Draupadi - The Impregnable Queen

4

What happened in the court of Panchal stayed in the court of Panchal. But Drishtdyumna knew it all because he was there. He saw it all, Draupadi challenging him, him accepting the challenge even when his father did not want him to, he saw himself losing, he saw his newfound title stripped off him, he saw Draupadi giving the title back their elder sister, he only saw this much because he had marched out. 

The next day Draupadi had come over, he expected her to shout on him, instead, she talked to him like a normal sister would. Drishtdyumna knew all she said. That she wanted to assuage her father. That she did not want to hurt him. That he was wrong. He knew it all. What Drishtdyumna did not know was that since his birth he was competing with the person who had no competition with him. He was fighting a war not wanting to be fought.

Draupadi came to his chamber at least twice a day. At first, Drishtdyumna did not reply to her, but gradually he even started laughing on her bad attempts at cracking jokes. She was happy that she could make him laugh, but she wanted him to learn. They often talked about the purpose of his birth. She even made him agree to go to Hastinapur, to get to know his enemy, his mission - Dronacharya. She wanted him to not kill him for the sake of revenge he had no part in, but to do what had to be done when the time came. He had to agree, whenever he thought of Dronacharya, he had this unwanted anger bubbling inside him. And as if she wasn't good enough she also gave him some advice to appease the Princess of Vidarb, who had come to visit the kingdom. 

Drupad had known, he had always known. He knew Draupadi was stronger then she let on. Why wouldn't she? She was the blessing of Agnidev himself! Before the Yagya, he was known for Shikhandini, after the Yagya, he will be known for Draupadi. He had known all of this, but he tried to run away, now he could not. One day he went to visit Drishtdyumna in his chamber, he waved his hand to the crier, denying him to make his presence known. What he saw was not what he expected, Drishtdyumna laughing on something Draupadi had said. He went away without letting them know he was even there. From that day on he started trying, gradually he did not even have to try, Draupadi made it easy. He knew now, she would not be known for Drupad's daughter, he will be known as her father. So, he started making peace with it. When the time came to assign posts, he had wanted Draupadi to manage the diplomatic relations, seeing her three-month adventure. When the news reached Draupadi, she came to Drupad, asking him to rethink on his decisions, she wanted Drishtdyumna to manage the relations, though she said the reason being that he would excel at it, what she did not say was that he would also visit Hastinapur and know Dronacharya. 

In the court, Drishtdyumna was appointed to manage the diplomatic relations and Draupadi was appointed to manage the administration of Panchal.

The next few years were a buzz in Panchal. Drishtdyumna was like the wind in and out of Panchal, he was less in Panchal and more in other kingdoms. He was indeed doing well, and on the knowing the archnemesis front he was starting to respect the Rishi.

To the common people of Panchal, it felt like a tornado had come and gone. In about a year the reforms made by Draupadi were starting to bring change. Draupadi had immediately caught on the problem. Not all of Panchal knew all the laws, there were many law books. The police applied the law based on what they knew. A victim was arrested based on one, and a culprit was freed based on other, Draupadi read all the books compiled some necessary ones, made them engraved on stone tablets, and inserted outside every public place, especially temples. Criers were also assigned to each tablet, who spoke the laws out for those who did not know how to read. One of the most important reforms she made was that not knowing a law will not be taken as an excuse. The police of Panchal were either feared or ignored, gradually they began to be respected. Women started to come out at nights. Some people even stopped locking the doors of their home. Panchal was happy, they were glad to have their princess, their saviour.

Drupad was impressed, Draupadi had asked him to give her the thankless job of administration. She was so bright she just did not shine from behind the dark clouds but made them disappear. The people of Panchal were stubborn according to him, which turned out to be true for the nobility only, the common people had suffered. But, Draupadi made it right. He had heard she was worshipped by those who were innocent and feared by the culprits. She was good to the good and bad to the bad. She was kind to victims and harsh to the culprits. She was a woman, a warrior she was it all. The people had started to call her Yodhini.

Author's note: I am providing a vocabulary for words you may be unfamiliar with:

Rishi - A Hindu sage or saint

Yodhini - Female for Yodha meaning warrior