Prompt - Dyut Sabha from Arjun's perspective.

Tags - -Ankitaa _RulerOfHearts_ RealmOfMahanaayak

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-- ARJUN'S POINT OF VIEW --

"Draupadi wants to know, 'Whose lord were you when you lost me? Did you lose yourself first or me ?' She has sent these questions." The Suta said.

My clenched fists trembled with suppressed rage, yearning to unleash its righteous vengeance upon the perpetrators who were daring to besmirch the impeccable reputation of our wife Draupadi.

I glanced at my eldest brother Yudhishthir who in a deluded mind had staked her. His hands were trembling, tears rolled down from his widened eyes, his parted lips were quivering slightly as the weight of the realisation kept haunting him as to what he had lost.

Seeing his ever so composed self, on the verge of breaking apart, my anger was being overtaken by pity. He was naive in gambling, he didn't know how to play the game of dice properly but uncle Shakuni who was playing against him, was of unmatched skills in this game. Had this not been a challenge, Jyesht would've never accepted it.

I kept staring at him, expecting him to answer the question Draupadi sent. I was desperate to know what he would say. I was hopelessly hoping for the game of dice to be nullified on the grounds of unfairness. If not the entirety, then at least this round.

But Jyesht didn't say a word, he sat there like someone who has lost his senses. Yudhishthir, the one steady even in times of war, was losing his composure like so. My heart was tearing apart just by looking at him.

"Let Krishnaa come here and ask the question herself ! Bring her here, let her be in front of us." Duryodhan said to the Suta.

"But Rajkumar, h-how can say such words to Krishnaa herself ?" The suta said, afraid of Draupadi's wrath.

Duryodhan grunted in anger and then looked at Dushashan, "This servant is dumb ! He is afraid of Vrikoder ! O brother, go bring Draupadi yourself !"

Listening the command, Dushashan arose from his seat, his eyes were red with anger. Every fiber of myself was telling me to get up and stop him, stop him before he commits an audacity against our wife, against my wife. But I stood there helplessly as Dushashan left, for the sake of Jyesht Bhrata.

I could make out from the face of Uncle Shakuni, that a part of him wanted us brothers to stand up against this injustice, to rebel against Yudhishthir and disown him. He knew, just like the rest of the world, that our strength lied in our unity.

I have understood that this conspiracy was not just to insult us, but to break our bond, based on whose strength we had conquered the entire earth. We need to persevere here, we need to because as long as we brothers are together, no matter how many conspiracies they undertake, the Kauravas cannot win.

I glance at the twins beside me, Nakul and Sehdev, the ever so proud and honoured princes were standing with lowered faces, their eyelashes weren't letting a tear escape. They didn't want to show any sign which will make Kauravas believe that they won.

My gaze then shifted towards elder brother Bheem, he was fuming with anger. His eyes were red, his fists were clenched. Just like a storming river that threatens to break a dam and destroy everything in its way, his rage was threatening to break his composure. He was furious, especially at Jyesht.

"PRAY TO KRISHNA AND JISHNU ! PRAY TO HARI AND NARA ! BUT I WILL TAKE YOU !" Dushashan's voice boomed.

I turned my gaze to the door, my eyes widened seeing the insolent Dushashan dragging Draupadi by her hair. Her pious hair which was sprinkled with auspicious waters during Rajsuya, was now dishevelled as she was pulled by it, clad in a single garment which was stained by the blood of her menses.

"O Dushashan, do not dishonour me in this manner.... Even if Indra and gods become your allies, my husbands will not forgive you..." Draupadi sobbed in whispers.

My heart pounded in my chest, my fingernails were digging in my palms, as I struggled to maintain control over the tumultuous emotions raging within me. The desire to retaliate swells in me, threatening to break free from the chains of my obligations. But losing control now, will be going against Jyesht, which is exactly what these treacherous beings want.

"Shame ! The descendants of Bharat lineage have lost their dharma ! The Kshatriyas have lost their nobility ! The foremost Kurus have chosen to ignore this transgression of dharma !" Draupadi cried piteously.

Her tear filled eyes casted a scournful side glance at us. I was feeling inflamed by that, my body became filled with wrath. A burning rage was consuming me, it was consuming all of us. We didn't suffer that much from the loss of our kingdom, riches or ourselves as we did from Draupadi's sidelong angry and miserable glance.

