Kampilya

"You called me, Pita?" A melodious voice rang along with tinkling sound of anklets.

"Come, Putri!" King Drupada nodded at her affectionately.

"Dwarakadheesh, meet my daughter Krishnaa Draupadi!" Pride flashed in his voice.

Draupadi looked in front of her. She saw a stranger sitting beside her father and smiling at her. That smile had something in it, as if a friendly welcome.

"And Krishnaa, He is Krishna Vaasudeva, the Lord of Dwaraka." Drupada added.

Draupadi joined her palms into a namaskara to which Krishna reciprocated.

"You have already heard about Him." Drupada spoke again, "He is the..."

"The famous cowherd of Vrindavana, the slayer of Kansa!" Draupadi said with a smile, "The one who saved Yadavas singlehandedly from emperor Jarasandha's repetitive attacks. Am I right, Dwarakadheesh?"

"Seems like I am quite well-known in Panchala?" Krishna chuckled.

"You indeed are, Vaasudeva!" Drupada smiled, "Welcome to Kampilya once again! To be honest, I was actually waiting for you only!"

"For me? Why, Maharaj?"

"Vaasudeva, you are aware of the purpose of my yajna that gave me these twins. You know that I prayed for a son who would avenge my insult."

Draupadi gave her father a concerned look. She knew what he would say next. It was something that she had listened to umpteenth times since her birth, but could not agree with her father's intention.

"I know." Krishna nodded.

"The insult I suffered left an incurable scar in my heart, Vaasudeva! I can never forgot the way I was defeated and seized by the five princes of Hastinapura!" Anger flashed in Drupada's eyes, "I still feel that..."

"Apologies for the interruption, Pita!" Draupadi intervened, "I have listened to this incident a minimum of thousand times! But I strongly feel that those five princes did not have any fault in it! They were just obeying their Guru's order who demanded an unfair Gurudakshina!"

Krishna's eyes widened as He felt amused, looking at her expression while defending the Pandavas.

"Krishnaa, I do not know why you always say the same thing!" Drupada said, "How much do you know them to say so?"

"I do not know them, Pita. But I have heard a lot about them from you and Bhrata Shikhandi. Gurudev Upayaja too told me the stories of Kuru princes. And listening to them I never felt that the sons of Pandu are such persons who can be disrespectful to anyone, especially to you who is their late father's friend." Draupadi kept on speaking with confidence, "I am sure about this because even you admitted several times that they treated you with respect of a father even after winning."

Seeing Draupadi's passionate explanation, Krishna suppressed a laughter within Himself and said, "Your logical power and defending ability is really appreciable, Rajkumari!"

Draupadi shifted her eyes to Krishna. His expression made her convinced that He was not flattering her but was really impressed.

"Thanks, Dwarakadheesh!" She smiled slightly, "This is what I just feel. I think we should understand that they also must have not liked what they had to do, but were forced to fulfill their duty as disciples. We should not judge anyone without seeing the intention behind their work."

"I admire your wisdom, Rajkumari!" Krishna smiled in awe, "May the entire Bharatavarsha be blessed with your wise rule, one day!"

Awestruck, Draupadi looked at Krishna. For a while it felt like she had never met anyone like this person in her life so far.

"Maharaj Drupada, you are really lucky to get a daughter who has such a golden heart to empathize even with the ones who once caused her father's defeat and division in her kingdom!"

"True that, Vaasudeva. I somewhere agree with Krishnaa that I should not take the revenge on Pandavas but on their Guru who forced them to do this with me! But I need your help in this. You are the most wise in the field of raaj Dharma. What do you suggest me to do?"

"Do you really want to follow my advice, Maharaj?" A playful smile played on Krishna's lips. Draupadi observed Him closely, trying to read His mind. She dearly hoped that He would not suggest any vengeful way to her father.

Since birth she had been witnessing only one thing in her family. Vengeance. Her father and her twin brother, Dhrishtadyumna, wanted to avenge the insult of Drupada's defeat to Guru Drona's five disciples. And her eldest brother seemed to be carrying a vengeance as if since his past birth! Something that she always detested, despite of her love for the three.

"Without a doubt, Dwarakadheesh!"

"Then listen. I do feel that at this moment you need power, not revenge. Try to gather power, Maharaj, try to get alliance that would make Panchala stronger. That is most important for you right now."

"What do you want me to do, Vaasudeva?" Drupada's eyebrows met.

"Send your two sons to Guru Drona's gurukul for their education of weapon! Let them become your strength first!" Krishna's lotus eyes twinkled with smile. Draupadi took a deep breath in relief.

