Sahadeva - Part 5 (c), 18-days Kurukshetra war and aftermath

Sahadeva - Part 5 (c), 18-days Kurukshetra war and aftermath

Did you know that Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandavas of epic Mahabharta, at the request of his mother Kunti saved Karna who was mortally sick after gifting his life saving Kavacha and Kundala to an old brahmin impersonating for demi-god Indra?

Sahadeva, the yongest of the Pancha Pandavas of the epic Mahabharata, stood regally attired in a war dress at the Kuruksherta battle field flanking his older brothers Yudhisthra and Nakula. He was riding in his chariot which flew his flag with Swan as an insignia as he surveyed the humangous army of Pandava and Kaurva soldieis ridng horses and elephants; Pandvas had amassed an army of seven akshauhinis with Dhrishtadyumna as the supreme commander, against 11 akshauhinis of the Kauaravas, initially headed by Bhishma. Before the start of the war, Sahadeva had desired King Virata to be the general of the Pandava army, but Yudhishthira and Arjuna opted for Dhristadyumna. His conch was called Manipushpaka. As he was ready to blow his conch to start the Kurukshetra war, he was reminded of an incident of few days earlier to the war in which he had saved Karna, one of the chief antagonist in the Kaurava camp in the war. 

Just a few days before the Kurukshetra war started, a tragic event that took place on the bank of the river was of Karna donating his Kavacha (breast plate armour) and Kundala (ear-rings), which were glued to his chest since birth, as a protection of immortality, made him an invincible warrior. An old Brahmin appeared before Karna on the river bank of Saraswathi river and had asked Karna to give his Kavach and Kundala as a gift; the old Brahmin was none other than demi-god Indra, in disguise. This act was done intentionally to weaken the strength of Karna in the ensuing war against Arjuna. But as a compensation, Indra gave him a weapon, a missile, called 'Vassavi Shakthi' that could only be used once and would kill any mortal or immortal. Because of forcible peeling of the Kavacha from his chest with a knife, his chest started bleeding and he collapsed into an unconscious state. Kunti who was watching this numbing incident, rushed to help Karna, and Karna’s foster parents, Adhiratha and Radha, also reached there. Karna's mother Radha insisted that Kunti should call her sons who were proficient in Ayurvedic herbal treatment to save Karna. Kunti then sent messengers to fetch Nakula and Sahadeva. They came and saw Karna in an utter distressful state but were hesitant to help Karna as he was in their enemy camp and had resolved to kill their brother Arjuna. They even wondered why Kunti should be helping him at all as if he was her own son. On Kunti’s pleadings, Sahadeva relented and prepared an herbal paste and applied it to Karna's wound and also gave an oral decoction to drink which Kunti forced on her unconscious son. With this treatment Karna soon regained consciousness and was taken to his house in Hastinapur. Karna’s mother Radha prostrated to Sahadeva and thanked him for helping Karna. Then, Dhritrashtra coming to know of this incident through the vision of his advisor Sanjay, called Sahadeva to his palace and thanked him, and also enquired him about his Divya drishti. 

Sahadeva, on every day of the 18 day war after blowing his conch Manipushpaka fought valiantly displaying his prowess in sword and other forms of fighting. In particular, on the 13th day, his advance into the Chakravyuha craeted by Drona to trap Abhimanyu, son of Arjuna Sahadeva was stopped and repelled by Jayadratha, when Abhimanyu, Arjun'a son was killed brutally by many Kaurava warriors. 

Sahadeva, during the course of the war, defeated 40 brothers of Duryodhana while fighting them simultaneously. he also killed Dushasana’s son and avenged the death of Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s son.

