the Pandavas and their hostile cousins, and succeeded far enough to induce
Dhrita-rashtra to cede to his nephews a tract of land in the farthest part
of his kingdom, on the river Jumna, where they set about founding a most
splendid city, Indra-prastha.

Here they lived happily with Draupadi, conquering so many kingdoms and
accumulating so much wealth that they once more aroused the jealousy of
their old enemies, the Kauravas. The latter, knowing that it would be
impossible to gain the advantage of them by fair means, determined to
conquer them by artifice, and accordingly erected a large and magnificent
hall and invited their cousins thither, with a great show of friendliness,
to a gambling match.

The Pandavas knew they would not be treated fairly, but as such an
invitation could not be honorably declined by a Kshatriya, they went to
Hastinapur. Yudhi-sthira's opponent was Shakuni, the queen's brother, an
unprincipled man, by whom he was defeated in every game.

Yudhi-sthira staked successively his money, his jewels, and his slaves;
and when these were exhausted, he continued to play, staking his kingdom,
his brothers, and last of all his peerless wife, Draupadi.

At this point, when the excitement was intense, the brutal Dhusasana
commanded Draupadi to be brought into the hall, and insulted her in every
way, to the great rage of the helpless Pandavas, until Dhrita-rashtra,
affrighted by the evil omens by which the gods signified their
disapproval, rebuked Dhusasana for his conduct, and giving Draupadi her
wish, released her husbands and herself and sent them back to their
kingdom.