Pandavapriya Draupadi

Shishupal Vadh.

All Pandavas and their dear wife Draupadi were ready for Rajasuya. That special day finally arrived for which all gods were waiting to witness and give their blessings to Pandavas. Yudhisthir had invited brahmanas, wise scholars, kings and Yakshas and Gandharvas including gods and maharishis and their relatives. Dhritarashtra, Bhishma and Mahamantri Vidur along with Guru Dronacharya, Duryodhan and all his brothers were invited to that sacrifice. Karna and Shishupal, with Bhishmaka, Rukmi and King Bhagadatta along with many Kshatriya kings were present for that transcendental sacrifice. Sage Narad was present with many gods like Dharma, Vayu, Indra and Ashwins along with Agni. All those who were invited had brought gifts for Pandavas and for Draupadi. All kings had taken their respective places.

Priests first told Yudhisthir to worship any supreme man in that assembly. Yudhisthir said "I wish to worship Lord Krishna" thus angering Shishupal. He came forward and shouted "Are you mad Oh Yudhisthir! How can you worship that cowherd Krishna who is not fit to be in this assembly? He does not deserve respect from any one as he ran away from war and created Dwarka. Atleast you could have given this respect to Bhishma! Why did you give respect of first worship to that Krishna who acts like he is supreme? Why do you act like you are that ignorant?" Yudhisthir was angry after listening to these words from Shishupal. "You must not do disrespect of our Vasudeva. He in supreme and knowledgeable." Sage Narad said "Do not show your stupidity Oh Shishupal. You are insulting him who is Lord of this whole universe. Krishna is not only one cowherd as he knows Vedas and all scriptural knowledge. He only is fit to be man of first worship in this sacrifice."

"Why are you insulting Shyamsundara, who is none other than Lord Narayana's manifestation and loved one of all maharishis and gods", Bhishma said to Shishupal who was ruining himself due to his own ignorance. Krishna was quiet and did not say any thing against Shishupal. Shishupal further uttered all wrong against Krishna and displeased all gods. Yudhisthir was commanding him to stop and not say nonsense, but who could prevent him from ruining himself? Duryodhan was feeling pleased to see him insulting Krishna infront of gods and kings from various kingdoms who were shocked to see this.

Finally Shishupal said "Oh Krishna! You are that thief who had taken away Rukmini who was about to be my wife. How dare you take her away from me? And that Rukmini in her ignorance wrote her love message to you, Oh Krishna! How dare she humiliate me".......And his head flew and fell upon the marbled floor of assembly. Everybody saw what had happened in that assembly, Krishna had sent his Sudarshan chakr and slashed off head of Shishupal, who was insulting his Queen Vaidarbhi. Krishna said "I was tolerating him because of one promise I had made to his mother, my aunt, that I will forgive hundred mistakes of his life. He had done more than hundred mistakes, therefore I had to slay him. Let there be no one to challenge Yudhisthir and his close relatives now, let this sacrifice be conducted peacefully." Everybody was frightened to say any word against Krishna as they had seen him slay Shishupal. Those kings who had taken side of Shishupal, ran away from Indraprastha. Duryodhan was angry but he was quiet because of Dwarikadhish.

Finally Yudhisthir made Krishna sit upon one seat made of gold, respectfully started washing his feet and after that, started seeking his blessings. Krishna blessed him. Now priests started to chant mantras and Yudhisthir finally completed all rituals which were to be done for this sacrifice. This yagna was completed and Yudhisthir was now Samraat of Aryavarta with Draupadi as his beloved Samraagyi. "Let there be celebrations in our kingdom Indraprastha", Arjun proclaimed and gave one brotherly hug to Yudhisthir congratulating him for this victory after which Vrikodara congratulated him and then the sons of Madri maharani. Yudhisthir first touched feet of his loved mother, Kunti who blessed her son. He gave clothes and cows to Brahmanas and then ordered for distribution of clothes and gold coins among his citizens. He gave gifts to all kings who had come to witness that sacrifice. Thus, all of them happily went to their respective kingdoms and to their dwellings.

Draupadi and Krishna's maharanis had adorned themselves very well. Arjun could not take his eyes off Draupadi. She was clad in pink robes, flowers decorated her dark-blue tresses and necklaces of diamond and gold adorned her neck. "You are as beautiful as one Goddess", Arjun gave one compliment to Draupadi, which made her shy. Yudhisthir along with his brothers and his loved wife Draupadi, had to bath in Ganga river after this sacrifice. Thus, with Krishna and his maharanis along with Yudhisthir and Draupadi with her other husbands, went in the direction of Ganga river where they had to take bath together. They had fun in the Ganga waters and Indraprastha's citizens were busy in their celebrations. Their clothes were now completely wet and semi-transparent. Rukmini and her co-wife Satyabhama playfully splashed water upon Krishna and he replicated their love and splashed water upon those two. Draupadi was bathing with her husbands who were splashing water upon each other and upon her. Arjun held Draupadi close to him and sprinkled water upon her hair while Yudhisthir and Nakul were splashing water upon her neck and her back which was wet with that water which they had splashed. She was also splashing water upon her husbands. Draupadi's pink clothes were wet due to water and were now seeming to be semi-transparent. There was no other lady in whole Aryavarta as beautiful as her and Krishna's maharanis. Finally after their bath they went to their respective mansions. Draupadi and those women from Dwarka, put new clothes and then started serving tasty meals to their husbands, who delightfully ate that delicious meal after their bath and putting new clothes. Thus, their day came to end and next day, most of the Yadu kings who were with Krishna went back to Dwarka. Krishna decided to stay for some days in Indraprastha because of Yudhisthir's request to him. His wives were pleased because they would be staying with Draupadi.