On this journey of exploring the world of Mahabharata, we had reached the point where Draupadi chooses Arjun as her husband. Arjun, who had participated in the swayamvar disguised as a brahmin, was recognized by Draupadi due to his exceptional archery skills. Her intuition combined with Krishna’s belief that the Pandavas survived the tragedy of Varnavat confirmed that the young brahmin was indeed Arjuna.

After the swayamvar ended, Maharaj Drupada, Draupadi’s father, expressed his gratitude towards each guest and bid farewell to them with gifts and good tidings. It was now time to bid farewell to his dear daughter.

Draupadi and her betrothed went to Drupada. Krishna was also there in the king’s chamber. When he saw the couple, Krishna smiled. Draupadi had a glow on her face that spoke volumes about her happiness. Arjun, who was still in the guise of a brahmin, kept his face stoic, not willing to give away his true excitement. He addressed the king and said, “Maharaj, please accept my greetings and my gratitude for considering a common man like me worthy of participating in your daughter’s swayamvar.”

“O Brahmin, you have honored me by taking up the mantle when no one else would and helping me fulfill my vow. You proved your skill in the contest and your virtuous upbringing by the humility you displayed in the arena and now here in my chamber. What more does a father want? I know you’re capable of taking care of my daughter.”

“That’s absolutely true, Maharaj”, Krishna intervened. “But, it’s not all that a father should want. As a father, you need to know who is the man your daughter is marrying, what family he belongs to, what are his means of earning livelihood.”

Krishna turned to the young brahmin, “And you, my friend, need to be completely honest with your wife. Relationships are based on trust, and the relationship you will share with your wife is the most sacred of all. It is only prudent that you reveal your identity to your wife and her family.”

Krishna’s nudge was all that Arjuna needed. He understood that Krishna was right. It was important for Draupadi to know the truth.

“Vasudev, I understand what you are saying and I wholeheartedly agree with you. Maharaj Drupada, Princess Draupadi, “ Arjuna said, addressing the people in the room, “I am no brahmin, but a Kshatriya prince.”

The room fell silent. There was a puzzling look on Drupada’s face, a knowing smile on Draupadi’s face, and encouraging appreciation on Krishna’s face as Arjuna continued.

“My name is Arjuna and I am a prince of Hastinapura. I am the third son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti.”

This revelation left Drupada aghast but also elated that what he had endeavored for has come to fruition.

“Prince Arjuna! This is such a great news. We thought that you have died in the fire at Varnavat. At least, that is what the news was in all of Aryavarta. I had lost all hope. What happened? If you were alive, why did you not come forth?”

“Maharaj, the fire at Varnavat was a conspiracy against us. We are not yet sure of the perpetrators of this conspiracy but we have a hunch. My mother, Queen Kunti, felt unsafe and feared for our safety. And so, she ordered us to go into hiding. This way we could survive and stay safe.”

“Prince Arjuna, we are extremely happy that you survived and now you don’t have to worry about the safety of your family. I know you and your brothers are extremely capable of taking care of yourselves but it’s always good to have allies. You are now family to the kingdom of Panchaal.” Drupada proclaimed and embraced Arjuna.

Drupada was happy, Krishna was happy, and Draupadi? Her happiness knew no bounds.

She was, finally, to be married to the prince she wanted to. It was, after all, what Krishna had desired. For the first time since the tumult of the swayamvara, Draupadi allowed herself to breathe. The quiet Brahmin who had bent the impossible bow and pierced the spinning fish’s eye was no wandering ascetic after all, he was Arjuna, the prince whose valor had traveled across Aryavarta in whispered legends and warriors’ songs. Relief washed over her like the first monsoon rain after a relentless summer. Hadn’t her heart, in its most secret chamber, longed for the peerless archer even before she had seen him? Fate, it seemed, had merely chosen to arrive in humble robes. The deception no longer felt like a trick of destiny but its poetry. In that fleeting moment, before destiny demanded a far greater sacrifice of her, Draupadi believed that the gods had answered the silent prayer she had never dared to speak aloud.

It was now time to bid farewell to her dear family. The couple took blessings of Drupada and Krishna and said their goodbyes to Dhristhdhyumna and Shikhandini. They were then joined by the rest of the Pandava brothers and they left for Ekachakra where Kunti was waiting for them.

By the time the Pandavas along with Draupadi reached Ekachakra, it was nightfall. Lamps were lighting in small room where the Pandavas stayed. Apparently, Kunti was finishing her evening prayers and her back was turned to the door. The brothers asked Arjun to go inside first with Princess Draupadi.

Arjuna, who wanted to surprise his mother, walked inside and said, “Look mother, what did I win today.”

Kunti, without turning, and assuming it must be some commodity that Arjuna won, blurted, “I am busy Arjuna. Whatever it is that you have won, belongs to all five of you. Divide it, and share whatever you have brought.”

The brothers were stunned into silence. Kunti’s words did not merely divide a bride; they divided the hearts of her sons. They stood frozen, each imprisoned by a different turmoil. Arjuna, who had won Draupadi’s hand through skill, courage, and destiny, felt victory slipping through his fingers before he had even claimed it. Bhima’s heart recoiled—not from Draupadi, whom he already admired, but from the thought that a woman should bear the weight of an unintended promise. Yudhishthira, ever the guardian of dharma, found himself trapped between two sacred duties: a mother’s word, once spoken, and the moral order that had governed society for generations. Nakula and Sahadeva exchanged uneasy glances, too young to challenge their elders yet old enough to understand that something irrevocable had been set in motion.

Draupadi couldn’t believe what her mother-in-law had just dictated.

The words were spoken so casually that they scarcely seemed capable of altering the course of history. “Share whatever you have brought.” To Kunti, they were the ordinary instructions of a mother who did not yet know what her sons had returned with. But to Draupadi, they fell like a verdict. For a moment, the world around her dissolved into silence. Surely she had misheard. She looked from one face to another, searching for someone to laugh, to dismiss the mistake, to tell her that no mother’s absent-minded words could decide the destiny of a woman.

When Kunti turned to examine the silence and saw the woman standing beside her sons, her heart stopped. This was no alms won by wandering Brahmins. This was Princess Draupadi, daughter of King Drupada, and the bride Arjuna had rightfully won. In an instant, she understood the enormity of her careless words. A mother’s habitual instruction had become a sentence that threatened the honour of a princess, the happiness of her sons, and the very fabric of dharma. Regret rose within her like a tide. If only she had looked before she spoke. If only those words had remained unspoken.

“What have I done!”

Yet Kunti also knew her sons. She had raised them to believe that a mother’s word was sacred, not because she sought obedience, but because truth was the only inheritance she could offer them after a lifetime of exile and uncertainty.

“Arjuna, son, you should have told me clearly that it is a princess you have brought home. Oh my goodness, what have I done.” Kunti lamented.

Draupadi looked at Kunti with hopeful eyes. She waited for her to undo her mistake, to withdraw her command. But the withdrawal never came. Kunti turned her face and told the brothers sternly, “what has been said, has to be obeyed. All of five of you will marry Princess Draupadi.”

Draupadi’s gaze found Arjuna’s. Only moments ago, she had believed that fate had chosen him for her. Now, the certainty in his eyes had given way to helplessness. That frightened her more than the words themselves.

Questions stormed through her mind. Am I a prize to be divided? A vow to be honored? A woman with no voice in the choice that will shape the rest of my life?* Anger rose before grief did—not because she was asked to sacrifice, but because no one had asked whether she was willing to. She had left her father’s palace believing she was walking toward a marriage. Instead, she stood at the threshold of an impossible destiny, one no woman before her had been asked to bear.

Yet beneath the outrage was another realization, colder and heavier. This was no longer a misunderstanding. Every passing moment that no one challenged Kunti’s words transformed an accident into a decision. And with each heartbeat, Draupadi felt herself slipping further away from the life she had imagined and into a story she had never chose. None of them desired what fate now demanded. The Pandavas were not men driven by greed for a woman, but brothers bound by an oath never to let ambition or desire fracture their unity. In that fragile silence, each realized that whatever decision they made would leave someone wounded. The tragedy was not that they wished to share a wife; it was that destiny had offered them no choice that did not demand a sacrifice.

At this point, the first question that comes to mind is, why did Kunti not withdraw her command? Was it so difficult? She could have just dismissed it as a mistake. Yet, she decided to stick by her words. Maybe, she thought if she withdrew her command now, she’ll teach her sons that vows could be broken when they became inconvenient. Arjuna’s joy would come at the cost of resentment among his brothers and the unity she had fought so fiercely to preserve begin to fracture. Between one woman’s happiness and five brothers’ unbreakable bond, Kunti saw no path untouched by sorrow. So she chose the burden for which history would judge her. Not because it was easy, nor because it was just, but because she believed that preserving the unity of the Pandavas was the only way they would survive the trials that still lay ahead.

As readers, we also need to acknowledge that by this point Kunti was not just a mother, she was a survivor. Someone who had given up her first child for the sake of honor, lost her husband, raised five sons in exile, escaped a murder attempt, and lived in disguise. She had learned, over and over, that one decision could change the fate of an entire family. When she looked at her sons, she may have seen something larger than a marriage: she saw five brothers whose greatest strength was that they had never turned against one another. In her mind, that unity may have been worth protecting at almost any cost.

Whether she was right, is another question. As a woman living in the twenty first century, I don’t agree with her actions. How could she commit another woman to such a life? She might have done it for the unity of her sons, but their can also be a larger power play at work here. She might have realized that Draupadi wasn’t one to follow a stereotypical life. And that aspect of Draupadi’s personality might have challenged her own stature in the family. And thus, she decided that this way her daughter-in-law can be subdued and her family’s unity will also remain intact.

But these are just my thoughts. I would love to know your take on this episode.

The moral ambiguity is one of the reasons this episode has endured for thousands of years. It invites us to ask not, Was Kunti right? but What would any of us have done, knowing that every choice would wound someone?

What do you think? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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In previous part of this very special episode we witnessed Draupadi rejecting Karna and dismissing him from the contest for being a lowborn. Karna is humiliated and vows vengeance but respects the boundaries of the swayamvar and backs out without creating a scene.

But Duryodhana, Karna’s closest friend and ally wasn’t the one to take such insults lightly. He was miffed by Draupadi’s prideful attitude. He was raised in a family where a princess had accepted to stay blind all her life just because she had been promised in marriage to a blind man. Duryodhana considered a woman audacious if she had the guts to speak her mind. And Draupadi had not just spoken her mind, but also humiliated his friend in front of an august gathering. He decided to do something about it.

Duryodhana got up from his seat, and addressed King Drupada,

“O King, I believed we were invited here as guests, but your daughter seems to have forgotten that you never insult people whom you invite. By calling my friend, King Karna, a lowborn, she has committed a grave error. If she didn’t want to marry him, she could have just refused. But she went ahead and jabbed at his lineage making this matter highly political. This is not the kind of behavior expected from a princess. It looks like Princess Draupadi’s pride reigns superior than her values.”

King Drupada felt offended by Duryodhana’s words. He responded, “O Prince, watch your tongue. You are speaking about my daughter. This is a swayamvar where the princess has the supreme rights. Whom to marry, which caste to marry in, which family to go to, are all questions that a princess has absolute freedom to decide on. And if my daughter has decided that she does not want to marry a sutaputra1, you all should respect that.”

“If that is the case, O King, the guests of the swayamvar also have the right to decide whether to participate in the contest or not. This entire event seems like a ploy to insult the warriors of Aryavarta. You have organized a contest that is specific to archery knowing well that not every warrior is an archer. What was your intention behind this? Surely, you were looking for someone who is a great archer. But when the greatest archer showed up, your daughter rejected him. So now, we have decided that we will not participate in this swayamvar. Let’s see now how your daughter finds a groom.”

Thus challenging Drupada, Duryodhana sat down. Everyone in the hall was stunned in silence. No other king or prince had the guts to supersede Duryodhana since they were well aware of Hastinapur’s power and did not want to invite his ire.

Drupada sat on his throne with a storm raging inside him. The swayamvar, meant to be the pinnacle of his life’s pride, now teetered on the edge of humiliation. He had crafted the challenge not just to test skill but to ensure that his daughter’s hand would go to a man worthy of her fire and destiny. Yet, as Duryodhana’s words echoed through the hall and silence fell among the assembled princes, Drupada’s heart sank. No king dared defy the Kuru prince. Each moment of hesitation cut deeper, for he knew that if Draupadi remained unwed, his name would be mocked in every court, his vow ridiculed, his lineage dishonored. Worse still, Draupadi’s fate, his daughter, born of fire, destined for greatness, would hang in uncertainty. Pride and fear clashed within him: the father desperate to protect his child, and the king terrified of a lifetime’s disgrace.

He turned to his only source of comfort-Krishna.

“Vasudev, you are the only one who can help me now. Tell me a way out of this dilemma.”

“Maharaja2 Drupada”, said Krishna, “If you have taken a vow to get your daughter married to someone who is a great warrior, you should fulfill it without any biases. Why are you looking for warriors only in kings and princes? Warriors can be found in the common people.”

“But Vasudev, my daughter is a princess, destined to be a queen. How can she get married to a commoner?”

“Maharaj, if your daughter is destined to be a queen, who knows, she might make a commoner a king.”

Krishna’s words brought comfort to Drupada but there was still an uncertainty that bothered him. He had designed this contest keeping Prince Arjuna in mind. How will a commoner match up to a warrior like Arjuna. But he had his faith in Krishna, so trusting Krishna, he got up to announce,

“My honorable guests, and my dear subjects, when a person commits to fulfilling a vow, the gods come together to help him. Today, I have vowed to wed my daughter to a warrior, someone who will be able to achieve the target set down in this contest. Now, I call out to everyone present here in the arena. You don’t have to be a king or a prince to be a warrior. If you have the skill, I invite you to try your hand at the contest. Yes, the ultimate decision will lie with Princess Draupadi but there are no rules barring you from participating. So, if you have the skill, I encourage you to come forward and try your hand.”

When Drupada, desperate to salvage his honor, flung open the contest to all present, a ripple of shock swept through the hall. Among the murmurs, a lone figure in simple robes stepped forward—a brahmin, unassuming yet steady in his stride. Arjuna, veiled in disguise, walked to the center of the arena with the calmness of a river flowing toward its course. He bowed with reverence to King Drupada and to Krishna, whose watchful eyes seemed to hold a knowing smile. Then, with the grace of a warrior born to the bow, he lifted the great weapon that had daunted so many kings. The string sang as his arrow flew, slicing the air with purpose before striking true—the eye of the revolving fish shattered in an instant of perfect silence, before the hall erupted.

As the arrow pierced the revolving target with unerring precision, a stunned hush fell over the hall. For a heartbeat, time itself seemed to pause. Draupadi’s breath caught in her chest, her eyes fixed on the brahmin who had achieved what mighty kings and warriors could not. Something deep within her stirred—an instinct beyond reason. Though he wore the simple garb of a mendicant, she felt the unmistakable strength of a warrior coursing through him. His poise, his bow arm steady as a mountain, the fire in his eyes—every part of him spoke of valor, discipline, and destiny. Her heart whispered what her mind dared not voice: this was Arjuna, the son of Pandu, the hero whose name had already begun to echo across Bharat.

A rush of joy, relief, and wonder surged through her. The dread of humiliation, the fear of remaining unwed, the weight of her father’s honor—all dissolved in that instant. Instead, she felt only certainty, as though the gods themselves had guided the arrow and revealed her path. Rising with radiant grace, Draupadi lifted the garland in her hands and walked toward him. Each step she took across the arena rang with the quiet thunder of fate fulfilled. When she reached him, she raised the garland high and placed it around his neck, her eyes shining with devotion and triumph. The hall reverberated with the unspoken acknowledgment—Draupadi had chosen, and her choice was undeniable.

Gasps broke through the silence. Duryodhana’s face hardened with fury, his pride wounded by this unexpected turn. The assembled kings and princes looked on in disbelief, their arrogance stripped away by the victory of a man they had dismissed as a common brahmin. Whispers swept the gathering—shock, resentment, awe. Yet amidst their clamor, Draupadi and Arjuna stood steady, bound by the moment. In her heart, Draupadi knew her destiny had found its course, and in his quiet strength, she had found the husband the fire within her had always awaited.

Through it all, Krishna watched with a smile that seemed to carry the weight of eternity. To others, it was the triumph of a disguised brahmin; to him, it was the unfolding of destiny exactly as it was meant to be. His eyes twinkled as Draupadi placed the garland around Arjuna’s neck, for he knew this union was no accident but a thread woven into the great design of dharma. The hall seethed with shock and indignation, yet Krishna remained serene, almost amused, as if he alone could hear the cosmic music playing beneath the chaos. In Arjuna’s steady aim and Draupadi’s unwavering choice, he saw not just a marriage, but the setting of a stage—a partnership that would one day stand at the heart of the Kurukshetra war, a union forged not by chance but by divine necessity.

And that’s how Draupadi found her Prince Charming.

What’s really surprising in this story is that Draupadi rejects Karna on the basis of his lowborn status but then agrees to marry a common brahmin. Karna, who is equally skilled and capable, is sidelined because he belongs to low born family. Instead, a total stranger, whose identity was unknown to everyone in the arena, was accepted as the groom only because he was dressed as a brahmin. Purely, on the basis of her instincts, Draupadi accepts this stranger as her husband. This, in all essentiality, brings out the caste bias that is still very much real for our society. Caste issues are so deeply ingrained in our society that it even inhibits us to forge friendships, let alone make marital alliances. And there’s no right solution that can be found for this problem, except for maybe developing tolerance and acceptance and making an effort to look beyond the boundaries of caste. But then, I often ask myself, is it really that simple? What are your thoughts about it? Let me know in the comments below.

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The Part 1 of this extremely important episode of the Mahabharata saw Princess Draupadi evaluating her suitors. There were two who stood out prominently; Karna, King of Anga and Arjun, Prince of Hastinapur. Krishna informed Draupadi that her father, King Drupada wanted her to marry Arjun but the news about him was that he had perished along with his brothers and mother in a fire in Varnavat. But Krishna believed that to be untrue. We encountered Draupadi wondering about her future. The two men she liked were both warriors but Krishna seemed to favor Arjun over Karna. And he had given a good reason for that. Now, it was up to Draupadi, who she chooses as a life partner.

The day of the swayamvar arrived. Royal guests swarmed to the city of Kampilya. Grand arrangements were made to host the kings and princes arriving from all across the land of Aryavarta. Common residents of the cities across the kingdom of Panchala were also invited to participate in the festivities and get dakshina from King Drupada. This news reached far and wide. People in Ekachakra1 also heard about the big dakshina2 that King Drupada was going to give on the day of swayamvar. The five brothers decided that they will go to the swayamvar diguised as brahmins. This way they will be able to get dakshina and also watch the grand event. The plan was only to be there as audience making sure that they remain unrecognized. And so, the Pandavas, dressed as brahmins, also embarked towards Kampilya.

