40. Yudhishtira's Decision

Kunti was anxiously awaiting the return of the Pandavas. She was speculating on various eventualities. She was worried whether her sons were recognized and killed by the sons of Dhritarashtra, whether they were killed by some demons or whether some other thing happened.

In the late afternoon, Arjuna, accompanied by his brothers and a number of Brahmins entered the hut. Even while entering the house, Kunti’s sons told Kunti in a loud voice that they they had brought the alms obtained by them. Kunti, who was inside the house, without looking at her sons or Draupadi said, "All of you enjoy what you have obtained.”

Presently, Kunti came out and saw Draupadi. Realizing that she had made a mistake, Kunti  exclaimed “Oh, what have I said!”. She asked Yudhishtira, "Tell me how what I said out of ignorance won’t become untrue, how sin won’t touch Draupadi and how she won’t become uneasy.”

Yudhishtira, after reflecting for a moment, told Arjuna “Draupadi was won over by you. It is only proper that you wed her.”

Arjuna replied, ”Don’t make me commit a sin. I should wed only after you and Bhima wed. Please guide us with your wisdom.”

All the five Pandavas looked at Draupadi and she also looked at them. Draupadi’s exquisite beauty stirred a desire in  their hearts and crushed their senses.

Yudhishthira understood what was  going on in the minds of everyone. Desiring to prevent a division among the brothers, he said “Draupadi will be the common wife of all of us.”

At that time, Krishna and Balarama entered the house. Yudhishtira asked in surprise, “Krishna! How were you able to trace us when we are in disguise?”

Krishna said “Fire will be known even if it is covered. Who, but the Pandavas, could exhibit such might? It is by sheer good fortune that you have escaped from the fire. Just as a fire in a cave will spread all around, may you all grow in prosperity.”

Krishna and Balarama then left the place lest other kings should follow them and recognize the Pandavas.

 Dhrishtadyumna, the Panchala prince followed the Pandavas to their abode. He sent away his attendants who accompanied him and concealed himself in the Pandava’s  house.

In the evening, Bhima went out and returned with some food he received as alms. Kunti told Draupadi, “Take one portion from this, offer it to God and give it away to the Brahmins. Then feed those who have a desire to eat and our guests. Divide the rest of the food into two halves. Give one half to Bhima, who eats much. Divide the other half into six equal parts, four for these young men, one for myself and one for me.”

After they had taken their food, they all went to sleep. While the five Pandavas and Kunti  lay down with their heads towards the south, Draupadi lay down along their feet on a bed of Kusa grass laid by Sahadeva.

The Pandavas were conversing among themselves for a long time about weapons and wars.

Dhrishtadyumna was listening to the conversation. In the morning, he returned to his kingdom. 

Drupada who, for long, had nurtured the hope of getting his daughter married to Arjuna, was disappointed that Draupada was won by a Brahmin. As soon as Dhristadyumna came back, Drupada anxiously enquired him of Draupadi.

39. The Angry Monarchs

King Drupada expressed his intention to bestow his daughter on the Brahmin, who had hit the mark and won the contest. This enraged the kings who had come to the Swayamvara, hoping to win the hand of Draupati. They considered it an insult that the kings were bypassed and a Brahmin was chosen as the groom for Princess Draupadi.

They talked among themselves in the following lines.

“The Vedic declaration prescribes the Swayamvara only for the Kshatriyas. This wretched king has invited us for the Swayamvara and has insulted all of us. He doesn’t deserve our respect. We should kill him and his son.”

When some of the kings raised their weapons intending to attack and kill Drupada and Dhrishtadyumna, Bhima and Arjuna advanced towards them. This made the kings point  their weapons towards the duo.

Bhima uprooted a tree, divested it of its leaves by violently shaking the tree and stood before the kings like Yama standing with his mace. Arjuna also stood beside his brother, ready to use his bow.

Bhima and Arjuna assured Drupada “Don’t worry. We will fight your enemies.”

Krishna again pointed the brothers to Balarama and said "They are Bhima and Arjuna, as surely as I am Krishna. No one except Bhima can perform a feat like this."

Balarama replied “I am happy that the Pandavas and their mother Kunti, who is our father’s sister, have escaped death and are alive.”

The Brahmins present there came forward in support of Arjuna and offered to fight the kings. Arjuna smiled at them and said, “Stand aside and watch the fight as spectators. I will shower my arrows on these kings and subdue them the way one can bind the snakes through mantras."

The kings decided to confront Arjuna and Bhima intending to kill them though they were (believed to be) Brahmins, reasoning that killing a person who had entered a fight was not wrong. Karna was in the lead.

Karna sought out Arjuna, while King Salya of Madra (the maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva) sought out Bhima. Initially Karna fell down unconscious by the impact of Arjuna’s arrows. But he regained consciousness and resumed his fight. The two fought with each other fiercely.

Duryodhana and others turned to the Brahmins and had a skirmish with them.

At one stage Karna told Arjuna, “Oh Brahmin! Observing your energy and the weapons you use, I wonder whether you are the embodiment of the science of weapons. Are you  Balarama, Indra or Vishnu?”

Arjuna replied, “I am neither an embodiment of weapons nor any of the persons whose names you mentioned. I am a Brahmin who has learnt the skills of weapons from my preceptor. I am here to vanquish you.”

