Dvapara Yug: A love story that never blossomed

This story is a tale that entwines a love that was never spoken about. Draupadi and Karna’s love story hasn’t been mentioned in the epic Mahabharata but has been in a few folklores and folk tales. These are a few instances that I have tried to mix with fiction to give you an insight of their love. Although they are said to have loved each other, not in any tale it is mentioned that they had come face to face to confess their love. 

“Arjun wins the heart of Draupadi!!” The host yells as Arjun had fulfilled the rules of Swayamvaar. The bow still in his hand, Draupadi gets off from the chamber and rushes to Arjun, hugging his left arm.

“If there’s anyone I want to love it’s you Arjun..” she mutters close to his ear as he smiles at her lovingly.

Suddenly a robust well-built man appears before them.

“You humiliated Swayamvaar by giving him the chance!” He yells.

The crowd gasps.

“Watch your words, dear guest. Please let us know what went wrong?” King Drupada orders.

“You should have given a chance to me,” The man requested.

“Why didn’t you come then?” King Drupada asks him.

“The guards wouldn’t let me in because I’m the son of a charioteer, not some warrior,” The man replied.

“You are a Sutaputra?” The King gasps lightly “Thry did the right thing. Lower caste people are not allowed to participate son. What’s your name?”

“Karna” 

“Karna! My lord don’t waste your time on such cheap stakes. Please let your guards take him away,” Arjun informs the King.

Just then Duryodhan gets down to the grounds from his chamber. He hugs Karna and announces.

“He’s now my friend and the King of Anga.” 

The entire audience stare in shock. Karma himself stared in disbelief.

“None of you would accept him, then I shall!” Duryodhan storms away, letting a confused Karna follow him.

Draupadi witnessed the entire scene. She assured herself that she was so dang lucky she didn’t marry a man of such a low caste as him. She smiled at her Arjun, and the celebrations resumed.

… 

DURING THE BIG GAMBLE 

“You are betting on your wife? Oh how much more lower you could go?” Shakuni and Duryodhan laugh. The Pandavas just bend their heads down.

Dushassan could be seen dragging Draupadi by the hair to the court.

“*A whore wedded to 5 husbands, how characterless! Such women don’t deserve respect clothed or naked*. Dushassan, robe her off her clothes!” Karna instructs on Duryodhan’s command. He knew that a women’s dignity mattered much more than any valuable metal, but his loyalty chained him and blinded his eyes from fairness and justice.

(*The dialogue marked in the asterisks is just h Karna had stated in the Mahabharata according to a few sources* ) 

As Draupadi was to get undressed before the court, she begged to her only protector Shri Krishna.

… 

That night Karna is seen staring at the full moon from his window. He drank his glass of water before he ascended his bed.

“Karna…why did you do that,” he heard a voice whisper.

“Who’s there?” Karna turns his head around.

“Why did you create such a scene today at the court?” The voice asks again.

“Because I had to. Don’t you remember the Swayamvaar? How they had insulted me!” Karna rages.

“Insulting a man by words leaves a wound. Insulting a woman’s dignity leaves a scar. Wounds can heal in quite some time. Scars heal too, but they leave a mark wherever they go,” the voice advices. 

Karna is starting to realise his mistake. He should have intervened to save Draupadi’s honour, he thought.

“Go, apologise to Draupadi. She’s right outside the palace.”

“Why me?” Karna asks bowing his head down.

“You are the only one with a heart, Karna. Even if I tried with Duryodhan, this would have certainly failed.” 

Karna rushes outside his room. Everyone is put to a spell that cause them go into a deep sleep.

Karna made his presence at the Kingdom’s entrance. There, he spotted the angelic silhouette he could easily recognise. Draupadi was staring at the still water of the fountain, reminiscing the court incident made her realise her unjustified love for her husbands, specifically Arjun. Did they really deserve her love?

“Draupadi?” Karna breaks the eerie silence.

“Have you come to humiliate me again because I’m still in the palace grounds and not yet in the forest? Don’t worry we would be out of your tail tomorrow,” Draupadi prepares to leave as she feels Karna’s grip round her wrist.

“Draupadi, I’m sorry. Forgive me. I had to do it for my loyalty to Duryodhan.” Karna asks.

“How strange. A Kaurava is asking for forgiveness.” Draupadi rolls her eyes.

“My pleading request is true to you and you alone. Why don’t you accept my apology?” Karna asks her in the deepest sincerity.

“And so you state your loyalty to your friend, I to my husbands, for I am such a whore,” Draupadi declares walking away.

“She has forgiven you,” the voice whispered again.

“Have you turned deaf?” Karna rolled his eyes.

“I know her heart inside and out. She’s my loyal devotee after all.” The voice fades away.

Karna smiles at the fading graceful silhouette of Draupadi.

… 

THE SECRET CONFESSION 

Draupadi is spending her exile in the forest. One day while her husbands were away hunting, she took a small stroll outside.

Walking past many bushes, one of them caught her eye: a sparkling tree with golden mangoes.

Dragged with the inquisitivity, she was urged to grab a mango for herself. But oh had she realised the tree was for a revered sage, she should have let the tree alone.

Draupadi was about to eat the fruit until she was stopped by the birds who kicked her hand with their feet, advising her to let the fruit go. The fruit was for the sage only and had to be put back in its place. For that Draupadi had to be free of her secrets, or the mango could never be placed back.

“I don’t have any secrets,” Draupadi thought. The rustling leaves kept reminding her of her hidden truth. She finally gave up and confessed “I love Karna.”

The fruit rose to its branches. Draupadi smiled to herself: she had loved Karna the moment she first saw him, but had to restrict herself because of his caste, and had convinced herself the same.

The wind stole the words Draupadi had spoken to reach the ears of Karna, but it had faded as fast as it had arrived and flowed with the rhythm of the clouds.

Draupadi reminisced the night when Karna had grasped her hand firmly. The clasp made her heart jump. With fright or love was she confused. His enchanted armoured body bedazzled her eyes the same way she fell in love with Arjun.

“Not for the body but for the peace of mind 

I shall wait for your clasp again 

Thy hidden love remains submerged 

And swayed by the loyalty to thy friend 

Thy sweet eyes shall grace my body 

In a house above in the heavens 

As we lie on the bed without a care with our love 

The sky be our roof and the space be our walls 

The Earth our ground to roam about 

In the heavens only I shall embrace you 

If none were there to obstruct our love 

But destiny has it that we shall never meet 

But I shall wait to touch your divine feet…” 

(Poem edited by my version mixed with the words spoken by Draupadi in Mahabharata folktales) 

Truly, a love story that never blossomed.