Dhiritashtra heard the terrible oaths of the Pandavas and ordered all of their possessions returned to them. Of course Duryodhana was very unhappy with his father and ordered his father to let him have one more dice game. He said,“Let me play one more game and the loser will go to the forest for 12 years and on the 13th year they must be in disguise. If discovered, they must go back for another 13 years. You are always eager to please the Pandavas. This is my last game, please grant by wish.”
The blind king finally gave in to the pleas of his son. He knew that he was wrong, but he could not stand to see his son unhappy. Seeing the look of defeat on Dhritarshita’s face, Yudhistera stood with his eyes cast to the floor.
“One last game and that is all I will give you” exclaimed Dhritarshita.
Arjuna, Bheema, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadi followed Yudhistera and held their heads in their hands, not wanting to look at the sin that spewed from Duryodhana’s mouth.
“No,” came the calm voice of Yudhistera from across the velvet-covered floor.
Arjuna, Bheema, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadi lifted their heads towards Yudhistera. He beamed of light so auroral they had to squint up at him and their tears dried instantly.
“No?” questioned Duryodhana.
“I will not play another game of dice,” replied Yudhistera.
“You must!” cried Duryodhana. “You must do it to please me, your brother, and obey the king.”
“No Duryodhana. Because I am your brother I will not play another game of dice. Because I follow the Ender Way I will not play another game of dice.”
Frustrated, Duryodhana glared at Yudhistera but the light shining from him became so bright Duryodhana had to shut his eyes as quickly as his anger flared and keep them closed.
“Duryodhana, I know that if I play another game of dice I will lose because the dice is fixed.”
“You know nothing!” Duryodhana screamed in the direction that Yudhistera’s voice came from.
“Duryodhana, the Ender Way teaches one to learn truth and to love each other as yourself. The truth here is the dice is fixed. The truth here is I was wrong to bet my brothers and my beloved wife. I have no need for riches because attachment only skews my vision. Why should I try to acquire more of what I do not need? I am only grateful to God that Dhritarshita restored my true treasures: Arjuna, Bheema, Nakula, Sahadeva, and Draupadi. Duryodhana, I understand your frustration. Your jealousy seethes from your being. Can’t you see that your anger, resentment, hate is derived from this jealousy? Duryodhana, I do not wish my skill were greater than yours, or Arjuna’s, or Nakula’s, or Sahadeva’s. When Krishna asked God to make Khandavaprastha beautiful he did not wish to make it more beautiful than your kingdom. We have no desire to be better than you. You are the only one who has decided that we, your own cousins, try to take the kingdom away from you. Our only desire is to live truthfully with you under the Ender Way. So Duryodhana, cast off your jealousy and free yourself from your only agony!
“No!” Duryodhana shouted with agony. “It can’t be true. You’re only trying to get out of our game!”
“No Duryodhana. It is the truth. Accept it for the truth is merciful.”
