In the mean time the Pandavas got the news of the swayamvara of Draupadi, the princess of Panchala. They were also toldby a brahmin rhat Draupadi and her brother Drishtadyumna were not born of a mother, but both came out of the fire ofa yajna performed by the king of Panchala.
One day Kunti devi said to Dharmmaraja " My dear son, we have been living here in this brahmin's house happily for along time. It is not advisable to live here any longer. Let us go to Panchala."
Dharmaraja and his brothers agreed with their mother and made preparations for the journey. As they were getting ready.Sage Vyasa made his appearance there. The Pandavas welcomed the sage with great respect. They played host in thetraditional way and made him sit on a seat made of darbha grass. Then they stood before him with folded hands. He askedthem to sit on the floor and said," O great warriors, you have been living righteously even in the face of the worstpossible danger. Living righteously, and playing host to revered brahmins bring us success and prosperity." He spokewords of encouragement and gave them a feew tips as to how to conduct themselves in the future. Then he narrated tothem a story. "Long long ago there was a great sage . He had a verybeautiful daughter. No one came forward to marryher for a long time. She was very much worried. With a view to getting a suitable husband, she began to do severe tapas to please Shankara, the god among gods. Lord Shankara was pleased with her devotion and appeared before her and said ,"Dear daughter of a sage, ask for any boon and it is granted."
"In reply she said,"O great Lord, I desire for a husband who is paragon of virtues." She repeated the word five times.Lord Shankara said,"so be it.You said Patim dehi 5 times so you will get 5 husbands." The young lady was shocked whenshe heared that she was going to be wife to five men. Lord shankara consoled her saying,"Do not worry. In your nextbirth you are going to get 5 great men as your husbands." So saying he vanished. That very same daughter of a sageis born as Draupadi. Now you go to Panchala. May God bless you."
As instucted by Vedavyasa, the Pandavas along with their mother went to Panchala and stayed in the house of a potter.Then they went to the king's court and sat among the brahmins.
In the centre of the great hall, there was a big bow and five arrows. Directly above it there was a disc which was rotatingvery fast. Above that there was a target and the hero who wanted to marry Draupadi had to shoot the target down througha hole in the revolving wheel. All the heroes gathered there including Duryodhana and Karna failed to do so. At lasta young man from the brahmins got up, came to the bow, lifted it with ease, fixed an arrow to it and shot the targetand in the next second it was on that young man's neck and it was none other than Arjuna.
The Pandavas brought Draupadi to the house they were staying. From outside one of them said,"Mother we have brought thisalm today."Kunti was waiting for her sons. It was late and she was worried. In her great joy at their arrival without looking at them, she said,"share it among you five." So saying she came out. She saw Draupadi standing among the PandavasKunti always spoke the truth and whatever she spoke could not possibly become false. They were in a tricky situation.Draupadi should not be put in a situation. Draupadi should not be put in a situation which is against dharmic rules.They were at first confused. Then they consulted Dharmarya.