The world's greatest young heroes gather in the opulent kingdom of the Pancalas,
hoping to win Draupadi as their bride.
The sage Vaisampayana is telling the history of the Pandavas to their great-grandson, King Janamejaya. Disguised as brahmanas, the Pandavas are traveling to the kingdom of King Drupada, whose daughter Draupadi will select a husband in a ceremony known as a svayamvara.
THE FIVE PANDAVA brothers, tigers of men, set out to see Draupadi and the divine festival. Traveling with their mother, they met on the road many brahmanas also going to the festival with their followers.
The brahmanas said to the Pandavas, who were disguised as celibate brahminical students, "Fellow brahmanas, where are you headed and from where are you coming?"
Yudhisthira Maharaja replied, "O saintly ones who have seen the Lord, be informed that we brothers have come from Ekacakra and are traveling with our mother."
The brahmanas said, "You should all go at once to the palace of King Drupada, in the land of Pancala. A grand svayamvara is going to take place there, and the king will be giving away a fortune in charity. We ourselves are going there, making our way in one large group. There will be a most glorious and amazing festival there.
"The daughter of the great soul Drupada arose from a sacred altar, and her eyes are just like lotus petals. She is a young and very delicate lady, lovely to see, and intelligent also. She is the sister of Dhrstadyumna, that fiery foe of Drona born with armor, sword, arrows, and bow. Dhrstadyumna has powerful arms and took birth from a blazing fire of sacrifice. He glows like fire.
"His sister is called Draupadi and Krsna, and there is not a single flaw in the figure of that thin-waisted girl. Her body bears the natural fragrance of a blue lotus, and that fragrance spreads for miles. The daughter of King Drupada is eagerly preparing for her svayamvara, and we are going there to see her at her divine festival. Kings and princes will be arriving there, great souls fixed in their vows, clean in their habits, and most generous to the brahmanas, for all of them have studied the Vedas under learned priests. Young and handsome rulers from many countries will come together, great chariot fighters who have mastered their weapons.
"Hoping for the blessing of victory, the monarchs who come there will distribute to everyone who comes all varieties of gifts, including valuable stones and coins, as well as cows and food grains. After we have received all that charity, seen thesvayamvara, and experienced the festival, we shall then go as we please.
"Actors, bards, dancers, powerful wrestlers, and reciters of legends and history will all come there from different countries. Thus when you have seen and taken part in the wondrous event and received charity, you great souls will return with us from whence you came. And who knows? when Draupadi Krsna sees all you handsome boys standing there, as good-looking as gods, she might just choose one of you as her husband! This attractive brother of yours is very handsome, and his arms are huge. If he wrestles there, he could win a big prize!"
Yudhisthira Maharaja said, "Yes, sir, we shall go with all of you to see that most prominent and divine festival, wherein the young princess will choose her prince."
Arrival in Drupada's Kingdom
My dear Janamejaya, the Pandavas, thus invited by the brahmanas, set out with them toward the kingdom of Pancala, ruled by King Drupada. On the way, O king, the Pandavas met Dvaipayana Vyasa, that great and pure soul untouched by sin. Having properly honored him and been encouraged and comforted by him, they spoke for some time, and then with his permission they went on their way to the kingdom of Drupada.
The great warriors traveled at their leisure and set up camp wherever they encountered lovely lakes and forests. They took time to study Vedic literature and to maintain strict cleanliness, and thus their minds were gentle and their speech was kind and pleasant. Eventually those Kuru princes reached the land of the Pancalas.
After they had seen the city and the king's palace, the Pandavas made their residence in the house of a potter and fully adopted the activities of brahmanas, collecting alms for their sustenance. So well did they play the part that the local people had not an inkling that those great heroes had arrived in the city.
Now, it had always been the desire of King Drupada to give his daughter to Arjuna, but he did not reveal his wish. In his attempt to seek out the sons of Kunti, the Pancala king had arranged for a tough and unyielding bow and an artificial device suspended in the air, and within that contrivance the king placed a golden target.
