#drupada

[sambhavami]

Panchala in Mahabharata - Part 1

This is a selective summary of Dr. N. P. Bhaduri's 'Katha Amrita Saman' series, covering only the points that he made with regards to Panchala. Now, because Shikhandi is an integral point to that story, and the professor does note some controversial streams of explanation in relation with his story, I just want to make it clear, that this is just a summary of his work. I personally both agree and disagree with the different parts of his commentary.

This portion is from the information in the first book in series. I will eventually, some day, get through the other six in the series (and eight if it gets published in the meantime and I can find a copy).

Special thanks to @chahaa-piun-ja, who wanted to read the books, and gave me the chance to comb through it once again! ❤️

Parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Chandra -> Budha -> Pururava -> Ayu -> Nahusha -> Yayati -> Puru -> … -> Ilina -> Dushyanta -> Bharata -> Bhumanyu Bharadwaj -> Suhotra -> Hasti -> Ajamidha -> Neela (Neelini’s son) -> … -> Haryashva -> {Mudgala, Srinjaya, Vrihadishu, Yaveenara, Krimilashva(/Kapila/Kampilya)}

These five children of the Paurava dynasty leave their home turf of Hastinapura, and win over 5 small kingdoms in the general UP area (known earlier as Kribi) which came together to form the nascent kingdom, Panchala.

The first king Mudgala, after the unification, becomes a brahmin, and his line becomes known as the Maudgalya brahmins. In this family is later born rishi Sharadvaana and his twins Kripa and Kripi- the OG Pandavas’ and Kauravas’ first guru…and Drona’s wife.

Panchala’s lineage is carried forth in Srinjaya’s line. Srinjaya -> Chyavana Pijavana -> Sudasa -> Sahadeva -> Somaka -> Jantu -> ... -> Prishata -> Drupada -> {Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, Draupadi, Satyajit etc.}.

Srinjaya’s capital was in Ahichhatra (again, the naga connection).

The Panchalas had civil strife for a long time, one example centered around a king (just tribe leader?) called Sthapati who is dethroned by the Srinjaya clan, and later helped by the Kaurava King Bahlika (Shantanu’s older brother) in an attempt to destabilize Panchala and install a puppet king.

The OG Srinjaya’s two daughters Vahyaka and Upavahyaka were married to Krishna’s ancestor, the Yadava King Saatvata’s second son Bhajamana (also Vrishni’s brother), in an attempt to offset the growing Kuru influence, counting on the Yadava-Haihaya alliance (however weak) to provide some backup.

 On the other side, Ajamidha’s youngest wife Dhoomini’s son is Riksha. Hence, Ajamidha -> Riksha -> Samvarana -> Kuru.

During Samvarana’s rule, Sudasa attacked Hastinapura when the former was busy with his new wife Tapati, and Samvarana had to flee to the forests with his family.

Many years later, Samvarana and his son Kuru, under the guidance of his friend Vashishtha (who also helped him marry Tapati), and the help of Mathura’s Yadavas, Gandhara's Druhyus, Anava-Ushinara Shibis, and Satna’s Turvasus, he is able to win back Hastinapura (interestingly all 5 lineages descending from Yayati come together to fight this offshoot Panchala line).

Many texts also note that near the end of his rule, Sudasa became an unkind dictator who tormented his subjects, and hence probably faced some military mutiny leading to his eventual defeat.

Somaka was left defeated and humiliated with only a fraction of his family’s kingdom and no respect internationally.

Somaka apparently has one hundred wives, and only 1 son Jantu. Because of this awkward distribution, all 100 queens equally spoiled this kid, and once when they all started crying as if someone had died, when the child was bit by an ant. Irritated by this, Somaka apparently m*rders the child, and sacrifices him in a yajna, from which he is able to obtain 100 sons. Jantu himself is apparently reborn too.

However, Harivansha, claims that while Jantu was undoubtedly Somaka’s oldest son, the kingdom is passed on to Prishata (who we now recognize, as Drupada’s father). However, researchers hold that there might have been a lapse in documentation, and Prishata is in fact a descendant of Jantu, not his brother. After Kuru, even the lineage at Hastinapura suffers a similar lapse, as the next noteble king we see is Dilipa (Pratipa’s father, Shantanu’s grandfather), who is seemingly around Prishata's generation.

