Week 6 Storytelling: One Against Five

One Against Five

On the night of summer’s eve, a beautiful girl was born to King Drupada and his wife. Vyasa had come to bless the child the morning after. When he laid eyes on the child he advised her parents, “When she is older, men will be swarming around her.”

One tragic day, King Drupada’s childhood friend came to take half of his land. On the other hand, many suitors were lined up outside the palace to ask for Drupada’s hand in marriage. Many suitors with acres of land. To determine which suitor was the best, Drupada decided to have a contest after he narrowed the competitors to men that had a kingdom. In the month-long competition, Arjuna valiantly won.

 When the families came to greet each other, Arjuna’s mother explained to them that Draupadi had to wed all five brothers. Draupadi knew that when a woman married a man, she would also be marrying the family, but she did not think it was literal. King Drupada asked Vyasa for his wisdom. Vyasa explained to the King that in Draupadi’s past life, she prayed to the God Shiva five times over for a husband. He granted her wish in this lifetime. While, the five Pandavas brothers were each a part of a reincarnation of Indra. With that information, King Drupada gave his consent. The wedding, or weddings, was the talk of the century. It was the most extravagant celebration. Since there were five grooms, the event had to be five times as beautiful. King Drupada gifted all he could to the grooms.

Draupadi did not know what to think about having five husbands. She knew she should feel like the luckiest girl in the world, but her heart belonged to only one person, Arjuna. The thought of having to care for five men did not seem appealing. Sure, all the men were nice. The honeymoons were amazing. But having to be with five men and carrying their children was quite a task she did not sign up for. Also, the men were needy. She was the glue that held them together. She was the calm after the storm. Truth be told, the Pandavas would be a huge mess without Draupadi.

(Draupadi and the five brothers - Image Source)

Author's Note: I wanted to tell the story in the perspective of Draupadi. She is probably deemed one of the luckiest woman in India since she has the privilege of marrying five princes. In this story, Arjuna won himself Draupadi but their mother accidentally commanded all the brothers to marry this one woman. Vyasa told King Drupada that Draupadi was a reincarnated woman who prayed to Shiva for a husband, and thus, he granted her wish. Drupada gave consent for the five brothers to marry his daughter.

Bibliography. "Wife of the Five Pandavas" from the Mahabharata by R.K. Narayan. Web Source.