Continued from Sabha Parva – 1
Vidura is sent to invite Yudhishtira. Vidura advises against gambling but Yudhishtira decides that as per the Kshatriya dharma, he had no option but to accept the invitation. The Pandavas then reach Hastinapura with Draupadi where they are treated well.
The dice game commences and Duryodhana announces that Shakuni would play on his behalf. Yudhishtira starts by gambling with a few precious gems. He loses the game to Shakuni who deceives him using his superior skills. One by one, Yudhishtira starts losing his wealth, his slaves, his elephants, chariots, and his kingdom.
Shakuni then taunts Yudhishtira to wager his brothers. One by one, he wagers all his brothers and lose them in the match. He loses all his brothers and himself. As he is dejected, Shakuni asks him to wager Draupadi. He accepts the bet and loses.
Duryodhana who is delighted then orders that Draupadi should be brought to the hall. Draupadi refuses to come since she is in her monthly season and is wearing only a single cloth. Duryodhana’s brother Dushasana then drags her to the hall by her hair.
Vidura advises the king to stop the game and prevent the future chaos, but Duryodhana shuts him down. Draupadi questions the Kuru elders on how Yudhishtira could gamble her after he himself had lost. Bheeshma says that it is a difficult question that only Yudhishtira could answer. Vikarna, one of the Kauravas supports Draupadi calling the gambling match unfair.
Karna rebukes him and says that since Draupadi was married to five men, she was unchaste. He says that the game was fair and since she was a maid, she did not have the right to wear her upper garment.
Dushasana then pulls at Draupadi’s cloth trying to remove it. She prays to Krishna for help and miraculously the garment increases in length. Dushasana fails in his attempt to disrobe her and falls on the ground tired.
An angry Bheema then vows to kill Dushasana and rip his intestines out. Duryodhana then shows his thigh and asks Draupadi to sit on it since she was there their slave. A furious Bheema promises to kill Duryodhana in battle by breaking his thigh.
Many bad omens occur and Gandhari with Vidura plead with the king to stop the terrible incidents. A shaken Dhritarashtra asks Draupadi to seek boons. She chooses only two boons. She demands that her husbands be declared free and their kingdom be returned. Dhritarashtra agrees and the Pandavas leave.
An angry Duryodhana tells the king that the Pandavas would come back for war to avenge all that happened. He forces his father to invite the Pandavas for a second game of dice, knowing that they won’t refuse. Pressurised by his son, the king who had a blind affection for his heir agreed to his demand.
The Pandavas were called back. This time, the game had a condition that the loser would lose his kingdom and go to the forest to exile for twelve years. It also stipulated that the thirteenth year exile had to be spent incognito. If recognized, they need to spend another twelve years in exile.
The game started and Shakuni once again deceives the unskilled and hapless Yudhishtira. The Pandavas gave up their wealth and costly robes. Accompanied by Draupadi who was in a single garment and bleeding, they leave for exile. The Kauravas mocks and insults them. Bheema and Arjuna vow to avenge the insults after thirteen years.
End of Sabha Parva