King Drupada said, "Whoever can string this bow and with the bow and these arrows shoot through the hanging device and pierce the target wins my daughter's hand."
King Drupada had this message announced all around, [knowing that only Arjuna could pass the test]. Hearing the monarch's challenge, all the kings of the world eagerly assembled in Drupada's city. The holy sages also came, eager to see thesvayamvara, and all the Kuru princes arrived there, headed by Duryodhana with his close friend Karna, to try for Draupadi's hand.
The Opulence of the Arena
Exalted brahmanas arrived from many countries, and the great soul Drupada welcomed and honored them, as he did the contingents of monarchs. The local crowds roared like the tossing sea as the visiting kings reached the fine city and settled in for the affair.
Northeast of the town, on a flat and sanctified stretch of land, a beautiful stadium shone with much splendor, boasting luxurious viewing stands on all sides. A colorful canopy stretched across the entire arena; a protective wall and moat encircled it. Tall arched gateways adorned the arena, hundreds of musical instruments filled the air with sound, priceless aloe perfumes and sandalwood water scented the atmosphere, and colorful flower garlands added bright beauty to the scene.
The palatial pavilions on all sides of the stadium were of excellent construction and stood so high that they seemed to scrape the heavens like the peak of Mount Kailasa. The pavilions were covered with golden trellises and inlaid gorgeously with gems. Access to the upper stands was gradual and easy, and there were large seats and other furnishings completely upholstered with material not to be found in ordinary villages, for the fabrics and carpets were as white as swans and scented with the finest aloe, perfuming the air for miles. There were a hundred wide and unobstructed gateways, furnished with exquisite seats and sofas fashioned with varieties of valuable metals, resembling the peaks of the Himalayas. All the kings, splendidly dressed, took their seats on the various levels of the pavilion, competing with one another for position and prestige.
The citizens of the town and country saw that those mighty warriors were lionlike monarchs, ferocious in battle but exceedingly kind to those who sought their shelter. Indeed, the kings were loved by all their countrymen for good and pious deeds, and those fortunate kings, tastefully scented with black aloe cologne, ruled their lands with saintly guidance and devotedly served the brahmanas. The citizens sought the satisfaction of seeing the chaste Princess Draupadi, and so they took their seats in the opulent viewing areas.
The Pandavas took their seats with the brahmanas and beheld the unparalleled opulence of the Pancala king. The gathering continued to grow for many days, and it was magnificent. Jewels were given in charity, and professional actors and dancers performed.
Draupadi's Arrival
A large and beautiful gathering was present when on the sixteenth day it was time for Draupadi to appear. Her body freshly bathed and adorned with all the finest jewelry, she took in her hands the hero's cup, golden and exquisitely wrought, and descended into the arena. At that moment, the royal priest of the Pancalas, a pure brahmana learned in mantra, spread the sacred grass and fed the fire of sacrifice with oblations of clear butter. All was done precisely by the ancient rule.
Having sated the fire of rite and the holy brahmanas, and having invoked blessings on the assembly, the royal priest then signaled for the musicians to cease. When not a sound could be heard, Dhrstadyumna went to the center of the arena, and in a voice as deep and grave as thunder rumbling in the clouds, he pronounced these graceful and meaningful words:
"May all the kings hear me now! This is the bow, these are the arrows, and there is the target. With only five arrows at your disposal, you must send a shaft through the opening in that mechanical device and strike the target.
"My sister Krsna shall today become the wife of the man endowed with noble lineage, beauty, and strength who carries out this most difficult task. I speak the truth."
Having spoken thus to the kings, the son of Drupada then turned to Draupadi and began to recite to her, so that all could hear, the name, lineage, and deeds of each of the assembled monarchs.
[After finishing the list, Dhrstadyumna said,] "These and many other kings from many countries, all celebrated rulers in this world, have come here seeking your hand, fair woman. These mighty men will try to pierce a most difficult target for your sake. Should one of them find the mark, you should then choose him to be your husband."