On the 14th day of war, Sahadeva rides aginst Karna and fights. But Karna is a warrior of another order. This encounter does not last long. Karna kills Sahadeva's horses and snaps his bow and the chariot. Seizing up a sword, Sahadeva leaps from his useless chariot. But as he runs at Karna, but that grand marksman smashes the blade in the Pandava's hand. Sahadeva yields his mace, only to have it struck into dust. Thinking his death has arrived, Madri’s son wrenches his chariot -wheel free and runs at his sneering enemy. Karna strikes the spokes from the wheel with five amazing arrows.' he breaks its rim with a sixth. Sahadeva stands panting and helpless not ten feet from Karna determined to die unbowed. The youngest Pandava stands with his handsome head thrown back, his eyes raking his conqueror. Karna laughs, and slowly brings his chariot close to the trembling prince. He prods his young antagonist with the tip of his bow. Grinning , Karna tells Sahadeva: “You must not fight betters, boy. Look there, at your brother Arjuna. Now, he is a kshatriya; go hide behind him,, little one, or else go home." Sahadeva was defeated by Karna but his life was spared as Karna had saved his life on an earlier occassion and and he alos had made a promise to his mother Kunti that he would only kill Arjuna. On the same day Sahadeva's son Shrutasena was defeated by Karna's son Vrishasena. 

On the crucial 18th day of the war, the last day of the war, while the war was in full swing, and Sahadeva was fighting Kripa, he saw Shakuni attacking the Pandava army. His fury revived, Sahadeva called out to Shakuni and challenged him to a fight. Shakuni was just then in grief as his son Uluka had been killed by Nakula. Shakuni in great fury attacked Sahadeva with three arrows and also threw a scimitar at him. Then Shakuni was pursued relentlessly. Sahadeva had even parried with Shakuni, and mocked him saying: "with your tongue for a bow and words as arrows? or may be you will throw your dice at me! your dharma is simple : Kill the spiders, save the butterflies." Shakuni then adopted to other tricks to gain upper hand- sorcery and demonic magic. Then Sahadeva sent a desparte appeal to Krishna for help as he loosing the war againnst Shakuni . Krishna who was also in the battle field in another area telepathcally foiled Shakuni’s magical strikes. Then mysteriously Draupadi in her ferocious look with loose tresses and clad in blood-red cloth made an illusory presence before Shakuni in his chariot which chilled him to the bone. Shakuni found to his utter dismay that his dice had turned to ashes. He was numbed with terror. Thus Draupadi had marked him for death. Taking advantage of this situation, Sahadeva severed Shakuni's head with a broad headed arrow made of hard iron which was capable of penetratintg every armour. Sahadeva was pleased as he had fullfilled his vow taken at the dice game in Hastinapur court to kill Shakuni in particular. There was great rejoicing in the Pandava camp as Shakuni was the chief villain of the Mahabharata. On the same day he killed his maternal uncle Shalya's son. 

There was tragedy for Sahadeva on the night of the 18th day when his son Shrutasena was killed along with the other Upapandavas (sons of Draupadi), by Ashwatthama. With this incident the 18-days war ended with immesne loss of life on both sides.

At the end of the war, Sahadeva recalls that the epic war of confrontation involved 466 confrontations of which 266 were in Pandava's favour and 92 in favour of Kauravas.

Yudhishthira was crowned king of Hastinapur, who appointed Nakula as king of Northern Madra and Sahadeva as the King of southern Madra. While Draupadi remained in Hastinapur as the empress, Sahadeva and his wife Vijaya lived with their son Suhotra in Madra. It is also said Sahadeva had two other wives - Bhanumathi and Jarasandha's daughter and their childrens' name is not known.

The Pandavas reign at Hastinapur lasted for 36 years. Emperor Yudhishthira then renounced the throne and passed the mantle to Arjuna's grandson Parikshit. Draupadi and four Pandavas—Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva who grew weak died during the journey to the Himalayas while seeking heaven. Sahadeva was the second one to fall after Draupadi. When Bhima asked Yudhishthira why Sahadeva fell, Yudhishthira replied that Sahadeva took much pride in his wisdom. Yudhishthira, the lone survivor and being of pious heart, was invited by Dharma (Yama) to enter the heavens as a mortal.

Narasipur Char 

Sahadeva - Part 5 (b), Kurukshetra war

Sahadeva - Part 5 (b), Kurukshetra war

Did uou know that Sahadeva, the youngest Pandava, fullfilled his vow of killing Shakuni, King of Madra, but also defeated 40 brothers of Kaurava Duryodhana?

