Samsrishti | ✔

06 | The Bow Strung

She is a glorious sight to behold. Dressed in a deep red silk, her hair is braided back. She is adorned with heavy gold necklaces with inlaid rubies and many other ornaments. Yet the ornaments seem to be beautiful simply because she is wearing them. She is holding a garland of white flowers in her hands.

The instruments fade to the background and there is no sound as Krishnaa walks to her seat. Everyone is awestruck by her beauty.

She sits down. Her gaze sweeps the arena. Many of the men are staring at her with lust in their gazes, and she ignores them and looks to the crowd of Brahmanas. Her eyes settle on the five brothers, all staring up at her as though their hearts have been pierced by Kamadeva. Relief and recognition mingle on her beautiful face, and she lowers her gaze once, bites her lip almost invisibly and looks back up at them. A flush spreads across her dark cheeks.

DHRISHTADYUMNA

My greetings and gratitude to all the valorous kings and princes assembled here today on the occasion of my sister's svayamvara. The task to win her hand is simple. With these five arrows and the bow here, you must shoot the target through the hole in the centre of the machine. Whoever does this, I tell you truly today, O noble ones, will obtain my sister Krishnaa in marriage.

Dhrishtadyumna steps back and begins to speak to Krishnaa. We sweep over the gathered royals' faces, their gazes alternating between the bewitching beauty of Krishnaa and the machine.

KING 1

(standing up)

Krishnaa will be mine!

KING 2

You are a fool! She will never be won by the likes of you! She shall be mine.

While the kings argue amongst themselves, Krishna is looking amusedly at everything. He leans over to Balarama.

KRISHNA

(discreetly pointing to the Pandavas)

Dau, I tell you, that is Yudhishthira. There is Bhima, Arjuna and those are the twins.

BALARAMA throws a glance in their direction, and he smiles happily to see the Pandavas. He casts a pleased glance at Krishna who smiles back more brilliantly.

Then, a king arises. He walks to the centre, inspecting the target. He smirks at the bow, and places a hand on it. He pulls, but the bow is immovable. He strains under the effort, applying more and more force, and is eventually thrown back. His rings clatter to the floor.

Ashamed, he throws a dirty glance at the bow and returns to his seat, dejected.

One by one, all the kings try and fail. Some are unable to even lift the bow, while others manage to lift it but cannot string it. The exuberant atmosphere of the arena fades as more and more royals fail.

Krishnaa watches the proceedings with the barest hint of a smile on her face, while Drupada and Prishati grow more and more worried by the moment.

Duryodhana makes his attempt. He lets out an angry shout as he is thrown back to the floor while attempting to string the bow, and Bhima chuckles lowly.