“Now my dear dada sitting on my left, Yadava’s Lord of Dwaraka, Srikrishna stood erect. The moment he stood up, Yadavas, assembled kings and other invitees shouted ecstatically, ‘Hail Yadava leader Sharangadhara, Lord of Dwaraka Srikrishna Maharaja, victory!’
“Hearing the acclamations being shouted in his name the eyes of everyone present including Jarasandha, Panchala king Drupada and Maharani Sautramani were riveted on his unparalleled handsome figure. Not just that, I saw it clearly that the bride, Panchala’s daughter Yajnasena Draupadi who was standing with her face turned down so far unwittingly looked up and observed dada intently.
“It was as if the roof of the pandal was going to blow off with the ecstatic victorious cheers. Meanwhile, making his way through the assembled kings a tall, extremely radiant Brahmin youth came forward walking with his head held high, his chest puffed up and stood near the pond. No one in the pandal knew his name, who he was and from where he had come. But he came with such agility and confidence that the din in the pandal stopped instantly. I observed the youth dressed up as a Brahmin, with a keen eye. For a moment, I thought dada himself was standing near the pond in a Brahmindress! How is it possible? Now I too began looking at him intently. He moved forward in the same slow gait and with full confidence. He went close to the archer’s seat located at the centre of the pond. He had emphatically grabbed the attention of everyone in the pandal.
“He took an elegant, spectacular Virasana pose, and a big round of applause resonated through the pandal. I also stood up at once while clapping. Then I heard dada’s familiar whispering words, ‘Udho, brother, this is the same Virasana! The one that I saw at Kurukshetra near the Suryakunda on the day of the solar eclipse! Udho, he is nobody else but the son of Pandu and Kunti, Arjuna himself!’ I kept staring at dada, wonderstruck. Now he had forgotten himself and was joyfully clapping away lightly and rhythmically. I had never ever seen him like that before.
“Meanwhile the saffron-clad Brahmin youth had picked up the Shiva-bow, mounted an arrow on the bow string and checked the reflection rotating in the pond. In a flash, he pierced the fish-eye in the very first shot itself. The fish device had stopped. Right from that moment the wheel of improbable, innumerable events had begun rotating. Panchala daughter Draupadi moved forward and with a demure smile she put the white lotus garland in her hand, around the neck of the Brahmin youth. Exactly at that moment dada patted my shoulders and whispered vaguely, ‘She is the third one! The first one was of Gokul, the second one of Dwaraka, this is the third one from Kampilyanagar!’ I was confused to hear that. I couldn’t resist asking him, ‘Third who?’
“He gave me a very affectionate smile and said, ‘The third sister! In Gokul there was Ekananga, in Dwaraka there is Subhadra, and this Yajnasena from Kampilyanagar is the third one!’
“Only he could act and speak like this. My brother, who was about to participate in the Swayamwar a moment ago, easily took the fragrant, elegant Kshatriya lady for his sister.
“The moment Draupadi put the garland around the neck of the Brahmin youth the Kshatriyas in the pandal got agitated. Jarasandha roared, ‘Is this ordinary Brahmin going to take away a Kshatriya lady, the Panchala daughter in our presence?’
“‘We will never tolerate it.’ Many kings supported him and brandished their bows, maces, and swords. Within a moment, the pandal of the Swayamwar got transformed into a battleground. Another hefty youth came closer to the pond to protect the Brahmin youth. Immediately dada said to me, ‘Uddhava, this is indeed mighty Bhima, the son of Vayu!’ Dada unmistakably recognized the three young men who followed him. They were Yudhishthira, Nakula and Sahadeva. They were the sons of Pandu – the Pandavas.
“With Yudhishthira, Nakula and Sahadeva the huge and roaring Bhima dealt with the many kings including Jarasandha, who fell on Arjuna with their weapons. Arjuna fought a war of archery with Karna, Duryodhana, Karna’s brother Shona and Karna’s son Sudamana using the Shiva-bow laid out for the Swayamwar. Stunned Draupadi rushed towards her brother Dhrishtadyumna for shelter. The Panchala king Drupada raised both hands and tried to control the unruly invitees in vain. With one arm Dhrishtadyumna was trying to restrain the invited Kshatriyas. With the other hand he held his sister Draupadi’s arm tightly to keep her from getting caught in the ruckus.
