Dharamputra lost everything—his Kingdom , his brothers and also his wife.

Duryodhana watching the increasing prosperity of the Pandavas could contain himself no longer. He openly challenged Dharamputra for a game of dice. Sakuni, deceit in human form, was the uncle of the Kouravas. He played for them . Inevitably Dharamputra lost everything—his Kingdom , his brothers and also his wife.

Not satisfied with this gain, duryodhana tried to insult Droupadi in public . By krishna’s grace, nothing disastrous happened . Dhritarastra , fearing that this might bring unforeseen calamities begged droupadi to take whatever she wanted. She asked for the freedom of her husbands. It was granted.

Dhritarastra due to his excessive love for the eldest son was blind to what is right and what is wrong. So again Duryodhana invited Dharamputra for another game of dice, and the bet was that the loser would live in the forest for 13 years without any claim to kingdom, the last year to be spent incognito . But if in the thirteenth year, they were detected , again a a round of 13 years’ exile; and this would go on for ever.

Dharamputra again lost. During the twelve years’ sojourn in the forests, the pandavas visited many holy places. They had many interesting adventures this time. One of them to hanuman’s friendship and grace. Arjuna is called Kapidhvaja as he keeps on his flag the emblem of Hanuman. Krishna visited them now and then. Arjuna , at the advice of Vyasa, practiced penance,propitiated Siva and got from Him the mighty weapon, the Pashupatastra. He propitiated also the other gods, Indra, Agni, Varuna and others and got from all of them very powerful weapons. Thus the twelve years were not wasted but spent in securing the divine weapons, which would come useful later on.

Dharamputra was fond of peace and was ever against any quarrel

In the thirteenth year, hiding all their weapons in the hollow of a tree in a burial ground, all the Pandavas with Droupadi went to the palace of the king of Viratas and stayed there as servants. Duryodhana was making frantic efforts to discover them . When he heard about strange murder of Kichaka , the brother-in-law of the king, he concluded that Pamdavas must be in the Virata country . So the Kouravas attacked the Viratas, with apparent purpose of carrying away its cattle-wealth. Of course the Pandavas took part in the battle , but when they were recognized as Pandavas the time limit of thirteen years had already passed.

Dharamputra was fond of peace and was ever against any quarrel , much less war. So he ssent Krishna as a messenger to Hastinapura to claim his kingdom back from Duryodhana. But would Duryodhana give? No. He had by this time come to regard Indraprastha as his own. He not only refused to give his kingdom back, but refused to give even five houses for the five brothers to live! Nay, he swore, he would not give even a pin-point of ground to them.