Draupadi made a blooming tree of dreams and waited on the soft, silky bed of the fallen blossoms. Her maid came
running to her in a hurry. Draupadi asked her worriedly. “Did Sister Ujjwala make any trouble, Sakhi ?”
“Yes, Princess! A very pitiable situation. Swayamvara is changed to a contest. That too, a test for a man proficient in archery.”
Her sakhi’s words sounded intensely painful. Draupadi’s eyes overflowed.
She was afraid, she would faint. Her maid explained the method of the contest. The wooden bird inside the revolving nest above should be shot and it should fall. She added with fear. “Only one person can do this kind of thing. The great archer
Arjuna! But that Prince is dead and no more.”
Draupadi’s heart panicked. If Arjuna comes to compete, the idol of Karna I used to worship will be shattered. At the next moment she consoled herself. Arjuna is no more!… Suppose he comes…The five brilliant heroes are never likely to be dead in fire. Panchali believed that Arjuna must not have died. She shuddered at the thought.
“There is one more piece of news, Princess! Karna—the king of Anga has reached along with Duryodana. Karna is said to be a more powerful warrior than Arjuna! He is renowned for his skill in archery . The gossip in the inner chambers is, that youth will win in this contest.
Draupadi reached the zenith of exhilaration. It was enough to make her heart become cool. Karna will win. Definitely. I will be Karna’s lawful wife today. She longed to lean on his broad chest. When I embrace you, Oh, King of Anga! Please do not allow your armour to injure me.
Extremely delighted, Draupadi looked at her maid. Her heart beat fast. She wanted to hear more about Karna’s stories.
“Ujjwala is collecting information on Karna. I’m afraid it suggests evil.”
Draupadi ‘s face fell. She felt restless. A sudden weariness overpowered her and she fell on to her bed.
This is going to be a wretched trial. Why is Shikhandi interfering in unnecessary matters?
Mother has complete trust in Shikhandi. A eunuch in a woman’s figure with a man’s character. Many of the maids are scared of Ujjwala. She is capable of foul play like men. A maid is constantly with her. It was Mandakini who said there had been many yarns about their relation. Ujjwala had made some obscene comments to Mandakini too! What to speak of such a churlish person! It’s not advisable to pick a quarrel with her. Draupadi couldn’t sleep till dawn. Her mind was filled with fear. She was anxious whether Karna would be victorious or not. Mandakini was asked to sit with her and tell her mythological stories. She searched for the collections of stories in her mind to select one, but said,
“Forgive me, Princess, My mind is spread over with fear and anxiety. If your desires are not fulfilled,…I’m not in a mental condition to tell you a story, Princess!”
Draupadi’s soft hands covered her lips.
“No…Please don’t say that, sakhi, my friend. Karna will win. My Lord of Anga will defeat all the invited kings and will obtain complete victory. When he wins, I’ll garland him, my lover. I’ll thus surrender myself to my Prince Karna.”
Draupadi stood overwhelmed in the memory of her lover. The faint light of the night lamp lessened the density of the darkness in the inner chambers.
We ought not have met at the temple. I could have warned Karna of my sister and sent him back.
The morning did not have any remarkable brightness. The sun had lost its lustre. Nature was still and silent. A morning without the usual warbling of the birds. There was festivity in Panchala for days. A variety of entertainments, concerts etc.took place in a procession one after the other .
Kings from different countries reached on the eve itself of the
Swayamvara.
The bridal hall was prepared near the Royal Palace. King of Panchala, Draupadi’s Father and his son, Drushtadyumnan were there to usher in all the invited kings to their seats. At the time of Swayamvara, Drushtadyumnan went to the inner chamber for women. The Queen and Shikhandi were with Draupadi. She was astonished by the obstinacy written on Shikhandi’s face. Is she determined to separate Karna from me?
Drudhtadyumnan had a quick glance over his sister Draupadi and was satisfied . He had made ornaments with Draupadi’s favourite emerald. Beads, diamonds, and emeralds were stitched to her outer garments, and other clothes. Draupadi shone in majestic splendor in the brightness of the precious stones studded on her dress. Drushtadyumnan smiled and spoke in appreciation.
“My sister looks like a green parrot.”
Draupadi tried in vain to smile. A battle was waging within her. A battle in which victory and failure cannot be judged. Nobody has loyalty or subjection. Self-victory – that is the only aim in front. During the war there are no differences between the faces of the good and of the evil. Each one wishes for his own victory.
Sister Shikhandi came near Draupadi and said.
“Now people will think Draupadi is a sculpture cast in greenstone.”
Draupadi stared at Shikhandi— Ujjwala when she heard the remark.
She knew… in whatever stone I’m cast, whether it be in diamond, or ruby or gem or any other invaluable jewels in the world, this Swayamvara is not going to fulfill my desires. All the gems of the world gathered together in a costume cannot bring me back my happiness,… I’m afraid.
If it were a Swayamvara without any competition…How happy I would be! Draupadi hated Shikhandi who extolled her beauty, after deliberately unleashing destruction around. She cursed her!
Ujjwala realized that Draupadi was angry with her. A contemptuous contorted smile appeared in her lips.