Prishata’s importance lies in the sole fact that he is able to hold his own on an international stage, and returns Panchala to some of its former glory.

When Amba is ‘thrown out’ (her words) and by both Bheeshma and Shalva, she finds temporary refuge in rishi Shaikhavatya’s ashram.

There she meets her maternal grandfather, the (still)King Hotravahana. The very next day, Akritavrana and his guru Parashurama to arrive there (surprisingly fast), to plan an ambush on Bheeshma. Amba, having developed some sort of a crush on Bheeshma, here tries to actually shield him, by explaining the entire story and Bheeshma’s part in it. However, the control seems to have moved to Hotravahana, who steamrolls his granddaughter, having finally found a ‘legitimate’ reason to go after the Kauravas, after their brutal insult in the last big conflict.

Atkritavrana and Hotravahana keep pressuring Amba, until, in front of Parashurama, she finally throws Bheeshma under the bus (aeons later Bheeshma is still salty about this, since he thinks Amba should’ve held her ground and gone after Shalva instead). Bheeshma later confesses to both Vyasa and Narada to having spread out a whole, paranoid network of spies just to keep track of Amba (and later Shikhandi), in case she tried anything else.

Amba goes on to tell some rishis, that because of Bheeshma’s actions she is ‘neither a man nor a woman’. Then Amba goes on to receive a boon from Shiva to ‘become a man’, and at the same time Drupada too receives a boon to be able to have a daughter who will become a son.

Vyasa says that after Amba k*lling herself, when Drupada’s wife had a child, she lied to everyone saying that the daughter she had was actually a son, and Drupada happily went along with it, naming the child Shikhandi. Outside the family, only Bheeshma knew that she was a girl, because of his spies. Drupada not only orchestrates a marriage for this son/daughter of his, but he also sends Shikhandi to Drona (?) to learn martial skills.

It is estimated that Hotravahana, after Bheeshma-Parashurama’s fight took Amba to Panchala, and gave her his nephew (?) Drupada, and the ‘androgynous’ nature of Shikhandi was an intentional misdirection by Amba and Drupada (who probably adopted her).

When Bheeshma comes face-to-face with Amba in Kurukshetra, he gives a four-part excuse for the people he refused to fight with, which are (1) women, (2) a man who used to be a woman (3) a man who has a ‘womanly’ name, and (4) a woman who dresses like a man. All 4 of these conditions implicate Amba/Shikhandi across all the fragments of explanation provided in the story up until then.

[jacobpking]

Guy with the worst epithet (morally) I've ever heard. It made designing him So much better though

[devahutii]

Inherited

King dhrupada's children

Knew not of play nor of rest;

All they knew was of rage.

They bore fury

upon their foreheads,

As if it were a family crest.

Their blood seethed,

It boiled with wrath,

Just as their father's.

Fire blazed through their veins,

Through their lungs and brain,

For they were born of it.

Indignation had been embossed

Upon their chests;

Burning through flesh and bone,

Enshrined within their marrow.

King dhrupada's children

Knew not of play nor of rest;

All they knew was of rage.

[h0bg0blin-meat]

Yall missin out on the fanfic potential Drona and Drupad's relationship has.

[friend-shaped-but]

“We do not seek the throne because of the power it gives us, Vindhya,” he tells his younger brother, whose position as crown prince is on dangerously shaky ground. “We seek it because we care. You have to care.” He takes Vindhya’s shaking hand in his. “Push past the apathy, and look toward the future,” 

~ Drishtaketu, Drishtaketu

[oekakidogarchive]

You got your pieces by Drupada

[theramblergal]

The other sons mentioned in option 2 are called: Kumara, Vrika, Panchalya, Suratha, Shatrunjaya and Janmejaya - for anyone interested.

I personally lean to the first option, but then everyone's ideas vary.

[friend-shaped-but]

I feel like they try to make drupad cruel to paint Drona in a better light. They take the "I can't be friends with you bcos you're POOR" incident be the whole thesis of Drupad's character.