Dushashan dragged her with even more force now, she almost lost her senses. Vengeance seemed to be consuming my entire self, we had always treated her with so much care, respect and love. We treated her with utmost gentleness and now this poor excuse of an Arya was treating her like an animal !

"Dasi !" He laughed and so did the his brothers while Shakuni applauded his deed.

"Excellent !" Karn approved of his words by laughingly uproariously.

I looked at him, I understand what rivalry the Kauravas have with us, but why is he always showing his enmity !? Why is he involved in these conspiracies !? Who is he to even get involved in something that doesn't concern him !?

Ignoring him like always, I shifted my gaze back to Draupadi who was keeping forward her questions again in front of all. Even while weeping she tried to advocate for us, for Jyesht. Such is her heart. No elder was able to answer her questions. They all have up on trying, while she insisted on them answering.

"Shut it dasi !" Dushashan exclaimed. He spoke many cruel words to her. And once again began to drag her. Draupadi's upper garments became dishevelled while the lower garments became even more stained with her blood.

"O YUDHISHTHIR !" Bheem stood up, he was extremely angry and distressed. I was fearing that he will do what the Kauravas want him to do.

"Gamblers are kind even to their courtesans ! We lost everything, yet my anger remained subdued because you are our lord ! But by staking Draupadi, you have committed a grave sin ! She is suffering from this humiliation because of you ! Because of her my anger is befalling over you !" He blazed in anger.

Bheem had never talked to Jyesht like this. It seems as though the Kauravas have successfully broken his pride in dharma, in our eldest brother. I cannot let this happen. We need to stick together, especially now when our enemies are trying to provoke conflict among us.

"O Sehdev ! Pass me the fire so I can burn the hands of Yudhishthir !" Bheem commanded in anger.

"Bheem stop !" I said standing up, holding his arm. "One should never cross one's elder brother. It is dharma. Do not give it up now, because that is what they want. Jyesht lost because he was challenged and he followed the dharm of Kshatriya. He gambled because of the desires of these enemies. Now please don't you also given in to what they desire, the destruction of our unity." I said.

"Arjun, had I not known that he has not done it himself, I would've burnt his hands in blazing fire. But I understand what you are saying." Bheem said with a sigh.

We fell silent, the only uproars were now the ones happening in the sabha along with the lamentations of Draupadi, who was now questioning Pitamah but even with his vast knowledge, he couldn't answer her questions. Vikran tried to stand up for her, but he was shut down by his brothers.

"Listen all who are distressed by her misery !" Karn intervened, "It is ordained by gods, that women must only submit to one husband. But she has submitted to five. There is nothing surprising in her being brought into the sabha in a single garment, or even if she is naked ! Vikarn is a child. O Dushashan ! Strip away the garments of Draupadi and Pandavas !" He said insolently.

And those words of his struck a deep chord within me, eroding the foundations of my composure. This unforgivable affront to our wife's honor pierced through the facade of serenity that I was holding up to now.

I wanted to give up now, let my anger take control of myself and unleash hell upon him. I wanted to cut that daring tongue of his, pierce every limb of his body, for this transgression. I can forgive everything he has said or done till now, but I cannot forgive this !

I got hold of my angvastra and threw it on the ground. So did my brothers. We sat down, our bodies burning with untamed fury.

"No !" Draupadi cried as Dushashan forcibly tugged on her garment. I wanted to stand up and break those hands of his, but for the sake of Jyesht, for the sake of our unity I sat there, silently watching as she suffered. Seeing her tear-stainned face, my own tears threatened to fall.

But just as Dushashan forcibly pulled her garment, another similar garment appeared. Dushashan pulled once again, but once again similar garment appeared. This happened again and again.

A terrible uproar arose. All the assembled kings, all of us, witnessed the most extraordinary sight in the worlds. I stared at Drauapadi, her hands were joined, her eyes were shut closed, she looked as if her mind was focused of something or rather someone.

And I knew who. I knew him exactly. The Narayan of this Nar. Jishnu couldn't help her, but Vishnu did. O Madhav, I am eternally grateful to you. Indeed, Krishnam Sada Sahayate.

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A/N

Word count - 1667

This was the one shot of my interpretation of Arjun's perspective during Dyut, hope you liked it ✨