Pandavapriya Draupadi

Panchali's Marriage.

While her Brahmana was engaged in one duel with Karna the other Brahmana was combating with Jarasandh, Duryodhan and Shalya. To the surprise of Kauravas, the other Brahmana threw Duryodhan on the ground, he won with Jarasandh and Shalya. Karna was thinking how these Brahmanas could be so skilled. He was combating with this Brahmana for more than 30 minutes but this Brahmana was countering his weapons very well. Who was this Brahmana? everyone wondered. Kauravas saw Duryodhan defeated, fear arose in their mind.

Meanwhile, when Draupadi was staring surprisingly towards the arena where Karna and that Brahmana were combating, three Brahmanas came close to her and one of them whispered in her ear "Oh princess! We are brothers of that man who won you. We will take you to one safe place princess. Come with us." Draupadi now came to know that her husband had four brothers. She said "No, I can't come with you revered Brahmana. How can I leave that man who is now my husband? Wouldn't this be cowardice Oh  respected one?" That Brahmana was impressed with her words but he insisted "Oh princess, we are requesting you to come. These are your husband's instructions to take you to his home safely. These Kauravas may harm you." Listening to her husband's instructions, Draupadi went to some safe place with those Brahmanas. Her father, the king of Panchal and brother Dhristadyumna who had seen Draupadi going with those Brahmanas, felt relieved to see her go to some safe place where those Kauravas could not do any thing to her. Meanwhile, all the Kauravas pleaded Drupad, "We do not think its correct to indulge in a duel with Brahmanas. After all, we are Kshatriyas and we can't be combating with Brahmanas, who deserve only respect due to their knowledge. We will go to our kingdom and mark end of this duel between these Brahmanas and us." Duryodhan could not help but abide to the words of his brothers. He had not won with these Brahmanas and if he said any thing against them, they may slay him. Meanwhile, valiant Krishna got up from his seat and proclaimed "Draupadi has been win according to rules of Dharma. Therefore, she belongs only to this Brahmana. This will be beneficial for all kings if they go to their respective kingdoms as any further challenges to these Brahmanas will prove your stupidity." Duryodhan asked his charioteer to be ready and after mounting his chariot, he went away from that place along with his 99 brothers. Karna also went to Anga listening to the instructions of Kauravas. All the kings went back to their kingdoms. But Duryodhan resolved to know who these Brahmanas were.

Panchal was pleased with the bravery of the Brahmanas. "You have rescued me from disgrace, Oh respected one" said Drupad. Dhristadyumna congratulated the husband  of Draupadi. "You only are fit to be the husband of Draupadi" he said to the revered man. That Brahmana paid his respects to Drupad, Dhristadyumna and Krishna after which he went along with his brother in the direction where his brothers and Draupadi had gone. They were waiting for him in some safe place with Draupadi from which they would now go to their home with Draupadi. The king of Panchal who had seen the prowess of this Brahmana doubted his true identity. He asked Dhristadyumna to go without creating any noise and try to find out where these Brahmanas stay and what their identity is. Dhristadyumna went in the direction where these Brahmanas had proceeded. Krishna had taken leave of them some time back when that Brahmana had gone to his home with his brother.

Following those two Brahmanas, Dhristadyumna reached one dwelling, which was close to Panchal. Surrounded with greenery and fruit trees that place was beautiful. Meanwhile, Draupadi had reached the door of the hut with the Brahmanas. She had never expected that she would reach from one palatial mansion to a hut. But she strengthened herself and decided that this was her life and destiny had decided a hut for her. She would have to live here now. Her husband came along with his brother thus completing the group of five men. "Are you well, respected husband?" Draupadi asked him. "I'm fine princess. Do not worry about me. This is your new dwelling from today and we are pleased to welcome you here", he said in a pleasant tone. "We will now meet our dear mother", insisted her husband. Draupadi was waiting to meet her husband's mother. They fung open the door of the hut. Draupadi noticed one old woman sitting infront of one pan, in which she was preparing some meal. "See what we have brought home mother!" all the brothers said enthusiastically. Without turning her back that old woman said "Whatever you have brought my dear sons share it among yourselves." Those Brahmanas were surprised and shocked on hearing this. Upon turning her back that last saw her sons with a beautiful lady.