Of course, Drona isn't a saint, and Drupad isn't satan incarnate like starbharat thinks, but that warrants a whole other post. Right now, I want to get into the specific episode you're talking about.

I LOVE that they made ARJUN the sexy lamp, the philosophical one, the mama's boy, the- (what starbharat made him outnumbers his actual names and also the previous sentence was all sarcastic. He has so much main character energy and NOT in a good way.)

Honestly, with Kunti's speech in that episode, I wanted there to be a difference of opinion between the pandavas. Let them have a Dialogue on doing what's Comfortable vs doing what is Right. It is actually one of the FEW moments where I sympathise with this serial's iteration of Kunti. She has an ADORABLE baby face which sometimes works for getting me to like her a little bit. But wise, shrewd, matriarch, strong Kunti isn't seen here, which is something I prefer. Also I cannot get over the ageism of starbharat in casting someone younger than the pandava actors to play Kunti. Like none of the women in the older gen are actually old like WTF bro.

But no, we gotta do the brotherly highfive tunnel digging sequences which gives us (mostly) ripped men covered in dirt. The two wolves inside me begin fighting at around this moment and do not stop until we get to slightly dilfy drupad and fem shikhandi.

@preyasi this is reminding me of your bheeshma video.

I wanted starbharat to do a very bold thing and show the pandavas chill and comfortable in the forest while they are uncomfortable in the palace. But ig that's too much to hope for.

NOW, coming to my favourite part: Drupad(And also why my pfp is Asshole Starbharat Drupad and not Good Dad BRC Drupad)

First of all, in my opinion, Starbharat doesn't take into account that all of the major families(Especially Panchal, Drupad was boutta make the homemade fucking kauravas with how many sons he had) in the epic are really complex joint families. Same with the yadavas, don't really show anyone except for the main 3 siblings(SATYAKI IS NOT THERE. KRISHNA'S OTHER WIVES ARE NOT THERE) and wtf was going on with rukmini being reduced to a 2d crybaby??? (I love the rukmini haran episode tho for the krishnarjun moments and it is so terrible it makes my day better with how camp it is if my day has been especially terrible)

Second of all, WHERE IS MY BOY SATYAJIT??? WHERE ARE MY TALENTED BABIES YUDHAMANYU AND UTTAMAUJAS?? WHERE ARE MY DARLING KUMARA-PANCHALYA?? WHERE ARE HIS KIDS YOU COWARD STARBHARAT?? (they are alone enough to squash the "Drupad can't have sons" thing he has going on)

Third of all, I hate what they have done to shikhandi. I do Not Like It. As the resident shikhandi obsessed person on this website(can be corroborated by many ppl who knew me b4 I started this blog) but that is again, a separate post where I rank all shikhandis across all adaptations and it's a Big Thing. anyways, back to this post.

this is why I loved workshopping and writing Drupad. Yes, he is a selfish, territorial asshole, he is awkward and cannot understand his kids despite being responsible for the messiness of his family, but he is also a deeply flawed character. my pfp is starbharat drupad because he looks exactly like I imagined him as a kid and also because looking at him every day fills me with a visceral anger what star plus did to him and my desire to make him a proper 3-dimensional character. He hate-motivates me.

But yes I love the banter between the pandavas when they sit down to eat. I just- it's one of the things this adaptation does well. Although I did NOT like the random south american fruits showing up.

OOPS- sorry for the long post

Re-watching Mahabharat (8/?)

Guess who has returned. Anyways, to refresh y'all's memories, this starts after the episode where Arjun discovers that the building is made of lac. So basically lakshagriha timeeee

NAURRR MOMMY DEAREST IS ABOUT TO EAT POISONED KHEER

Someone pls tell me if these ppl only eat kheer and sweets. pls. I hate sweets, ughhh.

LOL Kunti is about to eat poisoned kheer, and the cameraman is busy giving a sexy shot of Arjun. Priorities.

Yudi bro dropping the bomb, while Kunti gasps in surprise. Like really? Y'all are surprised? this is the same person who poisoned lil Bhima.