The Kurukshetra War between the two adeversaries - the Pandavas and the Kauarvas - started on the date scheduled by Sahadeva astrologocally as per the Hindu calendar on the 11th day of the waxing moon of the Margashirsha (Agrahayan) month of the Hindu calendar. The war spanned eighteen days of intense fight at the end of which only twelve major warriors survived - the five Pandavas, Krishna, Satyaki, Ashwatthama, Kripacharya, Yuyutsu, Vrishaketu, and Kritavarma.

Even before the war, following a solar eclipse all the kings particpating in the war had gathered in Kurukshetra to purify themselves in the five lakes created by Parashurama.

Sahadeva played a significant role in the war, apart from the major roles played by his brothers Arjuna, Bhima and Yudishthira and their allies. Arjuna decapitated Karna, his arch rival on the 17th day of the war, Sahadeva slayed Shakuni on the 18th day, and Bhima killed Duryodhana with his mace on the night of the last day of the war. The most gruesome act of slaying all the Pandavas' remaining army including their children was perpetrated on the night of the 18th day by Ashwatthama, Kripacharya, and Kritavarma

At the begining of the war, Sahadeva, flying the flag on his chariot which bore the image of a silver swan, carrying his sword called and blowing his conch (shanku) known as Manipuspaka (meaning “ Jewel bracelet) enters the battle ground of Kurukshetra. When the war is declared the Pandava and Kaurava armies are arrayed before each other on the battlefield. Before the battle begins, Yudhishthira drops his weapons, takes off his armor, and walks towards the Kaurava army with folded hands in prayer. He falls on Bhishma's feet to seek his blessing for success in battle, and he is blessed. Yudhishthira returned to his chariot and the battle was ready to commence.

Arjuna also drops his weapons, turns to Krishna for divine advice and teachings as he is not able reconcile to the fact that he has to face his kin and gurus in war. Krishna, who Arjuna chose as his charioteer, advised him of his duty. Krishna instructs Arjuna not to yield to degrading impotence and to fight his kin. He also reminds him that it is a war between righteousness and unrighteousness (dharma and adharma), and it is Arjuna's duty to slay anyone who supported the cause of unrighteousness, or sin. Krishna reveals his divine form - Vishwaroopa- and explains that he is born on earth in each aeon when evil raises its head. The sermon that he delivered to Arjuna on this occaastion is the Bhagavad Gita, the holy scriptures in Hinduism.

As a warrior, Sahadeva slew many prominent warriors of the enemy as the war unfolds. 

Note: to be continued in the last episode titled: Sahadeva - Part 5 (c), 18 days Kurukshetra war and aftermath

Narasipur Char 

Sahadeva - Part 5 (a), Kurukshetra war and thereafter

Sahadeva - Part 5 (a), Kurukshetra war and thereafter

Did you know that Sahadeva and his Pandava brothers along with their common spouse Draupadi who were stripped of all their possesions and humiliated, had taken a vow in the Hastinapur Court to kill Shakuni, which Sahadeva did in the Kurukshetra war of the epic Mahabharata?

Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandava brothers, after the completion of the 13 year exile period and the last year in Ajñātavāsa (Incognito) in the kingdom of Virat, felt in his psychic power that a war against Kauravas, which Pandavas wished to avoid, was round the corner, and he also looked forward for the war. In fact, Sahadeva wanted to fight and end the Kauravas . He did not concur with the views of his brothers Yudhishthira, Bheema, Arjuna and Nakula who wanted to mentor peace with Kaurava’s Duryodhana; he had said that he will continue to fight the Kauravas till death. He was determined to kill Duryodhana and Shakuni in the war for their decietful act of the dice game and shameful act of humiliating Draupadi in the Hastinapur Court by trying to disrobe her. 

