Which king was the father of Draupadi?

Drupada was the king who fathered Draupadi in the Mahabharata.

Drupada ruled Panchala and is also known by the name Yajnasena. Draupadi is frequently called Panchali, meaning a woman of Panchala, and Yajnaseni, a name connected with her father’s title. These epithets can help identify her in translations and retellings.

According to the epic’s birth narrative, Drupada and his wife Prishati had a son and daughter through a sacrificial rite. Dhrishtadyumna emerged from the sacrificial fire destined to kill Drona, while Draupadi—also called Krishnaa—appeared as the daughter who would play a decisive role in the downfall of the Kauravas.

Drupada’s history with Drona is central to this episode. The two had been friends as students, but after Drupada became king he rejected Drona’s claim to their old friendship. Drona later defeated and humiliated him, prompting Drupada to seek children capable of revenge. Draupadi subsequently became the shared wife of the five Pandavas after her svayamvara, linking Panchala closely with the Pandava cause.