. Otherwise we are as good as dead."
He grew thoughtful, while his father trembled on his throne. In a moment, Duryodhana cried, "I have it! Call them back and tell them that in fairness we must play another game of dice. The two kingdoms shall be the stakes. He who loses must go into exile in the forest for twelve years with his brothers; then spend the thirteenth year disguised, so no one knows them. If any of the exiles is discovered, they must spend another twelve years in the forest. Just one roll of the dice to decide this."
A cold smile touched his lips. "It is only fair: after all, anyone can win. Call them back. We know the blemishless Yudhishtira can never refuse his elders anything." Then, softly he added, "In thirteen years, I shall be strong indeed, while they roam the forest wearing deerskin. When they return they will be easy to kill."
A vision of the untold wealth of the Pandavas rose like a dream before that prince's eyes. But now, his mother Gandhari cried to her husband, "My lord, it is perilous to breach a dam built across a great lake. Don't listen to Duryodhana. You must not become the cause of the destruction of the House of Kuru."
Duryodhana gasped. "Mother!"
She continued, "I feel ashamed that you are my son, evil prince. I wish we had listened to Vidura and done away with you when you were born. How the wolves and jackals bayed that night; I can still hear them in my mind. Oh, you are the root of every sin that will bring ruin to this land. You only envied the Pandavas, never tried to understand or know them, or discover what they have suffered. Listen to me today: abandon this monstrous plan. The Gods themselves have given you another chance to save yourself. Seize it with both hands, Duryodhana, not all is lost yet.
If you relent, the Pandavas may even forget what you did to them. I beg you, my son and you, my lord: don't invite doom back into this sabha. It has just left us by some miracle of grace. Duryodhana, you know how much your father loves you and how weak he is because of his blindness. Don't lead him to his death and yourself with him."
Duryodhana ignored his mother and said again to the king, "Father, you know the danger. The Pandavas will never forget today's shame. Even now, they must be plotting against us. Before it is too late, call them back for one last game."
Dhritarashtra summoned a court messenger. He said to the man, "Have the Pandavas called back. Tell Yudhishtira I said that in fairness one final game of dice must be played. For, if my son had lost today he would have given up his kingdom."
The messenger rode on the swiftest horse in the king's stables and soon overtook the Pandavas on their way home. Yudhishtira reined his chariot in and fear laid its hand on his heart. He had been expecting this rider and he felt immutable destiny approach him again.
The messenger said, "The king asks you to return to Hastinapura. He says you must play one last game of dice."
Yudhishtira bowed his head briefly. Then, to his brothers' amazement, he turned his chariot around.
Bheema cried, "What are you doing?"
Yudhishtira replied evenly, "God has ordained the fate of every man; there is no escape from what he has written. Good fortune and evil are both beyond our control. We are helpless to resist destiny. We can only remain calm in the face of whatever happens to us. I must obey Dhritarashtra; it is my dharma. He is my uncle and he gave us our freedom. I must go back," he sighed, "though I am certain the dice will take everything from me again. But I will not be able to live with myself, if I don't return."
His brothers knew, even Bheema, that Yudhishtira was right and they said nothing. The Pandavas returned to Hastinapura to play another game of dice.