Mother, maids, and Ujjwala, along with Drushtadyumnan led Draupadi to the wedding stage. Sometime in between Mother gave her a garland of red lotuses.
“From today onwards, you are to reign as a Queen in another country. This garland of lotuses is not simply your wedding garland. More than that it indicates the beginning of your new life. You must serve your country like a fully blossomed, beautiful lotus. The fragrance of the flowers must last all through your life.”
Draupadi’s eyes became wet.
Mother with her finger wiped away the tear drop that was about to drip down, and she continued.
“This water flower is not merely a flower! This also points out how a woman should steer her life and what the expansion of meaning of her life must be. The lotus earned its sublimity to be worn around the gods because of this. The lotus and the lotus leaf, rooted in dirty pit and emerged from the depths symbolize the multi-facets of human life. The woman is exhorted to be a fully-blossomed lotus flower by instilling fresh enthusiasm in married life. However displeasing her life is, she should overcome it without affecting family life which forms the surface of the water. Nature has condescended to give this lotus as a boon to woman.”
Draupadi consumed the advice the goddess of wisdom spoke through Mother.
If I am to garland my Lord, Karna, the King of Anga, I will do as Mother advised. I will live my life on the water surface of life, making the lotus of my body a bed giving marital bliss, its comfort, colour and contentment, and like a lotus I will bloom in full and enjoy my life.
While walking on to the bridal stage, Draupadi looked through the transparent clothes she was wearing over her face and glanced around the audience. Where is my beloved? We don’t want any contest. My beloved, come and I’ll come with you.
She saw the splendor of the armour first. Like another Sun, she saw her Karna in gold hue seated beside Duryodana, the Young Prince of Hastinapuri.
While she was making each of her steps, she could hear the heart beats of the audience. The kings of Aryavartham were sitting with lusty and extracting eyes. The rulers of small and big countries sat forgetful of their selves. Even old Kings were present decked in costly dress and ornaments. All eyes were stuck on her. Actually was this needed? Couldn’t the virgin choose the King she liked? Drushtasyumnan made Draupadi stand in the middle of the stage and said.
“Welcome all the kings who have come here on invitation from Panchala.”
Flowers were strewn all over the nuptial stage. The fragrance of the flowers has filled all over the stage.
Drushtadyumnan continued.
“This is Draupadi. We call her Parshadi endearingly. We had originally planned for a Swayamvara. But my sister Draupadi likes to marry a heroic Prince who is proficient in archery. She is a scholar and well- learned in the sciences. The person who Draupadi has to put the nuptial garland on, has to win a contest. This is the contest. You have to tie the string of the Bow placed in the middle, have to look into the water pool and shoot an arrow at the wooden bird inside the revolving machine above and make the bird fall. My sister will accept the one who wins, as her husband.”
The kings one by one came and contested. Most of them could not even tie the strings on the bow. Each one came and went back. Draupadi, sitting on the dais, watched their faces . There were Krishna and Balarama among the kings as guests. Draupadi was seeing Krishna for the first time. Sumangali used to talk about Krishna. The heroic Yadav who killed the Asuras and Rakshasas even in his childhood. On hearing her speak about Krishna, Draupadi had nurtured boundless love and piety for Krishna. The excessive desire to see the blue-coloured Krishna wearing peacock feather was finally fulfilled in this court. He was known to be the king of trickery! He gifted her with a luring smile when she looked his way. Draupadi whispered to herself, ‘Krishna, don’t try to stir up my mind. I’ve mentally married Karna.’ Draupadi saw Krishna looking at Karna. She was surprised.
Did Krishna know my heart’s desires and emotions? He was not paying any attention to Rauhineyan. As she was watching, a blue flame from the blue-coloured Krishna was stretching to Karna. The next moment the same blue flame to Sister Shikhandi also. She felt as though her heart was being tightly constricted by a serpent. Her long eyes opened and shut involuntarily. A white light stretched to the place where the Brahmins were seated. Krishna was already heard to be a trickster and magician. But Drauapadi could not understand the purpose of these flames however hard she thought about it. The young Prince of Hasthinapuri, Duryodhana stepped up to the wedding stage haughtily. Before raising the Bow for contesting, his eyes measured out her from top to bottom.
No sooner did he lift the bow and pulled at the string, than Duryodhana slipped his feet and fell down. The big bow fell on the Young Prince’s body. People laughed when they saw that fall. But Karna, the King of Anga could not bear the defeat of his friend. He jumped up from the seat and got to the stage and helped Duryodhana to stand on his feet. Then he raised the bow and tied the string. He stood with the look of an undefeated hero, watched the crowd, looked into the water pool below and was about to shoot the arrow. His eyes held the eyes of the wooden bird.
Draupadi’s heart beat to the rhythm of her pulse. She became the white cloud about to merge in to the blue sky.
The very next moment that arrow would cut the target. As Draupadi was getting ready to adorn him with the garland of lotus, Sister Shikhandi screamed loudly.
“Karna, the King of Anga should not participate in the contest. He is the son of the charioteer Adhiratha. My sister won’t marry the one who is Adhiratha’s, a mere charioteer’s son.”
(Cont’d)
