Bhima said O Yudhisthira, the gamblers have in their house many loose women. They do not play staking even those women. They have kindness even towards them.

Whatever wealth and other excellent articles which the king of Kashi gave, and the gems and jewels, animals, wealth, armours, and weapons which the other kings, presented, nay even our kingdom, yourself and ourselves, have all been won by our enemies at play.

Even at all this, my anger was not excited, for you are our lord. But I consider it a highly improper act, this your staking Draupadi.

Having obtained the Pandavas as her husband, this innocent girl does not deserve this (treatment). It is only for you that she is persecuted by these low, despicable, cruel and mean-minded Kurus.

O king, it is for her sake that my anger falls on you. I shall burn your hands. Sahadeva, bring some fire?

Arjuna said O Bhimasena, you have never before uttered such swords as these. Your high morality has certainly been destroyed by these cruel foes.

You should not fulfill the wishes of the enemy. Practise the highest morality. Should any body transgress his virtuous elders brother?

Having been summoned by the Kurus and having remembered the Kshatriyas Dharma (usage), the king played at dice against his will. This is certainly conductive to one's great fame.

Bhima said O Dhananjaya, if I had not know what the king did, he did according to the Kshatriyas usage, I would have long ago snatched his arms by force and brunt them in a blazing fire.

Vaishampayana said Seeing the Pandavas thus distressed and the Panchala princess thus afflicted, the son of Dhritarashtra, Vikarna, thus spoke.

Vikarna said O kings, answer the question that has been asked by Yajnaseni (Draupadi). If we do not decide a matter referred to us, we shall certainly have to go to hell without delay.

Bhisma and Dhritarashtra, the two eldest of the Kurus, and the high-souled Vidura, uniting together, do not say any thing.

The son of Bharadvaja (Drona), the preceptor of all of us and also Kripa, why these best of Brahmanas do not answer her question?

Let the kings that have assembled here from all directions, leaving aside all motives of anger and desire, speak our according to their judgement.

O kings, answer the question asked by Draupadi and say after due reflection on which side each of you is.

Vaishampayana said Thus did he (Vikarna) repeatedly appeal to those that were present in the assembly to answer Draupadi's question. But the kings present did not say a word good or ill.

Repeatedly appealing to the kings, rubbing his palms and sighing like a snake, Vikarna thus (again) spoke.

Vikarna said O kings, O Kurus, whether you answer this question or not, I shall say what I consider just and proper.

O best of men, it has been said that hunting, drinking, gambling, and enjoying women are the four vices of the kings.

The man who is addicted to those vices lives by forsaking virtue. People do not consider the acts done by a person who is thus improperly engaged as of any authority.

This son of Pandu (Yudhisthira), white madly engaged in one of these vicious acts (namely gambling) and urged thereto by dec sitful gamblers, staked Draupadi.

The faultness Draupadi is the common wife of all the sons of Pandu. Having first lost himself, the Pandava (Yudhisthira) offered her as a stake.

The son of Subala (Shakuni), himself being desirous of a stake, prevailed upon the king to stake Krishna (Draupadi). Considering all these circumstances, I consider Draupadi as not won.

Vaishampayana said Hearing these words, a loud uproar rose from those present in the assembly. They all applauded Vikarna and censured the son of Subala (Shakuni).

The son of Radha (Karna) became out of sense from anger. Waving his well sapped arms he spoke thus.

Karna said O Vikarna, I observed many opposite and inconsistent conditions in this assembly. As the fire, produced from a faggot, itself, so you will be consumed by you this anger.

These (great) personages (present) here, through (repeatedly) urged by Krishna (Draupadi), have not uttered a single word. They all consider that the daughter of Drupada has been righteously won.

O son of Dhritarashtra, you alone for your boyish age are bursting into rage. Though you are but a boy, you speak as if you are an old man.

O younger brother of Duryodhana, you know not what really the rules of morality are. You say like a fool that this Krishna (Draupadi), who has been won, as not won (at all).

o son of Dhritarashtra, how do you consider that Krishna (Draupadi) is not won, when the eldest of the Pandavas have staked all his possessions in this assembly?

