Yudhishthira announced that his coronation would be simple and unostentatious. He felt that with the souls of countless dead still hovering over their heads like black ravens, they should not indulge in festivities. On the contrary, the ceremony should be an occasion for introspection. In order to offer his hand of friendship to everyone, he invited all his friends and foes to the coronation. The only one who chose to stay away was Dhritarashtra, who decided to retreat into the forest with his wife Gandhari, utterly frustrated as he was over losing all that was dear to him – his sons and his throne. How very ironic it was for him, he realized, to now think of practising what he had once preached to Yudhishthira – prayer and mediation in some forest.
At the auspicious moment chosen by the priests, a puja was arranged in the central hall of the royal palace in Hastinapur. Although Yudhishthira took his seat beside the sacred fire, everyone noticed Draupadi’s absence. Since the ritual could not be consummated without the queen, Vidura offered to fetch her, knowing that she must still be grieving in her private chamber over the brutal slaying of her sons.
When Draupadi answered the gentle knock at the door, there stood in front of her Vidura, who was the most revered man in Hastinapur.
‘Still steeped in sorrow, O Queen?’ he asked. ‘I have come to take you to the coronation which, you know, cannot be held without you.’
‘But I don’t have the heart to participate in these celebrations,’ Draupadi responded. ‘Waking and dreaming, I conjure up the images of my darlings, slain and burnt to ashes while they were fast asleep. I am sure you understand a mother’s agony – a mother who has lost her five rare jewels.’
Stepping forward to caress her shoulder affectionally, Vidura said, ‘Yes, I do know it all. My heart too bleeds to see you in pain. But I also want you to submit to God’s will. I see in these gruesome killings a divine hand at work. Imagine if instead of your sons, your husbands had been eliminated! Remember that someone must die so that others may live. In a sense, your sons sacrificed themselves to enable Yudhishthira to ascend the throne of Hastinapur. O Draupadi, we mortals feel confounded to see only a part of God’s design, the totality of which lies beyond our comprehension. So, come with me to the royal hall to consummate the ritual of coronation. Don’t forget that you are now the queen of Hastinapur.’
Moved by Vidura’s words, Draupadi agreed to follow him to the royal hall where the puja was about to commence. As it concluded, and the high priests placed a jewelled crown on Yudhishthira’s head, a loud applause erupted in the hall. Then the newly anointed king rose to address the assembly, in a voice that was sober and dignified.
‘I am humbled by the honour you have done me. I take this coronation as an occasion for introspection, not rejoicing. In my mind’s eye rise images of all those soldiers, from both sides, who died in this eighteen-day war, leaving their widows and children behind. I now feel chastened by the suffering of others. How I wish Krishna’s offer of peace had been accepted and all issues settled through amicable negotiation. But I don’t wish to blame anyone, because we must now all share the blame for the destruction unleashed by this war. But no more of this. Let me at this moment pledge that I will serve all citizens as their servant, not their ruler. I also hope that Krishna will continue to guide us through the diffcult times ahead, just as he steered Arjuna through the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Let us all resolve to make Hastinapur a haven of peace and love for everyone, regardless of caste or colour.’ He paused for a while, and then added: ‘And now, let me tell you that I have not forgotten the man who made our victory possible through his noble sacrifice – our beloved Bheeshma Pitamaha! I propose to visit him alone, after this ceremony, to seek his blessings.’
Saying these words, he walked out of the hall and ordered his charioteer to take him to the spot where lay the old warrior on his bed of arrows.