BY
JANAMEJAYAN
BOOK 1 – ADI PARVA
- The Lord Meets The Pandavas
When the great swayamvara hall emptied itself, Krishna, accompanied by Balarama, went to the house of the potter where the Pandavas were staying. There he saw the famous brothers. He had not met them before. Glowing like fire, they sat round their mother. Krishna entered and fell at the feet of Kunti. He went next to Yudhishthira and prostrated before him. He said: “I am Krishna, the son of Vasudeva”. It was a momentous meeting. If we call the entrance of the beautiful Draupadi as the first Act of the great drama, then this meeting of the Pandavas and Krishna can indeed be called the second Act. At that instant was forged a friendship that nothing could equal except, perhaps, the friendship between Duryodhana and Radheya. Balarama prostrated before Kunti and Yudhishthira, and said: “I am Balarama, the son of Rohini”. The other Pandavas saluted him. He embraced his student Bheema. Bheema was a little older than Krishna, but younger than Balarama. Arjuna and Krishna were of the same age.
Krishna smiled at them all and said: “I am happy to see my aunt Kunti and my cousins safe and well. I am pleased to know that you have all escaped from that dreadful house of lac”. Yudhishthira spoke sweet words of welcome and then asked Krishna how he knew that they were the Pandavas. Again that sweet smile! Krishna said: “Even if it is concealed, fire cannot lose its lustre. Who but the Pandavas can achieve what they have achieved today! I am indeed extremely happy to have seen you all. Please be careful about yourselves for some time more. Do not let the sons of Dhritarashtra know who you are, not just yet, anyway! They will know it when it is safe for you to be known. We will now take leave of you and return to our mansion. We will meet again”. The two brothers took leave of them and went back to their mansion.
Drupada was sunk in the depths of sorrow. He had planned the swayamvara solely with the purpose of bringing Arjuna out of his disguise. He found that some brahmin had won the hand of his dear daughter. The youth was noble,nodoubt. He was a great fighter too, which was unusual in a brahmin. He had routed the Kaurava army in such a short time. He had defeated the great Radheya. But he was not Arjuna. Drupada asked his son Dhrishtadyumna to follow the brahmins and find out who they were. He wanted to know more about them. He said: “What have I done? I thought that I was cleverer than fate. I was sure that Arjuna would win the hand of my child. I feel that I have done her a great injustice. This swayamvara should not have been arranged. I should have waited for the coming of Arjuna. I have now, because of my foolishness, thrown away a beautiful gem on a dust heap. If she is insulted I will never be able to live”. Dhrishtadyumna comforted his father who was lamenting thus, and said: “Father, do not give way to despair. I feel that something wonderful is about to happen to us. I cannot define it. I will follow these brahmins and find out who they are and where they come from. Please do not worry about my sister. She is sure to be happy with the young man whom she garlanded today”.
Dhrishtadyumna followed the Pandavas at a distance. He stood outside the house and, seeing without being seen, watched and heard all that was happening inside. Evening drew near. The five brahmin youths went out and came back with the alms they had collected. They gave it to their mother. She spoke to Draupadi: “Apportion some of it for brahmins who may come in search of food. The rest should be divided into two portions. One portion should be given to this dark young man. He is always hungry”. A tender smile lit up the face of the mother. Draupadi hid a smile after looking at Bheema who was so embarrassed. Kunti continued: “The rest should be divided among all of us”. Draupadi did as she was bid. Dhrishtadyumna looked at her as she ate the alms for which these men had begged. He saw that she was very happy. She did not look sad or upset. He wasurprised to see the happiness in her eyes and the smile that lurked at the corner of her lips.
The sun had set. Still Dhrishtadyumna looked on. The young men now spread Kusa grass on the floor. They lay down to sleep. Kunti lay down at the head and Draupadi lay down at the feet of these men. Dhrishtadyumna came nearer to hear what they were talking about. Their conversation was strange. It was not the talk of brahmins. They talked about arms, weapons, astras and the like, as though they were quite at home in those things. Dhrishtadyumna was quite sure that they were not brahmins. He was so very excited. He went back to the palace.
He went to his father and said: “Father, do not grieve. They are not brahmins”. He related to his father all that had happened in the house of the potter, and added: “I have a feeling that they are the Pandavas. I saw an elderly lady whom they all hold in great honour. I think she is Kunti Devi. The young man who won Draupadi must be Arjuna. The other strong man who uprooted a tree and fought with it must be Bheema. They have disguised themselves well. But once the doubt came to my mind, I thought that I could recognize them. I am sure it was Bheema I saw there. I think it was Yudhishthira who defeated Duryodhana. There were two young men who resembled each other so very much. I am almost sure that they are Nakula and Sahadeva. They talked about ail the things that only kshatriya heroes know. I am certain that they are kshatriyas; and what is more, I am sure they are the Pandavas. I feel that the Pandavas have escaped from the house of lac. They are alive and they have come to Panchala. They must have heard the proclamation and hurried to our city”.
Drupada did not dare to believe that it was true. He sent purohits from the palace to the house of the Pandavas. He sent them costly dresses and gifts. He sent word that the arrangements for the wedding had to be made and that it would be better if they all came to the palace with their mother and Draupadi. Hope was burning in the heart of Drupada. He felt that the words of the rishis could not be false and that Draupadi’s hand had been claimed by Arjuna and only Arjuna.
Janamejayan's धर्म जिज्ञासा 