Does a society learn from its past? Past mistakes to be precise? Has
our nation learnt from the gut-wrenching incident of a Nirbhaya on a fateful
night of December 2012? Have rapes and murders of women stopped? Have the
changes in law brought any respite to a woman? Is she more secure today?
At the cost of repetition, does a society learn from its mistakes? No,
it seldom does.
All of us are well aware of the episode of Draupadi’s vastraharan or disrobing after she was
lost in the dice game, by her husband, Yudhishtir. Many say that it was this
that led to Kurukshetra, while some say, it was Draupadi’s laughter at
Duryodhana at Indraprastha. Irrespective of it, the society blames Draupadi for
the war. But going back the episode of the disrobing; an effort is made to
disrobe Draupadi and her husband/s say nothing. They remain mute observers, as
they were supposed to be following the dharma of a slave! Allowing ones wife to
be stripped in public and not stand by her, could never be part of any dharma,
was forgotten by none other than Dharma-raj himself.
One would think that such an experience would be enough to last a
lifetime for a person like Yudhishtir, right? Wrong!
Let me relate another incident that happens after sometime and
Yudhishtir behaves in the same way, as he did earlier and thus my concern –
does society ever learn?
After the Pandavs lost everything in the dice game, in spite of
Draupadi winning everything back with her arguments and invoking humanity, in
the court of Hastinapur, the Pandavs are sent to exile for twelve years and an
additional year incognito, i.e. in disguise. If they were found out in the thirteenth
year, then they would have to go for another thirteen years in exile.
During the thirteenth year, the Pandavs and Draupadi decided to take
refuge at the court of Virata, all in disguise. Yudhistir becomes the advisor
to the King and Draupadi becomes one of maids of the Queen Sudeshna of Virata.
However, Draupadi’s beauty attracts the evil gaze of the Queen’s bother
Keechaka, who is also the powerful army chief. Draupadi tries to stall his
advances, but is unable to do much when the Queen herself insists that she give
in to her advances. Queen Sudeshna once forced Draupadi to take wine for
Keechaka in his chambers. Once there, Keechaka tries to molest her and Draupadi
to avoid his advances runs away from his chambers and lands up in the court
seeking protection from the king and her husband, Yudhishtir, who was present
in the court.
Keechaka follows her to the court, and seizing her by her hair throws
her down on the earth, kicked her in the very presence of the King, and of
course her husband Yudhishtir. Draupadi urges the King to intervene and save
her from the mighty Keechaka who has been casting evil eye on her, a married
woman, all this while hoping Yudhishtir would intervene. While the King didn’t
know how to react, as Keechaka was his brother-in-law and a general, the
courtiers applauded Draupadi’s stance of seeking justice in an open court
against the wrong-doings of Keechaka, which were well known. To Draupadi’s
horror, Yudhishtir speaks and scolds her for disturbing the proceedings of the
court and bringing such complaints in front of everybody. He further tells her
not to put up an act and go back to the inner chambers of the Queen and not
come back with such lamentations to the court, especially when a dice game is
on!
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Draupadi in Virata's palace, by Raja Ravi
Varma
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While many say, that Yudhishtir said this as he did not want to risk
being recognized in the crucial thirteenth year, the fact remains, that once
again Draupadi was insulted and once again her husband did not come to her
help. I repeat, does the society learn from its past mistakes? While Yudhishtir
could have managed to save Draupadi with some of his advise and that too in a
court which was averse to Keechaka, Yudhistir decided to reprimand Draupadi for
‘wasting the time of the court’.
Misplaced sense of duty or selfish agenda, or both?
On this Women’s day, I urge people to stand up for women, irrespective
of one’s political and ideological affiliations. A woman’s dignity is of prime
significance and no crime on her part can justify, lynching, molestation and
public humiliation and in modern times, social media trolling. The society has
no right to breach codes of morality both written and unwritten. This society
has enough Keechaka’s and Sudeshna’s, but it is the responsibility of every
citizen to stand by a woman, irrespective of her ‘crime’. It’s time to pull
down curtains on the age-old lip-service that a woman is a mother and goddess
and she needs to be worshipped. A woman doesn’t need to be worshipped; she
needs to be respected for who she is – an individual. While today’s woman can
take care of herself, if a man stands by her, it would only act as a fillip.
And finally, men, don’t be Yudhishtirs, be a Bhima. Just to conclude
the story, Draupadi goes to Bhima and relates everything. Next night Bhima
kills Keechaka. Bhima stands by his wife.
If a woman is safe, everyday will be a woman’s day; if she is not, what's the big deal in celebrating it even for one day?