In Kampilya, the fanfare was on it’s peak. A large hall was constructed for the event. Seating pavilions were created for everyone; the royal guests and the commoners. On one end of the hall, there was a high dais where five thrones were placed for the royal family and Krishna. In the centre of the hall, there was a large lotus shaped brass pot filled with water. The water in the pot reflected an instrument that hung in the centre of the high ceiling. This instrument held a metal fish in it’s centre. As the guests started arriving for the start of the swayamvar, everyone wondered what was the purpose of this setup.

Slowly, the hall started filling up with guests. The guest list included Prince Duryodhana, Prince Dusshasana from Hastinapur, their uncle King Shakuni of Gandhar, their friend King Karna of Anga, Prince Rukmi of Vidharbha, and Prince Shishupala of Chedi. Then, the royal family arrived— King Drupada entered with his firstborn daughter Princess Shikandini and his son Prince Dhristdhyumna flanking him on either side. King Drupada took the central throne on the highest dais. He then welcomed the guest of honor, Krishna Vasudev. Krishna took the throne on the right of Drupada signaling his importance in the swayamvar and clearing that he was not one of the suitors. At last, on tunes of sitar and dholaks, Princess Draupadi entered the hall.

The royal hall held its breath as Princess Draupadi stepped into view. It was an arrival that didn’t need trumpets or proclamations to turn heads. Clad in a deep crimson saree, her bridal silk shimmered like a flame as it caught the light with every graceful step. Gold ornaments adorned her, intricate pieces that draped across her arms, gleamed around her neck, and crowned her forehead, yet none outshone the quiet power of her presence.

Her eyes, kohl-lined and unwavering, scanned the hall with composure, revealing nothing of the whirlwind that must have stirred within. Every gesture was poised, each movement measured. She didn’t walk; she arrived—as if destiny itself moved with her.

There was no need to announce her beauty—it was self-evident. It wasn’t just her flawless skin or her thick, dark hair cascading like a river at dusk. It was the sheer confidence, the luminous intelligence behind her gaze, and the unmistakable sense that she knew what this moment meant, not just for her, but for every man in that room who dared to hope.

She was not merely the most beautiful woman in the world. In that instant, she was every man’s heartbeat and every woman’s standard, a vision of royalty, strength, and grace, dressed as a bride but already carrying the weight of legend.

With gentle steps, Draupadi took the throne on the left of her father indicating that she was under his protection until he gives her away in marriage. Every set of eyes in the hall followed her. Draupadi could feel the weight of eyes boring in on her. With supreme confidence, she gave fleeting looks to each of her suitors. And then, she saw Karna. Although she recognized him, her face did not give any look of recognition as she moved on.

Karna had seen beauty before. On battlefields and in palaces, in women who held pride like a sword and others who softened it into song. But Draupadi was something else entirely. She didn’t dazzle; she commanded. Clad in red as deep as dusk and adorned with gold that seemed to catch fire in the lamplight, she moved with the certainty of someone who knew the weight of every eye in the hall, yet bore it as lightly as her veil. Karna, a man not easily shaken, found himself still. There was no trace of hesitation in her gaze. No fear. Only quiet defiance and calm strength. She was not a prize to be won. She was a storm dressed as a bride.

And he, raised by a charioteer, marked by fate, hungry for a place among kings. He felt something he couldn’t name. Not desire. Not envy. Something older. Something that stung.

He watched her walk past him, her anklets barely making a sound, her presence louder than any war cry. She did not look at him, perhaps hadn’t yet registered him among the sea of assembled men. But even that small omission burned. Because for the first time, Karna found himself wondering if a man like him, crowned with valor but shackled by birth, would ever be worthy of a woman like her. Not just beautiful. Not just royal. But utterly unforgettable.

For every king, every prince sitting in the hall, Draupadi was a dream but Draupadi searched for that one person who was her destiny.

Once everyone was settled, Drupada welcomed all the guests.

“Respected kings and princes, my dear friends, and my dearest subjects, this is a moment of extreme happiness for me as you all bear witness to my dearest daughter choosing her future husband. My daughter, Draupadi, is one of a kind and it is my sincere wish that she finds a partner who is also one of a kind. Beauty is best complemented by power. This is the reason why I want my daughter to marry the greatest warrior of this day and age. And for this very reason, we have created a test for all the suitors who wish to marry my daughter. My son, Dhristadhyumna will acquaint you all with the rules of the competition.”

On his father’s words, Dhristdhyumna rose from his throne. He walked to the centre of the arena. Picking up his bow, he fired an arrow towards the ceiling. As his arrow slid through the instrument, it started spinning and so did the fish hanging from it. Dhristdhyumna then addressed the crowd.

“Dear guests, on behalf of my father, I’d like to acquaint you with the rules of this competition. There, on the ceiling, is a fish hanging. It’s reflection can be seen here in this large pot of water. Your task is simple. You have to look at the reflection of the fish and shoot an arrow targeting the eye of the fish. Whoever manages to complete this task will win my sister’s hand in marriage.”

The entire hall went quiet. As simple as it looked, the task was extremely difficult. Only an ace archer could achieve this task. Duryodhana, Shakuni and the others looked at each other and smiled. They knew that there were only two people who could achieve this task; Karna and Arjuna. Since Arjuna was dead, Karna will surely win this competition and then Drupada will also become their kinsman. This will be an extremely favorable situation for Duryodhana. But there were others in the gathering, who felt confident that they would pass this test and emerge victorious.

One by one, the kings and princes, tried their hand at the test but no one could actually achieve the target. Some shot the arrows in the wrong direction, others couldn’t even lift the bow let alone string the arrow. It looked like a futile exercise.

And then, Karna rose from his seat. He didn’t know whether he will marry Draupadi or not, but he was sure he could finish this task.

When Draupadi saw him getting ready to participate, her mind raced with multiple thoughts. She was sure Karna will be successful but did she want to marry him? Krishna’s words echoed through her brain. He is on the wrong side of dharma. Draupadi knew that she was attracted to Karna but did she really want to spend her entire life with a man who was already in servitude of another man? Absolutely not. She was born to be a queen and there was no way she will ever bow down to anyone, least of all to a man like Duryodhana. She knew she had to intervene before Karna achieves his target.

The moment Karna had strung the bow and was just about to shoot the arrow, Draupadi stood up and said, “Wait”

Karna paused midway. Everyone turned towards the princess.

“I will not marry a sutaputra3”

A stunned silence followed. The kind of silence that doesn’t just fill a room, it presses down on it. Heads turned, eyes darted. The princes shifted uncomfortably in their seats. Some gasped. Others frowned. No one spoke.

Karna stood frozen, not from disbelief, but from the slow, rising heat of humiliation. He was a king now. Crowned, respected, feared. Yet here he was, reduced in an instant. Not by a blade or a defeat, but by lineage. By something he had no hand in shaping.

It wasn’t just a personal rejection. It was a public dismissal. A reminder that in a world ruled by caste and blood, merit alone was never enough.

For a heartbeat, the hall seemed to teeter between outrage and unease. Even Duryodhana, Karna’s closest ally, clenched his jaw.

Karna stood still—but inside, a storm was rising.

He had faced insults before. Mockery. Dismissal. Doors slammed shut by men who believed bloodlines mattered more than merit. But this, this cut deeper. Because this time, it wasn’t scorn from an enemy. It came from her.

He had watched Draupadi walk into the hall like fire made flesh. Beautiful, self-assured, regal in every sense. Part of him—some soft, hidden part—had imagined what it might mean to win her hand. To rise above fate not only through strength, but through acceptance. Through love.

And now, before the eyes of kings and gods, she had branded him lowborn. Not a man. Not a warrior. Just a suta-putra.

She didn’t speak his name. She didn’t need to. Her words were clean and final, like a gate slammed shut. And the sound of that gate would echo in him for the rest of his life.

The anger came fast, hot, and sharp. Not the kind that lashes out blindly, but the kind that burns quietly and lasts. A controlled fury that wrapped itself around his pride like armor. She humiliated him, publicly, deliberately. And she would not be forgiven.

In that moment, something shifted in Karna. The quiet admiration he had once felt for Draupadi; with her poise, her sharpness, her impossible beauty, turned to ice. He would never desire her again. He would never forget her words.And should the day come when fate placed her in his power, he would remember exactly how it felt to be made small by the one he had allowed himself to admire.

He turned away from the bow, but not before locking eyes with Draupadi. His look said nothing. His silence said everything.

The hall saw only a prince rejected. But inside Karna, a vow was born. Not one of love, but of vengeance. Quiet. Patient. Absolute.

It was a moment that would be remembered. Not for who lifted the bow, but for who was denied the chance to try. A moment that carved a wound deeper than battle. A moment that turned silent judgment into lifelong resolve.

Dear readers, this is one of the moments in the Mahabharata that truly gives you an insight into the human nature. This is when the worst of the most revered are revealed. Draupadi, a princess who was godsend, is revealed to be prideful and the righteous Karna will become vengeful.

All it takes is one moment. Someone inflicts a wound that stays with us forever and we’re never able to get over it. Our relationships and friendships are forever broken just because someone said something to us that we had never expected.

This story, in context of times today, is also a classic case of how men handle rejection. Draupadi, as a princess in her swayamvar, holds the right to reject someone for whatever reason. She doesn’t want to marry Karna and that’s the bottom line. But for Karna, it became personal because yet again an opportunity to prove himself was snatched away from him. Whatever will eventually follow will be a result of this rejection.

But can you really blame Draupadi for it?

This is very similar to the kind of cases we come across today; cyber-trolling, acid attacks, rapes, and even murders and only because a woman rejected a man. The law says a woman has a right to be with whomever she wants and reject whoever she doesn’t want to be with. Then why is the mere right to choose considered pride? This is something we should be teaching our boys, right? The way to handle rejection and the art of letting go. What are your thoughts about it?

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In the last episode, I told you about how Bheem defeated Bakasura while the Pandavas were staying in the city of Ekachakra. This particular city was a part of the kingdom of Panchala. If you remember, the Pandavas had managed to find a place to stay only on the condition that they will help their host, a common potter, in making the huge number of pots and pans he had to make for the guests arriving in Panchala. The guests were princes and kings of the various kingdoms of Aryavarta coming to attend Princess Draupadi’s swayamvar*1.

Now, if you remember, I told you how special Princess Draupadi was. She was born out of yagna (sacrificial fire) and was destined to change the political landscape of the Indian subcontinent. It was prophesied at her birth that she will rewrite the history of the subcontinent. This was the possible reason why Krishna intervened when Draupadi’s father, King Drupada was rejecting her as a daughter. Krishna made Drupada understand that Draupadi was a blessing and not a curse. He convinced Drupada about Draupadi’s true worth. Realising what a folly he was going to commit, Drupada accepted Draupadi as his daughter and honored her as an important part of his family.

Draupadi was an intelligent woman. She grasped the ways of the world quickly, learning the nitty gritty of it from her dearest friend, Krishna. She was also stunningly gorgeous, touted to be the most beautiful woman that time. Drupada carried a desire that his amazing daughter should be married to the greatest warrior of the age and he could think of only one such person, Prince Arjuna. But the news was that all the Pandavas and their queen mother had passed away in a fire in Varnavat. He discussed his dilemma with Krishna,

“O Krishna Vasudeva, my daughter is a jewel that should crown the head of only the one who deserves her. I knew one person who was that deserving. It was my deepest desire to marry her to Prince Arjuna. But the news is that he passed away in Varnavat. Now, what do I do?”

The all-knowing Krishna smiled and comforted King Drupada,

“O King, I understand your dilemma. But I ask you to have faith in your daughter’s destiny. She is destined to be a queen, and she shall become one. As for Prince Arjuna, I do not believe that any small fire had the capability of killing my cousins, the great Pandavas. But nobody has since heard of them, so I will not give you false hopes. I suggest, you organize a swayamvar for your daughter. Whoever is destined to be her husband will arrive in it.”

Krishna’s words had a relieving affect on Drupada. Trusting Krishna’s instincts, Drupada sent invitations to all the kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent. Kings and princes of kingdoms far and wide were invited to prove themselves as the greatest warrior and win the hand of Princess Draupadi.

Months of preparation took place for the event. Kampilya, the capital city of Panchal, prepared itself for this grand event. Amongst the many rituals of the Swayamvara, one dictated that the princess be introduced to her suitors through pictures and sculptures. One day, before the swayamvara, Drupada took his dear daughter to a hall full of portraits. These were the portraits of the kings and princes who had been invited for the Swayamvara. Krishna also accompanied them. Drupada requested his daughter to have a look at each portrait and requested Krishna to introduce Draupadi to each of them.

Draupadi uncovered each portrait and heard the introduction of each king and prince from her best friend. But none of the portraits were able to leave an impact. After looking at almost all of the portraits, she reached one that caught her eye.

The man in the portrait was not one of opulence but of raw, arresting power. His skin, a deep bronze like sun-warmed metal, seemed to absorb and hold light rather than reflect it. His eyes, sharp and unyielding, burned with the intensity of a midday sun, yet held beneath their fierce gleam a surprising depth of gentleness, as if they had seen too much of life’s cruelty and refused to return it. His jet-black hair fell to his shoulders in clean, straight lines, framing a face that was both rugged and undeniably noble. There was no vanity in his expression, only calm, the stillness of a warrior who has long since made peace with both pride and pain. His lips, unsmiling, betrayed no boast—only resolve. It was not the grandeur of royalty that caught Draupadi’s eye, but the contradiction: the radiance of a man forged by fate, bearing dignity carved not by birth but by defiance.

“Govind, who is this?” Draupadi asked.

“That, my dear sakhi*2, is Karna, king of Anga*3.”, replied Krishna.

“Tell me more about him.”

“Certainly. Karna is a pupil of Sage Parshurama and thus a great warrior. He is skilled in warcraft and administration. Across the land, he is known as the most charitable and generous king. But..”

“But?”

“But, Maharaj Karna is also the best friend of Prince Duryodhana, the crown prince of Hastinapur.. He has devoted his life in service of Duryodhana who first made Karna a king. And Duryodhana is a power hungry royal who can go to any lengths to maintain his crown.”

Draupadi was a little surprised.

She asked, “But how come, Govind, a man like Karna befriend someone like Duryodhana? Surely, he must have realized the flaws of Duryodhana.”

“Oh, he does. But sometimes, Sakhi, friendship is not based on shared values and interests. Sometimes, it is based on who stands in your corner when you want acceptance. Maharaj Karna is not a Kshatriya. He does not belong to a royal family. His father is a charioteer and thus a suta*4 making him a sutaputra (son of a charioteer). Duryodhana was the only one who looked beyond the caste of Karna and accepted him for his capabilities. Till that moment, Karna had been shunned and ousted from the warrior clan. He was rejected by gurus and generals across the country. No one recognized his true strength, except Duryodhana. And that is a good enough reason for him to dedicate his life in service to Duryodhana.”

Draupadi was quiet for a moment. Then she said, “That means, Govind, that despite all the flaws that Prince Duryodhana has, he does not differentiate between people on the basis of their caste. Isn’t that something he should be recognized for?”

“Of course, I do not say a man is completely flawed or entirely innocent. But it’s our choices which decide what kind of person we become. If we let our flaws take over, then there’s a high chance we’ll end up on the wrong end of the pavilion. But if we choose to rectify our mistakes and take the righteous path, however difficult it may be, we will definitely attain the highest order.”

Draupadi heard Krishna and absorbed each and every word. Thoughtfully, she asked,

“Govind, I have to make an important choice. Help me understand, what should I be looking for that might direct me towards the right path.”

Krishna smiled. He understood the dilemma his friend was in. He could see that Draupadi felt an attraction towards Karna but he also wanted to make her understand that she might have other options too. So, he went ahead and covered the portrait of Karna. Then he gently took Draupadi’s hand and lead her all the way to the end of the hall.

A lone portrait stood there, covered. Krishna gently unveiled it.

This was the portrait of a man who radiated a striking, almost disarming charm. His features were youthful—so much so that one might, at first glance, mistake him for a prince barely past his rites of passage. His hair, a tousled crown of dark curls that brushed against his shoulders, framed a face lit with an irrepressible energy. There was a glint in his eyes—not playful, but razor-sharp, like the flash of steel catching sunlight. His gaze, while lacking the brooding weight of Karna’s, carried its own kind of danger: the confidence of someone born to hit the mark, and who always does. His lips were curved ever so slightly, suggesting the quiet amusement of a man who knew his worth but didn’t need to announce it. Yet behind that youthful glow was unmistakable power—a storm in wait. This was a man who could charm a room or conquer a battlefield, and knew exactly when to do which. The kind of beauty that draws you in, and the kind of presence that warns you not to get too close.

Draupadi was momentarily stunned. She felt an unmistakable pull towards this man. Like there was some relationship she shared with him. Yet, she had no idea who he was.

“Govind, who is he?”

“This is Arjuna, a prince of Hastinapur.”

“Hastinapur? Meaning, he is Duryodhana’s brother?”

“Yes, he is Duryodhana’s cousin. Arjuna is the third son of late Maharaj Pandu who was the last true king of Hastinapur. His mother is Queen Kunti, my aunt. Arjuna is my cousin and a dear friend.”

Draupadi was puzzled. She knew that Krishna was trying to help her in making a decision. But if he didn’t want her to marry Karna because he is Duryodhana’s friend, how could he suggest that she marries Arjuna, who is kin of Duryodhana.

So she asked, “But does that not mean, that he would have the same values that Duryodhana does?”

Krishna smiled. Draupadi was an intelligent woman and she asked the right questions.

“Dear Sakhi, two people born in the same family should share the same values is not always necessary. Arjuna and his four brothers were born and brought up in the forest, far away from the palace of Hastinapur where Duryodhana and his brothers were raised. Later, the brothers received their education from your father’s friend Sage Drona. Arjuna’s elder brother, Prince Yudhisthira was originally crowned as the crown prince of Hastinapur. He was loved and respected by the people of the kingdom of Kuru and they eagerly waited for him to be crowned as their king. But, some time back, the news came that the five brothers along with their mother lost their lives in a fire in Varnavat.”

Draupadi suddenly felt a sharp stab of pain. She was clueless why the news of Arjuna losing his life was extremely painful.

“What? Govind, is that true?”

“Sakhi, I don’t believe it to be true. As much as I know Arjuna and the Pandavas, they are much too capable to be harmed by a house fire.”

Krishna’s words brought a relief to Draupadi. With a smile, she turned towards the portrait of Arjuna.

“Do you think Prince Arjuna will come for the swayamvar, Govind?”

“If that is your will Sakhi, destiny will bring Arjuna to the swayamvar.”

The glint in Draupadi’s eyes and the smile on her face assured Krishna that he had been successful in opening the mind of his friend. She understood her choices now and Krishna trusted her enough to make the right choice.

All that was awaited now was Arjuna’s presence in the swayamvar.