The Proud Young Kings
Bedecked with jewels and earrings, those young kings now came together, challenging one another, each convinced that power and skill in weapons rested with him, each highly enlivened with worldly pride. [Thus when they heard the words of Dhrstadyumna,] they all proudly sprang to their feet, [each claiming that he would meet the challenge].
Their pride was great, for each king possessed beauty, valor, lineage, virtue, and youth, and by the force of this pride they became as mad as the mighty elephants of the Himalayas. They challenged and stared at one another, their strong bodies bristling with determination. "Draupadi is meant for me!" they boasted, suddenly rising from their seats.
Those warriors assembled in the great arena sought to win the hand of Drupada's daughter, just as the hosts of gods had once assembled to win the hand of Uma, born of the mountain king. The kings' limbs were harassed by the arrows of Cupid, for their hearts had already gone to Draupadi. Because of Draupadi they now went down to the center of the arena, and even kings who had been dear friends now treated each other as hostile rivals.
At that moment, the hosts of gods arrived in their airships. Rudras, Vasus, Adityas, the Marutas, the twin Asvins, and all the Sadhyas all arrived, led by Yamaraja, the lord of justice, and Kuvera, head of the celestial treasury.
Then came the Daityas, the godly sages, the great birds and serpents, the Guhyakas and Caranas, Narada, Parvata, and Visvavasu, and the chief Gandharvas with their Apsara mates.
Present there were Lord Balarama and Lord Krsna, and the leading men of the Vrsni and Andhaka dynasties. The great men of the Yadu dynasty, ready to execute Lord Krsna's command, carefully glanced around the arena. Lord Krsna Himself, the Yadu hero, then noticed five men dressed as renunciants and covered with ashes as if they were five sacrificial fires. The five looked as strong and alert as mighty red-spotted elephants in the season of their fury.
Lord Krsna reflected deeply, [for He alone knew their identity,] and He quietly and discreetly told Lord Balarama, "There is Yudhisthira and there are Bhima and Arjuna and the heroic twins."
Lord Balarama gazed upon them, and then with a joyful mind He glanced at Krsna, who is known as Janardana.
There were many other kings, with their sons and grandsons, and all of them had lost their eyes, minds, and personalities to Draupadi. As they looked at her strolling about the arena, their faces blushed and they chewed on their lips. The kings were determined to do battle for her sake. And so it was with the three wide-armed sons of Prtha and the powerful heroic twins. Their eyes fixed on Draupadi, all of them were struck by the arrows of Cupid.
The sky above the arena was filled with Asuras, Gandharvas, godly sages, mystic Siddhas, and celestial birds and serpents. Divine scents wafted everywhere. Falling blossoms from divine garlands scattered and floated in the air. The great sounds of big drums sent forth deep thudding vibrations. And the sky was crowded with airplanes and alive with the sounds of flutes, vinas, and cymbals.
The Pride-Crushing Bow
Then the hosts of kings came forward one by one, hoping to win Draupadi, but with all their strength they could not string the iron-stiff bow. Though they struggled with valor to bend it, the determined bow would recoil and throw the kings to the ground, where they lay miserably moving their limbs before the crowd. Thus their proud demeanor was shattered.
Gazing upon all the kings, Karna, best of the wielders of bows, went forward. Quickly lifting the bow, and holding it high, he strung it and armed it with arrows.
Seeing the Suta (Karna was known as a charioteer's, or Suta's, son), the sons of Pandu, holding their bows, considered the splendid target already pierced and brought to the earth.
Karna was a child of the Sun, and he surpassed fire, the Moon, and the Sun. Out of passion, he had made a vow to win Draupadi.
Seeing him holding the bow, Draupadi loudly spoke these words: "I shall not choose the son of a chariot driver!"
Gazing at the sun with an angry smile, Karna put down that quivering bow.
Then in that assembly of bewildered men, when all the kings had ceased their vows and cries, Arjuna, son of Kunti, came forward to string the bow and fit it with the arrow.
Hridayananda Dasa Goswami led the team of devotee-scholars who completed the translation and commentary of the Srimad-Bhagavatam begun by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He is now doing graduate work in Sanskrit and Indian Studies at Harvard University.