DRAUPADI - 75

 

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - 75

 

Virat watched Vallav decimate

Trigarta army, the trounced King

ran away for dear life, Virat

returned triumphant to greet

in surprise his son Kumar's

victory over the invincible Kurus:

Uttar kumar displayed the clothes

of Bhisma, Drona, Karna, Duryodhana

in bashful pride forbidden by

Arjuna not to reveal the truth -

But the young Prince could not keep his

reticence longer, bemused Kumar

enjoyed the aarati of mother Sudeshna,

the proud hug of father Virat,

the floral tribute and streams of praise

blessings and joyful applause of all

young old men, women sane and zealous

in noble pretence of royal modesty.

But when the tide of accolades was

poised to recede, announced in honest

tones the truth: Praise be to Arjuna,

the great Pandava Prince won the day.

Father dear and Mother mine, it was

he Arjuna himself and not Brihannala

who trounced the great Bhisma,

Drona Karna and Duryodhana

who attacked like a stormy sea.

Arjuna countered all rising waves

made the sea go back to foamy silence.

I disrobed them to bring tokens

and brought these at Arjuna's bidding.

 

An uproar rose in the assembly

of joy and wonder when Kanka

removed his turban and stood before

the assembly as Yudhistira; Yes great King

I am Yudhistira, Vallav is Bhima, and

Sairindri is Draupadi and Arjuna you

already know lived as dance teacher

the twins Nakula and Sahadeva have

tended your animals - yes here they come.

I thank you for your kindness O' King

you gave us shelter in your kingdom

gave us a chance to spend our year

of anonymous  exile which luckily

ended yesterday, kindly pardon us

if we have lacked in our service.

King Virat embraced Yudhistira

the assembly cheered -

Victory be to the Pandavas,

guards led them at the king's command

for change of dress to reappear

as the Pandava Princes;

Sudeshna held Draupadi's hands

dragged her to her chamber and begged

pardon, your Majesty Princess Draupadi

pardon my impudence which fate

willed in me - Draupadi hugged her tight,

No - No  Sudeshna, we are now sisters

I thank that cruel fate for this kind mischief

to add sauce to life.

 

Sairindri reemerged as Draupadi

decked in royal silk and jades

Draupadi glowed like the new sun

shining bright on Matsya's newbirth.

Draupadi sat alone transformed

she thanked the unseen powers for this

second restoration of  Pandava glory.

The first was at her Swayambara

the self imposed exile of the Pandavas

ended in the splendour of their resurgence

in Kampilya's grand ceremony - now

the second imposed exile has ended

refurbishing their honour and character.

Draupadi remembered her Sakha,

O Vasudeva where are you?

Your presence at my Swayambara paved the path

of dew and pebbles which I have walked

my feet still bleed but the mind is

restored to dream of a gem studded

path to my rightful aspirations

true to my womanly heart, now come Sakha

carve out my passage to light, I shall

return your gift by serving mankind.

Draupadi arose with positive energy

went to Queen's chamber where

 Uttara and Sudeshna were together,

Draupadi said, Sudeshna let us cement

our relationship with glamorous bonds

of marriage vows, I ask the hand of

Uttara your accomplished daughter,

for Arjuna's son Abhimanyu, if you agree

I'll ask Subhadra to come here with him

and I shall ask Krishna Vasudeva to bring

my sons, Abhimanyu and all to seal

our happy togetherness forever.

 

The happy words flew on wings

king Virat and his ministers, advisors

gloated over the possibilities of this

new tie, the palace reverberated

to the rhythms of the foliating joy

moving fast towards a green bloom.