Dear readers, this is only the first part of the Draupadi’s swayamvar. This is one of the iconic milestones of the Mahabharata. The way things unfold at the princess’s swayamvar makes the basis of many other future events. But this one story from the swayamvar takes up a lot of import, primarily because it introduces us properly to Princess Draupadi. She is intelligent and smart but is still naive and unaware of the ways of the world. Her conversation with Krishna tells us that she is trying to understand people as much as she can. The fact that she is able to see a good quality in Duryodhana, who is the villain of our story, tells us that her heart is pure. She does not want to make a biased judgement. Of course, like any other young girl, she finds herself attracted towards the gorgeous Karna and Arjuna. But then too, she is curious about their pasts to understand their personalities. Much like the young people who decide to opt for arrange marriages today.

If you’re from India, I am sure, you or someone in your family might have gone through a similar experience. Parents asking you to browse through pictures of prospective grooms or brides and expecting us to take a decision on the basis of limited information that is provided to us. And well, we are all not lucky enough to have the omniscient Krishna as a friend. Although Krishna too, like all of our best friends, wants Draupadi to marry the man of his choice and not whom she is initially attracted to. But then isn’t that what best friends do? They have an objective view of the situation we are in. Our emotions, a lot of times, tend to cloud our judgement. Many a times, we get attracted towards people, who might not be wrong, but being with them can be detrimental to us.

Krishna knows that Karna is a great person and might prove a good partner for Draupadi, but his friendship with Duryodhana will eventually impact Karna and by extension Draupadi too. If Draupadi marries Arjuna, she might not become a queen but she will be with someone who is righteous and independent to make his own decisions. Karna is guided by Duryodhana’s will whereas Arjuna’s warcraft and capabilities are not in servitude of anyone. Krishna’s intent for Draupadi is to have a partner who equals her intelligence and balances her ferocity with his gentle nature. Isn’t that the intent we want our best friends to have too?

Do you feel your friend has a right to advice you on matters like marriage or not? I would love to know your thoughts on the same.

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The Mahabharata can be equated to a winding road that leads you on, from one avenue to another. And each turn has something new to be discovered; sometimes a wonderful surprise, the other times a life lesson. Nonetheless, it is a journey that’s more fulfilling than the final destination. And on this road, we had reached the point where Bhima, with his Pandava brothers and his mother Kunti, decides to continue traveling and living anonymously. He christens his son Ghatotkach and instructs him to rule over the Rakshasa community under the care of Hidimba.

So, from the heights of the Himalayas, the Pandavas started walking towards the plains of the Ganges. Traveling through dense forests and rough terrains, the brothers with their mother reached the city of Ekachakra.

Ekachakra was part of the kingdom of southern Panchala. King Drupada ruled on this part of the kingdom of Panchala, having relinquished the northern part to Drona and his son Ashwatthama.

When the Pandavas reached Ekachakra, the kingdom of Panchala was preparing for the swayamvara of Princess Draupadi. The event was to take place in some months. The city was bustling with work, hence there was a prospect of good earnings and alms for the brothers. Kunti and the Pandavas decided to stay in the city for the time being. Since all the inns were occupied, they asked an old potter for shelter. The potter and his family welcomed the good natured brothers and their mother in their home. It was decided that the brothers will help the old potter in his work in lieu of food and shelter.

With such a system in place, life was going good for the Pandava family. A month passed by. As the next month began, the potter and his family suddenly became quiet. They always had a grave expression on their face, as if dealing with a personal grief. The Pandava family noticed this change and wanted to find out the reason behind this sudden pall of sadness. One night, after dinner, Kunti went to speak to the potter’s wife. She asked, “Sister, what is it? You all seem to be dealing with some grief. Please tell me what happened.”

The potter’s wife smiled and said, “It is nothing, sister. We are all fine. It’s just the stress of work. There are several pots and utensils to be made before the Swayamvara begins. That is all that is stressing us out.”

Saying so, she avoided the topic. Kunti knew there was something that bugged the potter family but they were not sharing it with them because the Pandavas were their guests. But she wanted to find out the real reason so she could help them. So, she decided to overhear the conversation between potter and his wife.

“What did the old mother ask you?” The potter questioned his wife.

“She wanted to know the cause of our worries. I didn’t tell her anything.”

“Good that you didn’t tell her. They are our guests. This is a problem we have to deal with, they need not be dragged in this.”

“I understand, but how, in god’s name, are we going to solve this problem? Who amongst us will go to Bakasura?”

“I will go. You take care of the children and the house.”

“No. I cannot live without you. I should be the one to go. You are the breadwinner of the family. After me, you can bring up the children in a better way.”

Kunti was shocked to hear them talking in this way. It felt like one of them had to choose to die. She couldn’t control her curiosity and barged into the room,

“I am sorry for intruding upon you like this, but I want to know what are you two talking about? Why are you so worried and why does it seem like one of you is going to die?”

“Sister, this is a tragedy that was going to befall on our family sooner or later. But you and your sons need not be a part of this. You are our guests.”

“For the last one month, all of you have treated us as your family. When we have enjoyed good times together, we want an in on the tragedies too. Please tell me what is it?”

The potter and his family went quiet. After some time, the potter spoke, “It’s Bakasura. He’s an asura who lives in the forest on the outskirts of the city. He arrived here about a year ago and created a furore in the city. Whenever he was hungry, he came to city and foraged on the people. Our pleadings never reached the court of the king or went unheard. So, the people of the city came together and made an offer to Bakasura. Every month, one family will send a bullock cart filled with food along with a family member to the forest for Baka to eat. In exchange the asura will stop his excursions to the city. Bakasura agreed to this. For a year, this has been the system in place. And now, it is our family’s turn to send someone.”

Saying so, the potter broke into tears. Kunti was also overcome with sadness. She felt guilty for not having realized the situation their hosts were in sooner.

“I don’t know what to do, whom to send,” the potter said between the sobs.

Kunti didn’t like this helplessness. The queen in her despised to see her subjects in such a state.

“You need not grieve,” she comforted the potter and his family, “there’s a simple solution to this problem.”

The potter and his family all looked at Kunti with amazement in their eyes.

“Yes. You need not worry. You have one son, I have five. My son Bhima will take the food to Bakasura this month.”

“No no, sister, this cannot be the solution to this problem. We cannot ask you to sacrifice one of your sons for our sake.” The potter disagreed vehemently.

“Do not worry, brother. Nobody will be sacrificed. You don’t know my son. He will deal with Bakasura and return safely. Rest assured, Bhima will solve this problem, once and for all.”

Thus reassuring the potter and his family, Kunti returned to her quarters. There, she told all about Bakasura and his torments to her sons. Bhima readily agreed to take on the challenge. He was happy that he’ll get to flex his warrior skills a little bit.

A month after, the potter’s family and Kunti loaded a bullock cart with all kinds of tasty dishes and sweetmeats. And Bhima took the driver’s seat. Bidding goodbye to everyone and with a promise to see them all soon, he drove towards the forest.

Bhima drove slowly, enjoying the drive, and without any haste. He took his own sweet time to reach the asura’s lair. A famished Bakasura was waiting outside his lair.

Towering over the tallest trees, his form was colossal. He had limbs like gnarled tree trunks and a chest as broad as a mountain ridge. His skin was the color of storm clouds, etched with scars from ancient battles, and his fiery red eyes burned like twin suns, casting a menacing glow over the land. His hair was a wild, flowing mane, black as the night and matted with blood. He wore a tattered cloak of tiger hides and serpent skins and carried a spiked mace so massive that it could shatter fortresses with a single swing.

When he saw Bhima, Bakasura gave a low growl.

“You’re late, human.”

His voice was a deep guttural growl, that might have sent a shivers down the spine of any human being. But Bhima was no normal human. He ignored Bakasura. Instead, he got down from the cart, opened the nearest packet of food, and started eating.

Bakasura’s anger peaked. He was extremely hungry, on top of it this human was being arrogant. Bak roared with anger and threw his mace right next to Bhima. Bhima lightly jumped and got out of the way. Then, he turned towards Bak,

“What are you doing? I could have got hurt.”

“That is my food you are eating, human.” Bak roared.

“Really? I didn’t see a name on it. And anyway, laddoos are my favorite. Couldn’t resist.” Bhima chided.

“Don’t test my patience. You are already late. Bring that food to me. Now!”

“I don’t think so. I’m eating right now.” Saying so, Bhima transferred his attention back to the food.

Bakasura’s eyes turned into flaming fires. He picked his mace and tried crashing it on Bhima. To his surprise, his blow was caught midair. As much as he tried moving, Bakasura couldn’t move his mace; such was Bhima’s iron grip. Now giving his complete attention to the asura, Bhima pushed his mace back.

The earth trembled as Bhima faced the fearsome Bakasura in a battle of raw strength and fury. The towering asura roared, swinging his massive mace with devastating force, shattering trees and rocks alike. Bhima, unyielding and mighty, met each attack with unparalleled strength, his bare hands striking like thunderbolts. The clash echoed across the forest, a whirlwind of dust and chaos as the two titans grappled. Summoning his unmatched power, Bhima lifted Bakasura off the ground, hurling him with such force that the earth cracked beneath the impact. With one final, bone-crushing blow, Bhima subdued the monstrous Asura, emerging victorious.

Thus finishing another monster, the warrior returned to Ekachakra. The potter’s family and the people of Ekachakra were stunned to see him return unscathed. The whole city was overjoyed when Bhima told them about the death of Bakasura. They were filled with gratitude and love for the young prince and hailed him their savior. That night, all the families of Ekachakra sent sweetmeats and delicious dishes for Bhima and his family. After ages, the Pandavas had a feast that they generously shared with the potter and his family.

This is one of those tales which we might have heard from our grandparents or in a moral science class because it essentially highlights the win of goodness over evil. But there are more layers to it. Communal harmony, for instance, is something that story underlines. A city coming together and finding a solution to a problem their administrators couldn’t help them with. The people of Ekachakra truly understand the meaning of ‘sacrifice’ which is done for the greater good of the community. Such communal harmony is difficult to come by today where we hardly want to get to know our neighbor, let alone make a sacrifice for the community. This is something that we can definitely think of adopting.

Another thing that the story underlines is the attitude of the administration. How come the king and his army never got to know of such a trouble at their doorstep? And if they did, why were their not enough steps taken for ensuring the safety of their citizens? This is the kind of corrupt regime that was in place throughout the sub-continent at that time, and what Krishna was advocating against. Not that much has changed throughout the centuries. All across the world, their are corrupt and power hungry governments in place. Systems that place their citizens’ safety and well-being at the bottom of their priority list. The sad part is that we don’t get to have a savior like Bhima who might rid us of these ‘asuras’. What are your thoughts about this story? I’d love to know what you think in the comments below.

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On our journey together in the realms of the epic, we arrived on the junction where Drupada was blessed with a son and a daughter. Our heroine, Draupadi took birth and rose from the fire of the sacred yajna. Krishna arrived on the scene and showed the right path to a misguided Drupada. He also befriended the innocent Draupadi marking the beginning of a beautiful relationship. 

On the other hand, the Pandavas were spending a blissful time in the Himalayan forests. Bhima and Hidimba ruled over the Rakshasa community well and created a harmony between people and the Rakshasas.

Now, before their marriage, Kunti had been clear about one thing: they will not stay forever with the Rakshasas because they were going to continue on their journey. Hidimba could not leave with Bhima because she had to shoulder the responsibility of her people after her brother was slain. This was one big dilemma in front of the family. Finally, Hidimba devised a solution for this. She said to Kunti, 

“O Mother, my people need me and I will not be able to accompany your son on the journey ahead. My people also need my husband because every community in Aryavarta recognizes only males as rulers. I pray, stay with us till I give birth to a son. Our son, your grandson, will become the heir of my husband and rule over the Rakshasa community. You can then continue on your journey with your sons. I give you my word, I will not stop you.”

Saying so, Hidimba promised to sacrifice her happiness for the sake of Kunti’s peace of mind. 

For months, the Pandavas, Kunti, and Hidimba lived blissfully. After some months, Hidimba gave birth to a baby boy. This baby was born with a head round as an earthen pot (ghata) and he was completely bald (utkach). Seeing this, Bhima christened his son ‘Ghatotkacha’, one who has a head as round and shiny as an earthen pot.

The Pandavas were overjoyed. Ghatotkacha was the first child of the next generation. He was blessed with the strength of his father and magical powers of his mother. This can be said because within moments of being born, Ghatotkacha grew into a youth, leaving the Pandavas stunned. 

Looking at their surprised faces, Hidimba explained, “Rakshasa children age very fast till they become youth. After that they are able to control their magical powers. Ghatotkacha grew within moments because he is extraordinary. He is half human-half rakshasa, thus one of his kind. His magic will be extraordinary too.”

Bhima beamed with pride. His happiness knew no bounds after learning of his son’s capabilities. But this also meant that now was the time to bid adieu to his family and continue on his journey. Bhima was disturbed. He had hardly spent any time with his son. He told Ghatotkach,  “Son, I am sorry. I will not be there to guide you through your life. But know this, I love you and your mother a lot. I know, she will raise you to be a good son, a great warrior, and an able administrator. You will always have my blessing.” 

“O father, I will be a good son to my mother. I will tread on the path of righteousness and become a warrior just like you. Whenever you need me, just think of me once, and I will be present in your service.”

Ghatotkach promised, bowing his head in front of Bhima. Lovingly, Bhima blessed his son placing his hand on his head. With tears in his eyes, he hugged Ghatotkach.

Thus promising to be there for each other, Hidimba and Ghatotkach bid farewell to Bhima and the Pandava family. 

This is one of my favorite chapters of the epic. You might ask why? Especially when there is nothing too eventful happening here. From the outset, the story seems to be of the boy, Ghatotkach, born to a human father and a rakshasa mother. But if you look closer, you will see that it is the story of Hidimba more than of anyone else.

I have a soft corner for Hidimba. And rightly so. She sacrifices all of her happiness for the sake of her husband, his family, and her own tribe. Her love for Bhima transcends any of the other love arcs that we will see in the epic, because its unconditional in its purest form. 

Not that I am an advocate for such a love. In fact, in today’s day and age, it would be a fallacy to sacrifice your all for someone. When Hidimba did it, she transcended to the level of a goddess because Bhima willed it. He respected and was grateful for all that Hidimba did for him and his family. The men or people, in general, are not like that anymore. There’s a fat chance you would not receive the same gratitude and respect for your sacrifice. But is it worth it? 

If you know the story of Achilles, the greek warrior, you would know that before going on the war with Troy, he asked himself the same question “is it worth it?”. He got the answer from his mother, who told him that battles like these etch your name forever in the sands of time. Achilles knew that he would never come back if he goes for the war, yet he chose to go. For what? Glory. 

Hidimba, on the other hand, fights a different kind of battle. She fights for her love and achieves glory without asking for it. But is all the glory worth it? Yes, you will be remembered for eons to come. But epic wars like the Trojan war and the Mahabharata are not everyday events. How right is it to give your all, demanding nothing, for glory? Something to ponder upon, right? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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On our journey through the annals of the Mahabharata, we reached a point where the Pandavas self-exiled to the forests for the peace of mind of their mother, Kunti. In the forests, they came across the Rakshasa tribe ruled by the tyrant Hidimb. Bheema successfully slayed Hidimb and married his sister Hidimba as per the Rakshasa ritual. 

While the Pandavas were going through the adventures of their own, their past actions had stirred a turmoil in the rest of the kingdoms of the subcontinent, particularly Panchal. 

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Earlier I told you how Drupada, the king of Panchal, was humiliated by Drona and forced to divide the kingdom of Panchal. Half of his kingdom was taken by Drona and his son Ashwatthama. Defeated and taken prisoner by the Pandavas, Drupada conceded to Drona’s terms so that he can plan a payback for Drona. 

After division of the kingdom, Drupada moved to the city of Kampilya that became the capital of the southern Panchal. He started looking for ways to defeat Drona in some way. His anger was so much that he only wanted death for Drona. Drupada realized that the only reason why Drona was able to get the better of him was because he had tutored a boy like Arjuna who was equivalent to a son for Drona. Drupada also felt the lack of a son who could avenge his honor.

His queen was too old to bear any more children, so Drupada started looking for a way to obtain a son. 

Amongst the sages who lived in Panchala, there were two who were known to have accumulated so much punya1, that they could ask for anything from the devas in exchange for that punya. They were Yaja and Upyaja.

Drupada sought the two rishis and requested them to ask for a son from the devas using their punya. The rishis agreed on the condition that Drupada will have to accept everything else that the Devas grant them with the son. Drupada was desperate so he agreed to all the conditions.

As per Drupada’s request, the rishis starting performing a yajna. The sacrificial ritual went on for nine days. Yaja and Upyaja sat on the yajna mandap2 for nine days, chanting mantras and demanding the devas to grant a son in lieu of their punya. On the tenth day, the devas communicated with the rishis and agreed to grant Drupada a son.

As the tenth day receded and the dusk was upon them, from the sacrificial fire, emerged a young man.

He emerged from the heart of the flames, his figure gradually materializing as the fire swirled around him, casting an otherworldly glow on his skin. His silhouette was bathed in light, but untouched by the heat that licked at the air. His eyes, burning with intensity, held a strange mixture of power and calm, as if forged from the very essence of the fire itself. His hair, dark with streaks of molten gold, flowed freely, reflecting the flicker of the flames that danced at his feet. His presence radiated both awe and reverence, an aura of pure divinity born from the fire, making him seem less a man and more an immortal being sent from the realms beyond.

“O King Drupada,” said the rishis, “this young man is a gift from the devas. They have christened him Dhristhadhyumna, the courageous and the splendid. He will become your heir and the solution to all your problems. Accept him and cherish him.”

Drupada was overjoyed to see Dhristhadhyumna. He was the embodiment of all of Drupada’s hopes and dreams. Drupada accepted his divine son readily and embraced him.

But this was not the end of the yajna.

Once Dhrishthadhyumna stepped out of the yajna arena. The rishis told Drupada, “O King, now get ready to accept your daughter.”

“Daughter? But I asked for only a son, o rishis.”

“Yes. The devas gave you a son in exchange of all of our punya, but you are destined to be the father of a daughter, this girl, the daughter that the devas have chosen to give you.”

“O venerated ones, if the devas have chosen to bless me with another child, I am ready to accept this daughter as my own.”, said Drupada with folded hands, “but I have one request. I ask the devas to bless me with a daughter who is the epitome of confidence and strength. May she be resilient in the face of all turmoils. May she be able to conquer every challenge that comes her way. May she be blessed with such beauty that every other beautiful thing seems dim in front of her.”

“O Drupada, you did not make any demands for your son, why so for your daughter?”, asked the rishis.

“Because, O rishis, my son’s aim in life is to kill Drona, simple and straightforward. But my daughter’s aim will be to bring upon the downfall of the Kuru kingdom. Her goal is going to be tenfold times more difficult.”

The rishis were shocked to hear what the old king had in mind for his children. But they could not say or do anything about it. 

Quietly, the rishis returned to the sacrificial fire and started chanting mantras again. They conveyed Drupada’s requests to the Devas.

In the dark of the night, the flames shot high.

