As none of the warriors managed to lift the bow, they sat with their heads lowered in shame, weighed down by the sting of failure. These men, seasoned in the arts of battle, had faced defeat—not on a battlefield, but in the heart of the swayamvar hall. King Drupad sat with his hand pressed to his forehead, deeply troubled. A silent question loomed in his mind: had he set the swayamvar's conditions too high, or were there truly no warriors capable of meeting them?

Drishtadyumna, observing his father’s distress, spoke with a hint of frustration, “Kya iss swayamvar mein koi bhi mahaaveer nahi hai jo yahaan lakshya veda kar Bharatvarsh ke dhanurvidya ka maan rakh sake?” ("Is there no great warrior in this assembly who can uphold the honor of Bharatvarsh’s archery by striking the target?")

The hall grew silent, with many continuing to gaze at the floor, avoiding Drishtadyumna’s probing eyes. Duryodhan cast an angry glance at him, seething from his own failed attempt.

Just then, from among the crowd of Brahmins, a figure rose. Arjun stepped forward, his presence exuding calm confidence. He first approached his elder brother Bheem, bowing low, and Bheem blessed him, resting his hand on Arjun’s shoulder with a firm nod. As Arjun walked toward the center, there was something unmistakably regal about him, a poise and strength that betrayed his Brahmin attire.

Heads turned, whispers hushed. Arjun approached King Drupad, offering a respectful namaste. Drupad, unable to hide his intrigue, gave a slight smile and nodded in acknowledgment. Then Arjun’s gaze met Draupadi’s, who watched him from her seat, her heart beginning to beat with a new hope. Arjun gave her a gentle, reassuring smile before he continued forward toward the massive bow.

Draupadi closed her eyes for a moment, sending a fervent prayer to the gods, asking that this Brahmin—this man who seemed like no ordinary mortal looking at whom my heart skipped a bit - should succeed. Observing it all, Krishna, the supreme guide and controller of hearts, smiled knowingly. It was a smile that held both reassurance and omniscient understanding, as though, by a divine will, her wish was already answered.

Arjun stood tall before the bow, his gaze steady, radiating confidence and quiet strength. He raised his hands in a respectful namaste, bowing before the weapon with the reverance it deserves. Eyes closed, he softly chanted mantras under his breath, centering his mind in focus and determination. Then, with one smooth, effortless movement, he gripped the bow and lifted it from its place, as if it weighed nothing.

A ripple of excitement passed through the crowd. Their cheers rang out: “Brahman Kumar ki jai!” (“Victory to the Brahmin youth!”)

Arjun, with a satisfied grin, took the string and fastened it to the bow, knotting it with a meticulous care. To test the tension, he stretched the string back, and a sharp, resonant twang echoed through the hall, a testament to the might of the divine bow, Gandiv.

With a sense of purpose, he took an arrow, nocking it onto the string, and positioned himself. His eyes were fixed not on the fish directly, but on its reflection in the water below, his stance flawless and unwavering. He focused, drawing himself into a state of absolute concentration. Seconds passed in silence as he narrowed his gaze, and then, with precision, he released the arrow. It sliced through the air, hitting the fish's eye without hesitation.

The hall erupted in joyous applause, voices echoing with admiration, “Brahman Kumar ki jai!” (“Victory to the Brahmin youth!”)

Drishtadyumna approached with Draupadi, guiding her toward Arjun. She looked up at him, her face glowing with shyness and joy, and, with a gentle smile, she placed the varmala (garland) around his neck. In a graceful gesture of respect, she then bent down to touch his feet.

Together, they walked toward King Drupad, who awaited them with a warm smile. Bowing before him, they received his blessings, his eyes filled with pride. Shikhandi and Drishtadyumna stepped forward, embracing both Arjun and Draupadi with heartfelt congratulations. Happiness filled the hall as the moment of union brought both honor and fulfillment to the royal family, and to all those who witnessed the triumph.

From the crowd of humiliated kings, Jarasandh rose from his seat, no longer able to contain his fury. Pointing his finger at King Drupad, he declared, “Panchal Naresh, apne iss brahman ko swayamvar dhanush ko haath lagane ka agyan dekar apne rajsamaj ka apmaan kiya hai!” ("King of Panchal, by allowing this Brahmin to touch the bow of the swayamvar, you have insulted the honor of the royal assembly!")

Arjun, Draupadi, and everyone else turned to look at him. Drupad, with an authoritative voice, countered, “Rajsamaj ne lakshay vedan na karke swayam apna apmaan kiya hai, Magadh Naresh!” ("The royal assembly has disgraced itself by failing to achieve the target, King of Magadh!")

Then the King of Shalya, Jayadrath, spoke up, “Kya apne rajsamaj ka apmaan karne ke liye ye swayamvar rakha tha, Panchal Naresh?” ("Did you arrange this swayamvar only to insult the royal assembly, King of Panchal?")