Yudhishthira made numerous diplomatic efforts to retrieve his kingdom of Indraprastha peacefully but in vain. The Kaurava chief Duryodhana refused to return Yudhishthira's kingdom. In a final attempt at securing peace, Krishna, had tried to negotiate with Duryodhana, the Pandavas' final proposal of giving up all claims to Indraprastha and Hastinapura in exchange for five villages. Duryodhana had scoffed at this proposal and said he will not even give a needle point of land to the Pandavas. Then, Yudhsithira was convinced by Krishna to wage war. Then both sides decided Kuruskhetra as the venue for the war and started preparing for the war by gathering their army and allies. 

Sahadeva with his reknowned skill of astrology, and his amiable gentle nature was acceptable to both Pandavas and Kauravas as a proper connecting llink. He was liked by the Kauravas and in fact by Duryodhana in particular, who consulted him to fix the right thithi ( lunar day) to start the war which should end in his favour. In this context, Prince Duryodhana, on the advice of Shakuni met Sahadeva in Pandavas camp at Kurukshetra. In exchange Duryodhana wanted the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva to switch sides with them, and that he would make them kings in exchange, even Sahadeva as king of Indraparstha. Nakula refused flatly. Sahadeva though declined Duryodhna's offer and called it preposterous, but disclosed the muhurtha and thithii (date) for the Kuruskhetra was inspite of knowing that Kauravas were their enemy, as Sahadeva was known to be very honest in his profession. Yudhishthira had supported his brother Sahadeva's action. It is also said that in the war strategy meeting convened by Bhishma in Hastinapur court, Duryodhana had suggested the name of Sahadeva to be consulted for fixing the date of the Kuruskehtra war as he was very proficient in Astrology. Sahadeva thus choose 11th lunar day (ekadashi) of the fortnight of the waxing moon in the month of Margashirsha and everybody in the Kauarava court seconded this choice. 

Prior to the war, Krishnas, sitting next to Sahadeva in forest near the battle field, had asked Sahadeva as to what should be done to stop the war. Sahadeva then reportedly bluntly said that Shri Krishna and Maharaja of Gandhara (Shakuni) should be given the death sentences. He also told Krishna that the Pandavas and Kauravas should be sent to the jungle (forest) or jailed for life, and the King of Anga, Karna, named the emperor of Aryavarta (Hastinpur and Indraprastha). 

Before the war began, Sahadeva met Gandhari, mother of Kauravas and assured her that the Pandavas will ensure that it would not be fought unfairly. 

For the war, Sahadeva chose the swan as the symbol of his flag to fly on his chariot. When he as a young student was undergoing a 2 year stint of teaching, away from Drona's gurukula (school), under the divine Brihaspathi. He travelled with his guru in southern India and had mastered the art of civic administration, astronomy and astrology, diplomacy and economy of nations. At then edn of this sojour of training, he had told his guru Brihaspathi of choosing white Swan as his flag as it was a metaphor for spiritual advancement. Even at that stage, he had foreseen the possibility of Hastinapur Kingdom geting divided. 

Sahadeva was eager to participate in the war as he was greatest swordsmen of Mahabharat like his brother, Nakula, but he was also very good at the axe. Sahadeva had his Conch (Shanka) called Manipushpaka to blow at the war.

Sahadeva was shocked to see that his maternal uncle who was supposed to join the Pandvas had joined hands with the Kauarvas as he was trapped by Druyodhana when Shalya was marching with his army towards to Kurukshetra.

The Pandavas gather their armies while camping at Upaplavya in Virata's territory. Contingents arrive from across the country. As the Pandava and Kaurava armies are facing each other on the Kuruksherta battle field, Sahadeva with his divine vision, views the Kaurava formatiom and makes a mental note of everyones position. The Kaurava army stood facing west and the Pandava army east. 

Note: To be continued in the next episode titled: "Sahadeva - Part 5 (b), Kurukshetra war".

Narasipur Char 

Sahadeva, Part 4, Exile

Sahadeva, Part 4, Exile

Did you know that Sahadeva, the Pandava enigma, explores the unexplored sub-plots of the story of Mahabharata as it unfolds?

Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pancha Pandavas of epic Mahabharata, was though normally an inconspicuous person, refined it as it helped him to observe the surroundings and to blend into the background as unobtrusively as possible. Following his eldest brother Yudhishthira's catastrophic loss in the game of dice played by Shakuni on behalf of Kuru prince Duryodhana, meant that all Pandavas, Sahadeva included had to live in exile for 13 years with last year in incognito. Before the Pandavas left Hastinapur, Sage Narada. surrounded by many powerful sages, appeared before King Dhritarashtra and foretold that In the fourteenth year from now, for Duryodhana's fault, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva will destroy the Kauravas.

As the Pandavas departed Hastinapur, the entire populace of the city had lined up the streets in grief. Sahadeva had then smeared his face thinking "none should recognise me in this hour of calamity". Nakula covered himself with ashes. Arjuna scattered sands to symbolize the countless arrows he would let loose in battle, Bhima walked with his hands outstretched to indicate to people that no one could equal him, and Yudhisthira had covered his face. Kunti had appealed to Draupadi to take care of her child Sahadeva as he holds a special place in her heart; Draupadi had left Hastinapur along with the Pandavas wearing a single safron cloth with her hair disheveled.

During their stay in the forest in Dwaitavana and Kirmira of Kamakhya Forest, Pandavas were visited by sage Veda Vyasa, their uncle Vidura, Krishna and many other sages, to boost their morale.

Once, while in exile in the forests, Jatasura, a rakshasa who disguised as a Brahmin, had kidnapped Nakula along with Draupadi, Sahadeva and Yudhishthira. Jatasura then furtively attacked Sahadeva. A long fight ensued between them, and Sahadeva initially felled Jatasura to the ground. Sahadeva had then thrown his axe at him but Jatasura rose up and gave a hard slap to Sahadeva and threw him to the ground ; Yudhisthira, Nakula and Panchali were distressed and told Jatasura that his death was near. Sahadeva and Jatasura continued the fight by uprooting trees and throwing it at each other, and at one stage, Sahadeva by throwing his axe had cut off the Jata or hair tuft by which the rakshasa was known as Jatasura, which infuriated him further. The rakshasa then , with magical powers as a mayavi, had asssumed immense proportions and Sahadeva was relentlessley attacked and injured. But then Bhima appeared on the scene eventualy and challenged Jatasura. In a very fierce fight Bhima hit Jatasura's head with his mace and slayed him. Sahadeva and his brother Nakula with their brothers Bhima and Yudhishthira then navigated to a nearby lake which was surrounded by a herbal forest where they nursed their wounds. 

The Pandavas during their wanderings in the forests, visiting pilgrimage places, and kingdoms of other rulers, finally come to the stage of spending one last year in agnyatavas (incognito living) at a place where they could hide without getting identified, otherwise if caught they had to go through the process of 13 years Vanavasa again. They collectively decided that the Virata Kingdom of king Virata would be an ideal place for them to hide in disguise. 

The day after Draupadi's entrance into Virata's palace as Sairandhri – 'an expert maid', in the name of Malini, employed by the Virata queen Shudeshna, Sahadeva made his way into the city dressed as a cowherd. He arrived at one cow posture in the region of Virata's palace. The king happened to be visitng his herd and was present when he saw a handsome well built man clad in a cowherd's dress, and speaking the dialects of the cowherds, and beholding him the King was struck with amazement. He asked Sahadeva, "To whom dost though belong" and whence though come.; What work dost though seek: I have never seen thee before." Sahadeva replied saying that he was a Vaisya, Arishtinemi by name, and was earlier in the employment of Kuru King Yudhishthira, the eldest of the five sons of Pandu and had tended to eight hundred thousand cattle and that people used to call him 'Tatripala', and that he knew the present, the past and the future of all kine (cows) living within ten yojanas (12–15 km). He also told the king the means by which kine population could be multiplied in a short time, and that he liked the work of taming, milking and breeding cattle. Impressed with the resume narrated by Sahadeva, King Virata employed him in his palace as the chief cowherd who supervised the maintenance and upkeep of all cows in Virata's kingdom, while his elder brothers assumed different roles in disguise to work in Virata's court; Yudhishthira assumed the identity of game entertainer to the king and calle himself Kanka, Bhima was the cook Ballava, Arjuna taught dance and music as eunuch Brihannala and dressed as a woman, and Nakula tended horses as Granthika. In Virata's kingdom the Pandavas had a very hilarious but entertaining time but also a mini war, which ultimately revealed their identity at the end of the Agnyatavasa period of one year.

