Sabha Parva — Section 1 of 2 in this original, condensed prose retelling of the eighteen-parva Mahabharata.
Yudhishthira’s imperial ceremony brings both honor and envy. Duryodhana resents the Pandavas’ prosperity, and Shakuni invites Yudhishthira to a deceitful game of dice. Kingdom, wealth, freedom and finally Draupadi are staked in the assembly. Draupadi challenges the injustice and demands that those present answer the questions of dharma.
Read this episode in sequence with the other parvas to understand the full storyline, including its moral ambiguity and tragic consequences.