addicted to these, liveth forsaking virtue.  And people do not regard the acts done by a person who is thus improperly engaged, as of any authority.  This son of Pandu, while deeply engaged in one of these vicious acts, urged thereto by deceitful gamblers, made Draupadi a stake.  The innocent Draupadi is, besides, the common wife of all the sons of Pandu.  And the king, having first lost himself offered her as a stake.  And Suvala himself desirous of a stake, indeed prevailed upon the king to stake this Krishna.  Reflecting upon all these circumstances, I regard Draupadi as not won.”

“Hearing these words, a loud uproar rose from among those present in that assembly.  And they all applauded Vikarna and censured the son of Suvala.  And at that sound, the son of Radha, deprived of his senses by anger, waving his well-shaped arms, said these words,—­’O Vikarna, many opposite and inconsistent conditions are noticeable in this assembly.  Like fire produced from a faggot, consuming the faggot itself, this thy ire will consume thee.  These personages here, though urged by Krishna, have not uttered a word.  They all regard the daughter of Drupada to have been properly won.  Thou alone, O son of Dhritarashtra in consequence of thy immature years, art bursting with wrath, for though but a boy thou speakest in the assembly as if thou wert old.  O younger brother of Duryodhana, thou dost not know what morality truly is, for thou sayest like a fool that this Krishna who hath been (justly) won as not won at all.  O son of Dhritarashtra, how dost thou regard Krishna as not won, when the eldest of the Pandavas before this assembly staked all his possessions?  O bull of the Bharata race, Draupadi is included in all the possessions (of Yudhishthira).  Therefore, why regardest thou Krishna who hath been justly won as not won?  Draupadi had been mentioned (by Suvala) and approved of as a stake by the Pandavas.  For what reason then dost thou yet regard her as not won?  Or, if thou thinkest that bringing her hither attired in a single piece of cloth, is an action of impropriety, listen to certain excellent reasons I will give.  O son of the Kuru race, the gods have ordained only one husband for one woman.  This Draupadi, however, hath many husbands.  Therefore, certain it is that she is an unchaste woman.  To bring her, therefore, into this assembly attired though she be in one piece of cloth—­even to uncover her is not at all an act that may cause surprise.  Whatever wealth the Pandavas had—­she herself and these Pandavas themselves,—­have all been justly won by the son of Suvala.  O Dussasana, this Vikarna speaking words of (apparent) wisdom is but a boy.  Take off the robes of the Pandavas as also the attire of Draupadi.  Hearing these words the Pandavas, O Bharata, took of their upper garments and throwing them down sat in that assembly.  Then Dussasana, O king, forcibly seizing Draupadi’s attire before the eyes of all, began to drag it off her person.”