FADE OUT:

INT. A SIDE ROOM - AFTERNOON

The room is silent as Drupada processes the story he has just been told.

VYASA

The Pandavas are the incarnations of Indra, Maharaja! And your daughter is Indrani. Do you not see now why they are destined for each other?

Drupada nods mutely. His mind is changed.

Vyasa continues to speak.

VYASA

Krishnaa asked Shankara himself for five husbands. She was an unwed kanya in her previous life, who performed austerities and asked Mahadeva for a husband five times. This union is blessed by him!

Drupada considers all that he has been told.

VYASA

One final thing, Drupada. I will give you divyadrishti so that you may look upon them with your own eyes.

Vyasa raises his hand in blessing. Drupada's vision transforms.

Objects shines with more radiance; the sage beside him is robed in a brilliant light.

He looks further to where Yudhishthira is seated. He sees an aura of power around him, the power of Indra. He looks youthful, garlanded and holding the power of the skies in his hands. He belatedly notices Dhrishtadyumna's flame-edged raiment.

He looks even further to where the four younger Pandavas wait, restless. All of them shine with the same power that Yudhishthira holds.

He is drawn instinctively to Krishnaa. The power that she is illuminated with is the same and yet a more feminine form of Aindra Shakti. There is a glow around her body, and she appears even more otherworldly.

With a gasp, he lurches back into himself.

Vyasa wears a knowing smile as Drupada flinches with the disappearance of his divyadrishti.

He breathes heavily for a few minutes, collecting his thoughts and all the information he has been told.

VYASA

Do you see why their union is according to dharma now, Drupada?

The world waits to see what Drupada has to say.

DRUPADA

(exhales)

I only disagreed because I did not know this, Maharshi! I cannot act against what has been doubly ordained! The knot tied by destiny cannot be undone.

Since Krishnaa herself asked for this, and since Bhagavan Shankara has blessed their union, I will commit no sin.

Let them take her hand as they wish!

Vyasa smiles. They rise. Vyasa walks out, and Drupada returns.

INT. ANOTHER ROOM - AFTERNOON - CONTINUOUS

Dhrishtadyumna, Yudhishthira and Kunti wait despondently for Drupada to return. When he walks into the room, they all rise.

Dhrishtadyumna is the first to rush to his father, grasping his hands. Drupada gives his son a tired but genuine smile and nods.

Yudhishthira and Kunti relax completely at the nod.

DRUPADA

Putra Yudhishthira, I consent! Let Krishnaa be the wedded wife of you five.

Yudhishthira smiles widely.

DHRISHTADYUMNA

I suppose we'll have to make fivefold of the usual marriage preparations, Pa.

Drupada laughs at Dhrishtadyumna's cheek. Yudhishthira chuckles as well, reaching blindly for his mother.

DRUPADA

So we must, my child!

The last of the obstacles are overcome.

CUT TO:

INT. KRISHNAA'S CHAMBERS - LATE AFTERNOON

Maids rush hither thither, collecting items or placing some. Silks and jewels surround the entire room, draped on furniture, left discarded on the floor.

Krishnaa and Prishati are surrounded by an ocean of these, picking and choosing.

Drupada enters, only to be perplexed on how to navigate the maze of haphazard items.

KRISHNAA

(laughs)

Pa, this chamber is too much of a maze for you to conquer!

DRUPADA

(smilingly)

There is no maze I cannot conquer for my darling daughter.

Prishati appears harried. She snaps at her husband.

PRISHATI

Save the feelings for later, Parshata, and come help us. Krishnaa needs to have five different attires, and we have only a few days left until the ceremonies!

DRUPADA

(grins)

I will sadly be unable to help you with that, Prishati. My Krishnaa looks beautiful in everything to me.

Prishati huffs.

PRISHATI

Then don't bother us. Make yourself useful and find your daughter-in-law then. And bring Dhrishtadyumna.

Krishnaa is in stitches over the banter of her parents.

KRISHNAA

(giggles)

Ma, don't scold Pa like that!

Prishati fixes Krishnaa with a deadpan look.

PRISHATI

You were the one who brought this on us, you little minx. Five grooms! You will not be satisfied easily, my flame.

Krishnaa only laughs with Drupada.

CUT TO:

EXT. OVER THE CITY. EVENING

We swoop over the city as it readies itself for its princess's marriage. People gossip: some curious, some happy, others confused and disappointed; some sweep the streets; others carry various items.

