Down to the Sabha she was dragged by her hair
With hung down heads did the crowd stare
She felt the hall to be empty for a while
With nary a sound, for many a mile
Upon opening her eyes did she then see
That it were not the chambers that were empty
Abiding Dharma, all were reluctant to hear
Hence all seemed to turn a deaf ear
She looked around for a helping hand
Yet did the entire Sabha silently stand
She looked around to see who were there
In a plight even her enemies couldn’t bear
She turned around to see her hostile kins
But at that point she couldn’t count their sins
Although she never foresaw this to be her fate
She was always prepared to endure their hate
She then saw men of Dharma, men of Fame
All surrendering silently to a single game
Hiding any signs of humanity within
She saw the men of virtue silencing a sin
She saw a king blinded by the justice he did
She saw the king blinded by the laws he bid
She saw a warrior as his valor died
Behind the veils of Dharma, she saw him hide
She saw a guru who preached of right and wrong
As with this helpless crime, he played along
She saw a minister who knew of virtue and vice
Against this, she saw him have no better advice
They proclaimed to be just, proclaimed to be true
Proclaimed to save the victims from blue
Yet proclamations were just ripples in the air
As for Draupadi’s plight nobody seemed to care
But the arrow that hurts is the closest one
As what they have done can never be undone
Even of the smallest hope did they deprive
Less painful than this would’ve been burning alive
With them, she had walked through the fire
With them, all bliss did she acquire
With them, all their sorrows, did she go through
Yet they decided to leave her in this blue
Didn’t they promise to protect her and her pride?
Didn’t they promise to face every high and low tide?
Didn’t they promise to hold her hand forever?
Didn’t they promise to be with her what so ever?
Was she so small a thing, to lose over a bet?
Was this so small an insult, to have nothing to fret?
Was this the place where all vows they break?
To ignore, was this so small a mistake?
No, against this injustice, she had to fight
She had to hold up with all her might
If not with her sword, then with her word
Yet they all dissipated through the halls unheard
Each and all of them did she question
Yet her words, did each and all of them shun
She echoed forever in the stone filled hall
Yet her voice felt ever so small
Unable to cover her pride this time
They decided to commit the biggest crime
She was to be disrobed then and there
And stand in the Sabha with open hair
As if all the sins to that place were brought
With Adharma, the court had begun to rot
In an attempt to go in Dharma’s way
Did all her protests fade away
She screamed and cried to the empty ears
Yet each and everyone only disappears
If only she was as strong as her soul
Maybe she would’ve saved her dignity as a whole
Yet one hope she still held onto
The only man who could help her through
“Krishna! The saviour of one and all!
Please create your presence in this hall!
Please ignite my only candle of hope
And through this agony, let me cope
Through all of this, let my dignity survive
Please prove to me, that Dharma is alive!”
And as asked, she was helped all along
As her clothing grew infinitely long
Although every man’s dignity died that day
Draupadi’s was saved all through the way
Although she was saved, she wasn’t happy with this
Did all right thinking suddenly go amiss?
Had humanity left all men on this land?
That upon moral peril, the all crumble like sand?
Were all men short of such capability?
That only a God could come and set her free?
Was speaking a word such big a crime?
Or did the universe go deaf, this one time?
She could no longer discern bliss and pain
She could no longer discern loss and gain
She could no longer discern blood and tears
She could no longer discern joys and fears
Which human to trust she no longer knew
For her closest ones cause such a blue
Even earth couldn’t bear the glum she did
And of this scar, she can never get rid
Yet nothing can miss from the eyes of time
And surely not such a terrible crime
From time, nothing can go amiss
For in time, the world will have to pay for this.
- Veda Samhita