Week 9 Reading Diary B: Games of Dice

This week for the second part of our reading we picked up with Duryodhara. He has just learned that the Pandavas are still alive. He is bothered by the fact that his father, Dhritarashtra, will not hate the Pandavas. Bhishma and Vidura give opposing advice that ends up resulting in Karna wanting war. However, Dhristarashtra gives the Pandavas land in Hastinapura. The Pandavas take this land and erect their own city, Indraprastha. Yudhisthira is named king of their great city. Duryodhana becomes very jealous of the Pandavas and Indraprastha. Duryodhana and Shakuni then plan their game of dice in order to get revenge for the Pandavas laughing at them. Yudhishthira cannot refuse the game of dice so the Pandavas and him head to Hastinapura. During the game of dice, Yudhishthira loses everything that he owns in the game of dice. This includes his family, himself, and Draupadi. Draped and the Pandavas are forced to strip in the hall. After everything is returned to everyone and they all return home. There is then, of course, a second game of dice. Yudhishthira loses forcing the Pandavas into exile. Krishna then goes to Yudhishthira and promises to punish Duryodhana. At the end of this week's reading we are left with Arjuna returning to the Pandavas with the weapons he has acquired.

The First Game of Dice

Source: Wikipedia