Week 12 Reading Diary A: Gambling & The Fallout

In the reading diary of part A for week 12 we are reading pages 93 through 138. It picks up rather quickly with the game of dice set to take place. They begin the match with Yudhisthira representing the Pandavas and Shakuni representing Duryodhana. Shakuni is now to be a skilled dice thrower. They begin to bet many things that you would imagine such as gold and other valuables. However, when he starts losing Yudhisthira gambles away all of his brothers, himself, and eventually Draupadi. Draped is set to work in the kitchen. Then she is summoned to Assembly Hall with Dushashana who strips her dress off, however, thanks to Krishna overtime a dress is removed another one appears. Dhritarashtra intervenes freeing everyone and restoring them of their riches. Then after the final throw of the dice, the Pandavas and Draupadi agree to go into exile. Vyasa then reappears in the forest to tell Yudhisthira the story of King Nala, the king of the Nidasha people. Nala was chosen by Damayanti, as they were madly in love with each other, to be her husband. The evil spirit Kali was also in love with her and vowed to ruin their happiness. Kali eventually found a wy to take everything from Nala and eventually forced him to try and get Damayanti to return to her father's house instead of stay with Nala. However, instead she decided to search for Nala against all advice received until she was attacked. Only then did she return to ask her father for assistance in the search for Nala. Eventually the two were reunited and Nala won back his kingdom and wealth in a game of dice. Visa then taught Yudhisthira the science of gambling with dice.

Nala and Damayanti

Source: Wikipedia