CHARACTERS OF DHARMAJA AND SAKUNI IN SABHA PARVA AN ANALYSIS.

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CHARACTERS OF DHARMAJA AND SAKUNI IN SABHA PARVA AN ANALYSIS.

 

With the blessings of God, The Almighty, I have completed

Mahabharat, Sabha Parva. After completing Sabha parva, knowingly or

unknowingly, I intend to write an analysis, on the role of Dharmaja

and Sakuni. If you accept it, kindly send me a word of appreciation;

otherwise, just ignore it.

 

In Sabha Parva, there are Two Sabhas. One is Maya Sabha

built by Maya, the Great Sculptor and the other which was got

constructed by Dhrutarashtra to satisfy his son, Duryodhana, where

the dice play was conducted between Dharmaja and Sakuni.

 

Sabha, in common parlance, means a place where people gather

and discuss important matters. In England, there are Two Sabhas.

One is House of Commons and the other is House of Lords. Similarly,

in India, there are Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

 

But here in Mahabharat, Maya Sabha means a huge, magnificent

building built by Maya in Indra Prastha. The other is in Hastinapura

got built by Dhrutarashtra for the purpose of inviting Dharmaja for

dice play. These two Sabhas are most important in Mahabharat.

Without these two buildings, the story of Mahabharat would not have

proceeded further. The Maha Bharat story would have been concluded

with the performance of Rajasuya Yaga by Dharmaja.

 

On completionof Rajasuya Yaga, all the dignatories have

departed to their original places. But Suyodhana remained in Indra

Prastha along with Sakuni, to see the glimpses of Maya Sabha.

 

He visited Maya Sabha alone. He was insulted there. Besides that,

Suyodhana was kept in charge of Reception Committee to receive all

the gifts and presentations brought by all the kings. He felt

jealousy on looking at the enormous wealth like gold, silver,

pearls, diamonds, etc., etc., given by all the Kings.

 

In Raja Suya Yaga, all the kings prostrated before Dharmaja and

their crowns touched the feet of Dharmaja. Suyodhana could not

tolerate this. How two emperors could survive in one Country? He

wanted to grab all the wealth of Pandavas. He wanted to teach a

lesson to Pandavas especially to Droupadi, for the insult caused to

him in Maya Sabha.

 

Sakuni added fuel to fire. As a result, Dharmaja was invited to play

dice game at Hastinapura. Dharmaja lost all his wealth and kingdom

including his beloved brothers and their wife. Droupadi was insulted

in the Sabha in Hastinapura. At last, Pandavas along with Droupadi

were sent to forests.

 

Now we will see how the dice game was conducted.

 

Why Dharmaja accepted to play dice game?

 

At the inception, Dharmaja did not like to play dice game

because it was not Kshatriya Dharma. If kings indulge in dice game,

it is a sin. That was his original opinion. Again he changed his

opinion. If the dice game is played according to rules and

regulations, it is like waging a Dharma Yudha. (a war following

rules and regulations strictly). Dharmaja quoted a citation of

Devala. Hence he supported Dice game but with rules.

 

(Even today, Rammi, cards game, is considered to be a game of skill.

But if it is played with betting it is a crime).

 

But Dharmaja was hesitating to take part in Dice Game.

Sakuni provocated him. " If you are not dare enought to play dice

game, you can withdraw " . " Once invited to play dice game it is not

proper to go back " thought Dharmaja. He played the game.

 

Therefore, at first, Dharmaja did not like to participate in

dice game. Slowly he changed his opinion. He was procovated by

Sakuni. Hence reluctantly he took part in the game. That may be so.

 

How the Dice Game was played?

 

There are to participants. One is Dharmaja and the other is

Suyodhana. But Sakuni is playing on behalf of Suyodhana. Dharmaja

knew that according to Dharma, it was not correct. Still, Dharmaja

continued the game with reluctance. He didnot express any protest

that that was not correct and proper. Was Dharmaja addicted to the

vice of Dice game?

 

Dice Game continued. Sakuni won the first game. " Look, I will defeat

you? " thought Dharmaja in mind. Dharmaja continued the game with a

kind of challenge.

 

Generally, a common man, if he loses one game, he feels false

prestige. He challenges his opponent " Come on I will defeat you " ..

Here Dharmaja also behaved like a common man. Was it proper for

Dharmaja, an embodiment of Dharma, to behave like that?

 

Dharmaja was betting and losing one by one. Still he

continued the game.He did not think it proper to stop the game. Why?

 

In common parlance, while playing cards also, if one player

was suffering with losing hand, he will stop the game for the

present. Similarly, in stock market also, a trader will buy a share

for certain amount and put stop loss to minimise the loss, in case

the rate falls suddenly. It appears that Dharmaja was not having

this much of common sense while playing dice game with Sakuni.

