Hindu Administrative Institutions c8.s4.t1.8

c8.s4.t1.8

The *Sabha* consisted of all castes and classes. The Kṣatriyas are there conspicuous. Bhīṣma and Vidura who are Kṣatriyas and Droṇa, Bharadvāja and Kṛpa (Brahmans) are among those present.¹ These were well disciplined by the *Śastras* and highly respectable. Draupadī raised a point of law before this august assembly of sages, ministers, and courtiers, whether Yudhiṣṭhira had the right to pawn her after he had himself become a slave.² Bhīṣma justifies Yudhiṣṭhira’s right by saying that the technicalities of *dharma* are too subtle.³ Karṇa, Duśśasana, and Duryodhana justified the action on the part of Duśśasana to drag her by force into the open court though she was sparsely dressed and in her periods. But Vidura sympathized with Draupadī and appealed to the assembly for an impartial consideration of the question without fear or favour but with an eye to *dharma* and *satya*. He asks every member to speak out his opinion according to his knowledge and judgment free from *kāma*, *krodha*, and other undesirable influences. He further expatiates on the point and says⁴ that he who is a member of the assembly and fails to give out his opinion distorts the law when asked for, comes close to being a liar and quotes the classic discussion between Prahlāda and the sage Angirasa on this point. Vikarṇa, one of the brothers of Duryodhana, associated himself with the views of the sage Vidura. Bhīṣma accepts the position as a most difficult one and accepts also his inability to give a decisive reply, but added that Yudhiṣṭhira himself is the best and final authority on the subject.¹ Duryodhana too acceded to this position and ordered that every one of the five husbands could speak on the point. On this the members became extremely happy and loudly applauded him by signs of eyes and lips. But a few became distressed and cried ‘Oh, Alas!’ Bhīma spoke hot when Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Vidura asked him to forbear. Karṇa replied Bhīma hotly and Vidura spoke of the prosecution of *dharma* in the *sabhā* and insisted that Draupadī’s position was the right one. He added that if this were overlooked the prosperity of the state would come to an end. Moved by Draupadī and others, Dhṛtarāṣṭra released the Pāṇḍavas with Draupadī from slavery and asked them to be friendly with the Kurus by ruling at Kāṇḍavaprasta.² This shows how the business of the assembly was usually conducted. That ladies could take part in the assembly discussion is seen from the fact that Maṇḍodari goes to Rāvaṇa’s court after the death of Prahasta and dissuades him by several arguments to desist from fighting Rāma.³