Draupadi - The Impregnable Queen

1

3500 BC, somewhere near the Ganga river, India

"I call upon you, Oh Lord of Fire! Only you can settle the fire burning within Agnidev. For all the sacrifices I have performed for you, I ask for a favour My Lord!" shouted a man in his 50s, adorned with embroidered brown dhoti, his flowing orange angavastram, gave a view of his old but sculpted body, scars of wars fought still visible. His hair reaching his muscled shoulders, though dominantly black showed some white too. His torso was barely visible from the abundance of jewellery bedecked on him. He was the king of Panchal, Drupad.
The fire rose to a height of 5 feet, Drupad smiled to himself.
"Oh Lord, I feel fulfilled now that I have pleased you, all I ask for is a son, whose virtuoso would scare Magadharaj himself, his strength such that even the elephants would bow down to him, the purpose of his life to be the cause of the death of that scum Drona." he said spitting out the last name. Dronacharya, his once friend who he had promised half of his kingdom to, in his childhood days, but when Drona came to ask for a cow so that he could feed his son Ashwathama, Drupad had insulted him and his knowledge in front of the whole court.
Seething in anger Drona vowed that years from now, students who had attained his knowledge, would take the throne from Drupad, and would declare Ashwathama as the king.
Yesterday morning the conch shells had woken the Panchalraj up. The 105 students of Drona were nearing the borders of his kingdom, such was the message. Drupad and his elder daughter and Senapati Shikhandini set out to protect their kingdom. After breaking into the Chakravyuha, created by Drupad, the eldest Kaurav prince Duryodhana, knocked Shikhandini out. But Drupad eventually defeated the prince, and took him and his companions as prisoners. After a while, a soldier informed him that, the prisoners were only 100 in number. Worried he set his telescope, making out five horses coming from a distance and gave out the order of reforming the Chakravyuha. Like the previous time, the five Pandava princes broke the Chakravyuha. While four of them parried with the soldiers, one of them, the middle prince who was known for his archery skills all through the country, Arjuna closed down on Drupad, eventually defeating him.
Dronacharya stripped half of his kingdom from him and made his son Ashwathama the ruler. Drona respectfully gave Drupad his half of the kingdom and extended a hand of friendship, which the seething ego of Drupad refused.
The fire rose higher, and Drupad rejoiced seeing an outline of a human. From the fire emerged a man, 6 feet tall, just wearing a khadi dhoti, his arms resembling the trunk of an elephant. His naked torso rippling with muscles. Drupad rejoiced, on seeing his son, his son who would avenge him.
"For his beseeching splendour and courage, I Drupad the king of Panchal name him Drishtdyumna." he declared. After examining his son proudly, he turned back to the surging fire.
"Oh Agnidev, you have blessed me with a son of great strength, how can I ask you for anything else Oh Lord!" joining his hands, he turned to leave, but suddenly the fire crackled threateningly. The clouds rumbled, and a voice was heard, "You cannot leave without what is destined to be your Drupad, I grant you a daughter who will wed the warrior who had the courage and ability to defeat you, a daughter who is worthy of the great Arjuna himself. Her beauty such that the beauty of all women together would not beat hers. Her strength such that even the best of the men would die of fear before her. I bless her with my fire, she will be respected by those who follow Dharma and feared by those who follow Adharma. She will be the voice of every righteous person in the Aryavarta, and the vice of every evil. She will change the course of history, itself. She will be protected by me, people will know her as Yagyaseni, the warrior of the fire, she will be named after you, the daughter of Drupad."
As soon as the clouds stopped rumbling, the fire rose to 10 feet and stepped out a woman, a woman with imploring beauty, and bold build. Her almond coloured skin defined her muscles, her red flowing angavastram gave a peak to her toned stomach. Her black hair reaching the end of her back, looked like locks of fire. Her eyes reflected the fire such that they looked like small fireballs, her cheeks high, and her jawline meant to cut, she looked voluptuous and vicious, she looked like the embodiment of fire itself. She was Draupadi.