She emerged from the flames with a quiet, ethereal grace, as if the fire itself had gently woven her into existence. The air around her shimmered, the heat giving her skin a soft, incandescent glow, as though she was lit from within. Her hair cascaded in long, shimmering strands, the color of burning embers, moving with the fluidity of smoke in the wind. Her eyes, a mesmerizing amber, held the warmth of a hearth but with an intensity that spoke of untamed power, flickering like the heart of the fire. There was a softness to her beauty—delicate, almost fragile, yet impossible to look away from—as if she was both born from destruction and untouched by it. She was the embodiment of fire's dual nature: gentle warmth and wild, consuming energy, both exquisitely beautiful and infinitely untouchable.

“This girl, Drupada, is your daughter. She is Krishnaa, the dark skinned one. She is ayonija3, not borne by a woman. She is yojanagandha4, one whose fragrance is spread in miles. She is Yajnaseni5, one born out of fire.”

“And she is Draupadi, daughter of Drupada.”, said Drupada.

As Draupadi stepped out of the fire, every eye turned towards her. She truly was the epitome of beauty. Divine and celestial, she walked up to her brother. Together the twins bent down and touched their father’s feet. Drupada blessed the two and embraced them. They were going to help him achieve the vendetta he held in his heart.

Drupada was rejoicing the birth of his children when a voice rang through the grounds.

“O King Drupada, do not make this mistake.”

Everyone turned to see who had spoken. From far end of the arena, a short, dark skinned man was walking towards the altar. He wore yellow and golden clothes and had a peacock feather on his crown. People recognized Krishna and bowed their heads in greeting.

“Vasudev Krishna, what a surprise! You have arrived on a very happy occasion.” Drupada smiled and welcomed Krishna with open arms.

“O Drupada, I had to. Through you, the devas have blessed us all. Your children are boons. But you are making a huge mistake by making them your weapons to achieve your vendetta.”, said Krishna.

Drupada grew serious, “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the devas have sent them on this earth with a purpose. But that purpose is not what you think it is,” continued Krishna, “your son, Dhristhadhyumna will carry on the legacy of your dynasty and rule the kingdom of Panchal. Yes, he will kill Dronacharya but not because you want him to but because he would have to for the greater good.”

“What are you saying Vasudev. I am not able to understand.”

“King Drupada, your children are divine. Your son is destined for greater things, and your daughter? Your daughter will become an instrument of change for this world. Trust me when I say this you are making a grave mistake by using them for something as petty as your vengeance.”

Drupada was stunned to hear Krishna’s predictions. He knew there was something divine about Krishna. The whole subcontinent believed that he was an incarnation of Vishnu.

Drupada realized that he might actually be committing a mistake.

He thanked Krishna and decided to let his children decide the path of their lives promising to be their guide on the way. 

Krishna went up to Draupadi and said, “Princess, you and I share a name, how would you like to be my friend?”

The innocent Draupadi looked up and replied, “O Govind, you are older than me, also much more knowledgeable. Is friendship possible between unequals?”

“Of course, it is possible. Friendship is not quantifiable in money, age, or knowledge, dear sakhi6. From this day to the end of my days, I promise to be your friend.”

And so began a friendship which was hitherto deemed unlikely, friendship between a man and woman.

Draupadi, as was foretold, was an instrument of change. As the story progresses, you will see that she changes the workings of Aryavarta in unimaginable ways. But more than anything else Draupadi would become the epitome of feminine in the epic and the ages to come. 

How? We’ll get there in time.

This is that point in the epic from where you know things are going to change. For the first time, we see Krishna entering the main narrative. His intervention means that things will now move towards action. I particularly like this point. There are many reasons behind it.

First, this is where the heroine enters. Draupadi, the one born of fire, is the fiercest female in the history of Indian literature. I like how Krishna, who is literally god, decides to take charge of things as soon as it comes to giving directions to Draupadi’s life. Notice how he doesn’t do the same for any of the other characters. Somewhere Krishna’s actions foreshadows the power that Draupadi is. If that isn’t channelized in the right direction, she might just end up destroying everything.

Another thing that I love about this story is the readiness with which Drupada embraces a daughter. True, he wants a son but he doesn’t deny a daughter and treats her as a blessing too. In many versions of the epic, that’s not how its described. The other versions of the story have portrayed Drupada as a misogynistic duff who outrightly denied a daughter and blamed the devas for forcing him to adopt a daughter. Many versions say he demanded a daughter from the devas for creating a divide between the Kuru princes. We really can’t decide which version is right. But that’s another beautiful thing about the epic, we can choose what we want to accept. I find this version the most accurate considering the fact that Drupada already had a daughter, Shikhandi, who was brought up quite progressively. If he was a good father to her, why would he not embrace Draupadi?

But then I could be wrong too. After all, people reject baby girls in this day and age, there are a lot more chances of that happening five thousand years ago.

Do you agree? 

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

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The last time we learnt how the Pandavas escaped the flames of the lac palace in Varnavat, a conspiracy hatched by Shakuni and Duryodhana. The brothers decided to go incognito on the request of their mother, Queen Kunti, who was perturbed with the fratricide attempt of Duryodhana. So, the Pandavas disguised themselves as poor brahmins and started traveling to distant lands. 

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They had to forage for food and walk long distances through the forests to stay hidden. Kunti, who was also aging, would get exhausted. The Pandavas felt saddened to see their mother in such a state. They tried coming up with solutions to ease the journey for her but every solution involved exposure to the cities and villages which they couldn’t risk. In the end, Bhima decided that he would carry his mother on his shoulders. Bhima’s strength was unparalleled. Sometimes, he would carry Nakula and Sahadeva too along with Kunti.

 This way the Pandavas and their mother travelled through forests, crossed rivers and reached the mountains of Himalayas. The forest here was dense and dark. Hardly any sunlight reached the ground. Moreover, it was full of dark caves and a mysterious pall lay over it. The fearless Pandavas found it beautiful and decided to camp there for a few days. They found a large cave, lit it with fire, and made it warm and comfortable for their mother. 

Unbeknownst to the Pandavas, the forest was home to the Rakshasas, the monstrous tribe of the mountains. Their ruler, Hidimb, was a cannibalistic being who preyed on unsuspecting humans lost in the forest. He was extremely powerful and tyrannical. The Rakashasas also had magical powers. They could change their appearance at will, enlarge or shrink themselves, and age within moments. Hidimb used all his powers only for preying on human flesh and terrorising his fellow rakshasas.

Soon, Hidimb got the news that five young men and a woman are camping in the forest. He couldn’t believe his luck. Lately, fewer and fewer humans ventured into this forest due to Hidimb’s fear. Five, well built, healthy young men was a cause of celebration. He started thinking of ways to get his hands on this family. 

When Hidimb’s soldiers were telling him about the Pandava family, his sister Hidimba overheard them. The soldiers’ description of Bhima fascinated Hidimba. She wanted to see this man who, the soldiers claimed, to be of the same strength as her brother. She volunteered to get the Pandava family to the Rakshasha lair. Hidimb had faith on his sister’s cunning and assigned her the mission.

When Hidimba saw Bheem, she was infatuated. The prince of Hastinapur was gigantic, with strong arms and a beefy torso but he had the kindest eyes. Hidimba observed him from the shadows for a day. She was filled with a desire to meet him. So, Hidimba changed her appearance. From her ferocious rakshasa form, she transformed into a demure girl. 

Taking that form, Hidimba approached Bhima and the other Pandavas. She told them, “O young men, I am a maiden who has lost her way in this forest. I am in need of your help.” She pleaded in front of them.

“Gentle lady, please don’t be scared. My brothers and I will protect you and take you back home.” Bhima offered.

Hidimba was impressed by his gentle demeanor. She was surprised to see a man of such strength be this humble and kind. She followed the brothers to the cave where they had camped. There, she met Kunti and was provided with fruits and berries to eat. Hidimba spent a day with the Pandava family and realized that they were a loving family who mean no harm to anyone. Moreover Bhima’s gentle nature made her fall in love with him. She knew that if she took them to Hidimb’s lair, he will kill them all and make a feast of their dead bodies. The thought of any harm coming to Bhima scared her. 

Next day, Hidimba addressed the Pandava family and told them that she is not what they were believing her to be.

“Who are you and what intentions do you bear?”, thundered Bhima.

“O warrior, I am Hidimba, a princess of the Rakshasha tribe and sister of Hidimb, our king. This jungle is my home.” Hidimba replied.

The Pandavas were aware of the Rakshasa clan and their magical powers. With the same prejudice in mind, Yudhisthira asked Hidimba,

“Have you come to prey on us, Hidimba? If that is your intention, you should know that we are Pandavas, princes of Hastinapur, and quite capable of defending ourselves.”Yudhisthira warned her.

“O Prince, I have no interest in killing you. Know that if I wanted to kill you, I would not have revealed myself to you. On the contrary, I want to save the lives of your brothers and mother. My brother Hidimb intends to kill you all. He sent me here to lure you all to our lair deep within the forest. But I am going to show you a way out of the forest so that you are well out of Hidimb’s range.” Hidimba explained.

“Why? Why would you do that?” Asked Bheema.

Hidimba looked into the eyes of Bheema, paused, then said. “Because you are important to me. I can not put your life in danger.”

Bheem sensed Hidimba’s affection but couldn’t bring himself to believe her. To break the tension, Arjuna spoke up, “O Hidimba, we do not fear Hidimb, so we will not leave this forest. Moreover, we cannot believe you either. What if you take us to our deaths in the pretense of guiding us out of the forest?”

On Arjuna’s question, Hidimba transformed herself into her real form. She was gigantic, almost as tall as Bheema, dark skinned, with matted long black hair, and dark eyes. She was fearsome. In her real form, she addressed the brothers, “O princes, this is my real form. I am showing you my reality so that you believe me. I do not intend to harm your family. Please believe me and follow me out of this forest. I want to ensure your safety.”

This was enough proof of truth for Bhima. He stood up to Hidimba and said, “O Princess. I believe you. But I will not abandon this forest or you. If you take us out of here, Hidimb will punish you and you should not suffer for us.” 

For a moment, Hidimba was surprised. She had never encountered any human being who was this kind towards Rakshasas. Her respect for Bhima increased and so did her worries. She wanted to protect the prince at all cost.

“O Prince, I respect the kindness you are showing to me and I am grateful for it. But you don’t know Hidimb. He’s fearsome and if he finds you, he will kill you and your family. Please let me help you.”

At this Kunti spoke, “ O Princess. You are right, we don’t know your brother. But your brother also does not know my son. My son Bhima, has the strength of a hundred elephants in his arms. Take us to Hidimb. My son will defeat him and rid this forest and the Rakshasa clan of his tyranny.”

Kunti’s confidence and the continuous insistence of the brothers ultimately forced Hidimba to give in. She guided the brothers to Hidimb’s lair. 

The lair was a dark and dingy cave. Not a shred of sunlight reached there. The gargantuan Hidimb sat on a large rock inside the cave. 

When he saw Hidimba arriving with his prey. His eyes gleamed with evil. He addressed Hidimba directly, “O sister, You have done me proud today,”, he leered. “Tonight, we will have a meal of a lifetime.”

On his words, Bhima started laughing loudly.

His laughter angered Hidimb. He said ,”O giant, why do you laugh? This is your last moment. Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid? Of whom? You? O King of Rakshasas, Let me tell you, fear is not a word in my dictionary. If you believe yourself to be so powerful, I dare you to fight me. This fight shall be to death.” Bhima challenged Hidimb.

The challenge provoked Hidimb. Gathering all his might, he attacked Bhima.

Although Hidimb had a monstrous demenor, he was still a forest dweller. He was no match for Bhima, who was trained in various arts of warfare, including one on one wrestling. In a few minutes, Bhima took over the Rakshasa king and pinned him down. With one swift motion, Bhima broke Hidimb’s neck killing him. 

The moment Hidimb died, the mysterious pall over the forest cleared. Sunlight streamed in the cave and the Rakshasa soldiers all went down on their knees in front of Bheema. The Pandavas were overjoyed. There was a prideful smile on Kunti’s face.

Hidimba was stunned by Bhima’s feat. She had never thought that Hidimb could ever be defeated. But there he laid, slain.

Bhima came to her and said, “Rest all your fears, o princess. Your brother, the tyrant Hidimb, has been defeated. Now you and your subjects can live in this forest peacefully.”, he smiled, “My brothers and I will now take your leave. We have to continue our journey.”

“O Prince, I am thankful to you for defeating Hidimb and ridding the Rakshasha community of his tyranny. But you cannot leave right away.”

“Why, Hidimba? Why can’t we leave?” Bheem asked.

“The customs of Rakshasa community dictate that whoever defeats and kills the Rakshasa king has to ascend the throne as the next king and marry the previous king’s daughter or sister.” Hidimba told Bheem.

The Pandava family were mildly stunned. They were not planning on settling in the forest. At the same time, they were overjoyed with the prospect of a wedding in the family. 

According to the tradition, Bheem married Hidimba and took on the mantle of the leader of the Rakshasas.

And so goes the tale of world’s first inter-caste marriage or at least I believe so. For me, this story is about so many things that are relevant in the present world. Starting off with the appearance of Hidimba. She belongs to a tribe where people are naturally tall and dark skinned, nothing like the archetypal beauties of that time.

But it’s not just that time, beauty standards still exist. Women are still expected to look a certain way, especially for attracting men. Hidimba also thought so and that’s why changed her appearance when she went to meet Bhima. She wanted to make a good first impression. What’s impressive is that Bhima didn’t reject her when he saw her in her reality as well. The fact that Bhima readily accepts to marry Hidimba and the Pandavas rejoice in this alliance talks a lot about their mindset. Much like our twenty first century generation, there is an acceptance and respect towards different communities. And this is what differentiates the Pandavas from the Kauravas. 

I also want to throw spotlight on Hidimba and Bhima’s love story. There are many romances in the epic, but this one is probably the most innocent of them all. There’s Hidimba, who’s grown up believing humans to be food and yet she falls in love with one and then there’s Bhima, who was conditioned to be attracted towards a princess raised in palaces but falls for a girl who has lived all her life in forests.

In some versions of the epic, Bhima is considered to be a representation of ‘love’. I feel that’s pretty accurate. After all, love never judges and is the only feeling in this world that doesn’t distinguish on the basis of caste, color, creed, or gender. Or so, I believe. What are your thoughts about it? Let me know what you think.

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In the last episode, we saw how the Pandavas defeated King Drupada of Panchal to fulfill the terms of gurudakshina as was set by Dronacharya, their teacher. Duryodhana and the ninety nine Kauravas were taken captive who were released on Drupada’s orders. After the defeat, Drupada relinquished half of his kingdom in exchange of his release and the challenge of gurudakshina was completed.

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The Pandavas returned victorious to Hastinapur. It was now clear that Yudhisthira, with the support of his five brothers, would be a worthy successor. He had the support of other royals like Bhishma and Vidura. As a regent king, Dhritrashtra, was left with no choice but to crown Yudhishthira as the heir to the throne.

As Yudhisthira presided on his duties of the crown prince, the other Pandavas undertook other endeavors. Bheema went to Dwarka1 to take lessons in mace weilding from his cousin Balarama, Krishna’s elder brother. Arjun went with Drona to gain further knowledge of esoteric weapons. Along with his son Asshwatthama, Drona began Arjun’s training in specialised weapons and missiles. The twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, started learning more about animals, horses and cows respectively.

In the years to come, the Pandavas used their acquired skills to conquer neighboring kingdoms and expand the boundaries of Kuru. The others were won through excellent diplomacy. Their polite and kind demeanor made the Pandavas favorite amongst their subjects too. People could not wait for the day when Yudhisthira would be crowned as the king. 

While everyone was happy with the success of the Pandavas, there were some who looked for an opportunity to pull them down. Dhritrashtra was embittered because he wanted to make his son the heir to the throne. Duryodhana could see the throne slipping away from his hands. He was jealous of Yudhisthira and the other Pandavas. Their constant success made him angsty. He knew that his father was bound by the law of the land and thus could not help him, so he turned to the one man who could do something, his uncle Shakuni. 

Shakuni was a conniving man. When Duryodhana discussed his problem, he told Duryodhana, “My dear nephew, the best way to get over competition is to completely eliminate it. If you really want the throne, you will have to get rid of the Pandavas.”

“Uncle, the Pandavas are not so easily going to give up the throne, will they? I will have to challenge Yudhisthira. But he has the support of his brothers. It will not be easy to subjugate Arjuna and Bheema.”

“So what? You have the support of your friend Karna who is enough for Arjuna. You shouldn’t be worried about their military power, it is the support of the subjects that is worrisome, Nephew,” continued Shakuni, “the Pandavas have won the hearts of the people. There’s a high chance the people will revolt if any other man is crowned the heir.”

“So what would you have me do Uncle? Every time I see them, it seems like they are mocking me. Their gleeful smiles burn my heart. What should I do?” Duryodhana was exasperated. Shakuni smiled at him and said, “Kill them.”

Duryodhana was quiet for a while, but not shocked. Shakuni was capable of planning a murder. He had done it before. It was sheer luck that Bheema had survived. But this time, the plan would be foolproof. 

And not just one, but all the Pandavas with their mother Kunti would be the target. 

After a few months, a man called Purochan arrived in the court of Hastinapur. Addressing Yudhisthira he said, “Yuvaraj, I come bearing greetings of my people from the village of Varnavat. When your father, King Pandu, was reigning, he had been kind and generous to my people. The people, in his honor, have sculpted a statue of the late king and plan to unveil it in the coming month of Jyeshtha2. I, on behalf of my people, invite you and your family to come to Varnavat3 and unveil the statue. We will be blessed with your presence and of your illustrious mother and brothers.”

Yudhisthira was pleasantly surprised. He had never heard of Varnavat from his father but he did not dismiss Purochana’s request. He said, “Thank you for the invite, Purochana. I will discuss this with my mother and brothers and then let you know of my decision.”

At this, Duryodhana spoke, “Yuvaraj, what is there to be discussed? As the crown prince, you should definitely visit the small villages of the kingdom. It is a great opportunity to gain an understanding of the lives of our subjects. I am sure the elders will also agree with me.”

Bhishma and Dhritrashtra agreed with Duryodhana. But the chief minister, Vidura found it fishy that Duryodhana would be thinking about the welfare of the people. He grew doubtful but did not make it evident at that time. He too encouraged Yudhisthira to go. On the insistence of the court, Yudhishthira agreed to the invitation.

In the month of Jyestha, Queen Kunti and her five sons went to Varnavat. They were received with fanfare by Purochana and the villagers. Purochana, who was a brilliant architect, had built a fantastic palace for the Pandavas’ stay and they were extremely happy with the grand welcome. 

Couple of days had passed when a messenger of Vidura arrived in Varnavat. He met the Pandavas and shared a message from Vidura. The chief minister had sent a warning and asked the Pandavas to stay cautious of Purochana who was seen in the chambers of Duryodhana right before the Pandavas had left for Varnavat. Heeding to Vidura’s advice, the Pandavas started keeping a close eye on Purochana. They noticed that Purochana had made the kitchen outside of the main living area of the palace. The lamps were also cautiously lit in glass pots and kept away from the walls. They grew suspicious. Upon closer inspection, the Pandavas realised that the palace was made of lac, wax, and other inflammable material. 

