Long long ago in the land of Panchala lived a young price named Drupada who went to the warrior training school of sage Agnibaishya. At the school he became a close friend of Drona, a student from the priest class. The friends parted when they passed out of the school, and went their separate ways. Durpada went on to become the king of Panchala, while Drona went on to embrace an ascetic life. Both got married, and Drona's wife gave birth to their son Ashwatthama. But, Drupada and his wife could not bear a child, and suffered long. Then they decided to ask blessings of Lord Shiva the destroyer.
Sons and daughters
Within a very short time warrior sage Parashurama, who was reputed as disciple of Shiva the destroyer, appeared at the court of Panchala. He introduced Amba, the cast out daughter of the King of Kashi, as the son Shiva has sent to him. Though a little apprehensive, Drupada accepted Parashurama's words and started bringing Amba up as the crown prince, providing her with all the trainings a crown prince should have. At the royal house of Panchala she took the name Shikhandi and became a ferocious warrior. In due time she was sent off to learn the highest of a warriors art at the ashram of Parashurama.
It was fine till a group of rich kids started making jokes at the poverty of Ashwatthama. Drona went to his friend the king and asked for some riches to raise his son properly. The king laughed and refused recognize their friendship. Drona went out with revenge in mind, a revenge sworn also by Ashwatthama, and went to teach the princes of Kaurava clan the secrets of a warriors art. When his lessons were over Drona asked the princes to humiliate Drupada on his behalf on the battlefield. While Amba was away to her guru's ashram, the princess defeated Drupada to pay their own guru.
Utterly shaken, Drupada decided to ask Lord Shiva for more children, so that his kingdom can always remain safe. This time the queen gave birth to the twins - Draupadi and Dhrishtadumnya. Amba returned to her new home shortly, and the king started to arrange for her marriage. But, since she was raised as a prince, she was married off to woman - the daughter of Hiranyabarman, the king of Dasharna. The newly wed wife of Amba quickly found out the truth about her husband and left for her father in tears.
Saved again
Hearing the story of his daughter an enraged Hiranyabarman sent messengers to Drupada asking for an explanation. Amba's heart sank. After coming so near to her dream of revenge, everything was about to get ruined. She went again to the forests to cry her heart out. This time she was heard by Sthunakarna, a follower of Kuber, the king of Gandharvas, a race of rich nomads famous for their sexual antiques. Sthunakarna asked Amba why she was crying, and upon hearing her story showed her how he l
Amba returned to Panchala and challenged Hiranyabarman to prove that she was a man. A dozen of select whores were sent to the court of Panchala, and Sthunakarna left all of them panting for more. Hiranyabarman sent her daughter back and the secret pact between Sthunakarna and Amba started working fine. When Kuber found out about this outrage he forbade Sthunakarna to return as his entourage until Amba died.
Tangled conspiracies
Draupadi grew up, and befriended Krishna, a prince of the Yadava clan. Drupada arranged for her sayabmbara. Arjuna, a prince of the smaller house of Kaurava royalty and a close friend of Krishna, won the saymbara contest. But, invoking an ancient law Arjuna's mother Kunti, got her married to all five of her sons. Arjuna and his brothers turned into enimies of their kins, the larger house of Kaurava royalty, and started calling their fraternity the Pandavas, after the name of their father Pandu, the younger son of Bichitrabirya. They also started referring to the other royal house of Kauravas as Dhartarashtras, after the name of Dhritarashtra, the elder son of Bichitrabirya.
Bitterness between the Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras grew to a point where they declared war against each other for the crown of Hastinapur. Messengers were sent to all royal houses and clans and tribes asking them to join either camp. When the messengers came to the court of Panchala, the decision was quickly made. Since Bhishma and Drona was leading the Dhartarashtra army, and since Amba and Dhrishtadyumna respectively was sworn to kill them, it was not a difficult decision to make. The consideration that Draupadi, their sister, was the wife of all the five Pandava princess was not even needed.
Drupada, Amba and Drishtadyumna led the Panchala army into the War of Kurukshtra to fight against the mighty Dhartarashtra army, which was known to most people as the authentic Kaurava army. The prospects for the smaller Pandava army looked small indeed.
