After escaping from the house of lac in Varnavata, Arjuna and the other Pandavas had gone into hiding. Consequently, they lived disguised as brahmanas. The Pandavas continued their disguise even when they went to the Panchala country to attend Draupadi’s swayamvara. Within the amphitheater, they sat, dressed in deesskin, with other brahmanas.
Arjuna did not participate in the contest when the swayamvara began. He remained seated and waited for all the kings and princes to try and bring down the target. However, when none of them were able to attain success, Arjuna got up from his seat and proceeded towards the center of the amphitheater to string the bow and shoot the target.
When the brahmanas saw Arjuna proceed towards the bow, many were happy and cheered for him, some were displeased and actively discouraged him, and the others wondered if he would be able to accomplish such a difficult feat.
It’s a delight to understand these reactions with the help of quotes from the Unabridged Mahabharata.
As we can see from the quote below, most of the brahmanas were happy to see Arjuna proceed towards the bow.
However, not all were happy. They thought a brahmana was naturally unskilled and weak to accomplish a task that required strength and training in arms. They were worried that he would fail and make them the laughing stock of the assembly hall, or, even worse, they might incur the anger of the kings because one of them dared to participate in an event where all the great warriors had failed. Let’s examine the exact words.
However, many brahmanas who saw Arjuna’s strength also spoke out in his favor comparing him with the great brahmana warrior, Parashurama.
I find this incident interesting because it shows how people react when someone tries to step out of their prescribed periphery to accomplish a task that his lot has not yet accomplished. Regardless of their reasons, some will support and some will oppose, some will encourage and some will discourage. But, at the end of the day, we see how Arjuna just went ahead and did what he had to do. And, just like Arjuna, so must we.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-24 11:11:022023-09-23 12:20:35How Did the Crowd at Draupadi’s Swayamvara Respond When a Disguised Arjuna got up to Participate in the Contest?
When Draupadi entered the amphitheater on the 16th day, her brother, Drishtadyumna, took her hand and addressed the assembled kings and princes in a voice as deep as thunder. He explained the challenge devised by his father, King Drupada, to win his sister’s hand in marriage. He went on to tell them that anyone possessed with lineage, beauty, and strength, who is able to shoot the target through the orifice with the five decorated arrows may wed Draupadi.
Here are the exact words according to the Unabridged Mahabharata.
Then he introduced all the kings and princes who were present there, to Draupadi. One by one, he told her their names, lineages, and achievements. After he had introduced everyone to his sister, he invited the participants to approach the bow and target and apply their skills and strength.
The common understanding about Draupadi’s swayamvara is that any person who fulfilled the challenge would marry Draupadi. Many people even think of this challenge disparagingly, because it makes Draupadi appear as some kind of an object that would be awarded to the person who fulfilled the challenge. However, this is not the truth. The contest was designed to ensure that only Arjuna could complete the challenge, and, in the case, someone else got close to winning the challenge, enough stipulations were put in place (along with Draupadi’s own power to deny participation to anyone she did not wish to marry) to ensure they would not be able to marry her.
We see clearly, in the Unabridged Mahabharata, that Drishtadyumna also mentions lineage, beauty, and strength as being necessary for a person to wed Draupadi. It’s a different matter we never encounter the situation where someone who did not possess these qualities shot the target. In fact, none of the participants were even able to string the bow. Not even the mighty Jarasandha. Karna may have succeeded, but Draupadi stopped him. Arjuna, even though dressed in a brahmanas simple garb, was not stopped by anyone. Most likely, because he looked very noble; like a celestial being. We know that from these words a few brahmana friends of the Pandavas used to describe them. (Note: In the passage below, Draupadi is referred to as Krishna)
The simple truth is that Draupadi was not an object that would be given away to the person who won the contest. Far from it. She was the goddess incarnate and the contest was designed to ensure that only Arjuna could win it.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-19 09:38:002023-09-23 12:21:28Is it True That Anyone Who Shot the Target at Draupadi’s Swayamvara Would Marry Her?
Drupadi’s father, King Drupada, was a generous king, so it’s not surprising that he had made lavish and extravagant preparations for his daughter’s swayamvara.
The swayamvara was to be conducted in a large amphitheater built in an auspicious location, on level ground. It was situated in the north-east direction of the Panchala capital. This large amphitheater was covered with a canopy of various colors and was scented with black aloes and water made from sandalwood paste. The entire space was decorated with beautiful flowers of many varieties and it resounded with the notes of a thousand trumpets.
Beautiful mansions circled the amphitheater and the entire complex was protected by a high wall that had several arched doorways and a moat.
The mansions surrounding the amphitheater were built as residences for the kings and princes who would come from kingdoms all over Bharatvarsha to the swayamvara. These mansions were pure-white 7-storeyed buildings. Their color is compared to the Himalayas by Ved Vyasa in the Mahabharata.
The windows of these mansions were covered with networks of gold and the walls were studded with diamonds and other precious stones. Comfortable and exquisitely decorated beds were made for the royals and the floor was further decorated with lovely carpets.
The inner and outer walls of the mansions were adorned with garlands of flowers and were scented with excellent aloes such that their fragrance would be perceived from a distance of one yojana (eight miles).
