Narada Warns the Pandavas Against Discord Over Draupadi
The sage Narada, out of affection for the Pandavas, arrives with a warning. He tells them the story of two invincible brothers who, after conquering the world, destroyed each other over a single woman. The Pandavas listen, and then they make a rule.
Narada came to the Pandavas out of affection. He saw the five brothers, all married to the same woman — Draupadi — and he intended to prevent the kind of dissension that had destroyed greater beings.
He told them a story.
Once, there were two asura (demon) brothers named Sunda and Upasunda. They were so powerful and so united that they conquered the three worlds together. They robbed the gods, the gandharvas (celestial musicians), the yakshas (nature spirits), the nagas (serpent beings), kings, and rakshasas (demons) of all their gems. With no rivals left, they were supremely content. They gave up all endeavor and spent their time in pleasure, surrounded by women, garlands, fragrances, food, and drink, sporting in their palaces, gardens, and mountains like immortals.
One day, they went to sport on a rocky plain in the Vindhya Mountains, a place dense with flowering shala trees. Every divine object of desire was brought to them. They sat on supreme seats, surrounded by beautiful women who danced and sang to please them.
It was then that Tilottama appeared.
She was an apsara (celestial dancer), plucking flowers in the forest. She wore a single, seductive red garment. Gathering karnikara flowers along a riverbank, she slowly approached the place where the two great asuras sat.
They had drunk the best wine. Their eyes were red. The moment they saw the woman with the beautiful hips, they were struck by desire. They instantly left their seats and went to her. Both asked for her favors. Sunda grasped her right hand. Upasunda grasped her left.
They were intoxicated — by the boon of invincibility they had received, by their physical strength, by their riches, and by the wine. Intoxicated by this madness and by the madness of desire, they frowned at each other.
"She is my wife and your superior," said Sunda.
"She is my wife and your sister-in-law," replied Upasunda.
In their anger, they shouted, "She is mine, not yours!" Overcome by desire, they grasped their terrible clubs. Uttering, "I was the first!" they attacked each other. Struck by those clubs, both fell to the ground. Blood streamed from their bodies; they looked like two suns dislodged from the sky. Their women and their masses of daitya followers fled, miserable and shuddering, taking refuge in the nether regions.
Then the pure-souled grandfather, Brahma, arrived with the gods and the great sages. He praised Tilottama and, pleased, granted her a boon. "O fortunate one! You will roam in the world of the adityas (solar deities). Your energy will be so great that no one will be able to look at you for a long time." Having granted this, the grandfather of all the worlds reinstated Indra as ruler of the three worlds and departed.
Narada finished the tale. "Those two were always together, always united with the same objective. But in their anger, they killed each other over Tilottama. O supreme among the Bharata lineage! Out of my affection for you, I am telling you this so that there is no dissension among you because of Draupadi. O fortunate ones! If you wish to please me, act accordingly."
The Pandavas, who always followed dharma (righteousness), heeded the warning. They consulted together in Narada's presence and arrived at a rule: if any one of them intruded on another while that brother was with Draupadi, the intruder would retire to the forest and live the life of a brahmachari (celibate ascetic) for twelve years.
After they established this rule, the great sage Narada was happy. He went where he wished to go. And because of that rule, no dissension arose between them.