Panchali entered Sagarika's room to tell her about the swayamvar.

"Jiji you here ?" Sagarika asked smiling.

"Yes I am here to tell you a news." Panchali said smiling.

"What news ?" Sagarika asked excitedly.

"Maharaj and Maharani have organized your swayamvar, and the contenders are Arya Arjun and Bhrata Duryodhan." Panchali said and Sagarika's smile turned into a frown.

"What ?" Sagarika asked. She couldn't believe what she just heard.

"You don't want to get married ?" Panchali asked.

"Not yet." Sagarika said.

"But it's finalized and will be held in two days." Panchali said.

"Rajkumar Arjun is your husband, and Yuvraj Duryodhan is well.....Yuvraj Duryodhan. I can't marry any of them." Sagarika said.

"But you have to choose one, its the rule of Aryavart that if a princess doesn't marry in her swayamvar then she can never marry. And I don't have any problems if you marry Arya Arjun, trust me." Panchali said.

"But love is the basis of marriage, how can I marry someone if I don't love him." Sagarika said.

"You don't love Arya Arjun ?" Panchali asked confused.

"What made you think I did ?" Sagarika said and left the room to get some fresh air. Panchali stared at the door confused and she too left.

Panchali needed some answers and that can only be given by Govind. She saw him lounging on the swing with a charming smile on his face.

"Govind ?" She called.

"Why is Sagarika not in love with Arjun ? That's your question right ?" Krishna asked.

"You know everything so I am sure you would have the answers." Panchali said.

"Sakhi, Chandrika asked Mahadev to make Rishi Nar fall deeply in love with her. But she didn’t say anything for herself." Krishna said.

"I don't know what to say." Panchali sighed.

'That also happened with you, you in your previous life asked for 5 qualities in husband but you didn't say all qualities in one.' Krishna thought.

"What do we do now Govind ?" Panchali asked.

"Now its up to Sagarika with whom she wants to spend her life." Krishna said.

"But if she marries Duryodhan than her life will be a struggle and full of hardships." Panchali said.

"She'll face it either ways sakhi. The only difference is whether she chooses the side of righteousness or unrighteousness" Krishna said.

《TIMESKIP》

The Pandavas and Panchali were in their room, the brothers just got the news about the swayamvar and all were glaring at Arjun.

"You loved her and you didn't even tell us ?" Bheem asked.

"I....I wasn't sure about my feelings but now I am and thus I am telling you that I love her, like the sun loves the moon, like the leaves love the flowers, like the shore loves the ocean." Arjun said.

"You didn't think about Panchali ?" Yuddhistir said.

"I don't have any problems with the marriage Arya. Govind already told me everything in advance." Panchali said.

"What about Subhadra then ?" Bheem asked.

"Subhadra can handle it Arya, she is understanding." Panchali said.

"I don't see anything wrong with it, if Rajkumari Sagarika doesn't marry Bhrata Arjun then she has to marry Bhrata Duryodhan." Nakul said.

"Jyesht I have a prenotion that she will be lucky for Arya Arjun and also Indraprasth." Sehdev said.

"She will be on our side." Panchali said and took out something covered in a small cloth and started to leave.

"Where are you going ?" Arjun asked.

"To show Sagarika what's righteousness." Panchali smiled and left.

Panchali found Sagarika in her room staring at the night sky from her balcony.

"Sagarika you alright ?" Panchali asked.

"Not at all, this swayamvar is inevitable and I don't know who to choose as my life partner. Both of them seem equally good to me." Sagarika said.

"Then choose the one whose righteous." Panchali said.

"And how do I know whether someone is righteous ? I can't just take a decision based on other people's opinions." Sagarika said. Panchali smiled and unwrapped the small pouch, it had 5 red stones.

"Look here, these 5 stones represent 5 basis of Dharma. Knowledge, Patience, Love, Dedication and Justice. Knowledge stabilizes brain, Patience stabilizes mind, Love stabilizes heart, Dedication stabilizes body and Justice stabilizes soul." Panchali said. Sagarika looked at the stones carefully.

"If you find all these qualities in someone then you know that person is righteous." Panchali said handing her the stones.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
A/N
THE FIVE STONES ON DRAUPADI’S CHURAMANI WILL REPRESENT THE PANDAVAS WHEREAS THE FIVE STONES OF SAGARIKA REPRESENTS THE FIVE BASIS OF DHARMA MENTIONED ABOVE.