BBG Nakul complaining to Mommy how his pet died. uwu.

These kids really arent letting Mommy Kunti process the news, eh?

Kunti: *is confused and scared*. meanwhile Arjun: *proceeds to be sexy.*

Bhishma is also showing that smolder. Dude, your grandsons are about to die, ffs.

I see. Arjun hasn't entered his "i can't kill my relatives" phase yet.

LOL Kunti, won't it be better to have Duryodhan's crimes out in the public so that the court can literally remove him out of the line of succession or smth, instead of just asking your sons to give their right on the throne? Krishna is prolly banging his head in Dvaraka rn.

Kunti is not wrong. Dhritrashtra is really bad uncle. And in canon, he was a bad father too. He had an affair with a maid for a year because Gandhari couldn't physically intimate with him due to her pregnancy. That's how Yuyutsu was born. It wasn't a one time thing.

Is Arjun the only kid who can have heart-to-heart convos with his elders?

#seddramaticeffects

Another Krishna flashback, yayyyy

Arjun: idk what to doooo oh godddd. Le the God: here, have a flashback bestie!

If I had a coin for each time Arjun says "Mata saraswati" then I would have 3 coins, which is not too much, but well-

Arjun: i have to sacrifice myselfffff

Not the Pandavas playing passing the parcel with Kunti XDD

Y'all, he won't die. He is Arjun. He won't die till Krishna wants him to die which is never.

If I had a coin for each time Arjun says "Jyesth Bhrata jaiye-"

See what you have done Dhritrashtra. My poor Pandavas are now doing majdoori.

Kunti really wants to become tandoori kabab, doesn't she?

Everytime Gandivadhari Arjun plays, I'm reminded how he doesn't have the gandiva yet.

Bhishma: *moans sadly*

This scene with the praja of Hastinapur is both emotional and extremely funny at the same time for me.

Stop moping, Karna. You chose mitrata over humanity.

Karna is that friend who is equally into the bs the rest of the group does, but still has the gall to act as if he is disgusted.

Kripacharya(?) dropping the scroll as if it is the sindoor ki thali from Ekta Kapoor's daily soaps.

Bhishma, after finding out that the Pandavas are alive: me happy :>

Krishna going on a beach date with Rukmini AWWWWW

Okay but Drupad wasn't this huge of a POS in canon. Why is he downright cruel

Also you are so sexist, Drupad. It's YOUR chromosomes which didn't allow you to have a son.

erm...Daksh Prajapati had SONS too...BUT THE POINT IS NICE!

Poor Droupadi is already Drupad's unwanted kid, isn't she?

Bhima's personality is just eating and yelling at ppl out of anger. OH GOD.

Not Kunti crying over the food. Ma'am, the quantity is def enough for all of your sons. Also, they have eaten this type of food for 75% of their lives.

SERVE YOURSELF FOOD YOURSELF, ARJUN-

Bhima embodying "Dil to baccha hai ji"

Drou and Dhri about to be born yayyyyy

[pandavapanchaliweek]

Day 1: Yudhishthira and Draupadi

To the Samrat and Samrajni!

The eldest son of Pandu and the youngest daughter of Drupada are a formidable couple, being the rulers of Indraprastha, and later Hastinapura. Their relationship is also one of the most fraught, with mistakes and betrayals, but also with trust and faith. They are the balance to each other's temperament.

What about this couple intrigues you? How does Draupadi work with her first husband? How does she manage to forgive him for his wrongs against her? Does she? How do they rule a kingdom together? How does their relationship develop through the long years of their marriage?

Day 1 of the event is here! I'm so excited to see what everyone has. Let's celebrate our lovely darlings.

[evolvingmonkey]

Shikhandi: The Gender-Defying Hero of the Mahabharata

Hindu philosophy holds a simple yet profound belief: within each person resides an everlasting atman (spirit or soul) that exists independently from the physical body, surpassing characteristics such as race, gender, and sexual orientation. Stemming from a common divine origin, every atman forms a spiritual kinship, deserving of love, reverence, and fair treatment.