“I was surprised to see that dada was extremely calm. He brought his face close to my ear so that I could hear clearly amidst the furore in the pandal and commanded, ‘Uddhava, Pandavas are going to win this Swayamwar battle for sure! Once it ends Draupadi will follow her husband out of the pandal. Follow both of them, and find out exactly where the Pandavas and aatya Kuntidevi are staying.’
“It happened exactly as he said. In the ongoing battle, Karna’s young son Sudamana got wounded and collapsed due to a moon-faced throat-piercing arrow of Arjuna. Karna immediately threw away his bow and rushed to him. Sudamana had been killed by Arjuna’s arrow! All the kings encircled Karna who was sitting dispirited next to his dead son.
“There, Arjuna offered his respects to King Drupada and Maharani Sautramani and started leaving the pandal with his four brothers following him. When Draupadi’s parents and brother gestured her to follow them, Draupadi started walking behind Arjuna with her face turned down. She had formally become his wife as he had fulfilled the condition of the Swayamwar. I intently observed young Arjuna who was full of the radiance of a ‘Kshatriya’. Let me tell you vahini, he and dada are so similar! Their complexion, figure and height are exactly the same. I am quite sure that even you would get confused between them if you saw them from behind! While observing keenly I felt that dada may be a tiny bit taller than him. He must be!
“As per dada’s command I too left the pandal and followed the Pandava brothers. They were staying at a potter’s place on the border of Kampilyanagar. No one had recognized them so far as they had disguised themselves as Brahmins, immediately after leaving Varanavata, and had taken precaution not be seen together ever. Seeing the valiant Pandavas alive and together like five mountain summits, I felt extreme joy just like dada.
“As soon as I returned and informed dada about the whereabouts of the sons of Pandu and their mother he immediately started, along with Balaramadada and me to meet his venerable aatya Kuntidevi.”
Uddhavabhauji had been narrating in such an expressive way that it made me feel as if I myself was present with Sri, dada and bhauji in Kampilyanagar, in the pandal itself. Now an irresistible curiosity took charge of my mind about the looks of Draupadi who was the cause of all this. More than that, I tried to visualize Sri’s and her first visit, but was not satisfied with it. With a girlish curiosity, I asked sweet-spoken Uddhavabhauji, “Then how did both of them actually meet? Please tell me something.” Uddhavabhauji had sincere and great regard for me as his vahini, as the wife of his dear brother, and as Yadava Maharani. Probably that is why sometimes he would let go of his usual sombre attitude and tease me playfully. He was quite naughty indeed! As if pacifying me with both his hands he said, “Okay, okay, have patience. I will tell you. Pandava’s mother, aatya Kuntidevi was completely surprised when she saw dada standing in front of her. She didn’t even let him pay obeisance properly and at once holding him in a deep embrace she said, ‘So, now you remembered us… hmm? I heard that you went to Hastinapura and performed our final rites too. What blessing should I give you for such a heroic feat?’ Thus, she rebuked dada as soon as she saw him. Dada, who otherwise would never oblige anybody, pinched both his ears and said to Kunti aatya, ‘My mistake, dear aatya! Forgive me for that. But the Dharmashastra that I have heard says that if final rites are performed for persons who are actually alive they live longer and successful lives! Besides, it was a diplomatic strategy too. Performing your final rites was going to keep you safe.’ Dada had asked for forgiveness in his own style indeed. After that of course aatya Kuntidevi gave plentiful of her blessings to dada, Balaramadada and me.
Aatya Kuntidevi who was initially jubilant to see dada, afterwards showed a bit
of anxiety and said, ‘Srikrishna, I have committed the biggest blunder just now! Arjuna returned with his wife, and said, ‘Mother, I have brought stupendous alms today!’