In Virata's Matysa kingdom, with all powerful King's brother-in-law Kichaka's death at the hands of Bhima for his lascivious behaviuor towards Draupadi (Sairandhri), King Virata was weakened. It was then, scenting that Pandavas were residing incognito in Virata's palce, Duryodhana, the Kuru king and Susharma, King of Trigatas invaded Matsya Kingdom not only to capture Virata but also rob him of his immense cattle wealth. Virata with the help of the four Pandavas , Yudhisthira, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva defeated Susharma and freed from the clutches of Susharma. Meanwhile the Kurus had robbed Virata's kingdom of all their cattle wealth. However, they were defeated by Arjuna, with Uttara (King Virata's son) as a charioteer. The Kurus headed by Duryodhana, including Karna, were humiliated in the battle and returned to Hastinapur fully humbled. The cattle was eventually retrieved by Sahadeva. This day was also the last day of agnyatavasa of the Pandavas when they revealed their true identity to King Virata. Virata welcomed them in his court with due honours and assured them of all help, as their staunch ally, in fighting the Kurus in the event of a war to get back their rightful share of the Hastinapur Kingdom.

Note: To be continued in the next episode titled: "Sahadeva, Part 5, Kurukshetra war and thereafter.

Narasipur Char 

Sahadeva, Part 3, Rajasuya yagna and Draupadi's humiliation

Sahadeva, Part 3, Rajasuya yagna and Draupadi's humiliation 

Did you know that Sahadeva, following his expedition to southern India seeking allegiance of many kingdoms to Indraprastha Kingdom established by his oldest brother Yudhishthira, honoured Lord Krishna by giving the highest place of honour at the Rajasuya Yagna by offering Arghya and washing his feet?

Sahadeva, the youngest of the five Pandava brothers of epic Mahabharata, following his succesful armed expedition to south of Indraprastha kingdom, seeking allegiance and tributes of small and large kingdoms and individuals of the region to the Kingdom of Indraprastha established by his oldest brother Yudhisthira, participated in the Rajasuya Yagna in which a very large number of Kings including the Kaurava King Duryodhana, Shishupala, and many noble and learned personages participated. Sage Narada had advised Yudhishthira to conduct this Yagna. Bhishma Pitamaha, advised Yudhsithira to give the place of precedence to Lord Krishna as the chief guest of honour by offering him the first sacred arghya at the Rajasuya Yagna. Bhishma made this suggestion as he was of the opinion Krishna commanded the qualities of a Brahma and Kshatra, of a rishi, a yogi and a king. Then Bhishma signalled to Sahadeva, who held Krishna in great reverence and as his friend, to begin the proceedings of Rajasuyayagna by washing the feet of Krishna as the first recipient to recieive sacred arghya, in form of the water of the Sarasvati river. 

Sahadeva was too happy to perform this honour to Krishna. He went to Krishna, placed his feet lovingly in a flat vessel and poured the holy water of the Saraswati river mixed with five sacred herbs on Krishna's feet. He then touched Krishna's feet to his forehead and proceeded to dry them with a towel. After drying he proceeded to apply sandalwood paste to them and to venerate hirn with a form of worship offered to the first among equals in a yagna. 

At this stage of the Rajasuya Yagna proceedings, the court erupted with commotion created by Shishupala and Rukmi, Krishna's cousins and haters who openly created a ruckus and insulted Krishna by calling him by all sorts of names. Krishna, in great fury slayed Shishupala with his Sudarshanachakra as a punishment for his opprobrious abuse made against him. It was one of the saddest event of the epic Mahabharata. Krishna, however, excused Rukmi at the request of his sister Rukmini, but not before having his head shaved as a visible sign of a warrior's defeat.

