Drupada, after being defeated by Drona performed a yajna (sacrifice) to get a powerful son to avenge his humiliation. From the fire emerged a son and a daughter. The son is named Dhrishtadyumna who is destined to kill Drona. The daughter is known as Krishnaa because she is dark skinned. She is destined to cause destruction of the Kurus.
Draupadi’s swayamwara is organized and many great kings participate. They are supposed to string a mighty bow and shoot down a rotating fish, seeing its reflection in water. None of the kings can do it. Then Arjuna steps forward. Seated in the hall are his cousin Vaasudeva Krishna and Krishna’s brother Balarama of Dwaraka.
Krishna recognizes Arjuna and watches the events unfold. Arjuna with the permission of Dhrishtadyumna effortlessly string the bow and shoots down the fish. Draupadi then garlands him. Angry that a Brahmana won, the kings attack Arjuna. With the help of Bheema, he defeats all the kings, including Karna.
He then takes Draupadi to his home at Ekachakra. He tells his mother to see what they got as alms. She asks them to share it equally but is shocked when she comes out and sees Draupadi. Vyasa had told that Draupadi in her past life was destined to have five husbands but with the permission of Shiva, she had postponed it to the next life.
All the five Pandavas are then married to Draupadi. Once the news that the Pandavas were alive reaches Hastinapura, their uncle Dhritarashtra calls them back. He hands over the land of Indraprastha to Yudhishtira to rule. The Pandavas moves there are rule wisely.
They have an unwritten rule among themselves that whoever is with Draupadi will get privacy and should not be disturbed. They do this after the sage Narada comes before them and tells them the story of the two demons Sunda and Upasunda and how they killed each other over a woman. They decide that whoever violates the rule should go for an exile for twelve years.
One day Arjuna has to help a farmer and is forced to enter Draupadi’s chamber since he has left his weapons there. Yudhishtira is there with Draupadi. Since he has violated the agreement, Arjuna decides to go on exile even though Yudhishtira dissuades him.
He travels to various religious places. Seeing him, the princess of the Nagas Uloopi falls in love with him and abducts him. She takes him to the Naga kingdom and asks him to marry her. When he refuses, she threatens to kill herself. Arjuna then spends a night with her before leaving.
He then goes to the kingdom of Manipura where he sees the princess Chitrangada. He falls in love with her. Her father says that as per the custom, the son of Chitrangada would be the next king of Manipura. He lays down the condition that Arjuna should leave his wife and son in Manipura. Arjuna agrees, marries Chitrangada, and has a son named Babruvahana.
After spending a few years, he continues his travels in exile and reaches Prabhasa where he meets Krishna. He accepts Krishna’s hospitality and accompanies him to the festival at the Raivata mountains. There he sees Krishna’s sister Subhadra and falls in love with her.
Krishna tells Arjuna that a Kshatriya can abduct a woman to marry her. He does this so Subhadra does not have to marry Duryodhana (whom Balarama prefers). After taking Yudhishtira’s permission, Arjuna takes away Subhadra from Dwaraka. Krishna calms down his angry brother and they call back Arjuna and Subhadra and get them married. They then return to Indraprastha.
Subhadra has a son named Abhimanyu. Draupadi has sons with all the five Pandavas. Prativindhya from Yudhishtira, Shatanika from Nakula, Sutasoma from Bheema, Shrutasena from Sahadeva, and Shrutakarma from Arjuna.
One day, a Brahmana comes before Arjuna and Krishna when they are in Indraprastha. The brahmana asks for food. He reveals that he is the fire god Agni. He tells them that due to a curse from the sage Bhrigu, he has to consume the forest of Khandava along with its inhabitants. But Indra is protecting the forest, since Indra’s friend the Naga king Takshaka stays in the forest.
Arjuna and Krishna agree to help Agni. He then summons Varuna, the God of water. Varuna gives Arjuna the mighty bow Gandiva with two inexhaustible quivers of arrows. He also gives Krishna a discus and a mace named Kaumodika.
Agni then burns down the forest. When Indra comes to stop Agni, Arjuna fights him. Krishna fights with the other celestials and defeats them. Indra is amazed at Arjuna’s strength and once he realizes that Takshaka is not in the forest leaves from there.
The son of Takshaka named Ashwasena escapes from the burning forest. An asura named Maya asks for Arjuna’s protection and is also saved. Agni consumes the Khandava forest and returns with the ill-effects of his curse redeemed.
End of Adi Parva
…. Sabha Parva