“Hearing the zest and excitement in his voice I surmised that he had brought food as usual, but in larger quantity today.
“While I was still inside I said, ‘If it is stupendous then share it among all of you!’
“My obedient Arjuna and his brothers have taken my wish as my final decision. They have decided to share this Panchala daughter – Draupadi among themselves as their wife. I have a nagging feeling that I have made a mistake. I am feeling restless. Have I done injustice to her, whether knowingly or unknowingly, in spite of being a woman? You travel throughout Aaryavarta. You easily solve challenging problems for others. Tell me whether I am right or wrong. Put yourself in place of Arjuna and tell me the truth after due consideration.”
Aatya thought her bhacha would stumble and hesitate. But dada instantly said, ‘Arjuna has taken the right decision! Besides him all four sons of yours have developed a desire for her. When you said ‘share the alms amongst all five of you’, that wasn’t said unknowingly at all. You are so attached to the joys and sorrows of these five that unwittingly your mother’s heart spoke the truth prudently.
“Now, you yourself think carefully about it and answer my question oh, mother of the Pandavas, tell me the truth that if you put yourself in place of your elder son Yudhishthira, wouldn’t you have desired this Panchali?”
Now it was the experienced, mature aatya’s turn to get baffled. She had always been covering up for all her sons and showered her affections on them. That unyielding Kshatriya lady who had suffered so much in her life said, ‘Definitely, I would have desired her! Arjuna and these four have indeed taken the right decision!’
“‘Now, that’s like my aatya! That’s exactly what I wanted to say. Only if these five brothers are united like a powerful fist and stay together physically and also in thought, can they raise their voice and make others listen to them and agree with them. They will establish their legitimate rights even if they need to snatch them out of the jaws of death.
“This ravishingly beautiful Draupadi could have first become the cause of a rift and then a ravine of disparity among these five. That is what you have prevented from happening. Only you could think of such an instruction of sharing the alms. But I am thinking about this Panchala daughter Draupadi.’
“Speaking thus he stood right in front of Draupadi, who was lost in looking intently at dada, in their very first meeting and directly asked her. Listening to his question she must have felt as if it was her own father King Drupada standing in front of her. He asked, ‘Draupadi, do you agree from the bottom of your heart to accept these five as your husbands? If yes, how exactly did you arrive at that decision?’
“Now all five Pandavas along with Kunti mata listened expectantly wondering what could be the answer. I noted that even Balaramadada’s face displayed curiosity. To tell you the truth vahini, even I pricked my ears.
“The Panchala daughter Yajnasena answered staring at the iridescent peacock feather in dada’s crown. When I first heard her voice, it sounded as if it was coming from a distant place, somewhere from the Yajna pit of the sun’s nucleus in the skies. It was incredibly sharp and yet melodious. It was resolute, compelling one to listen. Just like dada’s voice. But it had less of the sweetness of Venu which dada’s voice has. Really vahini, the first thing I remembered while hearing her was your voice! I realized it for the first time that your voice ranged somewhere between these two voices!
“Draupadi’s answer suited her character. She said, ‘Hrishikesha, I accept these five brothers as my husbands from the bottom of my heart. Madhava, you know well that they appear to be five but exist as one from within. Even I believe the same. They may be five to the world, but for me they are one.
“‘Achyuta, I have heard a lot about you. I feel it is my great luck to see you in person today. Now I would like to ask you what you think of me.’
“Now all of us started staring at dada with curiosity, wondering how he was going to answer that question. Without wasting a moment, he said, ‘Friend, my beloved friend! The world will call you my sister. I already have Subhadra as my sister. But you are my friend!’
“Draupadi also nodded in affirmation. She moved her eyes from the peacock feather to dada’s feet and in a clear voice she said, ‘Then give this friend of yours a suitable blessing.’ She instantly touched dada’s feet with her lean-fingered hands adorned with decorative red-dye design.
