Drupad

  • Drupad was the king of Panchal, son of Prishat, and father of Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna and Draupadi.
  • Drupad and Dron, as children, were pupils of the Rishi Agnivesh, and became good friends. Drupad then became king, after the death of his father. Being childless, Drupad prayed to Shiv for an issue.
  • Shiva blessed him with a daughter, but said that she would be transformed into a man. The daughter was named Shikhandi. While Drupad had become king, Dron was still a poor Brahman. In order to obtain some wealth, Dron went to his childhood friend, but Drupad now refused to recognize the poor Brahman as a friend, saying that only a king could be the friend of a king. The furious Dron deciding to teach Drupad a lesson, left for Hastinapur. As fee for his instruction, Dron asked the Kauravs and Pandavs to capture Drupad.
  • Arjun returned with Drupad as captive. Dron then returned to Drupad half of his kingdom, and retained the other half for himself and then made friends with Drupad as they were now equals.
  • Drupad accepted the friendship, but was burning for revenge. Drupad, then met the Rishis Yaj and Upyaj, and requested them to perform a sacrifice for him, in order to beget a son who might slay Dron. From the fires of the sacrifice arose a boy dressed in excellent armour and carrying a sword and bow.
  • At that moment a voice from heaven called out that he would be the destroyer of Dron. After this, a beautiful dark-complexioned girl arose from the fire. She was called Draupadi.
  • In the Mahabharat war, Drupad was one of the commanders of the Pandav army and he was killed by Dron. Dhrishtdyumna, his son, avenged his death.

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