The plan was to set fire to the palace while the unsuspecting Pandavas and their mother slept peacefully. They would be burnt alive and it would look like an accident. Kunti was horrified. She couldn’t believe that Duryodhana was so jealous of her sons that he wouldn’t hesitate from committing fratricide. She was worried for her sons’ safety now. After much thinking, Kunti decided to not return to Hastinapur. She ordered her sons to devise a plan so that they all may go incognito till the time circumstances become safer for all of them.

To carry out the order of their mother, the Pandavas dug a secret passageway under the palace that opened in the forest on the western borders of Kuru. Next, they invited Purochana and his family to stay the night with them in the palace. He, with his wife and four sons, could not deny the princes and stayed over.

That night, the Pandavas themselves set fire to the palace. With their mother, they took the tunnel and escaped. Purochana and his family was burnt alive. When the aide arrived from Hastinapur, they found the palace in ashes and the bodies of five men and a woman.

Entire Hastinapur plunged in an ocean of grief. People believed that their beloved Pandavas with Queen Kunti have vanquished in the fire. Bhishma was beyond himself. He found the loss of his grandsons unbearable. Even Dhritrashtra was sad. Though he didn’t want to crown Yudhisthira as his successor, he had never wanted the Pandavas dead.

Only two people celebrated this occasion. Duryodhana couldn’t believe his luck. He was now the only contender in the line of succession. Shakuni had cleared his path and he couldn’t thank his uncle enough.

This story reminded me of an interesting anecdote I had seen on Instagram. An actor, who is also a celebrated poet, gave his interpretation of the concepts of good and evil. According to him, the Mahabharata took place in the Yuga4 of Dwapar. Unlike the previous yugas, in Dwapar, the good and evil were found in the same family. The Yuga of Kali, that succeeded Dwapar, witnesses the coming of evil and good in the same body. And according to the scriptures, the time we are living in is the Yuga of Kali, the dark age. 

This is also the age of technology, where we cannot avoid comparison and competition with the world, thanks to social media. We get anxious and depressed by looking at the lives of people around us, knowing fully well that most of it is fake. Imagine the condition of Duryodhana who saw his cousins succeeding every day. So what should we do? How do we get over this competition?

Duryodhana decided to kill his brothers. Can we resort to that solution? Is that really even a solution? 

The route taken by Pandavas is up-skilling oneself. They endeavor to constantly improve themselves by learning and educating. I feel that’s the right way to go if we also wish to rise above comparisons and competition. Knowing that one has committed oneself to learning and improving instils the belief that we will be able to achieve what we are aiming for. 

This is one of the points in the epic that clearly defines the Kauravas as the villains. The Pandavas now understood that their cousin would not hesitate in going to any lengths for the throne. This conspiracy became one of the founding stones for the enmity which was only going to increase from here onwards. What’s surprising is that Duryodhana actually believed that he could kill the valiant Pandavas this easily? Instead, what he had done was pushed them towards their destiny. The Pandavas were alive and well. They came out through the tunnel into the forests where new adventures awaited them. But for the world, they were dead. How will they rise from the ashes? We’ll see.

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In the last story, I left you at a point when our young princes were all set to go to war with the King of Panchal, Drupad. Their goal was to defeat the king, bind him, and bring him on his knees in front of their teacher, Dronacharya. This was the fee Dronacharya had demanded in lieu of the education he had imparted to the princes.  The Kuru princes agreed to pay the promised Gurudakshina and set out to defeat King Drupada.

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King Drupada was no small target. He was the ruler of one of the most powerful kingdoms of the Aryavarta1. Before they could reach the king, the princes had to deal with the commander-in-chief of his forces, Princess Shikhandini.

Dear readers, if you recall, I told you about the birth of Princess Shikhandini in the story of Amba. Shikhandini was the reincarnation of Princess Amba and she had this knowledge since her birth. No one had to tell her anything, but her sole aim in life was to bring about the death of Bhishma, the grandsire of Kuru princes. Naturally, she had no affections or kindness towards the Kurus and when she received the news that the Kuru princes are out to defeat her father, she saw it as an opportunity.

Shikhandini was probably the only female warrior of her age, nothing like the archetypal princesses of that time. She was a skilled swordsman and treated each of her opponents as Bhishma. That’s what fueled her spirit.

When the princes arrived on the outskirts of Ahhichatra, the capital city of Panchala, Duryodhana sent a messenger to King Drupada demanding a duel. Yudhisthira, who was the eldest, found Duryodhana’s step brash. He intervened and told Duryodhana that as eldest of them, it was Yudhisthira’s right to take any decisions on behalf of the brothers. Duryodhana, who never acknowledged Yudhisthira as an elder brother, very clearly told him that he intends to fight King Drupada with his ninety-nine brothers as a single unit. Yudhisthira and his four younger brothers were ‘Pandavas’, sons of King Pandu and they were ‘Kauravas’, the Kuru princes.

 This divide, although disappointed the Pandavas, but they accepted. Yudhisthira told Duryodhana, “O brother, if that is what you believe, then so be it. Now that you have already challenged King Drupada, I would say that you and the rest of the Kauravas go ahead first and try to defeat him. We, Pandavas, will not interfere in your war.” 

Yudhishthira was confident that Duryodhana and his brothers will not be able to defeat the mighty King Drupada whereas he and his brothers had prepared a strategy. He had faith in the might of Bheema and the skills of Arjuna. The remaining three will provide the support that the two required.

When King Drupada received message of the young prince, he treated it as jest. This is not how wars were fought. But since it was a challenge from a Kuru prince, he couldn’t completely ignore it. So, he assigned his commander-in-chief to see to the matter. Princess Shikhandini wanted this opportunity. Her plan was to capture the princes and force the Kuru army to come to their doorstep. With the army their commander-in-chief, the great Bhishma, will also come and she will finally have a chance to face her arch nemesis. 

Duryodhana and his hundred brothers met a small battalion of Drupada’s army on the outskirts of Ahichhatra. Shikhandini led the battalion and matched Duryodhana. Duryodhana was good but Shikhandini was a smart warrior. It didn’t take long for her to get the better of Duryodhana. Once Duryodhana was captured, his ninety nine brothers were easily defeated and taken as captives. But Princess Shikhandini was no fool. There were a hundred and five Kuru princes. Where were the remaining five?

While Shikhandini was busy taking the Kauravas captive, the Pandavas launched an attack on the city from the other side. With Shikhandini busy with the Kauravas on one end, someone had to respond to the Pandava attack. This way the Pandavas forced Drupada to come out. Taking one battalion with him, Drupada responded to the Pandavas. Drupada’s soldiers were brave but they were no match for warriors like Bheema and Arjuna. When Drupada saw how the two were wreaking a havoc on his army, Drupada decided to form the Chakravyuh, the wheel formation, which was deadliest of all army formations.

It was almost impossible to escape out of the Chakravyuh. There was only one way to break it and very few warriors in the world knew that tactic. What Drupada did not know was that Arjuna was one of those warriors. Drona had trained Arjuna for every possible situation one can face in a war so Drupada was totally taken aback when Arjuna swiftly broke the ranks of his army and reached him. With two swifts arrows, Arjuna forced the sword out of Drupada’s hands. Drupada was so shocked, he wasn’t able to react. With another swift motion of his hand, Arjuna pulled him down from his horse. He addressed the King and said, “ O King Drupada, accede to your defeat and I shall not harm you.”

 “O warrior prince, who are you and what do you want from me? “, asked Drupada.

“I am Arjuna, the son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, and a prince of Kuru.” 

Drupada was astounded by Arjuna’s warrior skills but he still could not understand why the young princes had attacked him.

“O Arjuna, you are an impressive warrior. But I do not understand your reason to attack me. Panchal has done nothing to instigate the Kuru kingdom. Why have the Kuru princes attacked then?”

“It is not a political decision, O King. I will tell you the reason, once you surrender and consider yourself defeated.”

“O Arjuna, I am a king. My defeat is the defeat of my kingdom. I cannot surrender like this.”

“O King, you leave me with no choice then.” Saying so, Arjuna bound Drupada’s hand and then pushed him forward. Yudhisthira and Bheema escorted the king, with respect, to the outskirts while Nakula and Sahadeva maintained a watch on the surrounding soldiers.

Dronacharya, with his son Ashwatthama, had reached Ahhichatra and were camping near the site of struggle. Arjuna and his brothers took Drupada there and forced him to go on his knees in front of their guru.

Drupada was shocked. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Drona looked at him and said, “O Drupada, how does it feel to be on your knees in front of a beggar?”

“Drona, what is the meaning of all this?” an enraged Drupada asked.

“I wanted to bring you to the same level as me, O Drupada. Now, you and I are both beggars. I became a beggar when I came to your doorstep asking for help thinking of you as a friend. But you turned me away. Now you are in front of me, begging for your life. So we are both beggars,” Drona laughed, “but I can change it, if you want. Ask for my forgiveness and I will change it.”

Drupada thought quietly for some time. After thinking through he said ,”Forgive me, O Drona. I was wrong to insult you. In my pride, I had forgotten my friendship. By defeating me, your student Arjuna, has humbled my pride.”

His words soothed the fire which was raging in Drona’s heart for twelve years. He unbound the ropes on Drupada’s hands and picked him up. Looking in his eyes, he said, “O Drupada, you are my friend and will always remain so. Today, by defeating you, Arjuna has only defeated your pride. And now we are both on the same pedestal. Now that you stand defeated, your kingdom is under my command. I give you back half of your kingdom. On the other half, my son Asshwatthama will reign as the king.”

Drupada accepted Drona’s conditions and agreed to share his kingdom with Ashwatthama. Then both of them embraced. Drona turned to Yudhisthira, “O Yudhisthira, you and your brothers have rightfully paid your Gurudakshina. Your brother Arjuna is a stellar warrior and I can say this with certainty that he will go down in history as one of the greatest men of this age. I release you and your brothers of your debt.”

The Pandavas folded their hands and bowed to their Guru. Yudhisthira now addressed Drupada, “O King, now you know why we attacked you. Challenging you was not a political act, but a way to pay our Gurudakshina. My cousins, Duryodhana and the ninety nine Kauravas, were also doing the same thing. Your commander-in-chief, Princess Shikhandini, has taken them captive. We request you to order their release. Kuru kingdom does not intend to wage a war against Panchal. This challenge was entirely personal which Guru Drona had asked us to undertake.”

True. The challenge was entirely personal between Drona and Drupada, but does that mean it did not affect the two kingdoms? Of course not. While vying for vengeance, Drona had created a vendetta which will contribute to the many reasons of the Great War. A vendetta which will only culminate with the death of the two.

This is the law of the jungle. A lion is only able to maintain his pride after he subjugates another lion. In many situations, both the lions die fighting and the pride is left leaderless. Human beings are no different. To protect our ‘pride’, we fight. Only difference is that animals fight with their physical strength whereas we use our cerebral powers. Then why do we feel so distinguished from the animals. They are, at least, sorted and clear about the rules of power. We are worse than them because we scheme and plot for years just to see the downfall of another human being.

When we are humiliated and our respect is dented, it becomes essential for us to prove it to the world that we are not what we were made to be. We try to find out ways to achieve this. There are always three choices that we can make; rise to the challenge and show your capabilities to the world by achieving a stature, value yourself and forgive the other person, or become vengeful and ensure the other person’s humiliation in a similar way. The last option is the easiest of the three and hence most of us choose that. And that one choice leads us away from greatness. The characters of the epic testify this. What choice would you make in such a situation? 

Drupada was a king, who was humiliated in front of his army and subjects. Half of his kingdom was taken away forcefully and he had faced defeat at the hands of a warrior half his age. He had acceded to Drona because he didn’t want to lose his life but all he wanted was a little time. Time, to brew a plan, and channel the fiercest force of all. Which force you may ask?

I’ll tell you, all in good time. Till then, let me know what are your thoughts about the story in the comments below.

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Along with Janmejaya, we also came to know about the fierce clash of Arjuna and Karna in the grand tournament. The tournament was organized to showcase the princes’ prowess and calibre after finishing the education. But before the winner of the tournament could be decided, it came to an abrupt end. Queen Kunti fainted upon realizing that Karna was none other than her long lost firstborn. The greater shock for Kunti was that Karna had chosen Duryodhana as a friend and now considered Arjuna his arch nemesis. 

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This fact did not fail to shock Janmejaya either. He couldn’t believe that a warrior like Karna would side with the evil Duryodhana. He asked, “O great sage, how was it that a man like Karna did not recognize the evil heart of Duryodhana? “

The sage Vaishampayana smiled, “O King, gods have made mistakes believing they are doing the right thing, Karna was only human. He believed that his fight for stature and recognition was fair. Duryodhana was the only man who had extended a supporting hand to him in this struggle till now. It was only obvious Karna didn’t think of him as evil. Duryodhana’s friendship, however selfish, was a ray of hope for the struggling Karna. And don’t forget, Karna was oblivious to the relationship he shared with the Pandavas at that point. His choices were purely based on reason and not emotion.” 

Janmejaya realized his mistake. He had been too quick in judging Karna. He reminded himself to be patient and listen to the rest of the story. So, he asked the sage to continue.

“Now,” Vaishampayana said, “once the tournament was called off, the princes were dismissed and told to retire to their respective chambers. I’ll tell you now what happened afterwards.”

Dear readers, this is where we shall too continue our story from.

The court of Hastinapura convened the day after the tournament. Maharaj Dhritrashtra invited the princes to the court as well. Bhishma, Vidura, Kripacharya, and Dronacharya sat on high pedestals. Today, the princes were given equal seats on the lower pedestal indicating that they were all on equal position in the eyes of the king. Once everyone was settled, Maharaj Dhritrashtra addressed Dronacharya, “O Drona, you have proven yourself by turning young Kuru boys into men of great mettle. For this you have our gratitude. Yesterday’s tournament has not left even an iota of doubt in anyone’s mind that the princes of Kuru kingdom are fearsome warriors. As their guru, you deserve all the credit for this magnificent transformation. Tell me, what can we give you as a gurudakshina1 for this great feat?”

“O great king, I am honored by your kind words. The calibre of these princes was their own, I have, but merely, helped them realize and channelize it. As for gurudakshina, the tradition demands that it be paid by the pupils and not their families. And hence, I will only ask my pupils for the Gurudakshina,” Drona replied.

On these words of his Guru, Arjuna stood up immediately. With folded hands, he went up to Drona.

“Gurudev, you are right. And as your pupil, I implore you to tell us what do you seek as Gurudakshina. My brothers and I will do everything in our power to fulfill your demand.”

“O Arjuna, I have no doubts that you will be able to get what I seek. That is one of the many reasons I am proud to call you my student. But it is not just you and your four brothers who have to pay dakshina. All hundred and five princes will have to contribute to it. I shall only ask for it if all of you agree to pay.”

On his words, Duryodhana immediately stood up, “Of course Gurudev, we shall all pay. What is it that you seek? Please tell us, me an my hundred brothers will strive to pay the dakshina.”

“O prince, what I seek is not so easy so get. I warn you. Think again, and then promise. Once you give me your word, none of you can retract.” Drona warned.

Now, Yudhisthira, the eldest of them all, got up from his throne and went to his guru.

“Gurudev, we Kuruvanshis2 follow the traditions set by our elders. Our grandsire, the great Bhishma shows us the path and like him, we do not retract from our promises. On behalf of my brothers, I give you my word, that we will give you whatever it is you seek as your Gurudakshina. Please tell us what is it.”

Satisfied by the word of the righteous Yudhishtira, Drona replied, “O Yudhisthira, if that is your word, I tell you now what I want. For my gurudakshina, you and your brothers will bring Drupad, the King of Panchal3, to me, bound and defeated. I want King Drupad in front of me, on his knees, and half of his kingdom.”

Drona’s demand left the court of Hastinapur shocked. Panchal was an equally powerful kingdom as Kuru. The relationship between both the royal families had always been strained and if the princes attacked Panchal, there was a high risk of full scale war between the two kingdoms. 

Moreover Drupad was no child. He was a seasoned warrior, almost as good as Drona himself. It was a deadly prospect for the princes who had never been in an actual war.

Drona’s demand shook the entire court. The first one to react was Dhritrashtra. The prospect of his beloved Duryodhana facing the dangerous army of Panchal left him worried. He told Drona, “O Drona! This is an unreasonable demand. The princes are mere children. Drupad is a king and the Kuru kingdom does not intend to wage a war against Panchal. I implore you, demand something else.” 

Fear was evident in Dhritrasthra’s words.

“Maharaj, I do not have any demands from the Kuru kingdom. I have demanded my dakshina from my pupils. It is a fee they owe me for all the education and training that I have given them. I believe they have the potential and capability to get me what I seek. It is they who should tell me whether they can do this or not”, answered Drona, “I do not seek anything else. If my pupils can get Drupad crawling on his knees in front of me, I shall consider the Gurudakshina paid. Otherwise, this is where I leave the Kuru princes. They shall not have my guidance anymore. I leave the decision now to them.”

The court was in complete silence. After a minute, Arjuna, with folded hands spoke, “Gurudev, I will pay the gurudakshina. I will defeat King Drupada and get him on his knees. Please give me a chance.” 

The royals were stunned but there was a smile on Drona’s face. He knew that he could rely on Arjuna. His diligence was supreme. With Arjuna, the other four Pandavas also swore to get Drupada. Duryodhana was not going to let the Pandavas take the limelight while he sits out. So, he and his hundred brothers also jumped on the bandwagon. All hundred and five princes were eager to prove themselves. 

But was it just a question of gurudakshina or were there other reasons too?

In earlier stories, I told you how Drona’s motive was always to take revenge on Drupad, who was his childhood friend. Drupad insulted him when Drona had asked for his help. The Kuru princes were a mere medium to reach that end. Drona had patiently waited all these years, honing the princes like weapons to get Drupad on his knees begging for his forgiveness. And among the princes, he had found Arjuna, who was probably the sharpest warrior of his age. 

For Drona, it might have been just a question of his honor, but for Arjuna, it was a matter of integrity. After losing his father, Drona was the only father figure he had recognized in his life till now. And now this revered person was asking him to do something. In such a situation, nothing else mattered to Arjuna but that his guru was asking him to do something and that should be done. He had such unwavering faith in his guru that Arjuna did not even think of asking him once as to why Drona was making such an unusual demand. In that moment, the princes forgot the fact that they represented a kingdom. Their actions will lead to consequences which the kingdom will have to bear. 

Obeisance, respect, and honor are three principles on which the Indian family structure is based. As young children, it is instilled in us that whatever our parents, elders of the family, teachers, and anyone who is higher up in a hierarchy has to be listened to. Their words can’t be questioned, let alone challenged. This is a fact that is reiterated in the epic time and again. And again and again, the epic also highlights the consequences of blind obeisance. The times now are definitely not one where such a thought process works. True, there needs to be respect for the experience and guidance of elders but one also needs to ask questions, understand reasons and logic, think for themselves, and then make an informed choice to not end up with a bag of regrets. 

