Tuesday 8 March 2016

Birth of Dhrishtadyumna and Draupadi

Kunti and her sons stayed in the house of the brahmana. A priest one day came there. He spoke about his travels and the places he had visited. He spoke about the land of Panchala and also of the swayamvara of the daughter of the king of Panchala. He priased Drupada's daughter who was called Krishnaa who was very beautiful. She was also called Yagyaseni as she had been born from a sacrifice (Yagya). Drupada, King of Panchala, had also obtained a son from the sacrifice, who would cause the end of Drona.
The Pandavas wanted to know why the son would bring an end of Drona.
The priest said once, Drona and Drupada were great friends. Drona was insulted when he had visited Drupada. He went back to Hastinapura and taught the Kuru princes. He asked the kuru princes to get him Drupada as a prisoner.
Arjuna, son of Kunti, achieved this.
Drupada, when freed roamed the banks of Ganga, lost in thought. He wanted to find out ways in which he would bring an end of Drona. He found two brahmanas, Yaja and Upyaja and was told they may be able to help him.
Drupada went to Upyaja and asked for his assistance in finding a way to get rid of Drona, son of Bharadwaj. Upyaja said it was not proper for a brahmana to hold a sacrifice to kill another. When the king was insistent, Upyaja told Drupada to go to his elder brother, Yaja, and ask for his help.
Drupada went to Yaja with his prayer.
Yaja agreed and Drupada made arrangements to start the sacrifice. He fasted as per rituals along with his queen.
A son came out of the fire, his body the color of fire, with a bow and arrow in his hand. Followed by the boy, a girl came out of the fire. When she emerged, mantras could be heard from all directions.
A voice from the heaven said this girl will be the cause of the death of many kshatriyas. The boy will be killer of Drona.
The king named the son Dhrishtadyumna. The girl, as she was dark in complexion was named Krishnaa.

The priest ending his story said this was the girl, whose swayamvara was being arranged. As the daughter of Drupada, she was also named Draupadi.
The Pandavas wanted to go and attend the swayamvara ceremony.
Kunti said they were living for many days in a person's house and that was not a very good thing. They agreed to go towards Panchala.
At that moment, Vyasa came there. Seeing Vyasa, all bent down and bowed at his feet.

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