O best of the Bharata race, Draupadi is (surely) included in his possessions. Why do you consider that Krishna (Draupadi) who has been righteously won as not won?

Draupadi was mentioned (by Shakuni) in conversation, and she was approved of as a stake by the Pandava, why is it (then) your opinion that she is not won?

If you consider it wrong to bring her in the Sabha attired in only one piece of cloth, listen to the excellent words I say.

O descendant of Kuru, it has been ordained by the gods that a woman should have only one husband; she (Draupadi) has (however) many husbands; therefore it is certain that she is an unchaste woman.

In my opinion there is nothing surprising if she is brought before the assembly in one cloth or if she be made naked.

Whatever wealth the Pandavas had, including her and also the Pandavas themselves, have been righteously won by the son of Subala (Shakuni).

O Dushasana, this Vikarna, speaking words of wisdom, is but a boy. Take off the robes of the Pandavas and also that of Draupadi.

Vaishampayana said O descendant of Bharata, having heard this, the Pandavas took off their upper garments, and throwing them down, they sat (silently) in the Sabha.

O king, thereupon Dushasana, in the sight of all (present) in the assembly, began to drag forcibly the cloth of Draupadi.

When the cloth of Draupadi was being thus dragged, she thought of Hari. Draupadi said O Govinda, O dweller of Dwarika, O Krishna, O favourite of the milk maids,

O Keshava, do you not see that I am persecuted by the Kurus. O lord, O husband of Lakshmi O lord of Vraja, O destroyer of all affliction, O Janardana, save me who am sinking in the Kuru ocean!

O Krishna, O great Yogi, O soul of the universe, O creator of the world, O Govinda, save me who am distressed, who am losing her senses in the midst of the Kurus!

Vaishampayana said O king, thus being afflicted, the lady, covering her face, cried aloud thinking of Krishna (Hari), the lord of the three worlds.

Hearing the words of Yajnaseni (Draupadi), Krishna was deeply moved. Leaving his seat, the kind Deity froni compassion came there on foot.

When Yajnaseni (Draupadi) was crying for protection to Krishna, Vishnu and Hari and also Nara, the illustrious (Deity) Dharma, remaining unseen, covered her with many excellent cloths.

O king, as the cloth of Draupadi was being dragged, after one was taken off, another of the same kind appeared and covered her.

O lord, in consequence of the protection (extended towards Draupadi) by Dharma, hundreds and hundreds of cloths of many colour appeared.

Thereupon there rose a great uproar. All the kings (present there), seeing this most extraordinary sight in the world, applauded Draupadi and endured the son of Dhritarashtra.

Thereupon Bhima, squeezing his palms, and his lips quivering in anger, took a terrible oath in a loud voice in the midst of the kings.

Bhima said O Kshatriyas, O men of the world, listen to my these words, words never before uttered by any man or will be (ever) uttered by any man in future.

O lords of earth, if having spoken these words, I do not accomplish them hereafter, and if I do not forcibly tearing open the breast of this sinful wretch, this wicked minded scoundrel of the Bharata race, drink his life blood in the field of battle, let me not obtain the path of my ancestors.

Vaishampayana said Hearing his these terrible and hair stirring words, every one present there applauded him and censured the son of Dhritarashtra.

When a mass of cloths were heaped in the assembly, Dushasana, becoming fatigued and ashamed, sat down.

Seeing the sons of Kunti in that state, all those gods among men who were present there cried hair stirring words of "Fie!” “Fie!” (on the son of Dhritarashtra).

All the good men who were present there exclaimed, “Alas, the Kurus do not answer the question asked to them." They all censured Dhritarashtra.

Thereupon Vidura, learned in all the precepts of religion, waving his hands and silencing every one in the assembly, spoke these words.

Vidura said O men present in the assembly Draupadi, having put her question, is piteously weeping. You do not answer her question. Dharma is here persecuted.

A person in distress comes to an assembly of good men like a man in a blazing fire. Those that are in the assembly extinguish that fire and cool him by means of truth and morality.

The person in distress asks the assembly about his rights as sanctioned by morality. Those that are in the assembly should answer his question without being unmoved by anger of desire.