“Till today he had been quickly answering many difficult and puzzling questions. But while blessing his beloved friend his bright fish-shaped eyes closed slowly. He raised his right hand to bless her, a hand on which he bore the Sudarshan chakra many a times. The Pandavas heard his serene, peaceful words. He blessed her, ‘You will reach the zenith of conjugal purity and chastity in spite of being the wife of five husbands! Your name will be worth remembering in the morning prayers for ages to come. Just like the boundless sky becomes clear after the rain showers of Mriga your purity will be maintained in the service of your five husbands. It is only you who will grace of the lives of these five sons of Pandu just as the Shivapindi looks sublime adorned with the Bela leaves, and my crown looks elegant with the peacock feather. Your mother-in-law will be like your mother and at an appropriate time you will experience that. All seven of you will be remembered forever.’
“After Draupadi’s Swayamwar the entire Yadava group returned to Dwaraka along with Sri. While leaving, he had said to me, ‘A new chapter of my life is going to begin after this Swayamwar.’” Even I agreed with him while listening to the account that bhauji gave me.
After a few days, Sri had to go to the Panchanada region. King Brihatsena of the Madra kingdom in Panchanada had organized his daughter’s Swayamwar, possibly taking inspiration from the Panchaal king Drupada. Her name was Lakshmanaa. The condition to be fulfilled for the Swayamwar was the same as Draupadi’s Swayamwar – piercing the eye of the rotating fish in the roof while looking at the reflection in the water below. Vahika and Madra kingdoms were adjacent to each other. The invitation for this Swayamwar also arrived in Dwaraka. The Panchanada region was politically very significant as it bordered with Brahmavarta, Kurujangal and Madhyadesha. One of Vasudevababa’s sister, Shrutakirtidevi had been married to the Kekeya king – Maharaja Dhrishtaketu in this region. Shakalnagar was the royal capital of the Madras. The royal capital of Kekeya was Girjaka. It was located on the banks of river Iravati. Shakalnagari was located on the banks of river Chandrabhaga. The Panchanada region, inclusive of Vahika, Kekeya and Madra was well known for its invincible, pugnacious warriors. Due to the recent Draupadi Swayamwar the Kurus and Panchalas had developed hostility between them. As the invitation for the Swayamwar of Lakshmanaa, the daughter of Madra king Brihatsena, arrived the Sudharma council of the Yadavas was held. In this council, initially an opinion of Balaramadada, minister Vipruthu, and commander Anadhrishti was that if there was going to be any probability of enmity getting generated during the Swayamwar, it wouldn’t be wise for a new kingdom like Dwaraka to offend the pugnacious region of Panchanada. Our foremost enemy was the insolent, self-proclaimed emperor Jarasandha of Magadha who uprooted the Yadavas out of Mathura completely. Therefore, it would be wise not to attend this Swayamwar.
Some Yadava warriors were of exactly the opposite opinion. Some senior Yadavas from the ministry were among them. Satyaki, Kritavarma, Avagaha, Shini supported them. As the council was divided into two groups with regards to the invitation of Lakshmanaa’s Swayamwar, Aacharya Sandipani and royal priest Gargamuni implored Vasudeva to take the final decision as the king. Maharaja Vasudeva who had suffered many hardships in his life, who was experienced and mature, resolutely presented his royal decision, “I think that as your leader the Lord of Dwaraka should respect the invitation of the Madra king, Brihatsena. As my son, Srikrishna should visit my sister Shrutakirti who lives in the
Girjaka city in this region. I would get the satisfaction of meeting my sister, if not in person, but through my son’s eyes. I will also get to know about her welfare from him.”
Sri stood up. This time he spoke just a few words, “My dear Yadava warriors! I absolutely respect the Maharaja’s command. Hence, I will go to Shakalnagar for sure. Along with Balaramadada you all should accompany me without any doubts in mind. I am going there for a prospective mission while keeping the pugnacious warriors of Panchanada in mind. On coming back, I will also deliver the news of the wellbeing of Maharaja’s sister – Shrutakirti aatya. The Yadavas in the Sudharma assembly unanimously shouted in his honour – ‘Hail Vasudeva’s son, Lord of Dwaraka, Leader of all Yadavas. Victory to Maharaja Srikrishna – victory!’
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 34