Sūta jī says - The omniscient Śukadeva jī, being very pleased with King Parīkṣit's questioning in this manner, said - Listen. [5]
Śrī Śukadeva jī began to speak - Parīkṣit! This is a story from those days when the blind King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, while unjustly nurturing his wicked sons, sent his younger brother Pāṇḍu's orphaned children to the lacquer house and had it set on fire. [6]
When Duḥśāsana pulled the hair of their daughter-in-law and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's chief queen Draupadī in the full assembly, at that time a stream of tears flowed from Draupadī's eyes, and with that flow, the saffron applied to her chest also washed away; but Dhṛtarāṣṭra did not stop his son from this evil act. [7]
Duryodhana unjustly won the kingdom of the truthful and innocent Yudhiṣṭhira in a game of dice and exiled them to the forest. But when they returned from the forest and, as per their vow, asked for their rightful ancestral share, even then, blinded by attachment, they did not give Ajātaśatru Yudhiṣṭhira his share. [8]
When, on Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's sending, Jagadguru Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa spoke benevolent and sweet words in the assembly of the Kauravas, which seemed like nectar to the gentlemen like Bhīṣma, the Kuru king did not give any respect to his words. How could he? All his merits had already been destroyed. [9]
