Did you know the Sahadeva, the youngest prince of the Pandavas and the wisest in the epic Mahabharata, who personified Nyaya, and for his immense knowledge as a sooth-sayer was consulted by his adversary, Duryodhana to fix the right time to perform Kalabali Yagna to start the Kurukshetra war to become victorious?
Sahadeva, the youngest prince among the Pandavas and the wisest, in epic Mahabharata, who personified Nyaya, and who had intense knowledge of Astrology, created his own sphere of influence with this knowledge, and in later stages with his skill of warfare in sword fighting and use of axe (Parashu) conquered South India.
Sahadeva and his brothers during their stay in Hastinapura underwent intense education, courtesy Bhishma Pitamaha, in aspects of religous scriptures, astronomy, and astra shastra (warfare), particuarly sword fight, under the able tutorship of Dronachrya and Kripacharya. They also had a traumatic period of stay, as the youngest of Pandava brothers in Hastinapur, when the Kaurava cousin brothers headed by Duryodhana constantly harassed all the Pandavas and even tried to kill the five brothers by hook or crook. One such episodic event, a turning point in the story of Mahabharata, was the Lakshagriha, the lacquer house, created in Varnavrta forest on the bank of Ganga river by Duryodhna's cronies to house the Pandavas; Duryodhana had offered this palatial house to the Pandvas as gesture of goodwill. But with secret information provided by their uncle Vidura, the Pandavas escaped through a tunnel from the burning house of Lakshagriha, and lived in the forests disguised as Brahmins. During this period another dramatic event occured when in a swayamvara arranged by King Drupada of Panchala for his daughter Draupadi, Arjuna the thrid Pandava wins Draupadi as his bride. While reporting this event to his mother Kunti who was lving in their village hut, Arjuna is informed by Kunti by mistake of not knowing what exactly Arjuna had acquired, asked him to share his booty Draupadi, as was their usual practice every day to share the food . Perplex by theri mother's words, all the five brothers sat around Draupadi and Kunti, and each one of them wanted to marry Draupadi. . Kunti had then asked Sahadeva's opinion, who had said that not only he but Nakula also wanted to marry Draupadi . Draupadi was shocked at this unexpected situation. Advised and persuaded by Kunti, Draupadi then became the common wife of all the five brothers including Sahadeva, the youngest. Thus, began the unique journey of Draupadi with five husbands and she played a definitive role in the events which led to the Mahabhara war and eventual elimination of all the Kauravas.
With the Pandavas' survival revealed, King Dhritrashtra invited the Pandavas to Hastinapur and proposed that the kingdom be divided. The Pandavas were assigned the wasteland Khandavprastha, referred to as unreclaimed forest. With the help of Krishna, Pandavas rebuilt Khandavprastha with help of Agni disguised as a Brahmana,, and asked for their help, into the glorious Indraprastha (believed to be present day Delhi) as their capital, and into one of the most prosperous kingdoms; as Indra was the protecting deity (deva) of Khandava forest, the capital city built by Pandvas was was known as Indraprastha. To expand his kingdom King Yudhisthira wished to conduct the Rajasuya Yagna to establish his lordship and his suzenity over many regions of the country. He had sent his brothers to not only gain more land but also seek allegiance of the allied kingdoms. Sahadeva was chosen to go South of the Vindhya mountains to subjugate kingdoms. He was specifically chosen for the southern invasion because of his expertise with the sword, and because Bhishma opined that Southerners are skilled with sword-fighting in general. Sahadeva conquered more than 20 kingdoms and towns which also included Lanka then ruled by the descendents of Vibhishana (Ravana's brother), Surasenas, Pandyan Dynasty, monkey kingdom of Kishkinda, etc., and also the City of Mahishmati (conjectured to be Mysore). Sahadeva is said to have carried his Manipushpaka , the conch-shell, meaning “Jewel bracelet" during his southern invasions. A verse in the scriptures also mention that Sahadeva before his invasion south of Indraprastha, had forced tribute from Antioch, Rome and the City of the Greeks. His twin brother Nakula is said to have conquered the Huns along with Chinese to give trubte at the Rajasuya Yagna.
Note: To be continued in the next episode titled: "Sahadeva, Part 3, epsisodic events of dice game and Draupadi's humilation"
Narasipur Char