We hover over the mandapa, ready to host the marriages. It is being decorated by men. A man stands on a ladder, adorning the entrance with flowers handed to him by other men.

Some others carry the yajnakunda to the centre, signing in relief when it is set perfectly due to its weight.

Anticipation dances throughout the people.

CUT TO:

INT. THE PANDAVAS' ROOM - EVENING

There is boundless joy in the atmosphere. None of the brothers can stop smiling.

They have discarded their saffron Brahmana robes and are wearing royal garments.

ARJUNA

What blessed turn of fortune is this?

NAKULA

Who are we to know, Bhrata Arjuna? I am immensely grateful either way.

Kunti enters. She looks at her sons and smiles proudly.

KUNTI

My children, all grown up. It was merely a few days ago that you were quarrelling over fruits in the lap of Shatashringa, and now you are to be married?

The brothers turn to her and smile. They notice tears in her eyes.

SAHADEVA

Amba, please don't cry.

KUNTI

(chuckles wetly)

A mother is bound to weep the day she sees her sons get older.

SAHADEVA

But we will always be your baby boys, Ma.

Sahadeva pulls her into a hug. Kunti lets out a wet laugh and gestures to the other four to join the hug. They do so, impossibly gentle expressions on their face.

Once they let go, Kunti remembers something.

KUNTI

Krishnaa is the reason for this change in our lives. You all must promise me that you will cherish and protect her above any other.

THE PANDAVAS TOGETHER

We will, Ma!

Kunti smiles. Krishnaa walks in, smiling.

KRISHNAA

Mata Kunti, I need your advice!

The two women dissolve into talking. The five brothers look at Krishnaa as though she is the only one in the world; to them, she may as well be.

They share soft smiles, knowing the source of their saubhagya.

CUT TO:

EXT. A MANDAPA - MORNING

Traditional marriage music is played by the musicians, holding shehnais and dhols. The entire mandapa is decorated richly.

Flowers are arranged in swirling patterns, gems and costly silks flutter in the wind. Sages chant the Samskruta mantras of marriage.

The sky is somewhat clouded, the sun peeking through at intervals only.

Yudhishthira is seated at the mandapa, richly dressed. He wears jewels and a light brown uttariya.

All attention is drawn to Krishnaa as she enters. She wears a golden sari, laden with necklaces and holding her mother's hands.

The marriage passes in flashes. All the while, there are Samskruta chants in the background:

Drupada's hand holding Krishnaa's, offering her to Yudhishthira's outstretched palm. Krishnaa's and Yudhishthira's eyes meeting, a light blush dusting the latter's cheeks as he ties the darbha rope around her waist.

Next, we flash to Bhima and Krishnaa, Krishnaa in blue and Bhima wearing a shade of orange; Bhima murmurs a chant with the mangalasutra in his massive palm. Bhima covering her dainty hand in his own massive one, shy as Krishnaa smiles at him.

Arjuna and Krishnaa, silvery white and deep red tied together as they take the saptapadi. Arjuna leads first around the fire. Then, Krishnaa leads him, Arjuna looking at her with all the love that he holds.

Nakula murmuring words as the priest chants, Krishnaa's hand resting on his thigh. She is in light pink and he in dark green. Her giggling as he repeats a mantra, Nakula smiling widely.

Sahadeva holding her right toe on a firm grey stone, invoking promises and wishes. Sahadeva wears purple and Krishnaa is in orange-yellow. Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, Satyajita and Uttamaujas pouring puffed rice into the joined hands of Sahadeva and Krishnaa, and they throw it into the fire.

We cut to the rest. Drupada and Prishati are smiling with tears in their eyes; Kunti's face is already streaked with them. Dhrishtadyumna's eyes burn in the reflection of the fire. Shikhandi and his wife hold hands tightly. Satyajita, Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas cling to each other.

We return to Krishnaa. The marriage music fades and there is one final, joyous crackle of thunder.

Her five husbands stand behind her now, wearing expressions of utter love on their faces, carefully pulling her mangalasutra around her neck as Prishati holds her hair up. Prishati steps back and Krishnaa touches her mangalasutra as it comes to rest above her bosom.

We zoom in on her hand and her smiling face. It is the last thing we see. She smiles like there is no greater joy in the world with a quiet self-satisfaction.

She has reached what she desired for.

Shachi has united with her Indra once more.

FADE OUT.

THE END.