Draupadi is won

When Arjuna captured Drupada for Drona , Drona extracted half the kingdom from Drupada. But Drupada did not stay in his southern half of the kingdom. He had lost all his joy in life. He wanted revenge.

So, Drupada prayed to Siva for a son to defeat Drona. Siva granted him a daughter and a son during a ghee sacrifice. The son, he named Dhrishtadyumna and the daughter, he named Draupadi.

The daughter, Draupadi, had a dark body with long dark hair. Her eyes were black and she was beautiful and affectionate. Drupada took his two children to his capital, Kampilya. There, Drupada held a swayamvara for his daughter.

Vyasa, when he visited the Pandavas in their disguise in the village of Ekachakra , told them to go and win Draupadi. Thus, the Pandavas left Ekachakra, and still in the disguise of Brahmanas , joined a crowd of Brahmanas going to Kampilya to feast and watch Draupadi's swayamvara.

Kampilya was full of hustle and bustle, for word of Draupadi's beauty had spread far and wide. Many kings had come to Kampilya to try their hand and many had brought huge entourages.

Drupada had experienced Arjuna's valor and skill in battle and he determined that he wanted Arjuna on his side. And Arjuna, had of course promised Drona that if the two of them met in battle, Arjuna would fight to win . Thus, Drupada wanted to make sure that his daughter married Arjuna. He did not believe that the Pandavas were dead - it may have just been the desire of a embittered man, but he did not wish to believe that they were dead.

Thus, he placed a very stiff bow, one he was confident that only Arjuna would be able to string, in the arena. He then said that Draupadi would marry only a man who could string that bow and hit the target - she marry such a man, if she wished to marry him.

King by king came and could not even begin to string the bow. Many even declined to try. Some muttered that Drupada was insulting them, that no mortal could string that bow. Duryodhana had come to the contest, but he could not string the bow even though he strained to the maximum.

Karna, the greatest warrior of them all , did not come to the contest. He knew that even if he strung the bow, Draupadi would not wish to marry a charioteer's son.

With the roster of kings exhausted, Drupada opened the competition to every man present. That was when Arjuna, dressed in the simple garb of a brahmana, walked in to the arena.

Some Brahmanas shook their heads in disbelief, while others believed that a learned man could accomplish anything. Some of the kings angrily unsheathed their swords, but Draupadi's brother Dhrishtadyumna made them all sit down. Drupada had ensured that there were friendly kings and his own men sitting among the kings. There would be no trouble from that quarter.

Arjuna effortlessly pulled the bow, placed the arrow on the string and in quick succession hit the target. The brahmanas leapt up in admiration and joy. Draupadi garlanded him, signifying her approval. Arjuna and Draupadi escaped the melee that erupted and made their way to the house in Kampilya where the Pandavas were staying.

It was on the same day that Arjuna found himself a beautiful wife that he also rekindled a long-time friendship .