The kings attack Arjuna

The kshatriyas decided to attack the brahmanas. The brahmanas started shouting at Arjuna. They said a brahmana should know his position. Trying to do what a warrior does will not help, but will bring trouble. Desiring a princess has brought trouble for all of them.
Saying they all started running.
Seeing this, the kings started shooting weapons, which were easily combated by Arjuna. Bhima joined the fight. The two brothers started defeating the all the kings. Lifting kings, Bhima started hurling them around.

Seeing this, the big warriors like Jarasandha, Duryodhana, Karna etc. who had been waiting, started preparing to join the fight.

Scared Draupadi said what would happen now, that a swarm of kings would descend on them. Arjuna asked her not to worry but just watch. Draupadi said he was alone, what could he do.
Arjuna said a lion alone can control all animals; an eagle can control all birds; alone Indra can control all Gods; alone Hanumana could burn Lanka - so he being alone should not be looked down upon.

Arjuna got ready for war. Drupada, Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhani also joined him. Yudhistira asked Bhima to help Arjuna.

Arjuna alone fought along. Yudhistira then told Bhima, who was eagerly waiting, to go and help Arjuna.

Bhima uprooted a tree and hurled that at the kings. Bhima then dashed towards the kings and started hitting out at them. The brahmanas who had watching all along, followed Bhima. The said the contest was open to all and the kshatiyas cannot believe that a brahmana had won.

Arjuna stopped the brahmanas and asked them to stop. He asked to stop and watch the fun.

Krishna pointing to Balarama said, Remember what I told you earlier. Now watch what is going to happen. The kings have attacked Arjuna with army and he is alone. The kings want to kill the brahmana and give the princess away to Duryodhana. Arjuna is impossible to defeat. Even if, for some reason, Arjuna fails, then I will take my Sudarshana and join the fight.

Balarama was a bit hurt as Duryodhana had been a pupil of his. He said to Krishna, Let us not talk of joining. Let us watch Arjuna fight.

The kings fail

Seeing Draupadi the invited guests felt energized. They wanted to hit the target and win the princess. All started fighting among themselves as to who would go first.

Jarasandha went first. He took the bow, and could not withstand the weight of the bow and fell down. Duryodhana tried next, he got the bow but was unable to string it and fell down. Virata, the king of Matsya, tried but he was unable to lift the bow. Kichaka tried to lift the bow and somehow could barely hold it in his hand. He tried to string it, but the bow recoiled and he fell down. Shishupala tried his luck, and even he could not succeed. King like Rukmi, Bhagdatta, Shalya, Shalva all tried but none could succeed. One by one the invited guests were trying and failing miserably. Some injured themselves badly after lifting the bow, many were unable to lift the bow itself.

Drupada addressing the guests said he had set a target that was nearly impossible to achieve. The guests said they had not seen a bow like this before. They said only once before they had heard of a feat like this, when Krishna had performed a similar feat and won the hands of princess Lakshmana.

Also a feat like this had been organized before for the wedding of Princess Bhanumati, daughter of king Bhagdatta. When many kings had tried and failed, Karna had achieved this task and gifted Bhanumati to Duryodhana.


------

Hearing so far, Janmajeya asked the sage, what had happened in the swayamvara of Bhaumati?