"Drona's gurukul!" Drupada snapped, "What are you..."

"Maharaj, focus on the outcome, not on the process! He is the best teacher you can get for your sons and I am sure he would not bring his personal clash with you within his lessons."

"But Dhrishtadyumna is..."

"His future killer. He also knows that, Maharaj. And any teacher would feel proud to accept defeat to his own student."

"Vaasudeva is right, Pita." Draupadi seconded Krishna, "It will be good to reconcile with Guru Drona for now."

"But Putri,..." Drupada hesitated.

"I know you seek revenge, Pita." Draupadi said humbly yet firmly, "But with Agni Deva's boon at the time of Dhri's birth, revenge has already been destined. No one can now change Guru Drona's fate that he would die in Dhri's hands! But let us not rush for that, Pita. Let Mahakala decide the right time for it! Let justice prevail, not vengeance!"

Being even more impressed, Krishna smiled to Himself.

What a perfect match they were going to make! He was now sure that without this righteous Shakti, Dharma could not be revived again!

"Alright, Vatse!" Drupada nodded with a smile. "I have never denied you anything. I will fulfill this wish of yours too. Shikhandi and Dhrishtadyumna will go to Drona from tomorrow itself."

***

Rakshasavarta

"How did you come here?" Was Yudhishthira's first question after the initial surprise was over.

"I have been searching for you since a week, Yudhishthira." Satyaki said, "But all the risks taken to reach this land of demons seem successful now! At last, you could be found!"

"But how did you know that we are here?" Yudhishthira asked again.

"Krishna's intelligence. He guessed it without a mistake that you fled through a tunnel and reached at the opposite bank of Ganga." Satyaki grinned, "I just followed His instructions."

"You have taken so much risk of your own life to enter this jungle, just to find us!" Yudhishthira's eyes were moist in gratitude, "We will be grateful to you forever, my friend!"

"Is not that natural in a true friendship, Yudhishthira?" Satyaki smiled, "Enough you all have suffered. Now you all come with me! I have to take you from this jungle of demons!"

"Where?"

"Dwaraka. That is the safest place for you where Duryodhana's hand can never reach. Krishna also wants that."

"We know that, Satyaki. But I am sorry. At this moment we cannot go from here!"

Satyaki's eyebrows met. He looked at Yudhishthira with question in his eyes.

"There is a lot that has happened in our lives after that incident. This jungle is not just a shelter for us anymore! We have got a new family here. And now it is not possible to leave suddenly without fulfilling the responsibilities we have."

"Family?" Satyaki raised an eyebrow, "Within demons? How come?"

"Jyeshtha is right, Satyaki." Arjuna said, "Bhrata Bhima has married the demon Princess after killing her brother. He is now the king of this land as well."

"Marriage?" Satyaki turned to Bhima, "how could you, while Yudhishthira is still unmarried?"

"I have given the permission, Satyaki." Yudhishthira quickly said, "There is no sin of Parivedana if elder brother allows it. Apart from that, we should not apply the norms of Aarya marriage in this case."

"That I can understand. I know you will never violate Dharma. But this thing you definitely have not done right, Yudhishthira!" Satyaki glanced at Bhima once and said with a grin, "You let your younger marry before you and that too with a Rakshasi! Which princess of Aaryavarta would want to marry you after knowing this?"

Yudhishthira was caught unawares at this unexpected friendly casual bit within serious discussion. He could not reply. Taking the advantage of his silence, Nakula chuckled, "You don't know Satyaki, the princess who has been waiting for marrying Jyeshtha would not change her mind for this little reason!"

"Nakula!" Yudhishthira glared at him.

"Don't scold him! I know that he is right!" Satyaki chuckled softly.

"Now you too started?"

"I was present in Sakha Krishna's weddings, Yudhishthira! And I watched everything."

Embarrassed, Yudhishthira looked away.

"I know your heart, dear friend. But you won't get her back in your life unless you all come out of this jungle first! Your life cannot end here, sons of Pandu!"

"I know you are right, friend. But it is not possible for us at this moment. Bhima is going to be father soon. And we cannot leave Hidimbaa alone in this condition." Yudhishthira was grave.

"Alright then!" Satyaki nodded, "Take care! And each of you deserve scolding from me for hiding this happy news this long!" He patted Bhima and grinned, "Do convey your child a lot of love and blessing from my side! Hopefully we will meet again soon!"

He embraced the five brothers warmly before leaving.

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Meaning of Sanskrit terms:

Parivedana: Marrying before one's elder sibling