After some time, Karna stopped fighting realizing that he could not overcome the energy of the Brahmin.

The fight between Bhima and Salya went on as a fight  between two equally strong warriors. After a while, Bhima lifted up Salya and threw him down. However, he did it without causing him much injury or pain.

Karna and other kings were alarmed by Bhima’s feat. They exclaimed “These Brahmins are excellent warriors. Who but Balarama, Drona or Arjuna can fight Karna? Who can fight Duryodhana except Krishna or Kripa? And who can overpower Salya except Balarama or Bhima? “ 

Krishna addressed the kings and said “Draupadi has been justly acquired by these Brahmins” and advised them to abandon the fight.

The kings accepted the fact that Draupadi was won by a Brahmin and returned to their kingdoms.

The Pandavas were surrounded and cheered by the Brahmins who were proud of the feat of Bhima and Arjuna, whom they considered to be Brahmins like themselves.

Eventually, the Pandavas  left the arena taking Draupadi along with them. The Brahmins and Krishna followed them.

Meanwhile, Kunti began to worry about her sons having not returned home even after a long time. She began to harbor fears about various kinds of mishaps that might have befallen them. She even doubted whether Vyasa had misguided them by advising them to participate in Draupadi’s Swayamvara.

It was only in the late afternoon that Arjuna,  entered the house in the company of many Brahmins.

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38. Draupadi's Swayamvara

Arjuna asked the Gandharva to suggest whom the Pandavas should appoint as their priest.

The Gandharva said “Dhaumya, the younger brother of Devala is doing penance at Utkochaka. You may choose him as your priest.”

Arjuna took leave of the Gandharva after presenting him his weapon of fire. He told the Gandharva that they would collect the horses presented by him when the occasion for using them came.

The Pandavas went to Utkochaka, met Dhaumya and after presenting him with fruits and roots, requested him to be their priest. When Daumya consented to their request, the Pandavas felt as if they had already regained their lost kingdom and had won Draupati in the Swayamvara! 

After receiving the blessings of Daumya, the Pandavas, along with Daumya, set out to Panchala to participate in the Swayamvara of Draupadi.

On the way, they met some Brahmacharis (Brahmin bachelors) who were also proceeding to Draupati’s Swayamvara. When these Brahmins learnt that the Pandavas were also proceeding to attend this event, they told them about the grandeur of the event and about the large amount of wealth that would be gifted to the Brahmins.

"You people can also receive valuable presents and money," they said.

Yudhishtira told them that they would all go together for the event.

On the way, they met Sage Vyasa and received his blessings.

On reaching the capital city, they stayed in the house of a potter.

Drupada, also known as Yajnasena, desiring that Arjuna marry his daughter, arranged for the bow to be made very stiff so that it could be bent only by Arjuna. He erected a device at a high level and had a mark attached to it. He declared, “He who strings this bow and hits the mark using the well adorned arrows will have my daughter.”

Many Kings, Duryodhana among them, came for the event with a keen desire to win the hand of Draupadi in marriage. Many sages and Brahmins were also present to witness the spectacular event.  All of them went around the mansion and looked at the grandeur of the mansion with amazement. The Pandavas also reached the venue.

After the sacrificial fire was lit to propitiate Agni, the God of Fire and the invocation was done by the priests by chanting mantras (divine hymns), Dhrishtadyumna came to the arena holding his sister Draupadi’s hand and spelt out the task already outlined by his father. 

He introduced  Duryodhana, Karna and other kings to Draupadi by announcing their names and the names of their kingdom. He told Draupadi “Choose as your husband the person who hits the mark.”

The princes then stood up brandishing their weapons and declared “Draupadi will be mine!”

Many celestials like the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Aswin twins, the Swadhas, the Marutas, the Daityas, the Suparnas, the Nagas, the Charanas, the Gandharvas, Kubera, Yama, Viswavasu and Narada had also come to witness the event.

Krishna was also present along with his elder brother Balarama. Krishna pointed the Pandavas, who were in disguise, to Balarama. Balarama was happy to learn of the Pandava’s presence.

The princes attempted to string the bow but none of them could succeed. Many of them were thrown to the ground by the weight of the bow. Duryodhana and his brothers also failed in their attempts.

Karna then came forward to demonstrate his prowess. But even as he lifted the bow, Draupadi said firmly that she won’t accept the son of a charioteer as her husband. Karna withdrew, throwing the bow down in disgust.

After this, other kings including  Sisubala, Jarasandha and Salya (the maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva) attempted to string the bow but failed in their attempts.

After all the kings had tried and failed, Arjuna, who was seated among the Brahmins, rose from his seat and proceeded towards the bow. There was a clamour among the Brahmin spectators, with some cheering him and others showing their disapproval.

Arjuna strung the bow in the time it would take for twinkling of the eye. He hit the mark with the arrow and brought it down. The kings who had tried and failed gave out exclamations of grief and despair.

Flowers were rained from above. The musicians began to play the instruments and the bards began to chant encomiums in praise of the person who had accomplished the feat.

Drupada recognized Arjuna and felt joyous. The Brahmins saluted him in reverence.

Krishna got up from his seat, went to Arjuna and garlanded him.