Drupada

Drupada was a king of the Panchala kingdom in the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic. He ruled the region of northern Panchala and is best known as the father of Draupadi, who becomes the wife of the five Pandava brothers, and as the progenitor of Dhrishtadyumna, the prince who slays their teacher Drona. In many traditions, he is also said to be the father of Shikhandi, born Shikhandini, who later appears as a male warrior in the Kurukshetra War.

Drupada and the sage Drona were once friends. A dispute over status and rewards led to a bitter rivalry; Drupada's pride and refusal to acknowledge Drona's merit contributed to enmity that shapes much of the epic's later events. Drona would become the royal teacher to the Kuru princes, including those descended from Drupada's rivals in Hastinapura.

To avenge this grievance, Drupada performed a yajna (fire ritual) to obtain a son who would be capable of defeating Drona. The ritual produced Dhrishtadyumna, who would kill Drona in the war, and Shikhandi, who fought Bhishma in the Kurukshetra War.

Drupada's daughter Draupadi becomes the wife of the five Pandava brothers after Arjuna's victory at her swayamvara, aligning Panchala with the Pandavas during their exile and the subsequent war. The alliance strengthens Drupada's political position and influences Panchala’s role in the conflict.

During the Kurukshetra War, Dhrishtadyumna leads the Pandava forces; Shikhandi serves as a pivotal combatant against Bhishma. After the war, Dhrishtadyumna is established as king of Panchala, continuing Drupada's lineage. Variations exist among texts regarding Drupada's later life and death.