The Palace of Illusions

As the years pass, Panchaali’s husbands take other wives. When this happens, Panchaali throws “tantrums” in order to show her displeasure and to make sure that her husbands maintain respect for her (150). She and her husbands have a strong bond, and she notes, “together, we formed something precious and unique” (152). Panchaali becomes particularly upset when Arjun marries Subhadra, Krishna’s sister. However, as time passes, she becomes friendly with Subhadra and the other wives, who remain in their own kingdoms.

Indra Prastha continues to prosper, and the family does not encounter any conflict. A “decade passed thus, as in a dream,” and though they are all happy, they grow a little bored (153).  

The Sage Narad visits Yudhisthir and reports that he has seen Yudhisthir’s father and grandfather in the court of Yama, the god of death. According to Hindu religious traditions, successful warriors should go to Indra’s court in the afterlife. Yudhisthir wants to get his relatives into Indra’s court; Narad says that they must perform the Rajasuya sacrifice in order to do so. This entails making all of the kings of Bharat pay tribute to Yudhisthir. If one refuses, then that king must engage in battle.

Krishna visits the court and supports the idea. Narad says that Krishna is an incarnation of the god Vishnu. Krishna helps strategize for the Rajasuya, and, thanks to Krishna’s strategy, a hated king is killed. After the king dies, all of the kings that he imprisoned are released. This makes the kings love Yudhisthir and allows them to pay him tribute.

The blind king Dhritarashtra also wishes to pay tribute, and he plans to come to Indra Prastha. Panchaali works hard to get the palace prepared for his arrival.   

The Kauravas arrive, and the Pandavas greet them with “ebullient enthusiasm” (160). The family has a large ceremony to celebrate Yudhisthir as the greatest king of Bharat. Karna arrives with the Kauravas, and Panchaali does everything she can to make him feel welcome and to apologize for the way that she insulted him at her marriage ceremony. However, “he was not going to allow me to redeem myself” (161).

Yudhisthir must name a guest of honor, and he chooses Bheeshma, who says it should be Krishna. This announcement sends the crowd into an uproar. Sisupal speaks out against Krishna, listing all of his faults. Krishna tells Sisupal to apologize, but Sisupal attacks him. Krishna kills Sisupal with a serrated disk, and a light emerges from Sisupal’s body, which Krishna absorbs.  

Panchaali confesses to Krishna, “When I thought you had died, I wanted to die, too” (166). He does not take her comment seriously. There is an earthquake, and everyone returns to his or her chambers.  

The Kauravas stay even after the other kings leave. Duryodhan’s days “were spent reconnoitering, his nights were spent at elaborate revels that he organized” (170). Panchaali imagines that Duryodhan is examining the palace so that he can construct one like it for himself. At night, Duryodhan gambles a great deal with Yudhisthir, who becomes “sluggish and morose” (171).

One day, Duryodhan walks into the garden. Panchaali watches him from her window with her attendants. He steps onto a bridge that is an illusion constructed by Maya and falls into the water. Panchaali and her attendants laugh; Duryodhan is offended. The Kauravas leave and do not address the incident.

Later that year, Duryodhan invites the Pandavas to see the new palace that he has constructed in Hastinapur. The brothers are suspicious of his motivations. However, Panchaali urges them all to go, so they set out for the palace.

The Pandavas arrives in Hastinapur. Panchaali thinks Duryodhan’s palace is “a pale copy of ours, without true magic to give it a soul” (181). Panchaali spends her days reading, writing, and walking through the gardens while the men spend every night gambling. She feels as if she is “in enemy territory” (182). Duryodhan’s wife, Bhanumati, who is very young and nervous, visits Panchaali.

Karna returns from Anga. Duryodhan holds a banquet for him. Panchaali commissions a special sari for the event, but in the end decides to wear simple white, thinking it “sinful” to want Karna to admire her (185). She sees Karna at the banquet, and he is also dressed in simple white. He greets her courteously, and Panchaali wants to respond in turn. However, she barely acknowledges him because Kunti is at her side, and Panchaali fears revealing her true feelings in front of her mother-in-law.