The princes will attack King Drupad, but what will happen then is a story for the upcoming episodes. We know now that Drona is a tricky teacher to learn from. He usually demands his students’ lives in exchange of education. But, jokes apart, what do you feel about this unusual guru dakshina? Do you agree with such obeisance? Tell me in the comments below.

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We started on this journey with the story of Sarpa-Satra, the great snake sacrifice which was halted by the efforts of Astika who told King Janmejaya that his ancestors were responsible for inciting the Nagas and starting the vicious cycle of revenge. Janmejaya had demanded to understand these reasons and thus asked Rishi Vaishampayana to narrate the histories of his ancestors. We learnt about the greats of the Kuru clan, Bhishma’s vow, the birth of hundred and five princes, their education, and the changing dynamics between the cousins.

In previous couple of stories, I told you about others who were capable of challenging the powerful Kuru clan. One of these people was Karna. He was the adopted son of the royal charioteer, Adhirath but, unbeknownst to anyone, his mother was Queen Kunti. 

While the Pandavas received education in Guru Dronacharya’s ashram, Karna was learning from Sage Parshurama disguised as a brahman. Parshurama discovered the truth in the last year of Karna’s education. The sage, then, dismissed any further lessons and told Karna to leave. The Pandavas and Kauravas also completed their education around the same time.

Ahead of the princes’ graduation, Drona visited the Kuru court at Hastinapura. He addressed King Dhritrashtra, Bhishma, Vidura, and Kripacharya and told them that the princes’ education was now complete. It was time for the princes to return home. The royals were extremely excited, especially King Dhritrashtra who couldn’t wait to meet his dearest Duryodhana. The king told Drona, “O Drona, I am extremely pleased with this news. I cannot wait to see my dearest son and his mighty brothers. But their homecoming should be grand. Organize a tournament. Let the princes show their strengths and skills.”

All the royals loved this idea. Vidura was assigned to help Drona with the preparations. A part of the forest outside the city was cleared up for building an arena. The citizens of Hastinapura, along with royals of friendly kingdoms were invited for the tournament. And the princes were asked to prepare for a healthy competition.

Soon the day of the tournament arrived. The arena was packed with people. The royals including the king, Bhishma, and the royal advisor Vidura sat on a higher pavilion on one end. The ladies of the royal family; Queen Gandhari, Queen Kunti, and Princess Dusshala occupied the pavilion on the other end. 

Drona arrived, clad in white, with his son Asshwatthama. Before beginning, he chanted mantras and made offerings to the gods. With a loud note of shankha1, he announced the commencement of the tournament.

On the note, the princes entered the stadium. The stately warriors came in an orderly fashion with the eldest Yudhisthira leading them. All of them wore gauntlets and jeweled girdles. They carried with them their choice of weapons.

One after the other, they entered the arena on their steeds and proved their mettle by shooting arrows on a wooden wheel. Their names were inscribed on this wheel. Such was the skill of the princes that each was able to find his name and hit the target. One held a spear, the other a mace but one thing that was common between all of them was the radiance they exuded. All of them had the stride of gallant warriors but only one would shine through.

The first interesting encounter was between Bhima and Duryodhana. Both the princes had similar personalities. They were both gigantic and their choice of weapon was the mace. Everyone was aware of the animosity between the two. For both of them, this tournament was an opportunity to crush the other and establish supremacy. 

Like wild tuskers, they charged at each other. The entire ground shook when their maces clashed. This went on for a while. It looked like they were an equal match for each other. But slowly, the encounter started taking a dangerous turn as the blows got louder and more pronounced. None was ready to back down. This was no longer a healthy match. Soon, it became clear that each was aiming to kill. Bhishma and Drona were the first ones to realize this. On Bhishma’s orders, Drona intervened and dismissed both the princes calling it a draw.

Now came the moment everyone was waiting for. It was the turn of Prince Arjuna.

People of Hastinapura held their breath as the handsome prince walked in. They cheered for the glorious Arjuna. It was evident from his walk that he was a dangerous warrior. Once he reached the center of the arena, he went down on one knee, folded his hands and bowed to his elders and guru. After receiving their blessings, he started displaying his skills as an archer.

With his bow and arrow, Arjuna put on a show of how he would behave on a war front. There were targets placed all around the arena, big and small. Arjuna’s arrows found each of them. With his arrows, he created a hurricane, a whirlwind, and a thunderstorm. His valor left people in awe. His handsome face and calm demeanor left no one in doubt that Arjuna was divine. The elders of the Kuru family were left speechless and his guru, Drona’s heart swelled with pride.

He walked up to his student. When Arjuna saw Drona coming, he stopped his show and folded his hands. Drona embraced him tightly. He said, “O valiant Arjuna, today you have left everyone speechless with your skill. I am happy but more than that I am proud, proud to have you as my student and honored to be your teacher. Now, there is no doubt that you are the best archer in this whole land. There is no one who can match your level or challenge you.”

As soon as these words escaped Drona’s mouth, there was a clang and an arrow came hurtling towards the centre of the field. As fast as lightening, Arjun caught hold of the speeding arrow. A sudden ‘ahh’ escaped everyone’s mouths as the crowd stood up when they saw their beloved Arjuna being attacked. Everyone looked for the person who had committed this unwarranted act.

A young man stood in the doorway. There was a fire in his eyes and his face glowed with the radiance of the sun. He was dressed in plain clothes and carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. 

“Who are you young man? And why did you attack the prince?” Drona thundered.

“I haven’t attacked the prince Gurudev, I have challenged him” replied the man.

“And who are you to challenge the prince? “

“O great Guru, you just announced that Prince Arjuna is the best archer in the land. That cannot be established without a challenge. I am here to give the Prince that chance. The Prince has to defeat me in a match to prove that he is the best warrior in the land.”

Everyone was shell-shocked. Rest of the Pandavas also gathered around Arjuna.

“You have still not introduced yourself, young man,” thundered Bhima.

“I am Karna, o Prince, son of Adhirath, the royal charioteer.”

“Sutaputra! You are a low-born! How can you challenge my brother, a prince,” mocked Bhima.

His mockery filled Karna with rage. But before he could reply to Bhima, Duryodhana spoke, “Why not? Why can’t Karna challenge Arjuna? Every warrior has the right to display his skills in a tournament and skill and learning cannot be bound in caste boundaries.” Saying so, Duryodhana walked over to Karna and with love and warmth welcomed him to the arena.

“Duryodhana, this man cannot compete in this tournament. The rules of the tournament clearly state that only a king can fight a king, only a prince or a king can fight a prince. This man is neither, so he is not qualified to challenge Arjuna, “ Drona stated.

On this Duryodhana turned to his father. 

“Maharaj, as a prince of Hastinapur, I request you to make my friend Karna the king of Anga, our land in the east.” Duryodhana knew that his father would never deny his request. Moreover, he could see that Karna was a great warrior. Not even the best of warriors had the courage to challenge Arjuna. With Karna on his side, Duryodhana’s strength would multiply tenfold. 

“Gurudev, as the king of Anga, my friend Karna can challenge Arjuna. Right?” Duryodhana sneered. 

All eyes were now on King Dhritrashtra. He got up from his throne and declared, “I give the land of Anga to this young man and appoint him the king. He would be annointed in due time.”

There were tears in Karna’s eyes as he embraced Duryodhana. 

“My gratitude towards you cannot be explained in words, O great prince! You called me a friend, and elevated my status in the society. From this day onwards, I owe you my life,” said Karna.

The Pandavas were left speechless but there was nothing they could do. As the regent king, Dhritrashtra had the rights to give any part of the land as kingdom to another man. As a king, Karna’s challenge held extreme value. Arjuna could not refuse this challenge. A refusal would mean that he conceded to Karna thus establishing Karna as the best warrior in the land. This defeat would have been worse than death for Arjuna. So, he accepted.

Once again, the arena was empty save two people. Karna and Arjuna circled around like two lions. Each a fearsome warrior competing to prove who was better. They shot arrows at each other. And soon Karna performed each feat that Arjuna had performed proving that he was Arjuna’s equal if not better.

Arjun appreciated Karna’s talent but wanted to prove he was better. He didn’t give up and started attacking Karna. Karna skillfully deflected his arrows.

One attacking, the other blocking, this cycle continued for a while. It wasn’t until Arjuna fired an arrow which would have surely struck Karna that something happened which created a furore amongst the people. As Arjuna’s arrow was about to strike Karna, a divine armor appeared on Karna’s chest. As bright as the sun, this gold armor was such that Arjuna’s arrow broke in two pieces as soon as it came in contact with it. 

From the pavilion, Kunti saw this and realized who Karna was. Her long lost son. She couldn’t believe it. Her one son was trying to better the other in a dangerous match. No one could fathom the seriousness of the situation except Kunti. The shock of it was so much that she fainted.

This put a full stop to the tournament. The match was immediately stopped by the elders. Bhishma and Drona dismissed rest of the matches and told the princes to retire to their quarters.

This is one of those episodes in the epic which reveals a lot to the characters. In literature we term this as dramatic irony. As spectators/readers we know who Karna is but his mother and brothers know nothing. In the tournament, Kunti comes to know that her firstborn is alive and, sadly, is now pitted against his own brother.

On the other hand, Karna proves to be a golden goose for Duryodhana. None of the Kauravas are good archers whereas the Pandavas have Bheema and Arjuna who are both epitome of warriors. Duryodhana knows this fact. When he spots Karna in action, he realizes he has an opportunity to gain an excellent archer. Dastardly he obliges Karna knowing that this will forever put Karna in his debt. And thus the virtuous Karna ends up in the wrong camp.

But who is to be blamed for this situation? Is it Duryodhana, Arjuna, Drona, or Kunti? Or the system? I’d say it was all of them but most of all, the system. Any societal system which uses some kind of divide, be it work, gender, caste, class, race, language, or ethnicity, is bound to be misused and abused for power politics sooner or later. Five thousand years and we are still struggling with it. The sad part is that now, doesn’t matter how aware, sensitive, or empathetic we become, we cannot bring equality in this world. An egalitarian society is a utopia. Most of us have suffered injustice for being born in a certain way, carrying a certain surname, or just looking a certain way. And this injustice is what pushes most people to turn towards rebellion or use illegal means to attain a stature.

But these are just my thoughts on this matter. What are yours? Do let me know in the comments below.

In the last episode I told you the story of Eklavya and how he was meted injustice for his undying devotion. We also discussed that education is a fundamental right and when that is usurped, the result is either rebellion or death. For Eklavya it was a death of sorts because when Drona demanded his right thumb, he also snatched away Eklavya’s dreams of being a great archer. Now, we talk about rebellion.

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But before we begin with the story, it’s important to understand the Varna1 system which was central to the Vedic society. It was, essentially, a division of labor, which later evolved into division of power as well. There were four varnas, or classes. These were based on the kind of work that people did. The Brahmans were the scholars. Their work was to undertake scholarly pursuits, decode scriptures, and provide education to the young. The Kshatriyas were the warrior clan. They were kings and protectors of the realm. Their work was to learn warcraft and administration skills and rule. The third varna was the Vaishyas. These were the merchants, traders, and businessmen. They were the caretakers of economy. The fourth varna was the Shudras. These were the labor of the society who would serve the other three varnas. 

The Vedic society had a code of conduct for every varna. The extent of each varna’s powers and boundaries was clearly defined and those who dared to challenge these definitions were often ousted from the society. But dreams and desires do not have any boundaries. 

For a person who nurtures a dream, these limitations become worthless. We saw this in the case of Eklavya. There was another one who dared to dream, and dared to rebel against the norms of the society to achieve his dream.

He was Karna.

If you are at all familiar with the epic, I am sure you’ve heard that name before. One of the greats of the epic has an amazing story. 

You might remember in the story of Kunti, I told you how she gave birth to a boy before getting married to Prince Pandu. The young princess had tested the divine mantra given to her by sage Durvasa. Through the power of the mantra Kunti gave birth to a baby boy but abandoned him in the river for the fear of being incriminated by the society. The baby boy, in a basket, flowed down the river, and was discovered by Adhirath, the royal charioteer.

Adhirath and his wife, Radha were childless. When they found the abandoned baby they treated him as a blessing and adopted him. The boy brought joy to their life and they named him Karna.

Adhirath and Radha raised him as their own and never told him that he was adopted. As a child, Karna was more inclined towards learning archery than learning his father’s craft, charioteering. He would spend his time outdoors practicing. His father scolded him for this and his mother repeatedly told him that they belonged to the Suta2 caste therefore archery and warcraft were forbidden arts for them. But the Kshatriya blood of Karna called out to him. The boy could not be kept away from the bow and arrow. As he grew up, he felt the need to learn from a guru to improve his skills. 

On enquiry within the town, Karna found out about Dronacharya, the teacher who had taken the princes of Hastinapur under his aegis. Karna decided to take a chance hoping that a teacher like Dronocharya will not differentiate between his students on the basis of caste. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

What happened with Eklavya was repeated with Karna. Drona declined to accept him as a student because Karna belonged to a lower caste. But unlike Eklavya, Karna did not silently devote himself to Drona.

Drona’s rejection was the first time Karna felt like an outcaste. It was a personal insult. He felt outraged at this blatant bias. Instead of silently devoting himself to archery, Karna decided to avenge his honor. He wanted to prove to the world that a Sutaputra3 can also become the greatest archer in the world. For achieving this he sought a Guru who was better than Drona. The answer to this was Sage Parshurama.

Sage Parshurama was considered the sixth avatar4 of Vishnu. He had taken birth as a brahman at a time when the Kshatriya clan had become excessively exploitative. Parshurama took up arms against these Kshatriyas. Such was his heroism that he rid the earth of Kshatriyas twenty one times. It is believed that he retired when he met Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu and realized that his purpose on earth has been fulfilled. The venerated sage then started teaching. Bhishma and Drona were two of his greatest students who became great warriors. It is him that Karna approached but not as himself.

After the encounter with Drona, Karna had his doubts about Sage Parshurama too. He did not believe that the sage will not be biased and Karna did not want to face rejection again. So, he shaved his head and dressed up as a simple brahman. In this disguise, he approached Parshurama.

Karna was the son of Surya, the sun-god. There was a radiance on Karna’s face which made it impossible for anyone to ignore him. Parshurama felt that this young brahman boy was destined for greater things. He accepted Karna as his student. 

Karna learnt archery and warcraft from the best teacher out there.

In the last year of his education something happened that Karna had never expected. 

One day, after practicing for the whole day, the teacher and the student were resting under a tree. Parshurama was resting his head on Karna’s thigh when a scorpion stung Karna. Even though the pain was unbearable, Karna did not move lest he woke his guru. Blood started seeping out of the wound. Parashuram awoke with a start when he felt the blood on his cheeks. He was shocked to see the tolerance of his pupil.

 “Who are you?” Parshuram thundered.

Karna was momentarily shocked by this question. He replied, “Karna, gurudev, your student.”

“I do not want to know your name. Who are you in reality? You cannot be a brahman. Only a kshatriya can tolerate this amount of pain. Tell me, honestly, who are you?” demanded Parshurama.

It was Karna’s turn to be shocked now. He knew that he cannot lie anymore to his teacher. He folded his hands and bowed to his guru. With tears in his eyes he said, “Gurudev, you are right. I am no brahman. I’m a Sutaputra, son of a charioteer.”

Parshurama was filled with pity. Karna was very dear to him but this lie had shattered Parshurama’s trust. 

“Why Karna? Why did you lie to me?”, he asked.

“Gurudev, I wanted to become a great warrior but I faced rejection at each door I knocked because I was a low-born. I feared you would also reject me. That’s why I disguised myself as a brahman.”

Parshurama understood Karna’s pain but his reliance of deception angered Parshuram.

“O Karna, the society is unfair for a lot of people but you cannot compromise on your morals to rise up in the society. You should not have relied on lies to receive education. I did not accept you as a student because you were a brahman, I accepted you because I saw potential in you and believed that you were destined for great things. But you have spoiled everything. All your learnings, all your education is a waste because whatever you gain through unfair means never lasts. This education, that you have received by deceiving me, will leave you when you need it the most. You will forget everything at that moment of truth.”

Thus uttering the curse, Parshuram turned and without so much as a last look at Karna, left.

Of course, this is not the end for Karna. He has a much larger role to play in the scheme of things. But the question rises, was he right?

If one looks at this situation from the point of view of a person who has faced oppression all his life, it seems fair that Karna took the help of disguise. He did not do this for monetary gains but to access knowledge. But then, is it okay to lie?

This is another question that is raised in the epic at various points. To what extent is lying okay? Is there a fine line between white lies and lies? Karna’s standpoint throughout the epic is of a person who has faced bias because he grows up in a lower caste. The worst part is that even after five thousand years, caste based oppression hasn’t lessened. It’s the result of this that the gorge between factions of the society has deepened making it difficult to bridge the gap. But education and learning should never be limited by caste. It is a fundamental right of every human being. I cannot assert that enough.

In the upcoming stories, you will see how Karna’s entire life will be affected due to this bias. As a consequence of this oppression, Karna’s decisions would lead to a political upheaval in the land of Aryavarta.

What are your thoughts about this? Let me know in the comments.

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On this journey together, we had reached the point where young Prince Arjuna had successfully established himself as his teacher’s favorite pupil. Arjuna’s diligence and sincerity impressed Dronacharya to the extent that he promised Arjuna to make him the greatest archer in the entire land.

However, favoritism between students is not a virtue of great teachers. A teacher should treat all his students equally and be fair to each and every one of them. When Drona made a promise to himself he was so confident about his teaching skills that he didn’t realise that he overlooked all the challenges.Especially the ones that came in the form of other sincere students.

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The forest where Drona had his ashram was also home to the tribe of Nishada. The young son of the Nishada chief, Eklavya, was always inclined towards archery. Since he belonged to a tribe of hunters, he wanted to excel in archery. When he learnt that Guru Dronacharya had established his ashram in the same forest, Eklavya saw an opportunity. He decided he would learn archery from the best teacher out there.

With lots of enthusiasm and hope in his heart, Eklavya went to see Drona. With folded hands he appealed, “O great Guru, I hope to learn from you. Please accept me as your student.”

Drona was impressed by the young boy’s courteousness. He asked, “Who are you, young man? Tell me about yourself and your family.”

“I am Eklavya, the son of the Nishadaraj, chief of Nishadas and I hope to become one of the finest archers in the world.”

Drona was taken aback. Eklavya was a tribesman, a shudra1. Drona had a contract with the Kuru family that he will only teach royalty. If he took Eklavya under his wing, he would be breaking his contract. 

With a lot of disappointment in his heart, Drona said, 

“Eklavya, you are a Nishada, a shudra, and I only teach kshatriyas. I am sorry but I will not be able to accept you as a student.” 

