Mahabharata: Chapter 2. The Hall Summary & Analysis

THE HALL. Vaiśampayana continues his story, telling of how the demon Maya acquires great wealth and builds a lavish hall with trees made of gold. He gives gifts to the Pandavas, including a club for Bhima and a conch for Arjuna. The hall has 8,000 Rakshasa guards. Maya then gives the great hall to Yudhishthira, who holds a great feast to celebrate. Seers from around the world come, and some play music.

Narada visits Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira asks Narada if he’s ever seen such a magnificent hall. Narada describes some of the splendid halls he’s seen. They discuss what it means to be a good leader. Narada says Yudhishthira needs to perform an extreme sacrifice—a royal consecration.

CONSULTATIONS. After Narada leaves, Yudhishthira contemplates the matter of a royal consecration. He continues to rule successfully, earning a reputation for having no enemies. He asks advisors for advice about a consecration, summoning Krishna. Krishna warns Yudhishthira of his enemies around the world. In particular, there is Jarasamdha, a king who has captured many other kings and wants to sacrifice them to increase his own standing. Krishna believes it isn’t possible to have a royal consecration while the powerful Jarasamdha lives. At first, Yudhishthira thinks it’s too risky to try to kill Jarasamdha.

THE KILLING OF JARASAMDHA. Krishna agrees to join Bhima and Arjuna in attacking Jarasamdha. This plan finally pleases Yudhishthira. Krishna, Bhima and Arjuna all travel together to the city of Magadha, which they enter in disguise as unarmed common people. They manage to make their way right to Jarasamdha himself. The king sees through their disguises and asks who they really are. Krishna gives a vague answer and says they’ve come on hostile terms. Jarasamdha asks how he could possibly be enemies with them, since they’re strangers.

Krishna accuses Jarasamdha of being willing to sacrifice other kings because he is arrogant and views himself above all other Kshatriyas. Krishna finally reveals his identity, as well as the identities of Arjuna and Bhima. Jarasamdha protests that he only imprisons kings he has fairly defeated. He asks to fight Krishna however he likes, either one-on-one or with whole armies. Krishna knows Jarasamdha is fated to be killed but not by Krishna himself. He asks Jarasamdha which one of them he wants to fight. Jarasamdha chooses Bhima.

Bhima and Jarasamdha begin a fierce battle that lasts 13 days straight. Bhima learns about Jarasamdha’s weaknesses from Krishna. Finally, Bhima manages to catch Jarasamdha in a wrestling hold, spin him around 100 times in the air, then bring him down and break his back, killing him. Krishna, who is unhurt after the battle, mounts his flying chariot with Bhima and Arjuna and rides around the city to everyone’s awe. Krishna frees the grateful kings that Jarasamdha captured.

Krishna pardons Jarasamdha’s son and makes him the new king. Krishna, Bhima, and Arjuna all go back to Yudhishthira, who greets them joyfully. Yudhishthira asks Krishna’s permission to finally perform a royal consecration. Yudhishthira prepares a great feast, inviting illustrious Brahmins and Kshatriyas from across the land, then gives them lavish accommodations. Nakula invites Bhishma and Dhritarashtra, who come gladly. Noble guests keep coming and offering Yudhishthira gifts, believing he is full of dharma. At last, Yudhishthira conducts a sacrifice, and the gods are pleased by his rich gifts.

THE PRESENTATION OF THE GUEST-OFFERINGS. Brahmin seers led by Narada come to the sacrificial ground to pay tribute to Yudhishthira. When it comes time to make guest-offerings, Yudhishthira asks Bhishma who should receive the first offering. Almost everyone agrees that Krishna deserves this honor, except for the king of Cedi, who is called Śisupala. Śisupala accuses Yudhishthira of being biased toward Krishna. He leaves the sacrificial grounds, but Yudhishthira follows him. Yudhishthira accuses Śisupala of having ignored dharma with his insults to Krishna. Bhishma also speaks on Krishna’s behalf. Śisupala gets angry and prepares to disrupt the sacrifice.

THE KILLING OF ŚISUPALA. Śisupala continues to cause trouble for Yudhishthira. Bhishma tells Bhima Śisupala’s backstory: Śisupala is born with three eyes and four arms, but a voice tells his parents that these extra features will vanish when he sits in the lap of the person who is going to kill him. He sits on many kings’ laps, until finally his extra eye and arms disappear when he sits on Krishna’s lap. His parents beg Krishna for a boon, hoping Krishna will forgive their son’s sins, and he agrees.

Later, at the sacrificial ceremony, Śisupala challenges Krishna to a fight. Krishna gives a speech about how Śisupala is evil and has a deathwish. As Śisupala replies, Krishna decapitates him with a discus. Immediately, it begins to rain. Yudhishthira holds observances for Śisupala, then anoints Śisupala’s son as the new king of Cedi. Eventually, the sacrificial ceremony concludes, and everyone disperses. Before leaving, Krishna tells Kunti that her sons have become true rulers.

THE GAMBLING MATCH. Duryodhana and Śakuni linger in Yudhishthira’s great hall. Duryodhana sees a crystal floor in the hall and thinks it’s water, so he pulls up his clothes to cross it. This leads him to make the opposite mistake later, falling headlong into water and causing everyone around him to laugh. Duryodhana is angry and jealous, and so he begins plotting with Śakuni as he leaves the hall. Śakuni tries to convince him that he has no cause for anger at the Pandavas, but he nevertheless assures Duryodhana that he has many allies of his own, like Drona and Karna.

