Jyesht's strife for kinship (A Karna-Arjun what-if story)

The swayamvar

Draupadi's pov

"Govind?" mused Draupadi as her friend joined her on the podium, looking very satisfied about something.

"Yeah?"

"I don't suppose Brahmins can accomplish Drish's task, can they?"

"If he is really a Brahmin." Govind turned to her, smugger than ever. "Why, do you want any particular Brahmin to win?"

"Don't play ignorant," said Draupadi snappily. "Who were the Brahmins you entered with? How did you pick up five of them on the way?"

"I wanted to pick up only one. His four brothers came as bonus."

"Which one did you want to pick up?" demanded Draupadi.

"Which one do you want to win your hand?" Govind demanded back.

"You are impossible, Govind," concluded Draupadi.

"I am, a bit," admitted Govind.

Draupadi rolled her eyes and turned back towards the queue of kings and princes who had turned up for her swayamvar. There were hundreds, surely. She could not help wondering how many wanted to win her hand to build friendly ties with Panchal, how many wanted to win her hand having heard of her famous beauty.

Neither reason made much sense to her.

Certainly no one had come wanting to win a Princess' hand for who she was. The concept did not exist in the Aryan Kingdom.

Women had to be beautiful. Men had to be competent. Marriage was politics.

"You seem strangely despondent for today's occasion, my dear friend," said Govind.

"You do, sis," said Drish from her other side. "Come on, cheer up. I'll tell you a secret--" He leaned in and waited for her to ask.

"What?"

"I set such a task, no one will be able to win it." Drish winked.

"What exactly," said Draupadi cautiously, "is the point of setting an impossible task?"

"So that no man can take you away from me, little sis," beamed Drish.

"We are twins," pointed out Draupadi. "Stop calling me little sis."

"I emerged first." Drish would, of course, not waste a single opportunity of reminding her of that.

"Oh, be quiet. If no one wins the swayamvar, I am going to be an outcast. Everyone who loses will attack our kingdom."

"You are not that beautiful, sis."

"But your gender is that egoistic."

"Could you two please act civilized this one day of our lives?" their older sister Shikhandini scolded.

"Your ingenious plot might have succeeded, Drishtadyumna," put in Govind, "if an hour ago I had not come across a young man I have been waiting for all my life. He will indeed win the swayamvar, and I think neither of you are going to be disappointed."

"One of those Brahmins?" asked Drish suspiciously.

"They are Ksatriyas in disguise."

"Which one are you talking about?"

"The one second from left."

Draupadi's heart jumped. From afar, at least, Govind seemed to have made the right choice. She listened to his conversation with Drish, trying not to appear too interested.

"They are the Princes of Hastinapur," Govind was saying. "The five sons of Pandu."

"You mean that is Arjun? Arjun is going to win Draupadi's hand?" Drish descended into a state of wild excitement. "If someone had to take my sis away, Arjun is exactly who I would have chosen. But I did not dare ask Father to extend an invitation to Hastinapur--the issue with Guru Drona and all..."

"That is why I advised them to arrive in disguise," said Govind.

"Who," demanded Draupadi, "is Arjun?"

"The best archer in the world. Everyone's favourite prince." Drish winked. "You will find out soon enough, sis."

******************

To begin with, the bow was nearly impossible to be strung. If you did get it strung, the target--the eye of a golden fish--was not only high up and tiny, it had to be aimed at solely by looking at its reflection.

Drish had not been exaggerating when he claimed he had set an impossible task. A couple of hours into the swayamvar, Draupadi had begun to believe she would indeed be an outcast by the end of today.

But I can live on with Drish forever.

Again and again her eyes found the five Brahmins, particularly the one Govind had said to be Arjun.

He had a thing about him. A quiet aura. His keen eyes fixed on the eye of the fish. The way he held his bow, like he worshipped it.

She found herself agreeing with her brother; if someone had to separate her from him, they should settle for nothing less than someone like Arjun.

****************

Arjun won.

He and his brothers kept up the guise of Brahmins till Draupadi, smiling from Drish's infectious grin, garlanded the victor and was garlanded in return. She tried to catch his eyes as they did, but in spite of having won a near-impossible contest, Arjun appeared confused, nervous, and determined to look at anything but her.

The oldest brother told King Drupad that the wedding could not be completed without their mother's blessings; they would be back by the following day. Draupadi suspected Govind had revealed some version of their true identity to her father, but he did not look put out.

He blessed her with a sad smile. Shikhandi went next, but Drish was nowhere to be seen.

"Govind!" she hissed. "Where the hell did that devil brother of mine vanish to?"

"He'll turn up."

Turn up? The Pandavas were waiting by the chariots, and if Drish didn't arrive soon, she would have to leave without his wishes, because it would be rude to keep Hastinapur's princes waiting.

Drishtadyumna finally appeared from a corner. His eyes were suspiciously red and his face was blotchy. Draupadi dissolved into tears at sight of him.

"Fare thee well, sis," said Drish dramatically, but the effect was compromised because his voice choked.

"You idiot." Draupadi gave him a strangling hug. "You will come to visit me, won't you?"

"I will come every week, sis," promised Drish.

"L-little sis," corrected Draupadi.

Drishtaduymna kissed her head fiercely and gave Arjun such a ferocious look that poor Arjun took a step back, looking horrified.

"You mess around with her, I bury you alive into the ground."

"Drish!"

Govind laughed; so did Arjun's brothers.

"Of course, I--I--" said Arjun, flustered. "I don't intend to mess around with your sister."

He met Draupadi's eyes for the first time since he had first entered. He looked too innocent to even think of messing around with anyone. Coupled with his exceptional talent as a warrior, his innocent charm felt to her a lethal combination.

Thank you, she told her friend in her head.

Govind had always looked out for her.

******************

Later, Draupadi was to realize that it did not always take malice to mess around with someone's life. Sometimes innocence was sufficient.

Hastinapur's palace was uproarious with New Year celebrations. In the enormous court, the elders were offering prayers to their deities.

"Maa, we're back!" cried Nakul.

"Just a second, my dears--" Queen Mother Kunti was intent on her prayer.

"But Maa," Arjun said. "Look what we have got!"

His mother spoke absent-mindedly. "Share it equally amongst yourself."

She looked around and froze, as had everyone in the court.

Then there was silence.