In the epic Mahabharata, there is a captivating tale that revolves around Bhishma's commitment to celibacy, which leads to a grand swayamvara (a ceremony or event where a bride chooses her husband from a gathering of suitors). This ceremony is where Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika are given the opportunity to choose their life partners. However, Bhishma's interference in Amba's love life sets off a series of events that ultimately culminate in her tragic destiny.

Amba's heartbreak is twofold - first, her intended husband Shalva rejects her, and then Bhishma, bound by his vow of celibacy, refuses to marry her. This leaves Amba in a state of despair, fueling her desire for revenge against Bhishma. Determined to seek justice, she pleads to the mighty god Shiva for assistance in her quest to end Bhishma's life. Miraculously, Shiva grants her wish, but tragically, Amba chooses to take her own life to expedite her ultimate goal.

There are various versions of the next part of the tale. According to certain narratives, Amba is born as the daughter of King Drupada. Upon learning from Shiva that she will eventually undergo a transformation into a man, Drupada names her Shikhandi and raises her as a boy. In this particular version, a formidable entity residing in the forest indeed bestows upon her the transformation into a man. However, in alternative accounts, Shikhandi is born as a male but develops a trans-identity due to Shiva granting them the ability to recollect their previous life.

As the Mahabharata unfolds, Shikhandi emerges as a formidable warrior who defies societal expectations of gender. Their participation in the battle of Kurukshetra serves as a powerful symbol of authenticity, challenging the conventional gender roles imposed on individuals. Shikhandi's strength goes beyond mere physical abilities; it stands as a testament to the immense power that comes from embracing one's true identity.

Shikhandi's character is truly captivating because of their personal quest for self-discovery. They challenge societal expectations of gender and proudly embrace a non-binary identity. This exploration of identity is a key theme, showcasing the intricate and ever-changing nature of being human.

As we come to the end of our journey through Shikhandi's story in the Mahabharata, we honor a figure whose legacy surpasses time, defies conventions, and forever marks the intricate fabric of mythology. Shikhandi, the ageless fighter, still instills bravery and self-exploration in the souls of those who come across their legend.

[sambhavami]

Panchala in Mahabharata - Part 6

This is a selective summary of Dr. N. P. Bhaduri's 'Katha Amrita Saman' series, covering only the points that he made with regards to Panchala. Now, because Shikhandi is an integral point to that story, and the professor does note some controversial streams of explanation in relation with his story, I just want to make it clear, that this is just a summary of his work. I personally both agree and disagree with the different parts of his commentary.

Special thanks to @chahaa-piun-ja, who wanted to read the books, and gave me the chance to comb through it once again! ❤️

Parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Here, at the beginning of Virata Parva, MB gives some recognition to the trans community (well, technically, more towards the intersex and/or non-binary community, but you can still probably interpret it as an umbrella statement). Arjuna introduces himself to Virata as ‘tritiya prakriti’ (third nature). The author gives the example of the block of gold. The gold that is mined out of a ground, is ‘prakriti’ (nature) and a necklace that might be made from this gold, no matter how beautiful, is a ‘vikriti’ (disfigurement) of the pure ‘Au’ material. So, by introducing one of the main heroes of the story, in this form, as a manifestation of prakriti, MB provides intrinsic assent to this entire concept. The name Vrihannala is formed from ‘vrihat’ (big/better) + ‘naraa’ (interesting introduction of the hypothetical 3rd gender, since nara is man and naari is woman).

However, the disdain for people not conforming to the cis-binary gender idea was apparent, and while Vyasa through his authorship provides some support, but then again, we see Draupadi address Vrihannala in anger as ‘kanyaanaam nartako yuva’ (a proper comparison would be the hindi derogatory ‘nachaniya’), and Krishna with the famous: ‘klaibyam ma sma gamah partha naitat tvayyupapadyate kshudram hridaya-daurbalyam tyaktvottishtha parantapa’.

Interestingly, Draupadi never keeps her hair open. She is seen excitedly tying up her hair in the most complex hairdo she knows to do in order to attract Sudeshna’s attention.