O kings, Vikarna has answered the question according to his knowledge and judgement. You should also answer it as you think proper.

The man who knows the rules of morality and sits in an assembly, incurs half the demerit that attaches to a lie, if he does not answer a question put to him.

The man who knows the rules of morality and sits in an assembly, certainly incurs the sin of lie, if he answers falsely a question put to him.

The learned men quote as an example in connection with this matter the old history of Prahlada and the son of Angirasa.

There was a chief of the Daityas named Prahlada, whose son was Virochana. He (Virochana) quarrelled with Sudhanva, the son of Angirasa, for the sake of a bride.

We have heard that they wagered even their own lives saying “I am superior,” “I am superior,” for the sake of obtaining a bride,

When they thus quarrelled with each other, they hoth asked Prahlada, saying "Who amongst us is superior? Answer this question, don't speak falsely,"

He (Prahlada), being alarmed at their quarrel, looked at Sudhanva. (Thereupon) Sudhanva thus spoke to him burning in rage as the Brahmadanda (club of Brahma).

O Prahlada, if you answer falsely, or do not answer at all, your head will then be spilt into a hundred pieces by the wielder of thunder (Indra) with his thunder.

When Sudhanva thus spoke, the Daitya (Prahlada) trembling like a leaf of the fig tree went to the greatly effulgent Kashyapa, to consult with him.

Prahlada said O exalted one, you are learned in the precepts of morality which should guide the celestial, the Asuras and the Brahmanas. Here is a great dilemma in respect of a duty. Hear it.

Tell me, I ask you, what regions are obtained by men who, being asked a question, does not give answer to it or answer it falsely.

Kashyapa said He, who knows but answers not a question from temptation, anger or fear, brings upon himself one thousand Pashas a sort of weapons) of Varuna upon his person.

A man, who is cited as a witness with respect to any matter of ocular or auricular knowledge, speaks falsely, brings upon him one thousand Pashas of Varuna,

On the completion of one full year, one such Pasha is loosened (from his body). Therefore, he, who knows, should speak the truth without concealment.

If virtue, pierced with sin, goes to an assembly, it is the duty of every man in that assembly to take off the dart. If they fail to do it, they themselves are pierced with it.

In an assembly where a truly censurable act is not rebuked, half the demerit of that act attaches to the head of that assembly, fourth to the person who acts censurably, and fourth to all men present there.

On the other hand, in an assembly in which he that deserves censure is rebuked, the head of that assembly becomes freed from all sins, and others that are present there incurs none. It is only the perpetrator of the (sinful) act, who becomes responsible for it.

O Prahlada, those who, being asked about morality, answer falsely, destroy the meritorious acts of their ancestors seven generations upwards and downwards.

The grief of one who has lost all his wealth, of one who has lost a son, of one who is in debt, of one who is separated from his companions, of a woman who has lost her husband, of one who has lost all in consequence of the king's demand, of a woman who is sterile, of one who is being devoured by a tiger, of one who is a co-wife, and of one who has been deprived of his property by false witnesses, is said by the celestial to be uniform in degree.

He who speaks false gets all these sorts of grief. A man becomes a witness in consequence of his having seen, heard and understood a thing.

Therefore a witness should always tell the truth. A witness should always tell the truth never loses his religious merits and earthly possessions.

Vidura said Having heard the words of Kashyapa, Prahlada thus spoke to his son.

Prahlada said Sudhanva is superior to you as Angirasa (his father) is to me. The mother of Sudhanva is superior to your mother. Therefore, O Virochana, Sudhanva is now the lord of your life. Sudhanva said As without being moved by affection for your son you have adhered to virtue, I command that your this son will live for one hundred years.

Vidura said Hearing these great truths of Dharma, let all persons present in this Sabha reflect upon what should be the answer to the question asked by Krishna (Draupadi).

Vaishampayana said Even hearing the words of Vidura, the kings did not answer a word. Karna said to Dushasana, “Take away the servant woman Krishna in the inner apartment.”

Thereupon Dushasana began to drag in the assembly the helpless, modest and ascetic Draupadi who was trembling and weeping piteously to the Pandavas.