Pandavapriya Draupadi

Craving of Draupadi.

One day, when Draupadi was strolling near her hut once her work was completed, she saw one two beautiful flowers lying near her hut. Picking these flowers she carefully brought to her hut and started praising their beauty. These flowers were quite beautiful. Those pink flowers made Draupadi crave for them. She saw Yudhisthir and asked "Can you tell me what kind of flowers are these?" Yudhisthir saw those flowers and said "These flowers are called Saugandhika. These flowers are usually never seen here as these are from mountains of Gandharvamadana in Kubera's lotus lake which many spirits and one demoness called Krodhavasa is guarding. Maybe these two lotuses came here due to wind." He told Draupadi about Gandharvamadana and went to his own work. She had one wish of sitting with many of those beautiful flowers but as that lake was guarded via spirits and Krodhavasa rakshasi, she could not think of requesting her husbands to get these flowers for her.

Vrikodara saw Panchali sad and in her own thoughts. He asked her "Any problem Panchali? You can tell your Vrikodara." Panchali told him that she was craving for flowers from lotus lake of Gandharvamadana mountains. "You want flowers? Only those flowers? And you were sitting sad for this thing?" Vrikodara asked her. "I will go and get these flowers for you Draupadi" he said with confidence and saw towards her with love. She was pleased as he was going specially for her and gave him one hug. Picking up his mace, he set out for Kubera's lake through forests and mountains. He was walking through rigid and inaccessible areas of forests and finally reached those Gandharvamadana mountains. When he was finding Kubera's lake, his Pitashri, Vayu came infront of him. "Stop, dear son. I have come specially to warn you about Krodhavasa demoness who is guard of Kubera's lake." Vrikodara greeted his Pitashri and then said "You do not worry Oh Pitashri! I will try my best to win with that demoness! No one can stop me from getting those flowers for Draupadi. Can you show me way to Kubera's lake Oh Pitashri?" Lord Vayu was pleased to see determination of his son to fulfill his wife Panchali's wish. "You will definitely succeed my son. Go towards North direction and finally you will be able to see Kubera's lotus lake." Then Vayudev went to his Vayuloka, thus telling his son how to go towards his destination.

Panchali was worried for Vrikodara. "I must have not sent him to those mountains. Would my husband be ok? Has he managed to pluck those flowers? Save him from Krodhavasa Oh Narayana!" she thought and sat in her hermitage. Meanwhile, Vrikodara reached that lake which was beautiful with flowers of Saugandhika. He was going to pluck some flowers for Draupadi, when one voice stopped him. "You can't take these flowers" shouted Krodhavasa Rakshasi. "I want to take only some flowers for my wife", Vrikodara said to her. "I challenge you Oh stranger. You can take these flowers only if you win with me." Vrikodara was forever ready for duel and he readily said yes to her. Both started combating. Krodhavasa used all her power to win with Vrikodara. Vrikodara was combating with determination to win and thus, he won with her. She was lying tired near that lake. Finally she said "No man has managed to reach here and win with me, but you are different. You may take some of these flowers." Vrikodara plucked some flowers and went to his hermitage where Draupadi was waiting for him.

When Panchali finally saw him, she gave him hug of her love and asked him to sit and have some water as he would be tired from this travels to those mountains. He gave her those beautiful flowers which she had been craving for. Their fragrance was quite fantastic. Vrikodara was pleased to see Panchali smiling for first time after disrobing incidence. Panchali gave him one kiss.