Also, before entering Matsya (Jaipur-Jodhpur-Alwar), Yudhishthira, sends Dhaumya, and under his care, all of their servants, cooks, secondary charioteers and other staff to Panchala, Drupada. Indrasena and other personal charioteers went with their chariots and other expensive stuff to Krishna’s house in Dwarka. Ironically, Yudhishthira is the one who trains the lots of them as to what lies they should tell whom.

In a weird show of laxity, Yudhishthira instructs Arjuna, not Bheema, to pick up Draupadi on his back, and give her a piggy-back till the city (like an elephant with a rider).

Apart from the usual story, some points I found interesting in this commentary were: one of the only physical (read: uncomfortable) description of Draupadi (except her skin colours, that’s everywhere) comes from Sudeshna (makes you think, not even the male villains are able to fully objectify this woman, such a personality she has!), Virata seems to have a weakness for young women and Sudeshna is worried about that, Sahadeva is afraid of the dark and needs Draupadi to hold his hand in dark places, people from day 1 suspect that there’s something going on between Draupadi and Bheema, and weirdest of all, Draupadi seems to think there’s something romantic going on between Arjuna and Uttaraa (with a mild, mild grain of truth).

At one point, Draupadi crosses a line with her insults from Yudhishthira, and gets mildly scolded by Bheema.

After Keechaka is killed, and Bheema saves Draupadi from Keechaka’s attendants, instead of thanking him, she makes a beeline for Arjuna’s dance-room, where she proceeds to passive-aggressively chew him out for ignoring her and being too close with Uttaraa. This results in this super dialogue from a nearabout teary-eyed Arjuna, “Do I still have to tell you? After all these years?”

Not sure about Krishna and Draupadi, but Arjuna sure calls Uttara his ‘sakhi’.

Before that war, Ashwathhama and Karna almost comes to blows when Karna insults Drona using almost the same language as Drupada so many years back.

Once the Pandavas reveal their identity, Virata gives them a separate building in Upaplavya- a satellite town.

When a sabha is called, Krishna after a short one-sided fight with Balarama, gives up the control of the congregation of old Drupada, who gives them a list of Kings to contact immediately, and offers to send his personal purohit (closer to prime minister than a religious entity) with an initial message to Hastinapura.

Interestingly Yudhishthira is closer to Shalya than Nakula-Sahadeva, who probably didn’t see much of him after their mother’s death.

Also, Krishna freaked Arjuna out in private (after choosing him to be his charioteer), by pretending to be extremely offended, “How dare you ask me to do this ‘menial’ task!”

For 200 pages we have Vidura neeti, and I am not going to bore you with it, but portions of it are interesting.

Krishna also freaks out Bheema, shortly before he goes to Hastinapura, by calling him a coward. Also, Bheema, to any unrelated observer, looks completely crazy, as he has developed some ticks (running around the room unprompted, growling and grinding his teeth, hitting things, uprooting trees etc.) as a result of not being allowed any outlet for his anger and regrets. When Krishna intentionally triggers him, for a few minutes it is Krishna standing in the middle of the room, and Bheema running back and forth around him, before (after a few minutes) standing extremely still and finishing the conversation (read: cuss each other out).

Also, Bheema is a ‘maakunda/toobaraka’ – a man who is physically incapable of growing facial hair. It is something the Kauravas incessantly tease him about (sometimes his own brothers too).

Also, apart from Balarama, Yudhishthira is the only person that Krishna will sit down and take a lecture from without any retorts.

Sahadeva makes an uncharacteristic declaration, that he is willing to fight the entire Kaurava army by himself, even if the rest of them agree to a peace proposal (the author terms him: baalaka-premika).

