A woman who is probably the most misunderstood and also the one who suffered the most in spite of being the queen of the prestigious Kuru Rajya. Irony has never spared anyone. The only ray of hope for this epitome of womanhood was Krishna himself. She was Krishna’s loved sakhi. Her actions, her pains and her decisions are relevant even today. She is one who keeps us all thinking and is immensely adored. She will never be forgotten.
1. It was Lord Shiva’s boon that made Draupadi marry 5 men
Draupadi was named Nalayani in her previous birth. Nalayani was cursed to never be married as she had angered a sage during his penance. Nalayani, distressed moves to the forest for intense penance. She meditates on lord Shiva and when he appears before her being pleased with her penance, she asks for a husband with five qualities - he should be the epitome of Dharma (Yudhishthira), he should be strong enough to tear mountains apart (Bheema), he should be a charming person with utter thirst for knowledge (Arjuna), he should be connected to nature (Nakula), he should of course be smart and handsome (Sahadeva). Shiva warns her that these qualities may not be included in the same person. Draupadi doesn’t get the meaning and still agrees to it. Accordingly, in the next birth she will have to marry 5 men with the 5 qualities that she had been promised by lord Shiva.
2. Draupadi’s various names
- Draupadi (meaning the daughter of Drupad)
- Panchali (meaning one from the kingdom of Panchala)
- Krishne (meaning the one with dark skin)
- Yajnaseni (meaning one born from a Yajna or fire-sacrifice)
- Mahabhaaratii (great wife of the five descendants of Bharata)
- Sairandhri (an expert maid, her assumed name during her exile in which she worked as Virat kingdom's queen Sudeshna's hair-stylist)
3. Draupadi never commented when Duryodhana fell into the pool
When Duryodhana fell into a pool of water in the Indraprastha palace, all servant maids giggled. One servant maid who was right behind Draupadi mockingly commented, ‘Blind son of a blind father!’ to which Draupadi just smirks a little bit. When Duryodhana looks around to find out who dared to say such words, he finds Draupadi standing there smirking with the dasis. He thinks she made the comment and decides that her pride should be stained no matter what. This lead to the great revenge that he plots to disgrace Draupadi.
4. Draupadi had a soft corner for Karna, maybe she even loved him
According to a legend from Mahabharata, during the thirteenth year of the exile of the Pandavas, Draupadi saw a ripe jambul, rose apple, hanging from a tree. She plucked it to have it. No sooner had she done this, Krishna came from somewhere and stopped her from eating it. According to Krishna, the ripe fruit was supposed to be the fruit with which a sage was supposed to break his twelve-year fast. Not finding the fruit at its place, could earn the wrath of the sage, resulting in more trouble for the Pandavas and her. Draupadi begged of Krishna to help her out of this impending problem. Krishna, then said that the fruit could be put back at its original place, only by someone who holds no secrets. Draupadi had only one option and to confess some guilt. Seeing no way out, Draupadi walked up her husband’s and confessed to them, that though she was a chaste woman and loved all the five husbands, there was someone else that she longed for. She always had loved and respected Karna, the arch-enemy of the Pandavas. This was a shock to all the husbands, but none said anything. Having confessed, she went and put the fruit back on the branch of the tree and all was well.
5. Draupadi bore 5 sons. One each for the Pandavas
- Prativindhya from Yudhishthira
- Sutasoma from Bheema
- Srutakarma from Arjuna
- Shatanika from Nakula
- Shrutasena from Sahadeva
Draupadi, in spite of being with 5 men, is considered as one of the Panch-Kanyas (five virgins).
6. Draupadi cursed Ghatotkacha
When Ghatotkacha visited his father Bheem’s kingdom for the first time, he did not pay respect to Draupadi as his mother Hidimba had ordered him to do so. Draupadi felt humiliated. Draupadi uttered a horrible curse - Ghatotkacha’s life would be short, and that he would be killed without a
fight – a terrible eventuality for a Kshatriya. Hidimba couldn’t control herself when she heard Draupadi’s curse. Hidimba in her anger cursed that Draupadi’s children would die a similar death. They would be killed in a time when nobody even expects the danger. The curse works. Draupadi’s sons were killed in the dark of the night by Ashwatthama.
7. Draupadi did not want to punish Ashwatthama
Ashwatthama, the son of Drona, had mercilessly killed the five sons of Draupadi while they were sound asleep in the middle of the night. Krishna, Arjuna and Bheema went and captured Ashwatthama and brought him to Draupadi for her to take the final decision. Draupadi, however, displayed an amazing sense of compassion when Ashwatthama sat with his head down. Although Krishna told her that there was no sin involved in killing such a cold-blooded murderer, Draupadi could feel the pain Drona’s wife could feel at the loss of her son. She excuses and lets him go unpunished.
8. It was Krishna’s promise to give her saree when she runs out of it
When Krishna had a cut on his finger while operating war equipment, Draupadi rushes towards him to help him. When she finds out that he is bleeding, without a second thought, she tears a part of her saree and firmly ties it around the wound to stop the bleeding. Krishna utterly moved by her immense love and affection promises Draupadi that he’ll give her sarees when she runs out of them. Draupadi doesn’t understand the context then but she understands what he meant when he gives her an infinite flow of saree when Dushasana tries to disrobe her.
9. Krishna was the only one who was always there for her
Draupadi always considered Lord Krishna as her Sakha or beloved friend and Krishna addressed her as Sakhi, this is emblematic of the spiritual love existing between the livid Draupadi and Krishna. The only true friend, who always came to help her each time she found herself in dire circumstances was Krishna, whose divine presence she experienced constantly in her life.
10. Draupadi loved Arjuna the most
Draupadi was the first to fall from the Himalayas when Pandavas were on their final pedestrian journey to heaven. When Bheema asked Yudhishtira why she fell, he replied “Though she was supposed to love all of us equally, she favored Partha (Arjuna).”
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