Śakuni advises Duryodhana that Yudhishthira can’t be defeated in battle, so the best option is to try to challenge him in gambling, particularly since Śakuni himself is an expert gambler. Duryodhana approves of this plan but says they need to seek permission from his (Duryodhana’s) father, Dhritarashtra. They present their plan to Dhritarashtra who is skeptical at first but slowly becomes convinced. He says he’ll make a decision after hearing from his advisor Vidura.

Vidura disapproves of anything involving gambling, believing it causes discord. Nevertheless, Dhritarashtra ignores his advice and gives Duryodhana permission to proceed with the gambling scheme. Against his will, Vidura goes to find Yudhishthira and try to start a gambling competition. Yudhishthira fears there may be cheaters at the gambling match but accepts anyway. He rides off to the dwelling of Dhritarashtra for the competition, taking Draupadi and other companions with him.

Yudhishthira arrives at Dhritarashtra’s palace. He meets with Śakuni, who invites him to throw dice with him. Yudhishthira has misgivings about whether gambling is a noble thing to do, but Śakuni argues that gambling is an art that requires intelligence. At last, Yudhishthira says he’ll never back down from a challenge and agrees.

Śakuni proceeds to win many of Yudhishthira’s valuable possessions from him through using deceit and gambling. Śakuni racks up an enormous amount of wealth before Vidura intervenes to warn Dhritarashtra about Duryodhana’s grudge against the Pandavas. He suggests that the king disavow the evil Duryodhana and instead embrace the noble Pandavas. Vidura says that even though it seems like Duryodhana is winning now, he is placing himself in a very dangerous position. Duryodhana, however, defends himself, saying Vidura has always sneered at him. He accuses Vidura of being a meddler. The two argue back and forth.

Meanwhile, Śakuni continues gambling, telling Yudhishthira that he’ll keep going if Yudhishthira still has wealth left to lose. Yudhishthira continues to wager everything he has left, using deceit to win. He runs out of things to wager and decides to wager Nakula next, then Sahadeva. Although Yudhishthira believes he's already gone beyond dharma, he keeps going, wagering and losing Arjuna, then Bhima.

Finally, the only thing Yudhishthira has left to wager is himself. He wagers himself and still loses to Śakuni. Now, Śakuni asks for one last throw: for Draupadi. Yudhishthira loses again, and Duryodhana prepares to enslave Draupadi as a maid. Meanwhile, Vidura warns everyone not to celebrate too much because they don’t realize the consequences of their actions. Duryodhana doesn’t listen and sends a page to fetch Draupadi.

Draupadi refuses to go with Duryodhana’s page, not believing that Yudhishthira really wagered her. Then, Yudhishthira sends a messenger she trusts, and she comes into Duryodhana’s hall. Duryodhana drags Draupadi around by the hair and says he’ll be her new master. One of Dhritarashtra’s other sons, Vikarna, speaks up, asking if everyone really approves of Duryodhana’s behavior and how he took advantage of Yudhishthira’s gambling vice. He begins to gather support, so Karna speaks up in defense of Duryodhana.

Karna orders one of his brothers to strip the Pandavas and Draupadi. The Pandavas take off their own garments, but when Karna’s brother tries to strip Draupadi, identical new garments keep appearing below her old ones. Many people disapprove of what they see, but because Yudhishthira has such a reputation for dharma, they don’t dispute the results of the gambling match. Yudhishthira regretfully says that he, the other Pandavas, and Draupadi must follow the “dharma of slaves.”

Dhritarashtra, who has sympathy for the Pandavas, offers Draupadi a boon. She asks to rescue Yudhishthira from slavery. He gives her a second boon, and she asks to also free Nakula, Arjuna, Bhima, and Sahadeva. Finally, Dhritarashtra says Draupadi is so worthy that she deserves a third boon, but she refuses, saying she believes greed is against dharma.

Bhima is angry about being saved by a woman and wants to fight with Duryodhana’s people. But Yudhishthira advises moderation. Dhritarashtra praises Yudhishthira’s peaceful attitude and tells him this whole gambling competition was a test and that he is free to leave and go back to ruling his kingdom. Yudhishthira and the other Pandavas depart with Draupadi.

THE SECOND GAMBLING MATCH. Disappointed at Dhritarashtra’s decision to let Yudhishthira go, Duryodhana devises more plots against the Pandavas, hoping to use their own pride against them. He tells Dhritarashtra that the Pandavas are surely angry after the previous gambling match, and this makes them dangerous. As a solution, he proposes a new gambling competition, where if the Pandavas lose, they have to go into exile in the forest for 12 years. Dhritarashtra approves of this idea and says they should call the Pandavas back, even if they’re already halfway home.

Gandhari warns her husband Dhritarashtra about a prophecy that a chamberlain (officer of a royal household) gave them when Duryodhana was born: that it would be better to kill him immediately rather than let him grow up. But Dhritarashtra is determined to let his sons do as they please, even if it means the end of the Kuru line.

Yudhishthira hears the new challenge and can’t reject it, so he and his brothers head back to Dhritarashtra’s hall, even though Yudhishthira fears the worst.  At the hall, Śakuni explains the new competition and how it involves risking 12 years of exile in the forest and a 13th year in disguise in a more populated place. Yudhishthira throws dice with Śakuni and once again loses.

One of Dhritarashtra’s other sons insults the Pandavas after their loss and gloats about their impending exile. Bhima in particular takes offense. All five of the brothers vow to eventually defeat Dhritarashtra’s many sons. Dhritarashtra himself laments the outcome, believing that in 14 years, the Pandavas will come back to destroy him and the other Kauravas.