The day of boredom passed quickly. The sun hid himself behind the dark clouds as if he seemed to have hatred towards somebody. He looked down miserably on the earth, and disappeared. Darkness like a horrible Rakshasa swallowed Nature. The mist flowed like the tears of the night. Mother Kunti was upset about not having seen the Pandavas.
Only the soft sound of the misty drops falling on the petals was breaking the silence.
Why does Mother get worried? Her children are not small ones. In her own words, aren’t they heroic warriors? Even if they fall from a great height they will land safely like the cats on four. Don’t they know how to protect themselves? As long as Dharma Brother is with them, there won’t be any scarcity for advice, ruse etc. He is well-versed in the four tactics such as conciliation, presenting gifts, coercion and punishment. Shadows were seen moving in the courtyard. The next moment, Yudhishthira Brother’s voice.
“Mother, Open the door.”
Mother Kunti opened the door. There was thick mist outside. Everybody got in. Their outer garments were soaked in the misty flurry. Draupadi wanted to wipe away the snowflakes on Arjuna’s head with her head dress. I’ve put my wedding garland around Parthan’s neck. But there was no love. In my heart of hearts there was the splendor of the swinging armour-ear ornaments. She wondered why those ear-ornaments were in a hurry to inflict wound on her mind. Straightening the head dress, she started serving food for all. Now and then she looked at Dharma Brother. There was no sign of guilty feeling or regret on his face. His hands mechanically rose to his mouth below his thick moustache. Bhima behaved with the expressions and mannerisms of a wrestler. The second Pandava’s veins were mounting up. Muscles and tendons were throbbing. Draupadi got frightened when she looked at his face. He did not even know how to speak softly. Strong forearms were like black iron. Was it not a human body? He must have seen her looking at his body. He smiled at Draupadi. She felt awkward. What did the smile indicate? Sweat furrowed down his sturdy body with ups and downs. Like the streams beat against the rock and break in to broken crystals, beads of sweat broke and flowed again. Arjuna was sitting with his bowed head. She thought he would never raise his head. He did what no man had done so far. Who is the man who has given up his own partner to other men? What dignity does he have? Does one share one’s beloved like a fruit among other men? May be, for the first time this kind of a heinous act has happened in the world! Who is the one who gives his wife to others? Not even the beasts would do so. Suddenly Arjuna coughed as though his food choked.
Unknowingly Draupadi took water and gave it to him. Arjuna took it, drank and threw a look at her. Draupadi felt her whole body vibrating as in a lightning. Some emotion rolled up like a serpent. When she ascended the summit of the emotions, Mother brought her back to the reality with a question.
“What is the news when you went out, Partha…?”
She was deliberately trying to divert them from that context. Very intelligent woman. Cannot but approve of her brains. Only Mother Kunti can keep her five sons united in a single thread. Her boldness had to be appreciated in openly saying that she would not allow her sons to become enemies on the question of a woman. What can you call somebody who has thrown a woman in before five men? She doesn’t bother by whatever name we call her. Draupadi drew back. Bhima Brother’s eyes roamed all over her body. Draupadi felt fear, not shyness. She thought she was being undraped by his harsh look. She feared as a Princess trapped in the fort of a Rakshasa. Yudhishthira woke from his silence. He had finished eating.
“ The news that the Pandavas are alive must have reached
Hastinapuri. Their enquiries will extend to this place as well. Before that we have to move from here. Krishna should be informed. “
Fear spread over Mother Kunti’s face. Draupadi felt contempt for her. Mother has brave sons. Why should she fear?
Krishna and Balarama reached early at dawn. After the exchange of niceties, Govinda came near Draupadi.
She did not feel like saying anything when she saw the mischief in Krishna’s eyes and the secret smile on his lips. Those who seek shelter in the shade of the trees do not think that when the sun moves away the shadows also will move….Govinda, I’m one such shadow. One that doesn’t recognise birth or death.
“Are you fine, Panchali?”
Draupadi didn’t respond. She stood still without saying anything, without nodding or shaking her head. There seemed to be an obscure happiness in his laugh. I had seen his allegiance to the Pandavas at the Swayamvara dais. Now he pretends not to have known anything…Govinda continued.
“Arjuna is my friend. Kunti is my aunt, my father’s sister. I came to see them as I had known that they were leading an anonymous life here.”
He moved slowly to Draupadi and said.
“Panchali , some lies are more valuable than the truth. Crises are indispensable in human life. At times we become mere corpuses. Very often meaningless opinions will lead us into trouble. Sometimes the basis of success in our life is to keep our intellect and prudence away and remain as a dunce. This is your fate. Be consoled.”
