Draupadi thanks Krishna for protecting her honor but asks why he delayed helping her and let her be humiliated by Dushasana who tries to disrobe her in the Kuru assembly. Krishna asks Draupadi what she did when Dushasana dragged her by the hair. Draupadi recalls struggling to free herself from Dushasana's grip and protect herself and later asking the elders in the court to intervene. Krishna explains that as long as Draupadi believed that she could save herself with her own efforts, Krishna did not help her but when surrendered herself totally and called out to him he did appear in the next instant and protected her honor. Draupadi understands her folly and asks for Krishna's forgiveness. Krishna reminds Draupadi of the incident that took place at Indraprastha soon after Yudhishtra's Rajasuya Yagna when Krishna cuts his finger and blood starts to pour out of the wound. Draupadi instantly tears a piece of cloth from her upper garment and ties it around Krishna's finger to stop the bleeding.
Balarama comes to Hastinapur to blast his disciple Duryodhana and the Kauravas for their repulsive deception of the Pandavas and the abominable disrobing of Draupadi. He is welcomed by Dhritarashtra and Gandhari. As advised by Shakuni, Duryodhana holds Balarama's feet and refuses to get up until Balarama blesses him. Balarama is impressed with this show of humility and blesses him. Shakuni suggests that Balrama should dine first. Durryodhana personally serves food to Balarama with devotion and then massages his tired feet when he retires to bed. When Balarama wakes up, he is sufficiently cool headed and Shakuni further mollifies Balarama with his clever talk and convinces Balarama that Kauravas have done nothing wrong: everything happened as per the rules of the game. As regards Draupadi's dishonor, the very fact that the mighty Bhima kept quiet and the venerable Vidura, Bhishma and Drona did not object to the proceedings meant that nothing objectionable happened at the court. Balarama is satisfied and grants Duryodhana any wish that he would happily fulfil. Duryodhana asks that Balarama to give his daughter Vatsala's hands in marriage to Duryodhana's son Lakshmana. Balarama agrees to fulfill the wish at the opportune time.
Krsihna takes leave of the Pandavas. Arjuna requests Krishna to take Subhadra and their son Abhimanyu to Dwarka and train Abhimanyu in warfare. Bhima is still upset over Yudhishtra's restraining him from taking revenge against the Kauravas for their obnoxious conduct. Krishna explains that it is Yudhishtra's patience and restraint that saved the day for them. Had he been provoked enough to attack the Kauravas then and there, they would have met with certain defeat. Karna would have easily defeated Arjuna, because he was the incarnation of Sahasrakavacha whom he as Narayana and Arjuna as Nara had been fighting through ages. (Reference: http://mahabharata-resources.org/variations/karna-sahasrakavaca.html and http://vipasana-vidushika.blogspot.in/2013/04/the-legend-of-krishna-nara-narayana.html). Similarly, Duryodhana would have easily defeated Bhima as he represented that aspect of Ishwara which represents the punishment for bad deeds done by good people. Yudhishtra's patience had earned them a reprieve of 13 years which they should use to strengthen their position. Krishna suggests that Bhima should meditate on Lord Hanuman and Arjuna should meditate on Lord Shiva. Sage Vyasa would come to meet them soon and initiate them into the meditation. In fact, Arjuna and Bhima would respectively be able to meet Lord Shiva and Hanuman in the near future.
Shikhandi wanders in the forest and comes to a palace belonging to a Yaksha. He collapses at the door out of sheer fatigue. The Yaksha who is performing a puja on Shiva revives him by giving water and food to Shikhandi.
Vidura comes to the hermitage where the Pandavas live. Pandavas ask him to stay for a few days with them and Vidura agrees. Yudhishtra wonders how King Dritarashtra would manage without Vidura. In the meanwhile, Dritarashtra is distressed and cries in agony at night. Shakuni feels sorry for the distraught king and consoles him that Vidura would have gone to meet the Pandavas. He says he is kept aware of Pandavas whereabouts by the spies, so the king could send Sanjaya to bring Vidura back home. Sanjaya reaches the forest and meets Vidura. Yudhishtra overhears Vidura telling Sanjaya that he does not want Yudhishtra to know that King Dritarashtra has ordered him to leave the Hastinapur palace.
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