"Arjun has brought home one wife", Yudhisthir said to her. He was the eldest. "Oh, what words did I utter for my sons?" exclaimed that lady. Draupadi did not seem to know what was the meaning of her sentence. And wait a minute, was her husband's name Arjun? "Is your name Arjun?" she asked her husband. "Its time to tell you the truth Oh princess. I am Pandava Arjun and these are my brothers Yudhisthira, Bheema, Nakul and Sahadev. We escaped the fire of Varnavat and started to live in his hut to stay away from our enemies." Draupadi's eyes were crowded with tears of happiness. She had been praying to Lord Narayan for getting married to Arjun and her Lord had fulfilled her wish. "I cherished one wish to marry only you, Oh Arjun" she happily said to him. She touched the feet of that old lady who was none other than Kunti who was formerly called Pritha. Kunti blessed her. But Draupadi noticed fear on Kunti's face. The Pandavas were also tensed. "Is there any problem Oh Pandavas?" she asked them. With a not-so-pleasant tone, Yudhisthir said "We have forever listened to whatever our Mata has said and we can never disobey her order dear Draupadi. She uttered that we must share you among ourselves. We can't disobey her words and according to us, you will never agree to marry all of us. This is our only dilemma." Draupadi was shocked to hear this from her husband's brother. She sat down and started lamenting, "Oh Narayan! How do I live in this situation now? My husbands never disobey their mother. Through her mistake, everyone is in dilemma now. Help your devotee Oh Narayan! she pleaded to God. Kunti said "Forgive me daughter, I said these words unknowingly. I never will utter such words further without knowing the situation. I know this is difficult. I won't force you nor will my sons say any thing to you. This is upon you whom you want to live with as your husband. Take some time and let us know." Yudhisthir said to Draupadi, "Its not easy for us also, dear Draupadi, to marry our brother's wife. We have never disobeyed Mata from the time Pitashri has gone to heaven. But as Mata said it's completely upon you. Do what you want."

Draupadi was in a dilemma. Marrying five men would make her wedding the talk of the town. Some may mock her chastity or call her different names to disgrace her. And if she ignored them, how could she not remember that her first love was Arjun? She had pined only for him. Would five men live with her in her palace? Would she be the wife of five men? These thoughts made her weak. Showing her sadness on these matters would not get her any thing in life. She thought the other way. How could she let her mother-in-law's words go waste? Her husband had pledged to forever not disobey his Mata and how could she try to destroy his pledge? What did her husband decide?
Draupadi asked Arjun what his wish was.

"Would you happily see me getting married to your brothers? Would you have no problem when I will be called wife of five men? What is your wish my dear husband? I will abide to your wish. If you wish that I must obey the words of your mother, then so be it." Arjun was moved with these words of his wife. But he had decided on this matter. "Draupadi! It's hard to find a wife like you who is very understanding. According to Dharma, we must not disobey our mother, any circumstances her words may get us. I know this will be difficult for us and more difficult for you but my wish is that you must marry all my brothers to not let my mother's words go wasted. We will protect you from all worse situations and evil men. From today you will be our beloved and your wish will be our command." Hearing Arjun's words that dark lady was saddened. Her husband had the wish that she must marry all his brothers. But she did not want to say no to him. He had after all rescued dignity of Panchal, rescued her from Duryodhan and other Kauravas and brought her to his home with his brothers. His brothers had been kind to her. She could not say no to them. "If this is everyone's wish, then I'm ready to wed you and all your brothers in a marriage ceremony. May Lord Narayan take care of everything." The Pandavas and Kunti was glad of Draupadi's decision and praised her for her wish to abide to Dharma.

Dhristadyumna was listening to this conversation standing outside the hut. He was glad that Arjun was that Brahmana who had won Draupadi but was also worried as to what Drupad, Draupadi's father, would say after hearing that Draupadi would marry five men. He went back near the king in Panchal and narrated whatever he saw in the hut.