FIFTY
Noon, the next day and the Pandavas, Kunti and Draupadi arrived at the palace in the chariots Drupada sent them. Drupada rose from his throne in excitement. When the formal greetings were over, Draupadi led Kunti in to the women's apartments. Drupada noted how at ease the brahmana woman and her five sons were in a palace.
A meal was announced. Drupada had arranged for the young men to sit on silken chairs and to be served in plates of gold and silver. Seeing how naturally they accepted this courtly hospitality, the Panchala king grew more certain they were kshatriya princes. The food itself, brought on shining salvers, was no vegetarian fare as brahmanas have, exclusively. There were rich and exotic meat preparations, mutton, fish, pheasant and venison and Drupada watched the young men enjoy all these. One of them ate enough for five.
After the meal, the king shrewdly led them past the armory and their eyes lit up to see his weapons. He took them to a private room, where, finally, Dhrishtadyumna and he were alone with the brothers.
When they were comfortably seated, Drupada said, "Who are you, Brahmanas? We have seen how brave you are, but beyond that we know nothing about you."
Yudhishtira knew the time had come to declare themselves. "My lord, we are not brahmanas at all, but kshatriyas. We are brothers and we are the sons of Pandu of Hastinapura. I am the oldest, Yudh ishtira. This is Bheema and my brother who won your daughter's hand is Arjuna. These twins are Nakula and Sahadeva, Madri's sons."
Dhrishtadyumna, who had been staring hard at the ash-masked brahmanas, gave a cry, rushed to Bheema and hugged him. Drupada could not speak for a while. He took Yudhishtira's hand and tears stood in his eyes. Finally, composing himself, he said, "My cup of joy is full today. Tell me how you escaped from the lacquer palace. And where have you been all these months?"
When Yudhishtira told him, in some detail, Drupada cried, "You mustn't fear your cousins any more. My kingdom is yours and my army."
They spoke about Dhritarashtra's betrayal and Duryodhana's conspiracy; then, Drupada said, "We must make the arrangements for the wedding, without delay."
Yudhishtira replied, "I am Pandu's oldest son. I must marry first."
Without hesitation, Drupada agreed, "My daughter will not find a nobler husband than you."
But Yudhishtira smiled, "My lord, I mean no disrespect, but five of us will marry your daughter. She will be the wife of all the Pandavas."
Shock leapt in Drupada's eyes. "But that is impossible! A man may surely take more than one wife. But who has heard of a woman having more than one husband? It is immoral, against the dharma the ancients have laid down for us. I cannot imagine how you even think of it. No good will come of this, Pandava, it is a sin."
"We five have always shared everything, so nothing ever divides us." Drupada began to interrupt, but Yudhishtira said, "Hear me out, my lord. My mother has never spoken a falsehood in her life. When we arrived at the carpenter's house with Draupadi, Kunti said, 'In the name of God, share the bhiksha you have brought equally among yourselves and enjoy it.' Draupadi was the only bhiksha we had brought and to us our mother's word is more sacred than the Vedas.
I have heard of more than one instance when the great rishis shared the same woman. The muni Jatila's daughter had seven husbands; and there have been many others, none of them sinners, but holy men."
There was a knock at the door and Vyasa appeared there, timely as ever. Drupada rose to welcome him. Yudhishtira and his brothers were somber, because Drupada's reaction to their proposal had been one of such dismay. As Vyasa settled among them, all eyes turned to the muni. He said nothing, only sat quietly, waiting for his host to open the conversation.
"My lord, your arrival couldn't have been more opportune," said Drupada.
Vyasa murmured, "Perhaps that is why fate has brought me here."
Sighing anxiously and certain the sage would never countenance what the Pandavas wanted, Drupada told Vyasa what Yudhishtira had said. The king ended, "You are an embodiment of dharma, Muni. You tell me, how can I allow this and still preserve my daughter's honor?"
Vyasa was quiet for a moment. Then, he said, "Drupada, as you say, recent custom does not allow a chaste woman to marry more than one husband."
