Prince Duryodhana plans to kill the Pandavas but Prince Vidura warns them. The Pandavas and Queen Kunti are able to escape before their house is set ablaze. However, a woman and her sons that had come to the house to beg and sleep were taken by the fire. The royal family escaped into the forest and laid to rest under the watchful eye of Bhima. As night came, a beautiful woman came to warn that her brother was coming to devour them. However, Bhima was fearless and stood his ground. Bhima was able to defeat the rakshasa.
Kunti convinced Bhima to take the woman as his bride. They were married and went to live in a sacred land. The woman was beautiful and brought Bhima great joy. They bore a son named Ghatotkacha. Ghatotkacha promised to come to the Pandavas’ aid whenever they needed it.
Later, they part ways and the Pandavas and Kunti go to a small town dressed as beggars. When there, she calls her son, Bhima to rid the town of a demon. Bhima was able to kill Baka and save the town.
They found out that Drupada had had two children, a boy and a girl, born from sacrificial rite. The daughter, Draupadi, was destined to be a Pandava queen. Draupadi’s beauty was known everywhere and the Pandava men wanted to win her as their bride. It is decided that in order to win the beauty, the suitor must hit a mark with a bow and arrow. Arjuna was able to accomplish this and win his bride. However, in the end, all the brothers had won the bride and she married all five of the Pandava princes.
The brothers were blessed with power and they built a city. The fame of Rajah Yudhishthira was known far and wide. There was peace and justice throughout the kingdom and all knew of it. However, Arjuna was exiled due to him interrupting Draupadi's time with Yudhishthira. In the forest, he meets Ulupi. She fell in love with him and gave him the power to be invisible in water. They had a son named Iravat.
One day as he was walking by the river, he came across an alligator. He grabbed the animal and flung it to dry ground. Here, the animal changed shape into a water nymph. Arjuna was able to drag the nymph’s sisters out as well, lifting their horrible curse that kept them in the animal state.
Arjuna continued on and married a woman named Chitra. They had a son but the son had to remain in that kingdom to rule it. He left that kingdom and found himself at Krishna’s kingdom. Here, he married Subhadra, Krishna’s sister. With her, he returned home, and Kunti loved both of her daughters dearly.
Krishna and Arjuna became friends and they were able to defeat Indra. This restored Agni and became more bright and vigorous. For all their help, the Pandavas were promised great lands. This news came to Duryodhana and he was stricken with jealousy. He invited the brothers to a gambling match. During the game, Yudhishthira lost money and his dear wife, Draupadi.
Duhshuasana tried to strip the woman but Krishna simply multiplied her clothing. Bhima vowed to strike the evil down. Draupadi vowed to cover her face with her hair till Bhima had completed his vow.
Bibliography: Public Domain Edition: Mahabharata
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