[jacobpking]

The woman of the hour! The Mahabharata's answer to Helen of Troy

[gitaiskcon]

Krishna Blows Conch Lord Kṛṣṇa blew His conchshell, called Pā�cajanya; Arjuna blew his, the Devadatta; and Bhīma, the voracious eater and performer of herculean tasks, blew his terrific conchshell, called Pauṇḍra. King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī, blew his conchshell, the Ananta-vijaya, and Nakula and Sahadeva blew the Sughoṣa and Maṇipuṣpaka. That great archer the King of Kāśī, the great fighter Śikhaṇḍī, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Virāṭa, the unconquerable Sātyaki, Drupada, the sons of Draupadī, and the others, O King, such as the mighty-armed son of Subhadrā, all blew their respective conchshells. The blowing of these different conchshells became uproarious. Vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, it shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭr #gita #bhagavadgita #gitaiskcon #krishna #devotion #bhakti #iskcon #vaishnav

[blackknight-100]

Hey! Hi! Hello! How are you doing? I just found your blog and I absolutely love it. Your laxman Kumar ficlet was so haunting, I just had to come back and read it. Would you mind writing an Abhimanyu lives au? It's alright If you don't want to or if you're busy or if you're not taking requests rn, but I'd love to see the way you imagine it. The post about feeling inadequate as a writer has resonated immensely with me and motivated me to start writing again, so thanks!!

Hey there!

Firstly, thank you for looking through my blog, and taking the time to leave a message. I am so glad you liked the fic and that you read it again!

Secondly, congratulations on finding the motivation to write again! You have no idea how happy I am that I could help even a little bit. And as a writer who (for some reason) can presently write nothing longer than one-shots, I hope you find the exact words you need, that you have no typos, and that all your ideas arrive whenever there is writing materials/devices nearby. I hope you will remain immune to writer's block, and write the story that satisfies you. Good luck!

Thirdly, for your story, I wasn't particularly certain whether you wanted a general tragedy or a comparatively happy ending, so i wrote two for you (even if the second became gratuitous K&D). The first one is in this post, and the second one here.

1. Drona watches the Kaurava army descend on Abhimanyu with a horrified misery he has not known since his fight with Drupada. The young warrior is every inch his father’s son, and every time Drona glances at him he sees Arjuna instead. Arjuna – as a young boy, chariotless and bowless, pressed from all sides by enemies thrice his age, bloody, broken but unbowed.

When Abhimanyu had charged into the chakravyuha, he had cut down soldiers so swiftly and so devastatingly that the spinning arms were all but destroyed. Now the same warrior lies on the ground, delirious and dying.

The feeling that stirs in his chest is not quite mercy, neither is it compassion, but a strange amalgam of pity and longing. He furtively looks around. Of all gathered, the kings of Gandhar and Anga are most likely to challenge him. The other Kauravas he can quell, and Ashwatthama and Kripa are his family. But the two kings are kneeling beside Duryodhana, who sits still and lifeless beside his fallen son. ‘Already a child has left us today,’ Drona thinks, although neither Lakshmana nor Abhimanyu are young enough to be a child, ‘and sundown is close. This valiant one must live another day.’

It is with this resolve he picks up Abhimanyu from the ground, and walks towards the Pandava camp. His feet grow lighter every step of the way.

2. The Pandava brothers fall at his feet when he brings to them their glorious child. Arjuna, having deposited his son in the makeshift ayuralay, tearfully clings to his hands.

“Do not leave, Aachaarya, I beg you. Duryodhana will not forgive you this,” he weeps. “I pray you, do not leave us alone.”

Arjuna is not wrong, but Drona will not leave Ashwatthama alone to shoulder his follies.

Krishna, standing alone in silent vigil at the tent flap, gives him a sorrowful look. “Why did you do that?” he asks.

“Should I not have brought back Abhimanyu?” Drona can hear the incredulity in his own voice.

Krishna shakes his head. “Arjuna will take no vow.”

“I’m sure he will vow whatever you want him to do,” Drona tells him. Arjuna and Krishna’s friendship is well known.

“You do not understand,” he says, cryptic as ever, before walking away.

Bewildered and a little frightened, Drona walks back to the Kaurava camp with leaden feet.

3. At the entrance, there is a motley group waiting for him. “Look who comes,” Shakuni sniffs.

Duryodhana, eyes red and leaning heavily on Dushshasana's shoulder, gives him a scowl so fearsome that he shudders. Karna rubs his back, murmurs something soothingly. The Crown Prince shakes his head. “Guards,” he calls, “arrest him. Take him to Hastinapur. Let His Majesty, my royal father, judge his treason.”

Ashwatthama sobs a little. “Duryodhana, please,” he says.