Drupada smiled: Vyasa was his ally. But the rishi continued, "Yet, if you ask those who know about ancient times—times far more righteous than these—it was not exceptional for a woman to take more than one husband. Indeed, it was the rule rather than the exception in the nobler ages, when the earth was peopled by fewer men and women. And remember, only the truest man can even think of sharing his wife with another, be it not his own brother."
Drupada was full of anxiety again. Vyasa went on imperturbably, "The five brothers may marry your daughter and the Gods will bless them. Drupada, the marriage of your fire-born child to these Devaputras was ordained long ago. Let me tell you part of an old story.
Once, in the elder days, a muni had a beautiful daughter. Some karma from another life cast a shadow over her and she could not find a husband. In desperation, she fashioned an earthen Sivalinga and sat before it in tapasya to remove the curse from her life and win a man. Dark was the karma that lay over her and she sat in penance for many years. One day, when she had all but given up hope, the Lord came to her in glory.
Siva said, 'Tell me what boon you want.'
Her heart full of longing, the young woman cried, 'Grant me a husband, merciful Siva, give me a husband! Give a husband, a husband is what I want, a husband and nothing else.'
Siva said, 'I take your sin from you and you shall have five husbands.'
She gasped, 'Lord, one husband is all I want!'
Illustrious Rudra said, 'You asked me five times for a husband. Five husbands you shall have,' and he vanished.
Your daughter Draupadi is the young woman before whom the Lord appeared. You will in no way break dharma by this unusual wedding. It is blessed by Siva and no sin will come from it."1
Drupada inclined his head, bowing to fate and to God's will. "So be it then, Muni. If Siva himself has willed it, who am I to flout his will? All five of you shall marry Draupadi and with honor."
On an auspicious day, when the moon was in the nakshatra Rohini, where he is exalted, the strange wedding of one peerless princess to five matchless princes got underway in Drupada's palace in Kampilya. That king had made the most elaborate arrangements. All his relations and ministers, the rishis and the common people of the Panchala kingdom were invited. It was made known that the omniscient Lord Siva had blessed the extraordinary wedding.
Their brahmana disguises abandoned, the Pandavas arrived in royal finery, with Kunti and Dhaumya. When the sabha sat, Dhaumya lit the sacred fire. He sanctified it with libations to Agni Deva, who conveys the offerings made in this world to the other Gods. Dhaumya sanctified the occasion by chanting the mantras meant for just such a wedding.
1. Vyasa also tells the story of how the five Pandavas are five Indras of previous kalpas, who were petrified by the Lord Siva for their arrogance. King Drupada sees a vision of them as such, illustrious.
The auspicious muhurta was announced and Dhrishtadyumna brought in his sister, so breathtaking today, destiny plain on her perfect face. Yudhishtira took her hand and led her round the fire seven times and they were man and wife. Later, after the first day's feast, the Pandavas retired to an apartment in the palace where they were now living.
The next day, again at an auspicious hour, the people all gathered in the kalyana mantapa and today the mighty Bheema and the lovely Draupadi were married. Again, the princes returned to their apartment.
On the third day, Indra's son Arjuna, greatest of archers, married Drupada's daughter. On the fourth day, Nakula took her hand; and on the fifth, his twin Sahadeva, Pandu's youngest son married the beautiful Panchali.
With Agni as his witness and tears of joy in his eyes, Drupada blessed his daughter's husbands and gave them each a hundred chariots, five hundred horses, a hundred elephants, a hundred sakhis, garments of rare silk and gold and ornaments to fill a treasury. Secure in Kampilya, since Drupada, Dhrishtadyumna, Krishna and his Yadavas were with them, the Pandavas lived among the Panchalas for a time with Panchali.
It is told that, on the five nights she first spent with a different Pandava prince, the princess was a virgin for each of her husbands. The love of those six was more fervid for their being five men and one woman. Draupadi was the happiest woman on earth and her husbands the most contented of men; though, as always, the malicious and the envious gossiped and the imaginations of the wretched were full of obscene visions.
Borne on the tongues of gossip, word of the reappearance of the Pandavas and their marriage to Draupadi flew to Hastinapura and pierced their enemies' ears like poison.