Yudhishthira Laments Draupadi's Suffering

Kounteya — Yudhishthira — looked at her. She was wan in face and emaciated. She had fallen to the ground, unconscious. He took her on his lap, the one with dharma in his soul, and began to lament. "She was accustomed to sleeping on beautifully spread beds, in houses that were guarded well. This beautiful one is deserving of happiness. How is it that she has fallen down on the ground? Her feet are delicate. She is deserving of boons. Her face is like a lotus, but because of me, it is now darkened." He spoke of the dice game — the addiction that had cost them everything. "Having been addicted to dice, what have I done out of my stupidity? With Krishna, I am now wandering around in this forest, infested by masses of animals." He spoke of her father, King Drupada, who had bestowed the large-eyed one on the Pandavas, thinking she would obtain happiness. None of that had happened. "She is oppressed by exhaustion and unhappiness. She has fallen down on the ground because of my evil deeds." As Yudhishthira lamented, Dhoumya and all the other supreme among brahmanas came to him. They comforted him and pronounced their benedictions over him. They recited mantras to keep the rakshasas away and performed rites. The supreme rishis recited mantras for the sake of peace. The Pandavas repeatedly touched her with their cold hands. Fanned by the cool breeze that had drops of water mixed in it, Panchali slowly recovered and regained consciousness. They laid out the distressed Krishna on antelope skins that were spread out. After having rested, the ascetic lady regained her senses. With calloused hands, the twins — Nakula and Sahadeva — slowly rubbed her red-soled feet, marked auspiciously. And Dharmaraja Yudhishthira also comforted her.