Eklavya was extremely disappointed. He didn’t want to return home dejected like this. Trying to find a way out of this situation and to clear his head, he found respite in a cave. There, in complete silence, he decided that he would not let his dream die. The spirited young man created a sculpture of Drona and believing him to be his Guru, he started practicing. 

For years he kept practicing.

One day, a dog kept barking outside the cave. Its barking irritated Eklavya and interfered with his practice. An annoyed Eklayva shot arrows in the dog’s mouth in such a way that the arrows closed its mouth without hurting it. 

The dog, with his mouthful of arrows, kept roaming in the jungle and reached Drona’s ashram. When the princes found the dog, they were amazed at the feat of the archer. They took the dog to Dronacharya. Drona couldn’t help but be impressed by the skill of the archer. Along with the princes, he set out to find the person who had performed this incredible feat.

When they finally reached the cave, they found Eklavya practicing. Drona was stunned to see a Nishada boy. He had not expected this.

When Eklavya saw Drona approaching his cave, he was delighted. He greeted and welcomed the guru in his home. 

Drona asked him, “Boy, were you the one who shut this dog’s mouth with arrows?” Eklavya nodded.

“Your skill has left me speechless. This is no small feat. Tell me, where did you learn this and who taught you?”, asked Drona.

“Gurudev, it’s you. You are the one who has taught me this skill.” politely Eklavya responded.

“Impossible! I do not teach Shudra boys. You are lying.”

“No, Gurudev. I am not. You are my teacher. Let me show you.” and Eklavya pointed to the sculpture he had made.

Drona was stunned into silence. He couldn’t believe. The dedication of this boy surpassed anyone of his pupils’. It proved that the physical presence of a teacher is not important to learn, but devotion stemming from the bottom of the heart is the key to learning.

Much to Drona’s chagrin, he remembered the promise he had made to Arjuna. Eklavya had achieved a level of expertise that Arjuna was yet to reach. This meant that Eklavya was a competition to Arjuna. And if Arjuna lagged behind in this race, that would be an implication on Drona’s reputation. Drona was not ready to take such a risk.

He said, “This is very impressive. Eklavya, I am extremely happy to see your devotion. But now, that you have achieved expertise, it is only fair that you give me gurudakshina.2”

“Of course, Gurudev. It is because of you that I have been able to learn this skill. Please ask me anything. I would be honored to give you gurudakshina.”

“Will you give me anything?”

“Indeed, Gurudev.”

“Okay. I demand your right thumb.”

The princes who were witnessing this conversation were flabbergasted. Right thumb was the most important organ for an archer. Without it, Eklavaya will never be able to shoot another arrow. But there was a smile on Eklavya’s face.

He pulled out a knife from his cummerband, bent on his Guru’s feet, and slashed his right thumb off.

Blood splattered on Drona’s feet but Eklavya did not so much as wince. The young boy was still smiling.

Drona’s heart was overwhelmed with guilt and shame. He despised himself for this abominable act. The supreme dedication of Eklavya humbled Drona, and Arjuna. That day Arjuna learnt that it was possible for him to become the best archer, but there would always be someone who would be better. 

Education and learning are fundamental rights of a human being. When that is taken away from a person because of unfair societal norms , it usually results in either rebellion or death. In Eklavya’s case, it was death, albeit metaphorical. His sincerity and devotion were rewarded this way by the man he had considered his teacher.

This story made me realise that when Vyas mentions that the epic contains everything, he really meant ‘everything’. Not just the good parts, but the flaws and problems of the society too. 

This is also one of those points in the epic, which posits the question, ‘what is dharma?’ 

As a teacher, what was Dronacharya’s duty? If he had blessed Eklavya and continued to teach him, the latter would have become the best archer in the world. That would mean that Drona would have broken his word to Arjuna. He would have lost his reputation as an honorable man in the society. To uphold his word and honor, Drona chose to push a talented boy into an abysmal future. 

This is the point that irks me the most about the characters of the epic. Honor of a man takes precedence over every other emotion, relationship, and feeling. Something, that Krishna challenges through his own example.

But in the twenty first century, do we even uphold ‘honor’? Or the definition (rather definitions) of honor keep changing for every individual?

What are your thoughts about this? I would love to know about your inferences and interpretations in the comments below.

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Our story had reached a point where our hundred and five princes had departed for Gurukul with Dronacharya, their guru. Drona, with his wife Kripi and son, Asshwatthama lived deep within the forest.

Drona took the princes with him. Upon reaching the ashram, Drona acquainted the young princes with the rules of the gurukul. The princes were supposed to lead a life of simplicity, forgetting all the luxuries of the palace. They gave up their fine clothing and jewelry, instead dressing up in bark and cotton. They gave up their fancy diets and switched to simple food like vegetables and fruits. The boys devoted themselves to their guru and each of his instructions.

Drona was a strict teacher who demanded absolute concentration and diligence from his students. He believed that through complete dedication only a student can achieve the goal of becoming the best of men and that’s what he wanted for each of his pupils. He understood that he was asking too much of the young boys, but he hoped that at least one of them would be his stellar disciple. To ascertain this, Drona frequently tested his students. Out of all these tests, there were two that turned into legends and established the standards of a good pupil. In this episode, I am going to tell you about these two incidents.

Let’s begin with the first.

In the forest, close to the ashram, was a large lake that was used by the students to fetch water for their daily needs. Dronacharya used to take a dip in the waters of the lake every morning and perform his austerities. One morning, while the guru was in the lake praying, a crocodile entered the lake.

The hungry animal spotted Drona in the water and attacked him. Drona was taken by surprise and found himself at the mercy of the animal. He called out for help. His students, who were nearby attending to their daily duties came running. Seeing the crocodile gripping onto their teacher’s foot, the boys panicked. They wanted to help their teacher but none of them could figure out how, except Arjuna.

The first thing that Arjuna noticed was that his guru was in extreme pain and helpless. His first goal was to get his teacher out of this trouble. He quickly got his bow and shot an arrow at the crocodile. The arrow pierced the animal’s eye and its grip loosened. But the crocodile was not ready to give up so soon. It attacked Drona again. But Arjuna was too quick for the animal. He shot multiple arrows into the crocodile’s mouth so that it wouldn’t be able to grip its prey. And in this way, Arjuna’s sharp tactics saved Drona’s life.

Drona was extremely impressed by his student’s devotion to him. Once out of the waters, he revealed that this was a test set up by him for his students. The crocodile was not an animal but Indra, the king of Devas, who was helping Dronacharya. Indra was Arjuna’s birth father and thus wanted to see his son’s prowess. He was elated to see Arjuna’s skill with bow and arrow. This incident left no doubt in Dronacharya’s mind about which of his students was the most devoted pupil.

This was about ‘devotion’, one of the qualities that Drona valued in his students. The next story will tell you about the other quality he looked for.

After some years had passed, the princes had now graduated to study the weapons and warrior arts. One of these days, Drona called all the princes in front of a tree. A wooden bird was hanging on the tree.

Drona explained to them that this was going to be an archery contest. With a single arrow, they had to pierce the eye of the bird. But before that, each of them was supposed to come forward and answer Drona’s question.

Yudhisthira being the eldest was the first one to go.

Drona asked the prince, “What do you see in front of you?”

Yudhisthira answered, “Gurudev, I see the tree, standing in the forest. I see the fruits on the tree. I see the green leaves of the tree, and I see the bird hanging on the tree.”

On hearing his answer, Drona told him to put down his bow and leave. He was not allowed to shoot the arrow.

Next came Bheem. He also gave a similar answer. He was also not allowed to shoot. Then came Duryodhana. The same thing happened to him too.

When Arjuna’s turn came, the young prince stood resolutely on the shooting line. Drona asked him, “Arjuna, tell me, what do you see?”

“I see the eye of the bird, Gurudev” answered Arjuna.

“Just the eye? You don’t see anything else?” Drona asked.

“No Gurudev, I only see the eye of the bird.”

Drona asked Arjuna to shoot. The bow twanged loudly as Arjuna released the arrow. In the next second, the arrow had pierced the eye of the bird. There was pride in Drona’s eyes.

“This is sincerity, my students.” Drona remarked, “I did not allow any of the others to shoot the arrow because they were not concentrating on their mark. They saw everything beyond the mark and that’s why they wouldn’t have been able to hit their target. Arjuna only saw the mark and nothing else. This is the reason he was able to achieve his target. Focus on your goal and determination to achieve that goal is the supreme quality of a warrior.”

And thus Arjuna became the favorite student of his teacher. After this Dronacharya decided that he would make Arjuna the finest warrior the world had ever seen. He would be undefeatable.

This was a promise Dronacharya had made to himself and Arjuna. But this promise of Drona was going to be tested very soon. Not once, but twice Drona would have to betray the principles of teaching to fulfill his promise. Unimaginable, right? But it will happen. How and when? Those are stories I’ll tell you in the upcoming episodes.

You would wonder why these anecdotes of the princes’ student lives are important to the larger narrative. Because it is the incidents in our student life that mold our psychology the most. No student looks forward to tests and examinations. They are probably the least exciting part of the student life. But it’s only later that we realize those were the occasions when we could prove our mettle. Moreover, these exams prepared us for the way more difficult tests that life lays down for us.

Drona tests his students, from time to time, to prepare them for the difficult times that the future has in store for them. More than that, through these tests, he also determines who is the most capable student among all of his pupils. I feel this is Drona’s flaw. A teacher should treat all his students equally. Favoritism is not a virtue of a teacher, something that Drona forgot. Maybe, the reason behind this oversight was that Drona was looking for a warrior who would be able to avenge his honor by defeating Drupada. Had his intent been only to teach and train these princes, he might not have handpicked Arjuna as a favorite.

Nonetheless, we cannot deny that Arjuna was a fantastic student. He was devoted to his teacher and focused on his goal. After the incident with Bheem, he probably realized that the brothers were on their own. No one was there to protect them from their evil cousins. And so, Arjuna knew that to protect their family, the Pandavas would have to become stellar warriors. That’s the kind of spirit one witness only in students who are hungry to prove themselves. This kind of fire is admirable.

Just sharing a secret with you, this is the kind of fire I wanted to ignite in myself. But I guess, being born in privilege has its consequences too. I ended up in a comfort zone, I was too lazy to leave. But I also believe, it’s never too late to start and so I’m trying to change and build something meaningful. Hopefully, I’ll be able to.

Dear Readers, that was my inference of these stories. As always, I agree that this might not be something you agree with or maybe you can see something that I might have overlooked. I would love to know your thoughts about it in the comments.

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In the last episode, we saw how Duryodhana, with Shakuni’s help, attempted to murder Bheem. But this attempt failed, thanks to the Nagas residing in the depths of Ganga. They saved Bheem and cured him of all the poison. Moreover, Vasuki the king of Nagas, offered Bheem drinks from the fountain of strength. The elixir infused the strength of a thousand elephants in Bheem and made him one of the strongest men alive. When Bheem reached Hastinapur, he told all about the incident to his brothers. The five Pandavas realized that their cousins do not hold brotherly affection towards them and are capable of something as sinister as murder.

This animosity between the princes did not go unnoticed by the adults. Bhishma and Vidura discussed this and decided that it was now time for the princes to go to Gurukul1 to receive higher education. The adults felt that sending the boys off to gurukul might force them to live together and help them bond and develop an affectionate understanding. Thinking about the same, Bhishma started the search for an able teacher for Kuru princes. And for the preliminary education, he appointed his adoptive brother Kripa as the teacher for the princes. This way Kripacharya became the first guru of Pandavas and Kauravas.

Just like every other character of the epic, Kripacharya also has an interesting background story.

If you recall, I told you that Ganga had taken Devrutt with her when she left Shantanu. During that time Shantanu missed his son a lot. On one of his hunting trips, he came across two newborn babies in the forest. The twins, a girl and a boy, were children of Sage Sharadwan and the nymph Janapadi. As the rule2 was, the nymph did not take responsibility for these children and returned to Swarga. The newborns were left abandoned in the forest when King Shantanu found them. The king adopted the two children as his own and brought them to the palace to be raised there. He named them Kripa and Kripi. Their birth father agreed to teach them the scholarly and weaponry arts. Therefore, Kripa and Kripi learned warrior skills and yajnas from their birth father and excelled in administrative skills learned from their adoptive father.

When Devrutt/ Bhishma came back, he considered Kripa and Kripi as his adoptive siblings. When they grew up, Kripa was appointed as a member of the royal council and the Guru to the princes. He was given the task of ensuring the preliminary education of the young princes. Under his tutelage, the hundred and five princes learned the basics of warfare and administration.

But the hunt for a teacher who would provide them with higher education and sharpen their skills went on.

One day, while the princes were playing outside, their ball fell into a deep well. The boys wondered how to get the ball out. When they were trying to look for a way, there came a brahman3. The brahman appeared to be extremely knowledgeable so the boys turned to him.

“O Brahmana, can you help us? We need to get the ball out of the well.” The princes asked.

“Yes, I can help you.” The Brahman answered, saying that he borrowed an arrow from Arjuna and threw it in the well in a way that its end stuck in the ball. After that, the brahman threw another arrow, and then another, and then another. One after the other, he threw arrows into the well sticking the arrows together to make a long stick. Then, he pulled the stick out, and with it, out came the ball. The boys were stunned, especially Arjuna. The young prince was fascinated by the Brahman’s skills.

“O Brahman, how did you perform this miracle? Please let me know.” Arjuna asked him.

“Young prince, I can teach you. Only if your grandfather Bhishma appoints me your guru.” Stating this condition, the brahman left.

Arjuna and the other princes went to Bhishma and told him all about the Brahman. On hearing about the skills of the Brahman, Bhishma understood who he was. He told the princes to bring the Brahman to the court. Upon the Brahman’s arrival, Bhishma greeted him like a guest. The brahman was none other than Drona, son of Sage Bharadwaja, and the husband of Kripi, Kripacharya’s sister.

But it wasn’t just a coincidence that Drona was there. He was there for a reason. He wanted to become the teacher of these hundred and five princes thereby gaining hundred and five able warriors.

The reason behind this was the insult he had received at the hands of the King of Panchala, Drupada.

Drona and Drupada were friends at Drona’s father, Sage Bharadwaj’s ashram4. As friends, Drupada had promised Drona that when he became a king, he would share half of his kingdom with Drona. This promise was forgotten by both as they grew up.

Drupada became the king of Panchala and Drona took up his Brahmanical duties. Drona married Kripi and they had a son. But Drona’s life was languishing in poverty. Their house was in dismay to the extent that Drona could not even afford a cow that might give them milk to feed to their son. In such a situation, Kripi insisted that Drona asks for help from his friend. Drona remembered Drupada’s promise and went to his court to ask for help.

Drupada, who had completely forgotten his promise and his friendship with Drona, refused to recognize him and instead treated him as a beggar. He agreed to give alms to Drona but did not recognize his claim to half of his kingdom.

An infuriated Drona swore to avenge his honor and take half of Drupada’s kingdom. And that’s why he reached Hastinapur. He knew Bhishma was searching for an able teacher for the princes.

Bhishma knew the brilliance of Drona and felt that he would be the best teacher for the young princes. Bhishma offered the position to Drona.

“O Drona, take the young princes with you and teach them the art of warfare, and turn them into excellent warriors.” Bhishma requested.

“O Bhishma, I will take the princes under my tutelage and teach them all the arts that I know. I will turn them into stellar warriors. But I have one condition.” Drona said, “My son, Ashwatthama will study with the princes.”

Bhishma agreed to this condition. And thus, the hundred and five princes were sent to the gurukul at Dronacharya’s ashram.  

And so, we reach the point where the princes begin their journey to become warriors and administrators.

Kripacharya and Dronacharya are two teachers in the epic who are both very different from each other. They are brothers-in-law but there is a stark difference in both of their intents.

Kripa imparts education to the princes not thinking of them as mere pupils but considering them as family. Thus, he is emotionally attached to them. Those emotions restrict him from being strict and stern towards the princes and thus limiting him from exerting his complete potential as a teacher. Drona, on the other hand, is a man with an agenda. He wants to teach the princes to make them warriors who will then help him. And so, when he teaches them, he goes all out. He makes sure that each of his students is skilled and brilliant.

Both the teachers are excellent and mindful but the requirements of the princes change with time. As young kids, it was important for them to have a kind-hearted teacher who would nourish them with love and care. But when they enter into adolescence, they need someone who will help them perfect their skills and prepare them for the tough life ahead.

Isn’t that how we all also learn? Time decides the best teachers for us. These teachers are sometimes kind and loving, and other times; harsh and rude. But they leave us with invaluable lessons that help us in shaping our lives.

The impact of Kripacharya and Dronacharya’s teachings will become evident in our princes as they grow up. How? That’s a story we will eventually get to.

What are your learnings from this story? Do you agree with my learnings? Let me know in the comments below.

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We had reached the point where Duryodhana, envious of Bheem’s unbridled strength and tired of his bullying, hatched a plot with his uncle Shakuni to kill Bheem. He won Bheem’s trust with pretensions and then fed him poisoned kheer. Once Bheem was incapacitated, Duryodhana bound him with tight ropes and pushed him into the depths of Ganga. Duryodhana returned to Hastinapur believing that he had vanquished his arch-nemesis.

But, like I told you earlier, Bheem was no regular mortal. He was a demigod and it couldn’t have been this simple to kill him.

So, what happened to him in the river? This is the story.

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Unconscious Bheem sank fathoms deep in the river and reached Naaglok, the land of the serpent-folk1. The Nagas were a kind race who lived within the depths of Ganga. A group of Nagas found the unconscious Bheem. They also recognized the signs of poison in his body. To save his life, the Nagas bit Bheem, administering poison in his body. Their poison proved to be an antidote to Shakuni’s poison.

Slowly Bheem regained consciousness. He found himself bound in tight ropes and surrounded by serpents. Not knowing the serpents’ intentions, Bheem felt threatened and started attacking them.

The scared serpents rushed to their king, Vasuki2, and told him about the whole incident. Vasuki, with his counselors, arrived on the scene. On seeing Bheem, Vasuki recognized him as kin because Vasuki’s maternal grandfather was also Queen Kunti’s great-grandfather. This way Vasuki and Kunti were cousins making Bheem his nephew. Vasuki hugged Bheem and invited him to spend some days in his palace.

There, Bheem interacted with Vasuki and learned more about the Nagas. Impressed by the young boy’s fearlessness and courteousness, Vasuki offered Bheem the elixir from the fountain of power which the Nagas guarded. Vasuki told Bheem that the elixir would give him the power of a thousand elephants. Excited, Bheem drank a couple of goblets from the fountain.

Bheem felt the power of a thousand elephants running through his veins. Now, he was one of the strongest human beings in the entire land. Immensely happy and full of gratitude, Bheem thanked Vasuki and asked for his permission to depart for home. Vasuki sent Bheem away with warmth and affection.

Meanwhile, in Hastinapur, the news that Bheem had gone missing sent a shockwave through the entire kingdom. Bhishma sent his soldiers and spies to look for the young prince. But Bheem was not to be found anywhere. After several days of searching, the Kurus had to accept that Bheem was not with them anymore. Queen Kunti and the four Pandavas were devastated. The entire Kuru household was doused in grief.