Other kings also rose from their seats, shouting, “Apne hamara apmaan kiya hai, Panchal Naresh!” ("You have insulted us, King of Panchal!")

Jarasandh spoke again, “Swayamvar mein rajkumaron ke atirikt aur kise bhi bhaag lene ka adhikar nahi!” ("No one other than the princes has the right to participate in the swayamvar!")

At this, Shri Krishna stood up and said calmly, “Yeh kaun kehta hai, Magadh Naresh Jarasandh?” ("Who says this, King Jarasandh of Magadh?")

Jarasandh, eyes full of anger, turned to Krishna and replied, “Main gwalon se vivaad karke apne aap ko apmaanit nahi karna chahta.” ("I do not wish to demean or disrespect myself by arguing with cowherds.")

Balram, visibly angered, rose and said, “Aisa kehkar apne hamara aur Dwarka ka apmaan kiya hai, Magadh Naresh!” ("By saying this, you have insulted us and the honor of Dwarka, King of Magadh!")

Krishna smiled, his face radiating his usual calm and playfulness. Turning to his elder brother, he said, “Ye hamare nana lagte hain, Dau. Inhe adar karna to hamara kartavya hai aur krodh karne se pehle ye bhi to dekh lijiye ki woh vyakti aapke krodh ke yogya hai bhi ya nahi.” ("He is like our maternal grandfather, elder brother. It is our duty to show him respect, and before getting angry, check if he is even worthy of your anger or not.")

Shakuni stood up, his voice carrying that same sly, fox-like cunning. “Parantu hamara prashn ye nahi hai ki Magadh Naresh Vasudev Krishna ke kya lagte hain. Hamara prashn to ye hai ki Panchal Naresh ne iss prakar ek Brahman ko swayamvar mein agyan de kar hamara apmaan kyun kiya?” ("But our question is not what King Jarasandh is to Vasudev Krishna. Our question is why the King of Panchal has chosen to insult us by allowing a Brahmin to participate in the swayamvar?")

Shri Krishna looked calmly at Shakuni and replied, “Kaisa aparadh, Gandhar Naresh? Ek Brahman ko swayamvar mein bhaag lene ka agyan dekar Maharaj Drupad ne koi aparadh nahi kiya. Aur kya aap kshatriya ye bhool rahe hain ki aapka yeh rajsamaj bhi ek Brahman ka den hai?” ("What crime, King of Gandhar? By granting a Brahmin permission to participate in the swayamvar, King Drupad has committed no offense. And are you kshatriyas forgetting that this very royal assembly is a gift from a Brahmin?")

Duryodhan, furious, rose from his seat, his voice echoing across the hall. “Aap hame yahan gyaan mat dijiye, Hum aapki baaton mein aane wale nahi, Vasudev Krishna!” ("Do not lecture us here, We are not going to be swayed by your words, Vasudev Krishna!")

Krishna smiled once more, the serene calm never leaving his face, and said, “Main jaanta hoon, Gandhari Nandan. Achche se jaanta hoon.” ("I know, son of Gandhari. I know very well.")

Then, all the kings gathered in front of King Drupad. One of them spoke in a severe tone, "Panchal Naresh, abhi to ek hi marg hai. Ya to aap apni putri se ham mein se kisi ko uska var chunne ke liye kahiye, ya phir usse wahi agnikund mein phenk dijiye jahan se utpann hui thi." ("King of Panchal, there is only one solution now. Either tell your daughter to choose one of us as her husband, or throw her back into the fire pit from where she emerged.")

Seeing this blatant threat, Drishtadyumna began stepping protectively toward his sister. But he noticed Arjun moving ahead even faster, gripping his bow as he placed himself between Draupadi and the crowd, his back to her, shielding her. Holding his bow at the ready, he declared, "Panchali ki suraksha ab mera daitwa hai. Aap sabhi ko Draupadi ke nikat aane se pehle mere baano ka samna karna hoga." ("Protecting Panchali is now my responsibility. Before you come near Draupadi, you’ll have to face my arrows.")

Before anyone could respond, Bheem, with a fierce determination, uprooted a massive pillar with his formidable strength. He dragged it forward, placing himself before all the kings to shield Arjun and Draupadi. Duryodhan, unwilling to back down, stepped forward and squared off with Bheem, ready for a confrontation.

Seeing the commotion as an opportunity, Arjun took Draupadi’s hand, gripping it firmly. Together, they dashed away, supported by Shikhandi and Drishtadyumna. Bheem, meanwhile, with a powerful shove, hurled the pillar toward Duryodhan, causing him to stumble and fall. Tossing the pillar aside, he then hurried after Arjun and Draupadi, leaving the chaos behind.

------- Some behind the scenes





Arjun after winning draupadi thinking "are abb kya karu yahan to kesav bhi nahi mujhe batane ke liye 😂"