 

What we deduce from out of this? By that time, Dharmaja

learnt some Dharma Sutras. He knows them. But he did not try to

put them in action. He was an ordinary king. While the flatterers

around him praised him that he was an embodiment of dharma, he

thought that he knows the entire dharma. Knowledge is quite

different from practising it. Dharmaja had no self control. His mind

was not serene between the opposites like joy and sorrow, honour and

ignominy. His senses were not completely under his control. He was

not having neutral mind. As a result, when he lost one bet, he put

another bet. Again he lost it. Again he put another bet. He

behaved as a common gambler. That may be the reason why Droupadi

called Dharmaja as a " bad gambler " (kitavu) Kitavu means gambler.

 

Let us look at the political state of affairs obtaining at that

time.

 

When they left Hastinapura for Khandraprastha, they were without

wealth. They conducted Rajasooya yaga with the help of one and all

and got enormous wealth and great kingdom. Dharmaja with one hand,

lost all the wealth gained by his brothers, and remained with empty

hands.. How they had come, they have gone in the same way.

 

Even when Narada visited Dharmaja and told him all the Principles of

Dharma to be followed by a wise king, Dharmaja did not care them

much. He asked Narada whether he has seen Maya Sabha? There is no

better lesson than experience. Hence fate determined to teach him a

lesson. Dharmaja lost all.

 

That may be the reason why Vidura did not say a single word to

Dharmaja to stop the game. Vidura tried to convince Dhrutarashtra

and Suyodhana? Even Bheeshma, Drona, Krupa and other elders did not

intervene and tell Dharmaja to stop the game. Why?

 

At last, when Droupadi challenged in the open assembly whether she

was lost even before Dharmaja lost himself or otherwise, Bheeshma

said only few words " Only Dharmaja could answer your question and

none else " . It may be the idea of Bheeshma that when Dharmaja lost

his entire wealth, kingdom, brothers and wife of his own misdeed by

playing dice game, he alone should answer that question because he

was embodiment of dharma.. What can we do? Is it still flattering

or heckling?

 

Now we will discuss about the character of Sakuni, the King of

Gandhara.

 

Sakuni is the maternal uncle of Suyodhana. Brother of

Gandhari. The character of Sakuni entered Maha Bharata in Adi Parva,

Panchamaasvaasa (5th chapter), in 12th prose. " Sakuni followed

Gandhari to Hastinapura for performing marriage of Gandhari with

Dhrutarashtra. " .

 

Even after the marriage of Gandhari with Dhrutarashtra, Sakuni

remained in Hastinapura. After a long time, Suyodhana, along with 99

others, was born.

 

An anecdote is appearing in some books with regard to Sakuni.

Suyodhana imprisoned Sakuni along with his father and brothers for

some misdeeds committed by Sakuni and they were offered a fistful of

rice per day. The father and other brothers offered that little

amount of rice to Sakuni and they all died without food, with the

hope that Sakuni would wreak vengeance against Suyodhana. Sakuni got

prepared dices with the bones of his father and played dice game

with Dharmaja and won the game. But there is no basis for this

anecdote in Mahabharata.

 

It will not stand for reasoning also. Because, after advent of

Sakuni to Hastina, after a long time Suyodhana was born. After

Suyodhana grown up and became youth, this might have happened. In

Mahabharata, Sakuni was always faithful to Suyodhana since

inception. Hence there is no basis for the above anecdote. That

might be a fiction.

 

Sakuni was the King of Gandhara (now called Khandahaar). He left his

kingdom and remained in Hastinapura. Why?

 

Since child hood, he was supporting Suyodhana. He was observing

Suyodhana from his child hood. He knows that Suyodhana would be the

future emperor of this entire Bharat. The Political situation at

that time appears to be like this.

 

" Kuru " Dynasty was the powerful Dynasty at that time. By

inheritance, Dhrutarashtra became the king, being the eldest.

Because he was blind, his brother King Pandu was ruling the country

on his behalf. King Pandu waged many wars and extended the Kuru

Kingdom. For some reason or other, he left Hastina and went to

forests and begot five sons, Pandavas. Later he died. Pandavas

reached Hastinapura.

 

There was an internal fight for kingship. There was a partition.

Dhrutarashtra allotted Khandava prastha, waste land filled with

forests and hills, to Dharmaja. With help of Krishna, they burnt

away Khandava forest and constructed Indraprastha and Maya Sabha.

 

Dharmaja performed Rajasooya. All the four brothers, conquered the

foursides of Bharat and extended their kingdom upto Kashmeer on

north, Lanka on south, Dwaraka on west and Chedi kingdom on east. So

the entire kingdom was under the control of Dharmaja.

The kingdom of Suyodhana naturally became smaller. Suyodhana was

jealous about Dharmaja. Suyodhana wanted to grab the entire kingdom

of Dharmaja. He consulted Sakuni.

 

With this back ground, we can deduce some logical inferences.

 

Now the problem before Sakuni was who would be the future Emperor

who was capable of ruling this entire Bharat?

 

Only two options are left. Suyodhana and Dharmaja. With a peer

comparison, he thought, without any favour towards anybody---

 

Suyodhana is the son of existing Emperor Dhrutarashtra.

Dhrutarashtra was the Emperor for name sake. In fact, entire

administration was being run by Suyodhana.

 

Suyodhana was an autocrat. Cruel. Jealous. Always thinks about war

and aggression by hook or crook. A man of vices. People were not

leading peaceful life in his regime. He was not fit to continue as

an emperor for the entire Bhart Khanda.

