Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.1193

c5.1193

7) Second game and exile in the forest. Duryodhana and others did not appreciate the intervention of their father. He again conspired with Śakuni and it was decided to challenge Dharmaputra to one more game. The conditions to be stipulated were that the vanquished in the game should stay in exile for twelve years in the forest and live incognito during the thirteenth year, and if found out and recognised during this period the whole process of exile and life incognito would have to be repeated. Duryodhana and Śakuni approached Dhṛtarāṣṭra and said to him thus: “Dear father, the desire for revenge at their defeat in the game of dice gnaws at the Pāṇḍavas’ heart like poison. Also, they will never forget our having dragged Draupadī by her hair. When a suitable occasion arises they will take revenge on the whole lot of us. Therefore, we want to challenge Dharmaputra to a final game of dice, the condition being that he who gets defeated should go in exile into the forest for twelve years and then to live incognito for one year. If we get defeated we will simply carry out the condition on our part.