Duryodhana also felt insulted as he had fallen down thinking a mirror floor in the palace of Indraprastha as a pool of water, and had stumbled and fallen down.; then Draupadi and her friends had laughed in ridicule. This is when Duryodhana probably decided to take revenge against her at the earliest. 

Soon after the Rajasuya Yagna, an emphatic assertion of suzernity, where Yudhishthira was crowned as an emperor 'Chakravarti Samrat', Duryodhana returned to his Kingdom Hastinapur, and in cohets with his maternal uncle Shakuni plotted against the Pandavas as they they could not digest the fame and prosperity of Indraprastha kingdom. Knowing the weakness of Yudhishthira to gambling, they invited him and his entire family to a gambling game of Pachisi, a game of dice. At that time, Sahadeva had compared this dice game to their earlier expericnees at Varanavata where the Kauravas had plotted to burn them alive. He had advised his brother Yudhishthira to reject the invitation to the dice game as it was a tragic plot to destroy them. But Yudhsitiura argued as if it was fateful and destined to happen. It was here that Sahadeva took Draupadi's (also known as Panchali) hand and presented her a gemstone studded ring and put it on a finger on which the gemstone would be most effective, and he also energised the ring with few incantations and left. Draupadi had observed at the time that Sahadeva had seen something to happen to her. 

Then the Pandavas along with Draupadi went to Hastinapur where they were welcomed by Duryodhana and his brothers, and Duryodhana is even said to have touched Yudhishthiras' feet in reverence. Sahadeva was unable to digest this hypocratic behaviour of Duryodhana and his brothers, but realised that he was destined to deal with much more. They assembled in the Hastinapur court where the Kaurava elder, Dhritarashtra presided and every 'Who is Who' of the two kingdoms were present. Shakuni, a master at the game, represented Duryodhana against Yudhishthira. It was called Dyut Sabha and when the rules of the game were stated by Shakuni, Sahadeva in disbelief shook his head and felt that events were getting messy and he could do nothing about it. Shakuni then manipulated Yudhishthira into gambling his kingdom, wealth, the freedom of his brothers, his wife Draupadi, and even himself. When Sahadeva was staked and lost, Sahadeva felt that his mentor, guide and God Krishna had let him down; at this time Shakuni had even slapped Sahadeva. This was followed by the most shameful event of insulting Draupadi leading to the Vastraharan, her disrobing. Pandavas were shamed and seemed helpless to defend Draupadi. When Draupadi was being disrobed by Dushasana, she pleaded to Krishna for help who did help her, and then Sahadeva cried and said: "...that the sari of Panchali was never going to come off- it was supported by the infinity of the element of space". Sahadeva also noticed that the gemstone ring he had given to Draupadi was shining on her finger in fully glory and protecting her modesty. It was at this court's shameful event that Sahadeva then stood up to defend Draupadi. Sahadeva openly vowed in the court to kill the evil Shakuni with his sword, as he had engineered this debacle of the Pandavas and humiliation of Draupadi. Sahadeva swore to thrust the sword he was adept at handling into the man who was sitting the Hastnapur court, clad in black robes, rolling a pair of dice, chuckling to himself. Sahadeva had even predicted, with his psychic extra sensory perception ( ESP - foresight), an eventual war between Pandavas and Kauravas will happen in which the Duryodhana along with his 100 Kaurava brothers and their ilk would be decimated.     

At the end of all the traumatic events, Yudhishthira not only lost his kingdom but also was forced into exile with his wife Draupadi and his brothers for 13 years (it was their second exile), which included one year in anonymity.

Note: To be continued in the next episode titled "Sahadeva, Part 4, Exile and Kurukshetra War".

Narasipur Char 

Sahadeva, Part 2, episodic events leading to marriage to Draupadi

Sahadeva, Part 2, episodic events leading to marriage to Draupadi   

Did you know the Sahadeva, the youngest prince of the Pandavas and the wisest in the epic Mahabharata, who personified Nyaya, and for his immense knowledge as a sooth-sayer was consulted by his adversary, Duryodhana to fix the right time to perform Kalabali Yagna to start the Kurukshetra war to become victorious?