When Krishna bade farewell and went away, Draupadi realized one thing. The Pandavas are the honourable Krishna’s close relatives. That was why he used his magical powers to defeat all the kings. Immediately after Krishna left, Drushtadyumnan came with his accompanying hunch men. He had come to invite them for the post-wedding ceremony at the Drupada Palace. The Pandavas felt relieved . They made use of the opportunity to escape from the Kauravas who were sure to reach there , and left for Panchala. They calculated that as they had the support of the new relatives they would not be troubled by the Kauravas. They got a splendid reception at the Drupada King’s Palace. After the reception and dinner, the King enquired Yudhishthira who they were. He told him that they were the sons of Pandu and Arjuna had won the contest and Panchali. Drupada King was flabbergasted for a moment.
He asked.
“Then who were burned to death?” Dharmaputra laughed.
“ Not we the Pandavas. Some others….”
Though the King hated Arjuna, he regretted in a Brahmin marrying his daughter. As she was supposed to be a great Queen, what would be her future if she had to wander for food along with a Brahmin youth. He was unhappy about this. So when he came to know that it was Arjuna who married his daughter, he felt elated. When he commanded for the preparations for the wedding of Arjuna with Draupadi, Dharmaputra opposed.
“When we, Bhima and I, who are his elder brothers, remain single, how can Arjuna, the younger brother marry ? Actually I’m the one who needs a marriage.”
Drupada King laughed.
“If my daughter is willing, Yudhishtira! You can marry her.” Dharmaputra stood up.
“No, Great King! We five of us will marry Draupadi.” The King trembled in fury. He screamed.
“Do you plan to humiliate us? First, Arjuna humiliated us before Dronar!You disguised yourselves as Brahmins and participated in the contest. Now you are trying to disgrace my daughter . Behead these treacherous people.”
Meanwhile Draupadi was shedding tears, lying on the lap of her mother in the inner chamber.
“ Not only impersonation…now they want her as wife for five of them!”
Draupadi leaped up and looked at Shikhandi – Ujjwala who was standing near.
“ I had this misfortune because of you, Sister. I would have got any of the Kings. They have only the reputation of being the Pandavas. They have low kind of life, act, and behavior. I’ve understood that there is no truth in the hearsay. They bring their alms and divide among them. The second one is a fat- bellied person. He won’t be satisfied with whatever amount of food he gets. There’ s no dignity in their family. Sister Ujjwala has earned me this miserable state.”
For the first time, Shikhandi, Sister Ujjwala felt remorse and stood with bent head. Then with great anger, she held Draupadi’s hand and went to the royal court and shouted.
“Arjuna! Are you the archer? A heroic person! The pride of Aryavartham? Aren’t you ashamed to humiliate our Sister Panchali like this? Do you think, a man will do such an act? She will become the bride of the person who won the contest. The Prince who won the game must marry her. How wretched a person you are to ask her to become the wife for all the companions?”
Drushtadyumnan also agreed to what Sister Shikhandi said. “The country of Panchala won’t tolerate this disgrace, Arjuna!
Not even the birds and animals would do such a heinous deed. I won’t give my sister to either you or your brothers.”
Draupadi who was standing there with bent head till then said.
“ I cannot have five husbands.”
Drupada King felt, his heart would burst. He put his hand on his chest.
“Oh, God! At what an accursed moment I allowed to put the contest! My daughter has fallen into the hands of some wretched people. I’m responsible for this.”
Dharmaputra shivered in anger on seeing the prey slipping away. “The Kashi King’s daughter Amba whom Bhishma had won for his brother was rejected by all the kings including her lover. As there was no body to accept her, without a husband, she committed suicide by jumping into the fire. May that misfortune not happen to your daughter Draupadi.”
Drushtadyumnan roared. Draupadi thought fiery flames were fuming from his face.
“Hey, Yudhishthira, You ought to consider your younger brother’s wife as a younger sister or daughter, and why do you give up righteousness and desire for unrighteousness? What is the difference between Duryodhana and you ? Aryavartha hasn’t witnessed any such thing! It’s better to jump into the fire and give up life rather than marrying five men and becoming a prostitute.”
Yudhishthira’s anger only intensified. “In that case, let Draupadi stay back in this country of Panchala. Who is going to accept a woman who stayed two, three nights with us the Pandavas?”
He spoke again in contempt.
“ Nobody from the King’s dynasty will come to marry her.” Draupadi looked at Arjuna. Arjuna’s reply made her sorrowful. “I accept the opinion of my eldest brother and Mother.”
Draupadi was dumbfounded when the towering dreams in her mind got tumbled down and shattered into dust.
(Cont’d)