 

The second option is Dharmaja. He was good, intelligent. Studied

jurisprudence. Acclaimed by one and all. He rules people with

kindness by understanding their difficulties. But, while the

flatters around him praised him as an embodiment of Dharma, he

thought that he was great and knows everything.

 

Instead of making Suyodhana who was an incorrigibe as Emperor, it

would be better if Dharmaja was made the Emperor, Sakuni might have

thought.

 

Before doing so, it would be better if the entire country is brought

under one umbrella. How it would happen?

 

Suyodhana was more powerful. He was having the support of his

brothers 99 in number and Karna, the unconquerable. Besides that,

Bheeshma and Drona are there. Therefore, it was highly difficult to

grab the kingdom from Suyodhana and keep under the control of

Dharmaja.

 

Instead, it was easy to grab the kingdom of Dharmaja and bring it

under the Control of Suyodhana. Besides that, he wanted to test

Dharmaja about his capability.

 

The insinuation metedout by Suyodhana and the jealousy arose in his

mind, helped Sakuni to execute his plan. He fomented the jealousy in

Suyodhana. He promised that the entire kingdom of Dharmaja and all

his wealth will be grabbed without shedding a drop of blood and

without waging any war. He suppressed the ideas of Karna who said

that war would be the only solution to grab the kingdom of Dharmaja.

 

Sakuni knows that Dharmaja likes dice game. Sakuni instigated

Suyodhana to convince his father, Dhrutarashtra, for inviting

Dharmaja for dice game through Vidura. Dharmaja could not reject the

invitation.

 

Dharmaja started to play the game and lost all his wealth,

kingdom, his brothers and wife. But due to the intervention of

Gandhari, Pandavas got back all his kingdom and wealth.

 

Sakuni might have thought that with this vice of dicegame, Dharmaja

did not even hesitate to bet his entire wealth, kingdom, his

brothers and even their wife. Sakuni thought that Dharmaja requires

some improvement of knowledge and experience before becoming an

Emperor to the entire Bharat.

 

In the present days, we have got Indian Limitation Act. If any body

is in possession of any property belonging to others, to the

knowledge of one and all including the true owner, for a period of

12 years, he will be entitled to the property. It is called

the " doctrine of adverse possession " . This was in vogue in Tretayuga

for 14 years. In Dwaapara as 12 years.

 

That was the reason why Sakuni put the condition that who ever loses

the game, they should renunciate their kingdom and wealth and live

in forest for a period of 12 years. After 12 years they will lose

their right to claim the kingdom back. As a precautionary measure,

he put another condition of Agnatavasa viz., living in a city in

disguise. If they are once identified, they have to again live in

forests for 12 years. It is nothing but an " asidhaaraa vrata "

(walking on the edge of a sharp sowrd). This will prove how Dharmaja

would be very cautious and make himself tobe more intelligent.

 

 

 

On the other hand, the above condition was nothing but a death

warrant for Suyodhana written by Sakuni, limiting his life and his

rule for 13 years. That means—

 

It is certain that Dharmaja will lose his game and go to forest

along with hisbrothers and wife. On completion of 13 years

successfully, as they cannot claim their king dom back, the only

alternative left for Pandavas would be waging war against Suyodhana.

 

Within these 13 years, with the autocratic rule of Suyodhana the

people will fed up. The way he grabbed the kingdom of Pandavas will

be known to all the kings. It will cast a negative vote to

Suyodhana.

 

On the other hand, the behaviour of Pandavas and the woes they

suffered in forest will be known to one and all. It will cast a

positive vote to Pandavas. That was the plan of Sakuni.

 

Even after the Pandavas left for forests, Sakuni instigated

Suyodhana for Ghosha Yatra thus created a bad image to Suyodhana as

a jealousy man in the eyes of one and all, as he was not allowing

Pandavas to live peacefully even in forests. Thus the entire

sympathy of all the Kings was in favour of Pandavas.

 

In the meanwhile Dharmaja will realise his mistakes. He will learn

many things under the guidance of great sages and saints in the

forests and gained vast knowledge. He will develope serene mind,

equal vision towards joy and sorrow and keeping his senses under his

control, not influenced by outward attractions.

 

Arjuna acquired Pasupataastra from Lord Siva. Indra, the father of

Arjuna, invited Arjuna to Indra Loka and gave his half throne to

him, and sent signals to the kings and he was supporting Arjuna and

Pandavas.

Sri Krishna gathered all the yadava kings and gained their support

for Pandavas.

 

On completion of 13 years, there was a great war at Kurukshetra.

Pandavas won the war. At the end of war, Sakuni lost his life at the

hands of Sahadeva. The entire Bharata Khanda was brought under the

rule of Dharmaja. I think that would be the vision of Sakuni.

 

Till today, India, the Bharat, is united. In this way, in my view,

Sakuni's vision was fulfilled. Mera Bharat Mahaan.

 

Om tatsat. Om tatsat. Om tatsat.

subrahmanyam modali venkata <subrahmanyam_mv1947