Duhshasana Mocks the Defeated Pandavas and Draupadi
As the defeated Pandavas dress in deerskins for exile, Duhshasana publicly taunts them for their poverty and urges Draupadi to abandon her impotent husbands and choose a new one from among the prosperous Kurus.
The sons of Pritha were preparing for exile in the forest. One after another, they dressed themselves in deerskins. These destroyers of enemies had lost their kingdom and were now attired like ascetics. Seeing them ready to leave, Duhshasana spoke, his voice carrying in the sabha.
“The wheel has now begun to turn for the great-souled king, Dhritarashtra’s son,” he said, meaning Duryodhana. “The Pandavas have been vanquished and have attained supreme misery.” He framed their loss as a divine gift to the Kauravas. “Today, the gods have come to us along their smooth celestial routes. We have become elders to our enemies in qualities, their elders and more numerous than they are.”
His mockery was relentless. “The Pandavas have descended into hell for a long time, for eternity. They have fallen from happiness and have lost their kingdom, destroyed for an eternity.” He reminded them of their former pride. “They were intoxicated with their strength and laughed at the sons of Dhritarashtra. They have been defeated and have lost their riches.” He pointed at their new garments. “They have to give up their multicoloured armour and their divine and radiant garments. All of them must now put on the skins of ruru deer.”
Then he turned his cruelty to their marriage. “Yajnasena was the immensely intelligent descendant of Somaka. He gave his daughter Panchali to the Pandavas. That was not a deed well done, because the Parthas, husbands of Yajnaseni, are impotent.”
His final words were aimed directly at Draupadi. “O Yajnaseni! What pleasure will you derive, since those dressed in fine garments are now reduced to deerskins in the forest, without riches and without homes?” He offered her a way out, an insult disguised as counsel. “Choose a husband who will bring you pleasure. All the Kurus who are assembled here are forbearing and self-controlled and have no dearth of riches. Choose one of them as your husband, so that you do not suffer from this change in fortune.”
He dismissed the Pandavas as worthless. “All the Pandavas are now like sesame seeds without kernels, or deer that only have skin on them. They are like barren corn. Why do you show homage to the Pandavas who have fallen? Serving sterile sesame seeds is a waste of labour.” Dhritarashtra’s son uttered these cruel and harsh words in the hearing of the Parthas, ensuring their rage would follow them into the forest.