Draupadī Svayaṃvara

The Draupadī Svayaṃvara is one of the great turning points of the Mahābhārata. A svayaṃvara is a gathering where a princess chooses her own husband. Kings and warriors from across Bhāratavarsha came to Pāñcāla to win the hand of Draupadī (also called Kṛshṇā), the daughter of King Drupada.

The contest asked for the strength to string an enormous bow and the skill to shoot a turning target with five arrows. Arjuna, disguised as a brāhmaṇa, strung the bow and struck the target. Bhīma drove off the angry kings, Kṛshṇa knew the Pāṇḍavas at once, and Dhṛshṭadyumna followed them to learn who they were.

The purpose of the svayaṃvara

Drupada, king of Pāñcāla, had long burned for revenge against Droṇācārya. Droṇa had taken half of his kingdom through his Pāṇḍava students. Drupada had performed a great yajña (fire ritual), and Dhṛshṭadyumna was born from it to kill Droṇa. Draupadī (Kṛshṇā) was born from the same fire, to carry out a further purpose.

Now Drupada arranged a great svayaṃvara for Draupadī. He wanted a worthy husband for his extraordinary daughter. In his heart he also hoped that the Pāṇḍavas, if they were still alive, would come and take part.

The contest was very hard. A great metal bow was made, so heavy and stiff that an ordinary man could hardly string it. A turning mechanism held a target, a fish, high overhead. It turned all the time and could be seen only as a reflection in a pool of water below. The competitor had to string the bow, look only at the reflection in the water, and shoot five arrows to strike the fish above. The Mahābhārata tells this in Ādi Parva, Chapter 185.

The kings who came

Kings came from every corner of Bhāratavarsha. Duryodhana, Śalya, Śiśupāla, Jarāsandha and many others were there. They were great warriors and mighty kings who had never been beaten in battle. They sat in tiers in the arena in their finest dress, and each tried in turn.

One by one they went to the bow. Most could not even string it. Some lifted it but could not bend it to take the string. Others strung it but could not aim properly at the reflection. King after king failed, and the assembly sat in tense silence (Ādi Parva, Chapter 186).

Karṇa is rejected

Karṇa rose from his seat. Everyone present knew that he was the one man in the assembly who might truly succeed. He walked to the bow with full confidence, lifted it and examined it. He began to string it without any sign of effort, and the string bent the huge bow with his matchless strength.

At that moment Draupadī spoke out. She would not take Karṇa, a charioteer’s son (sūta-putra), as her husband. The insult was public and deliberate. Karṇa put down the bow and returned to his seat (Ādi Parva, Chapter 187).

Arjuna wins

The Pāṇḍavas were in the assembly, disguised as brāhmaṇas. They had come from Ekacakrā with other brāhmaṇas and sat among the brāhmaṇa groups in the gallery. When it was clear that no king would succeed, there was a stir among the brāhmaṇas. A tall, strong young brāhmaṇa rose from their section and went towards the bow.

This was Arjuna in disguise. He walked up to the great bow as calmly as he would approach any weapon. He walked around it with respect and bowed to it. He picked it up and strung it. He fitted five arrows. He looked down into the pool, fixed his eyes on the image of the fish turning in the water, and released the five arrows one after another in quick succession.

The fish fell.

The assembly burst into cheers, and flowers fell from the sky. Draupadī rose with a garland in her hand and placed it around Arjuna’s neck (Ādi Parva, Chapter 188).

Bhīma and the angry kings

The kings who had failed were furious. A brāhmaṇa, or someone pretending to be one, had taken the prize meant for the kshatriyas. They rose to attack, and the arena became a battlefield.

Bhīma met them. He pulled up a great tree and used it as a club, standing between the attacking kings and his brothers. He defeated Śalya, one of the most powerful kings there, and drove off the others. The Pāṇḍavas then left the arena with Draupadī (Ādi Parva, Chapters 188 and 189).

Kṛshṇa knows the Pāṇḍavas

Kṛshṇa had come as a representative of the Yādavas and was watching from the gallery. When the tall young brāhmaṇa strung the bow, Kṛshṇa knew him at once. He said quietly to Balarāma: “These are the Pāṇḍavas. They are alive.” Balarāma was overjoyed.

Neither of them told this to the assembly (Ādi Parva, Chapters 189 and 190).

Dhṛshṭadyumna follows

Dhṛshṭadyumna, the young prince of Pāñcāla who was born to kill Droṇa, watched all of this closely. He followed the group, Draupadī, the five brothers dressed as brāhmaṇas and the older woman, in secret and from a distance. He followed them to the potter’s house where they were staying. He watched how they carried themselves, how they kept their discipline, and how they moved and spoke, and he knew them to be the Pāṇḍavas.

He went back and told his father Drupada everything (Ādi Parva, Chapters 191 and 192).

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapters 184–192 (Chapter 185: the contest; 186: the kings; 187: Karṇa; 188: Arjuna wins; 188–189: Bhīma and the kings; 189–190: Kṛshṇa; 191–192: Dhṛshṭadyumna)