Intro
Svayamvara Parva he story of Draupadi’s marriage to the Pandavas.
https://crackpot.substack.com/t/svayamvara
As It Rhymes
1.
Vaishampayana said,
The kings did the math and calculated they took the wrong path.
O' King! No one in this world withstands the rajas' wrath.
2.
Passing us by. Walking on us like grass.
Giving Draupadi to an anonymous brahman groom with sass.
3.
Drupada meant to protect and hide her from us like a fruit bearing tree from insects.
Let us destroy him for his vile unrestrained insult.
4.
The king is an old man who disrespects.
Let's kill this evil king.
Let's serve this dolt his doom.
5.
After entertaining and serving quality foods.
Panchala pulls the wool over us like fools.
6.
Many in this regal assembly have divine fame to their name.
But to Drupada none here are worthy game.
7.
This Brahman has no claim to be a bridegroom.
By Shruti law Svayamvara is for Kshatriya class.
8.
No this transgression will not stand!
The girl has 3 hours to choose another hand.
Or we throw the girl on the fire to cleanse this sin then return to our land.
9.
By rashness or greed, the brahman is protected.
Let the archer brahman's insult be called misdirected.
10.
All life and kingly wealth are established in Brahman.
All royal lines lead from the brahman.
11.
To Protect, respect and correct Adharma.
God's law must be protected in future Svayamvaras from any unqualified entrant.
12.
The tiger kings minds shut like a deadbolt gate.
They rushed Drupada with murderous hate.
13.
Seeing them wielding bows and arrows Drupada felt fear foremost.
Drupada ran amidst the brahman mass like a hunted deer disappears into a dense forest.
14.
Just then the sons of Pandu Bhima and Arjuna sped forward to defend.
In the face of the kings charge the two bowmen would not relent.
15.
Thereupon the chiefs of the world arose with lethal intent.
The Kuru Princes Bhima and Arjuna stood in the path of the kings' wrath.
16.
Then Bhima rent a tree asunder like a bolt from the God of thunder.
He stripped the tree of its twigs and leaves to fashion a cruel mace with a root spike.
17.
Like a Dandi Bhima held that terrible tree staff poised to strike.
Like Yama Bhima stood with Partha to protect his back.
18.
Seeing Bhima rip that tree out of the ground like a maddened elephant struck Partha with gales of wonder.
Seeing that Arjuna lost his fear and took the point of attack.
19.
Seeing Jishnu and Bhimasena club and bow stack.
Damodara spoke to Halayudha. 20.
'Sure as I am the son of Vasudeva.
That lion there who strung that stiff bow is Arjuna.
21.
That one wielding the stump is Vrikodara the mighty.
There is no one else on earth with the strength to uproot that tree.
22.
The lotus eyed one who moves like a lion,
The light-skinned one who left - that was Dharma's scion.
23.
I discerned that the two Kartik youths are Madri's twin Ashvin sons.
Pandu's and Pritha's kids escaped arson.'
24.
Halayudha's complexion changed from one like clouds filled with rain to mirth.
Balarama said, 'I am pleased to see our father's sisters' Kuru Princes roam this earth.'
NOTES
[1] Rajas are kings.
[2] Brahman are priests or holy men. Vaishya's are merchants. Shudra are labor. Along with Kshatriyas (warriors) those are the four professions in any society.
[5] The king of Panchala is Drupada.
[7] kshatriya means warrior.
[12] Sharduli - mythical tiger. Interesting modifier for king in this case.
[16] Indra is the God of thunder. Indra's weapon is the vajra, or thunderbolt.
[17] Dandi is one who holds a staff. Yama is the God of death. He wields a noose and a staff.
[18] Partha is Arjuna
[19] Jishnu is Arjuna. Damodara is Krishna Vasudeva. Halayudha is Krishna's brother, Balarama. Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu. Balarama is also a God. Balarama wields a plow in battle.
[21] Vrikodara is Bhima. Vrikodara means wolf's belly, given to Bhima because of his voracious appetite.
[22] Yudhishthira is Dharma's son.
[23] Kartik is the God of beauty and war. Madri's twins are Nakula and Sahadeva, who were fathered by the Ashvins. Pritha is another name for Kunti. The arson refers to a plot by Duryodhana to kill the Pandavas by building a flammable house for them to live in and burning them alive in their sleep. [24] Halayudha is Balarama. Balarama and Krishna's father's sister is Kunti. Kunti is the mother of Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishthira and Karna.