Sahadeva, the youngest prince among the Pandavas and the wisest, in epic Mahabharata, who personified Nyaya, and who had intense knowledge of Astrology, created his own sphere of influence with this knowledge, and in later stages with his skill of warfare in sword fighting and use of axe (Parashu) conquered South India.  

Sahadeva and his brothers during their stay in Hastinapura underwent intense education, courtesy Bhishma Pitamaha, in aspects of religous scriptures, astronomy, and astra shastra (warfare), particuarly sword fight, under the able tutorship of Dronachrya and Kripacharya. They also had a traumatic period of stay, as the youngest of Pandava brothers in Hastinapur, when the Kaurava cousin brothers headed by Duryodhana constantly harassed all the Pandavas and even tried to kill the five brothers by hook or crook. One such episodic event, a turning point in the story of Mahabharata, was the Lakshagriha, the lacquer house, created in Varnavrta forest on the bank of Ganga river by Duryodhna's cronies to house the Pandavas; Duryodhana had offered this palatial house to the Pandvas as gesture of goodwill. But with secret information provided by their uncle Vidura, the Pandavas escaped through a tunnel from the burning house of Lakshagriha, and lived in the forests disguised as Brahmins. During this period another dramatic event occured when in a swayamvara arranged by King Drupada of Panchala for his daughter Draupadi, Arjuna the thrid Pandava wins Draupadi as his bride. While reporting this event to his mother Kunti who was lving in their village hut, Arjuna is informed by Kunti by mistake of not knowing what exactly Arjuna had acquired, asked him to share his booty Draupadi, as was their usual practice every day to share the food . Perplex by theri mother's words, all the five brothers sat around Draupadi and Kunti, and each one of them wanted to marry Draupadi. . Kunti had then asked Sahadeva's opinion, who had said that not only he but Nakula also wanted to marry Draupadi . Draupadi was shocked at this unexpected situation. Advised and persuaded by Kunti, Draupadi then became the common wife of all the five brothers including Sahadeva, the youngest. Thus, began the unique journey of Draupadi with five husbands and she played a definitive role in the events which led to the Mahabhara war and eventual elimination of all the Kauravas.  

With the Pandavas' survival revealed, King Dhritrashtra invited the Pandavas to Hastinapur and proposed that the kingdom be divided. The Pandavas were assigned the wasteland Khandavprastha, referred to as unreclaimed forest. With the help of Krishna, Pandavas rebuilt Khandavprastha with help of Agni disguised as a Brahmana,, and asked for their help, into the glorious Indraprastha (believed to be present day Delhi) as their capital, and into one of the most prosperous kingdoms; as Indra was the protecting deity (deva) of Khandava forest, the capital city built by Pandvas was was known as Indraprastha. To expand his kingdom King Yudhisthira wished to conduct the Rajasuya Yagna to establish his lordship and his suzenity over many regions of the country. He had sent his brothers to not only gain more land but also seek allegiance of the allied kingdoms. Sahadeva was chosen to go South of the Vindhya mountains to subjugate kingdoms. He was specifically chosen for the southern invasion because of his expertise with the sword, and because Bhishma opined that Southerners are skilled with sword-fighting in general. Sahadeva conquered more than 20 kingdoms and towns which also included Lanka then ruled by the descendents of Vibhishana (Ravana's brother), Surasenas, Pandyan Dynasty, monkey kingdom of Kishkinda, etc., and also the City of Mahishmati (conjectured to be Mysore). Sahadeva is said to have carried his Manipushpaka , the conch-shell, meaning “Jewel bracelet" during his southern invasions. A verse in the scriptures also mention that Sahadeva before his invasion south of Indraprastha, had forced tribute from Antioch, Rome and the City of the Greeks. His twin brother Nakula is said to have conquered the Huns along with Chinese to give trubte at the Rajasuya Yagna. 

Note: To be continued in the next episode titled: "Sahadeva, Part 3, epsisodic events of dice game and Draupadi's humilation"

Narasipur Char