HARIHARESHWARI 1 : DHARMSTHAPNA

SWAYAMVAR

Next day, the Swayamvar was held and Drupad welcomed everyone, a total of 107 kings and princes came, including Duryodhan, Dushashan, Shakuni, Karna, Jarasandh and Rukmi.

“SABSE PEHLE SWAGAT KIJIYE, BHARATVARSH KI SABSE PRABHAVSHALI RAJKUMARI, AVANTI KE MAHARAJ DILIP KI PUTRI AUR SAURASHTRA KE MAHARAJ SHEKHAR KI NATNI, SWARNARATHI, RAJKUMARI AVANTIKA.” Maharaj Drupad said emphasizing her kingdoms and family for Jarasandh to listen.

The dancers started dancing, making way for Amarsri to enter the Arena, they started showering flowers on her, two people started showering flowers on her way covering it completely.

“MAMASHREE, YEH MAHARATHI SUNA HAI, SWARNARATHI KHA HOTA HAI ?” Dushashan asked Shakuni.

“RAJKUMARI AVANTIKA KA RATH SWARNA SE BANA HAI, ISI LIYE SWARNARATHI KEHLATI HAI.” Shakuni said.

“MUJHE AISA KYU LAGTA HAI, RAJKUMARI AVANTIKA BINA KAHE DUSRO KO DEEN KEH DETI HAI.” Dushashan said, feeling a little inferior for not having a great Rath like hers, he was always given Duryodhan's old one.

Amarsri greeted all the Kings in her way (just nodding with joined hands) they also greeted her back respectfully as most of them were under the protection of her kingdoms. She then greeted Dushashan who also greeted her.

“PRANIPAT ANGRAJ.” She said specially to him.

“PRANIPAT RAJKUMARI.” Angraj said standing up, feeling good that she especially talked to him. In a world where people only insulted and made him feel unwanted she made him feel special.

Amarsri then came in front of Shakuni who was already glaring at her, suddenly grinned at her showing rotten teeth, she just winked at him, remembering Hastinapoor incident. She then greeted Duryodhan and moved forward greeting others. Shakuni gritted his teeth.

Amarsri was given the seat right next to Maharaj, lastly she greeted him and got seated. Drupad then welcomed Vasudev Shri Krishna, who also came greeting the kings, Rukmi gritted his teeth Amarsri chuckled. He then greeted Shakuni who greeted him first. They talked for a moment and then greeted Karna and talked to him too for a while, explaining righteousness to him, basically indirectly telling him to leave Duryodhan's side.
Amarsri smiled at him as he got seated next to her. Drupad then called Draupadi to come, she looked gorgeous and ravishing in her red wedding outfit. She sat on the other side of Drupad and beside her sat Shikhandini and Dhrishtadyumn.

All the contenders there looked at Draupadi with lust, except Angraj Karna who was not even paying attention to anyone, he was only staring at the might bow. Jarasandh had lustful eyes on someone else, Amarsri. He knew how important she was to Krishna for some reason and her background was strong too, also she was drop dead gorgeous and very appealing to Jarasandh's eyes. Making her his would be like shooting not 2 but 3 birds with one arrow. Krishna didn’t like his lustful stare towards Amarsri, he glared at him, a glare that for some reason scared the daylights out of Jarasandh, a glare that could burn entire civilizations down in ashes. How dare he see his daughter in this lustful manner. Jarasandh was for the first time scared of Krishna, he couldn’t see right in his eyes, he now didn’t get the courage to even glance at Amarsri.

Contenders after contenders came but even failed to pick up Shiv Dhanush, let alone take an aim. The ones who were able to lift it up, failed to string it. Then king Jarasandha endued with great strength and powers, approached the bow stood there for some moment, fixed and motionless like a mountain. Tossed by the bow, he too fell upon his knees on the ground, his attempt to impress and seduce Amarsri failed miserably, she just laughed adding fuel to the fire of his embarrassment. Krishna just gave him a look that said ‘Amarsri Teri Aukat se bahar hai' Jarasandh grunted and went back to his seat, his dreams crashing slightly more with every laugh of hers.

Then Duryodhan’s turn came, he arrogantly stood up to make an Announcement to everyone.

“MAI EK GADADHARI HU, MERE OOR SE MERE MITRA ANGRAJ KARNA NISHANA SAADHENGE.” Duryodhan said.

“HUM ISKI ANUMATI NAHI DE SAKTE, JO YEH NISHANA SAADHE GA WAHI MERI BEHEN KA VAR HOGA.” Dhrishtadyumn said.

Duryodhan started arguing with them, Amarsri sighed, these Kauravas just need an excuse to create a scene and ruin the moment. Krishna stood up from his seat, trying to calm the situation.

“DUDH KA KAM PANI NAHI KAR SAKTA AUR PANI KA KAM DUDH NAHI, ISI PRAKAR KOI AUR VYAKTI AAPKE SAMARTHYA KA PRAMAAN NAHI DE SAKTA.” Krishna said.

“KINTU MITRA KARNA APNE SAMARTHYA KA PRADARSHAN TOH SWAYAM KAR HI SAKTA HAI, JAO MITRA DHANUSH UTHAO, LAKSH BHED KARO.” Duryodhan said.

Karna went to the Shiv Dhanush but was unsure if he should do it, something in him stopped him but for Duryodhan he had to do it. A sense of fear took over Draupadi's face as she knew accept Arjun only Karna can hit the eye of the fish. She looked at Krishna who had a blank expression on his face. She then glanced at Amarsri, Amarsri also glanced back, Draupadi shook her head in a -I don’t want to- gesture, Amarsri then looked back to Karna, She glanced at the entire Arena Arjun was not here yet.

Karna picked up the bow and stringed it successfully, he was still unsure, whether he should do it or not, he looked at Amarsri for help, Amarsri looked at him, right in the eye and lightly shook her head in a -don't- gesture.

Karna nodded, he took the aim shot the arrow, Draupadi’s breath hitched but the arrow missed the target by the slightest distance. Karna for the first time felt good by not hitting the target. Amarsri was glad that Karna listened to her and not Duryodhan. Draupadi was thankful that he missed the target. Karna went back to his seat but Duryodhan couldn’t bear it and again started arguing that if Karna cannot hit the target no one can.
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A/N
YOU KNOW IN SOME VERSIONS OF MAHABHARAT, THEY SAY KARNA WAS NOT ABLE TO PICK THE SHIV DHANUSH, SOME SAY HE MISSED THE TARGET, SOME SAY HE WAS NOT ABLE TO STRING IT WHILE SOME SAY DRAUPADI INSULTED HIM.