Duryodhana whirls around at him. “I could have him killed right now,” he says. “My son died today, and yet Abhimanyu still lives. This is all the mercy I can offer you, my friend.”

Ashwatthama bows his head. Drona sinks to his knees and weeps.

4. The fourteenth day dawns bright and clear, and Arjuna, angry with the assault on his son, prevails upon Krishna to charge into the Kaurava ranks.

The first person he meets is Vrishasena, chasing after his brother, and cuts him apart like a reed by the Yamuna – right in front of his father. Next he finds Karna, and the memory of Draupadi’s sorrow burns in his mind.

“To him Madhav, to him!” he insists, but Krishna has already turned the chariot away.

Karna taunts him as he chases them, but his charioteer is no match for Krishna, so in the end, he challenges him to a duel.

They fight long and hard, and nearly exhaust every weapon that laws of battle permit them to use. The other soldiers gather around to watch them fight. Finally, from the depths of his shattered chariot, Karna retrieves a long shaft with a glittering tip. Krishna immediately swings his vehicle away.

“What are you doing?” he asks Madhav, harsher than he had intended. Madhav doesn’t answer.

But he doesn’t need to. Karna has lifted the shaft to his bow. “Vajra of the Devaraj, smite the youngest of Pritha's sons,” he commands, “and do not let him rise again.”

The shaft catches him on his neck, for Krishna still hasn’t turned the chariot. Arjuna falls, and Madhav lets out a haunting wail he will remember for the rest of his life.

Through excruciating pain and mind-numbing panic, he hears Karna walk up and say, “Tell your aunt, Dwarkadheesh, he will live to see another day.”

(Nakula is expressionless when he speaks. “The wound will not heal, but he will live. Though I do not think, he will rise again.”

His brothers, wives, mother and friend all look relieved.

“Small mercies,” Madhav murmurs, but Arjuna thinks he would rather have death than be crippled evermore. )

5. “You did not kill Arjuna,” Duryodhana observes, even as they desperately try to kill Bheema's monstrous son. Karna shakes his head. “No, he acknowledges, “I didn’t.” “He killed Vrishasena.” “I know. I was right there.” Duryodhana bangs his mace on one of Ghatotkacha's fingers. The giant withdraws them with a roar. “So, why?” he demands. Karna's knuckles are white where he clutches his bow. “What greater shame than to have such talent and yet be crippled?” Duryodhana stops swinging and turns to him, unimpressed. “Do not lie to me Karna. Not you too.” “I’m not lying,” he insists, and turns to Ashwatthama. “Thama! What are you doing?” Ashwatthama is tying the soldier’s spears into one long shaft. “The ballista,” he tells them. “Get the bolt throwers.” In the end, it takes eighty three makeshift shafts, and twenty one bolts, but finally, Bheema's gargantuan son falls in a cloud of dust and smoke, and the Kaurava army cheers. Ashwatthama comes up to Duryodhana, kneels. “Please, Your Highness,” he mumbles, “my father…” Duryodhana lifts him up and hugs him close. “He will be alright, my friend.”

+1 Bheema screams well into the night, and it is music to Duryodhana’s ears. When morn comes, the grief-stricken father descends into the battlefield like Rudra reborn, and ravages more than a sixth of the Kauravas army. But rage is man’s one true enemy, and on the fifteenth day, Bheema falls to Duryodhana’s mace. His promises to his lady wife remain unfulfilled. The remaining Pandavas appeal for truce. Duryodhana offers them a palace deep in the forest – guarded by man and nature alike. Shalya whisks away Nakula and Sahadeva to Madra. Duryodhana lets them go. It is in his woodland prison that Yudhisthir settles with the women and children of his household and thus, the last of Pandu's line lies buried under broken oaths and promises.

[thevachak]

Friendship never remains in the world in anyone’s heart without being worn out, Time wears it out, anger destroys it. The poor cannot be the friend of the rich, the unlearned cannot be the friend of the learned, the coward cannot be the friend of the brave.

-Drupada to Drona, The Mahābhārata

[oekakidogarchive]

Character up for grabs by Drupada