When Pratikami goes to fetch the Pandavas for yet another game of dice, Yudhishthira talks about the inevitability of events in one’s life, said Kidambi Narayanan in a discourse. Yudhishthira says he knows that the outcome of the game will be against him. Yet he has to return to Hastinapura. Even a sensible person does not think before he acts, when it is destined that he should face problems in his life. Although there is no such thing as a golden deer, did not Rama, the wise One, go after the golden deer in the forest? This led to His losing Sita. But this was destined to happen, and therefore, it happened.

Yudhishthira is informed that the stake this time is a 12-year exile in the forest followed by a year of remaining in disguise. He plays and loses to Sakuni. Vidura tells him that he has lost because of deceit. He has not lost in a fair game. The Pandavas and Draupadi know what dharma is. That being the case, no harm will befall them, says Vidura. He appreciates Yudhishthira’s resolve to adhere to dharma. In the Ramayana, we find that when Lakshmana and Sita insist on accompanying Rama to the forest, He takes permission from Dasaratha, to take them along. Sita and Lakshmana are citizens of Dasaratha’s kingdom. As such, they are his subjects. It is, therefore, only right that Rama should obtain the king’s consent to take two of his subjects with Him to the forest. Even when there are unexpected negative events taking place, Rama keeps to dharma. Vidura tells Yudhishthira that he should never stray from the dharmic path.