In the Vedic times, the mourning period was observed for twelve days. On the thirteenth day, brahmans were invited for a bhoj3. This bhoj included all the favorite dishes of the demised. Kunti arranged for pooris, fruits, vegetables, halwa, laddoos, and kheer; everything that Bheem enjoyed.

The brahmans4 arrived and the food was served. About a thousand brahmans ate. One by one each brahman finished and got up. At last, there was just one who kept eating. This brahman’s face was covered and he looked like a young boy but no matter how much food the servants brought, he was not satisfied and kept asking for more. Soon, the kitchen was running out of food, and yet the brahman was not satisfied.

The servers and help reported this to Queen Kunti and Bhishma. It was important for all the brahmans to return satisfied since it signified the satisfaction of the demised soul. Hence, when Kunti and Bhishma heard about the Brahman who wouldn’t stop eating, they were concerned.

Kunti and Bhishma went to check out the situation. The brahman was not stopping. So, Bhishma removed his cloak. Lo and behold, it was Bheem!

Bhishma, Kunti, and the rest of the Kuru family were stunned to see the young prince. Their happiness knew no bounds. Everyone was happy except Shakuni and Duryodhana.

Bheem narrated the whole incident to the family. He told them about fainting after eating kheer and then waking up amidst the Nagas. Then the whole adventure with the Nagas and their king, Vasuki. But he left out the part about drinking the powerful elixir. He only told his brothers about that later. The Pandavas also discussed the suspicious circumstances that led to this situation and decided to be alert always from now onwards.

But the Pandavas were not the only ones to have suspicions. Bhishma and Vidura were also suspicious. The intelligent Vidura understood Shakuni’s intentions and his harmful influence on the princes. He suggested that the hundred and five princes should all be sent to Gurukul5 for their higher education. This will create a distance between Duryodhana and Shakuni and might benefit the boys. Bhishma agreed with him. And then the hunt began for the perfect guru.

This is only the first instance where the Pandavas received help in tricky situations. Throughout the epic, there are several such instances. I believe these instances, time and again, reinforce the idea that help will always be given to those who have unwavering faith.

Faith is an interesting concept. The world has constantly confused it with the idea of religion. Religion is an organised institution whereas Faith is simply belief. Whatever you believe in, is your faith. Arjuna will believe in Krishna but that doesn’t mean you are required to believe in Krishna too. You can believe in a tree outside your window, or a stone in your backyard, or not believe in anything but yourself. But even when you believe in yourself, you invest yourself in that supernatural power that provides you strength. And I feel that’s exactly what the epic points to.

When this incident happens in the epic, Bheem has not even heard of Krishna, let alone met him. He only believes in himself and that’s the strength and confidence which impresses Vasuki. The epic indicates that conviction and confidence in your morals and values are what provide fearlessness to combat any situation. And then there will always be someone to help if you are truthful and honest with yourself.

This is one of the biggest learnings that I got from this story. Miracles happen if you believe in them. Do you believe in miracles?

Yet again, I would stress the fact that my learnings don't need to be the same as yours. If you see something else in the story that I might have missed out, please share it in the comments below.

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In the previous stories, I told you about how the Pandavas were born and how they lost their father. King Pandu died when Sage Kindama’s curse took effect. Queen Madri blamed herself for the death of her husband and immolated herself on her husband’s pyre. Queen Kunti adopted the twins Nakula and Sahadeva as her own and decided to take all five Pandavas back to Hastinapur.

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Meanwhile, in Hastinapur, the 100 Kaurava princes were growing up under the care of their uncle Shakuni. Since King Dhritrashtra and Queen Gandhari both could not see, Shakuni found the perfect pretext to take the hundred princes in his care.

In episode 9, I told you about Shakuni’s vow to take revenge on Bhishma for pushing his sister to marry a blind man. Even when Gandhari had been married off to Dhritrashtra, Shakuni hoped that she would reign over Hastinapur as the true queen once Dhritrashtra is given the throne. But these hopes were also thrashed to the ground when Pandu was given the throne. This further fueled his fire for revenge.

He decided to make sure that his oldest nephew Duryodhana would get the throne of Hastinapur and that his mother, Gandhari would get the due that she deserves. With that intention, Shakuni took his nephews under his fold.

On King Pandu’s passing away, the Kurus received the news that Queen Kunti was returning to Hastinapur with the five princes. This news reached Shakuni too. The cunning man knew that now it would be impossible to get the throne for Duryodhana since he was younger than Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava. Also, Duryodhana’s father was a regent whereas King Pandu was the crowned king. According to the hierarchy, Yudhishthira was next in line for the throne. But had he stayed in the forest, it would have been considered an abdication of the throne and then Duryodhana would have been eligible to become the king. But now, that the rightful heir of the throne was returning to Hastinapur, Shakuni could see the roadblock in his plan and he decided to get rid of it.

Shakuni always told Duryodhana that the young prince was entitled to the throne of Hastinapur. He made sure that the throne became Duryodhana’s only ambition. This sense of entitlement was seeded so deep within the young boy’s heart that he couldn’t even tolerate the thought of someone else taking his place. So, when Shakuni told him that Yudhisthira and his brothers are coming for his throne, he immediately started considering them his enemies instead of brothers.

Thus, when the Pandavas arrived in Hastinapur, they were welcomed with cold shoulders and fake smiles by their hundred cousins.

Bhishma, their grandfather, tried his best to create harmony between his grandsons but he was unsuccessful. The relationship between Duryodhana and Bheem was especially strained. They were both of the same age and shared a love for wrestling and flexing their enormous strength. But there was no love between them. Duryodhana hated Bheem because he was the only one amongst the Pandavas who could match his strength and Bheem hated Duryodhana because the latter was always disrespectful to his brothers. Bheem was also a bully. He would constantly make fun of the younger Kauravas, snatch away their sweets and toys, and push them around when they played together.

One day, during the summers, the boys were all in the orchard plucking mangoes when Bheem arrived there. Just to bully them, Bheem shook the trees so hard that the boys lost control and fell to the ground. Bruised and hurt, the young Kauravas went to Duryodhana. Seeing his brothers hurt in this way angered Duryodhana extremely. He wanted to find a solution to this problem. And he turned to the one adult he was closest to, his uncle, Shakuni. This was the moment Shakuni was waiting for. He knew that if he fueled the fire enough, he would be able to get his nephew to do anything, even kill for power. And that is exactly what he did.

Shakuni understood that the strength of the Pandavas was in their unity. Even if one of them is eliminated, they would weaken, and he decided to eliminate Bheem. Shakuni, with the help of Duryodhana, hatched a plot.

Duryodhana hosted a picnic for all the princes of the palace. He especially invited Bheem. Together, the princes went to the banks of the Ganga to spend a day of fun and frolic. Duryodhana knew that Bheem was extremely fond of sweets, especially kheer1. So, he had his servant Purochan prepare a special kheer for Bheem, filled with poison.

On the day of the picnic, Duryodhana took Bheem to a secluded corner of the retreat and pretended that he wanted to mend things with Bheem. He offered him the poisonous kheer as a token of his goodwill. The unassuming Bheem couldn’t resist and emptied the bowl as soon as he could. The poison took immediate effect and the boy fainted. As instructed by Shakuni, Duryodhana then pushed Bheem into the depths of Ganga and finished the job. Believing that he had finally got rid of his enemy, Duryodhana returned to Hastinapur.

In this way, Shakuni ensured that Duryodhana’s biggest competitor was dead. At the same time, he damaged the soul of his untainted nephew by turning him into a murderer. Now, it was clear that Duryodhana was power-hungry and he would go to any lengths to get what he wanted, including murdering his kin.

But was it entirely Duryodhan’s fault?

Kids are extremely impressionable and that’s why they always come with a ‘handle with care’ tag. They would turn into the kind of human beings you wish to make them. The Vedic scriptures teach us that manushya (human being) is born with both daivik2 (godly) and asuri3 (demonic) qualities. It is in our hands which of these qualities we choose to let us govern. Parents and guardians are the ones who help a child in making this decision. Shakuni understood this fact very well. He knew, as his uncle, he could really influence Duryodhan and he chose to channel Duryodhana’s negative energies turning him into a potential bomb which eventually brought the downfall of the Kurus.

This is the story in the epic which emphasizes the care we need to keep when talking to young children. It is their surroundings, the kind of environment they are provided with, the kind of stories they are told, and the kind of teachings they are taught that will eventually shape their personalities. We must protect them from the negative energies around them and encourage them to look for the positive in every situation.

Another thing that this story stresses is understanding the behavior of children. Wherever there is a group of children, skirmishes are bound to happen, but these do not require adult interference. The grudges of adults are very different from the ones children have. Their fights are forgotten in the next second but if adults get involved, then the matter only escalates. Shakuni’s involvement in Duryodhana’s fight is what leads him to attempt something as sinister as murder.

I don’t have kids right now, but I do have nieces and nephews and it is a delight to see them grow up. But there are times when I’ve seen their parents argue with each other over silly issues. I want to tell all the parents out there that when you step into the fights of your children, you are creating a rift between the two kids for life. Just like Duryodhana, they will forever believe that the other kid is their enemy and that is not what you want to teach your kid.

These are my learnings from this story. You might not agree with what I have inferred and your inferences might be different. Do let me know in the comments what are your thoughts about it.

P.S.: Those of us who do know the larger story know that Bheem didn’t die in this incident. He was a demigod prophesied to fulfill much bigger destinies and thus this could not be the end of his story. But then, what happened? How was he saved? That episode makes for another interesting story which we would eventually get to.

In the previous story, I told you about the birth of Arjuna, our hero. But the count of Pandu’s children did not stop there. As known to many people, Pandavas (sons of Pandu) were five brothers. But a common misconception is that all five of them were Kunti’s sons. This was not the case.

The elder three sons; Yudhisthira, Bhima, and Arjuna were Kunti’s sons whereas the younger twins-Nakula and Sahadeva, were sons of Pandu’s second queen Madri.

After Arjuna’s birth, Kunti refused to give Pandu a fourth son. In the Vedic society, a woman was allowed to establish physical relationships with four men. If a woman had a relationship with more than four men, she was considered promiscuous.

Although unknown to Pandu, Kunti had laid with four men; Surya, Dharma, Vayu, and Indra. But Pandu assumed himself to be the fourth man and understood Kunti’s dilemma. As a solution to this issue, Pandu asked Kunti to share the mantra with Madri.

Happily, Kunti shared the mantra with Madri. A clever Madri called upon the Ashwini twins, the healers of the devas. The Ashwinis blessed Madri with twins. In time, Madri gave birth to two boys who were christened Nakula and Sahadeva. This way Pandu obtained five sons with the qualities of the five devas.

Yudhisthira, the eldest was the most truthful amongst the five. With the strength of the wind flowing in his veins, Bhima was the strongest. Blessed with the qualities of the king of devas, Arjuna was the most skillful and level-headed among them. Nakula was the handsomest and Sahadeva was the most knowledgeable.

With their parents, the five boys were growing up in peace when fate struck.

One day, a young Pandu saw Madri clad in a thin sheath of cloth. Her beautiful bosom was visible through the flimsy cloth. Pandu realized how stunning his wife was and couldn’t control his desire. With the intent of lovemaking, he touched Madri. Instantly, Sage Kindama’s curse took effect and the next minute Pandu was dead. A distraught Madri blamed herself for Pandu’s death. Leaving her sons in the care of Kunti, she joined her husband on his pyre and died with him.

A folklore says that Pandu knew of his impending death. Living in the forest with sages for years, Pandu had gained a lot of knowledge about the world. He had told his sons that when he died, they should all consume his flesh so that they would gain all the knowledge that he had acquired. The brothers were not able to do as their father had asked.

While they watched their father’s pyre burning, Sahadeva saw some ants carrying a piece of his father’s flesh. He picked up that piece and ate it. Through that, Sahadeva gained the knowledge of the past and the future. Realizing what was about to happen, Sahadeva rushed to tell this to his mother and brothers when a stranger stopped him.

The stranger asked Sahadeva, “Do you want God as your friend?” When Sahadeva replied yes, the stranger said, “Then don’t share your knowledge with anyone till someone asks you the right question.”

Sahadeva realized that the stranger was none other than Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu. Realizing this, Sahadeva agreed to the stranger’s condition. And this way, Sahadeva became the most knowledgeable of all.

Once they had performed the final rites of Pandu and Madri, Kunti decided to return to Hastinapur to give the princes their rightful place not knowing that this decision of hers would be the beginning of the longest power struggle that Bharatvarsha had ever witnessed.

This story is yet another testament to how female power politics work. Madri understood that her position in the family was at stake now that Kunti was a mother to three sons. Moreover, Kunti’s son was the heir to the throne of Hastinapur. Knowing this, when she got the chance to become a mother, she cleverly chose to have twins instead of a single son.

Later on, when Pandu died, Kunti didn’t choose to die with her husband but did not stop Madri either from doing so. She knew that Pandu’s death was inevitable but she had three sons who were princes of a powerful nation. So, instead of sentiments governing her decisions, she chose to live and made sure that she regained her power and stature as a queen.

The depiction of women in the epic might be perceived as shrewd and crafty but I would call it intelligent and self-confident. They understood the norms of the society and how certain rules were made for subjugating women such as the one where they were not allowed to sleep with more than four men. In the same epic, we have Krishna who is touted to have no less than sixteen thousand queens.

Under such circumstances, women like Kunti and Madri use every opportunity to ensure their power. I think that these women are examples of how women need to shed the compelling need to be ideal in every scenario. Instead, let the self-preservation kick in and choose the path that takes you towards power and freedom.

Dear readers,

You might disagree with my inferences from these anecdotes. I would love to know your point of view on the same. Please do share it in the comments below.

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In our previous episode, I told you what happened in the Kuru household which led to the birth of Yudhishthira and Duryodhana. These two were the scions of the next generation of Kurus. They were Shantanu’s great-grandsons and Bhishma’s grandsons.

Now, we have reached one of those points of the epic which I like to refer to as a crescendo. It is one of those dramatic points which require a reader’s complete attention. So, on this point, before I begin to tell you the story, I ask you to imagine the sounds of conch shells and drums beating because it is now that the hero of our epic is about to be born. Yes, it is time for Arjuna to enter the story.

Pandu and Kunti, in the forest, begot two sons from the devas through the magical mantra given to Kunti by Sage Durvasa. Yudhisthira, the elder, was a blessing of Dharmaraj, the god of death and duty. Their second son, Bhima, was born as a blessing of Vayu, the god of wind.

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After two sons, Pandu asked Kunti for a third son. This was Pandu’s way of increasing Yudhisthira’s strengths and ensuring his protection. As the eldest, Yudhisthira was going to be the crown prince of Hastinapur. He required two strong brothers who would stand by him. For this reason, this time, Kunti decided to call upon Indra, the king of the devas.

On Kunti’s behest, Indra arrived. The king of devas blessed Kunti with a child who bore his qualities. At the same time, he prophesied, “O Queen! This child will not be ordinary. He will be the reincarnation of Nara, the companion of Narayana, and the best of men in this world.”

Indra described the child as

जमदग्नियासमह कुंती विष्णुतुल्य पराक्रमः ।

एषा वीर्यवतम श्रेष्ठो भविष्यत्यापर अजीतः ।।

The child would be as valorous as Parshurama1 and Vishnu. He would be the most formidable warrior of his age and time. Such would be his skills, that he would emerge victorious in every battle of life.

Bestowing such blessings on Kunti, Indra vanished. And in due course, Kunti gave birth to a third boy. Born under the Phalguna (Leo) star, the dark-skinned baby had an enchanting smile. His mother, who alone knew how special this boy was, named him Arjuna.

Amongst the principal characters of the Mahabharata, only Kunti and Krishna knew why Arjuna was a special person. But here, in this story, I will tell you who Arjuna really was. It was not a mere coincidence that Arjuna takes center stage in the story of Mahabharata. His destiny was also determined by the events of his past lives.

This is how the story goes.

Nara and Narayana were twin brothers who meditated on Mount Gandhamadan in the Himalayas. They were sons of Dharma (the god of death and duty) and grandsons of Brahma. During the Treta Yug2, there was a war going on between the Devas and their cousins Asuras.

The Asuras commanded the dark forces of the world and channeled these powers for their selfish needs. Due to this reason, they were shunned from Amravati, the celestial city. To regain their place, the Asuras attacked the Devas. In the war, the Asuras were proving to be stronger warriors than the Devas. When it became clear that the Devas would lose the war if they didn’t receive any help, Indra went to Vishnu to ask for help. Vishnu told Indra that the Devas needed to drink Amrit, the elixir of immortality. Once they have that, they will become invincible.

Amrit could only be derived from the bottom of the Milky Ocean3. For this purpose, the Devas initiated a churning of the Milky Ocean. However, they couldn’t do this daunting task alone. So they tricked Asuras into helping them. The cousins united to churn out Amrit from the ocean. The ocean threw out many exotic things including Halahala, the deadly poison which was drank by Shiva for the welfare of all beings. In the end, Dhanvantri arrived carrying the jar of Amrit in his hands.

When they saw Dhanvantri with Amrit in his hands, the Asuras greedily rushed forward to have a portion of Amrit but they were, once again tricked by Mohini4, the female form of Vishnu. Mohini enchanted Asuras with her beauty and fooled them into thinking that she would distribute Amrit equally between the Devas and them. She ensured that only Devas received Amrit.

Upon realizing that they had been fooled, the Asuras were livid with rage. They attacked the devas with such ferocity that despite having partaken the elixir of immortality, the devas were unable to defeat them. At this juncture, Vishnu entered the battlefield taking the form of Nara and Narayana. The twins were born as sons of Dharma/Yama. Nara was the supreme form of man. He carried a bow and was the supreme archer. Narayana was dark-skinned and carried a discus on his finger. The two wreaked havoc on the Asura army forcing them to flee.

After the battle, Indra entrusted the jar of Amrit to Nara. The brothers Nara- Narayana retired to Mount Gandhamadan and lived the lives of ascetics for the rest of the time observing penance till the yuga ended.

In Dwapara yuga, Nara and Narayana re-incarnated as Arjuna and Krishna. Arjuna was Nara, the supreme masculine form of god whereas Krishna was Narayana, god himself.

This is the reason that Arjuna became the most fearsome warrior in the epic. With Krishna as his guide, he became the instrument to vanquish evil.

The story of Arjuna’s birth underlines the fact that to establish dharma and bring justice, God channels his powers through man. In Treta yug, he does so through Nara, and in Dwapara, he does so through Arjuna.

As readers of the twenty-first century, we wonder why is it always ‘Nara’ and not ‘Nari’ who becomes an instrument for God. I believe the reason for this is that Nari or the feminine is the innate power -Yogmaya/Shakti. It is She who is manifested through Nara. And I do have a story to prove this theory of mine. Only, it is not for now to be told.

What are your thoughts about this story? Did you find it informative? Are you excited about what’s going to happen now in the epic? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.