Five thousand years ago the great World War, the Battle of Kuruksetra, changed the course of human history. The ancient world order was destroyed and the Age of Kali yuga began. This is all recorded by Srila Vyasadeva in his great historical narration, Mahabharata.
Here in this chapter, the destruction of the dynasties of the world is finally proclaimed. The indignation and offenses committed to Maharaja Yudhisthira, the rightful heir to Emperor of the World and his brothers, are no longer tolerable. The ultimate insult has been committed. The humiliation of Draupadi, the Queen of the Pandavas.
We have knowledge of kings marrying more than one queen but here we see such a powerful and chaste lady that she is married to all five Pandava brothers. Something not heard of before even in ancient times.
Her fiery temperament is seen here to blaze as she recounts to Krishna who has just heard of the travesty, the humiliation she was subjected to by Duryodhana in his madness of envy of the Pandavas. Dragged by her hair into the assembly of elders, (compare to Parliament of today) with barely an undergarment on and attempted to be completely disrobed before everyone. Having been staked and lost in a cheating gambling match designed by Duryodhana and company to crush and destroy the Pandavas she is helplessly assaulted. What better way to affront the Pandavas than to disgrace their beloved Queen before them and everyone else?
This was the last straw. Up to this point the Pandavas tolerated a poison cake, having their palace set on fire and being denied the kingdom, their rightful inheritance. But now this was it. This is was the turning point that saw the course of history finally turn toward war.
Although the Mahabharata reads like a drama it is actually history. This is due to the genius of Srila Vyasadeva the author. Mahabharata has been read, recited and studied continuously ever since it was first recorded over five thousand years ago.
Some things don't change. Human nature. Love and War. Fear, hate and envy. We can learn a lot from Mahabharata how these things play out and how ultimately justice has it's way.
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Link to the text:
http://www.krishnapath.org/Library/Mahabharata/Mahabharata-retold_by_C.Rajagopalachari.pdf