All mansions were 7-storeyed but their widths varied. The larger mansions were assigned to more powerful kings. Many of these mansions were large enough to accommodate a hundred doors.
The entire event lasted for sixteen days. The guests included people from all strata of society. They came from all over Drupada’s kingdom, neighboring kingdoms, and then, of course, there were the kings and princes who had come to participate in the swayamvar. The kings came from near and distant kingdoms. They had all heard of Draupadi’s beauty and each one carried a wish in his heart to be the chosen one.
King Drupada entered the amphitheater from the north-eastern gate.
The first fifteen of the sixteen days were filled with performances and entertainment by actors, dancers, athletes, and performers of various arts. The entire amphitheater was filled with people who had come to partake in the celebrations while the kings and princes watched the performances from the balconies of their mansions. The Pandavas sat with their brahmana friends and other regular folks in the amphitheater. For these fifteen days, the amphitheater resounded with applause from the audience and generous gifts were bestowed by the visiting kings to the performers.
During these first 16 days, various actors, dancers, and performers made their performances and were handsomely rewarded by the kings who were present.
In the center of the amphitheater was an apparatus (Ved Vyasa describes it as machinery) that contained a target and on the ground, near the apparatus was a stiff bow. The target and the bow were part of a challenge designed by King Drupada, however, they would be used only on the sixteenth day when Draupadi entered the amphitheater.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-16 13:35:062023-09-23 12:22:36How was the Grandeur of Draupadi’s Swayamvara Described in the Mahabharata?
After Draupadi’s swayamvar, she (cheerfully) went with Arjuna and Bhima to the potter’s house where the Pandavas were staying in disguise.
The next day, King Drupada (Draupadi’s father), sent his priest to the potter’s house to invite them for a feast at his palace.
Till this point, the king did not know their identity. He had a strong feeling, based on his son, Dhrishtadyumna’s, secret observations, that the youth who had fulfilled the difficult challenge, was none other than Arjuna, but he still wasn’t certain. After Kunti, Draupadi, and the Pandavas arrived at his palace, Drupada asked Yudhishthira about their identity. Yudhishthira, knew that King Drupada cherished the desire to marry his daughter Draupadi to Arjuna. He finally revealed their true identity to King Drupada in his palace.
King Drupada was not only relieved that his daughter was about to be married into a noble and virtuous family, but he was also overjoyed and exuberant that his desire for obtaining Arjuna as his son-in-law was fulfilled. He suggested that Arjuna and Draupadi perform the marriage rites immediately since it was an auspicious day. Till this point, King Drupada was unaware of what had transpired at the potter’s house between Kunti, Draupadi, and the five Pandavas, and about the proposal that she marry all five brothers.
It was only when he suggested the marriage rites, that Yudhishthira said, he too would have to marry Draupadi. This took the king by surprise. He (possibly) did not register the implication of what Yudhishthira had just said, so he suggested that instead of Arjuna marrying Draupadi, Yudhishthira, being the eldest brother, may marry her. However, Yudhishthira clarified that all five brothers would have to marry Draupadi.
This proposal made King Drupada very uneasy. He was put into a dilemma, because he was unsure of the morality of one woman marrying five men and, he did not want his daughter to enter into a morally questionable alliance.
It was during this critical and delicate situation that Ved Vyasa came to the palace. Everyone immediately stopped the discussion to welcome and worship the great rishi. After honouring the sage, the king approached him with his doubts regarding the proposed marriage.
Quoting from the unabridged Mahabaharata, below.
Ved Vyasa replied that the practice of one woman having many husbands had become obsolete because it was opposed to the Vedas and present-day customs, but, that didn’t mean it was sinful. However, before giving further explanations, he asked everyone assembled there to share their opinion.
What follows are the opinions of King Drupada, his son, Drishtadyumna, Yudhishthira, and Kunti. Finally, after hearing them, Ved Vyasa presents his own views about the marriage.
King Drupada’s Opinion
Drupada went by social precedence as well as the Vedas. He wasn’t aware of any precedence where one woman had taken many husbands, and because this practice was opposed to the Vedas, he was not in favour of the proposal. Quoting the exact passage below.
Drishtadyumna’s Opinion
Drishtadyumna believed that an elder brother of good conscience would never approach his younger brother’s wife. He agreed that the ways of morality were subtle and he also confessed that the subtlety was beyond his understanding, and therefore, he could not agree to this proposal with a clear conscience. Quoting the exact passage below.
Yudhishthira’s Opinion
Yudhishthira took a different approach to the dilemma. He was aware of two precedences where a (virtuous) woman had many husbands. But along with precedence, he also gave importance to his inner feeling. He believed that his purity and truthfulness made his disposition such that he would not incline toward a sinful act. If an act was sinful, his heart would instinctively reject it, and because his heart approved of this marriage, it was not immoral.
He went on to cite the two precedences. The first example was from the Puranas, where a virtuous maiden called Jatila (of the Gotama race) had married seven rishis. In the second example, he cited the case of an ascetic’s daughter who had married ten brothers who were also exalted ascetics themselves.
Finally, he went on to say that because his mother (whom he considered the foremost among superiors) had said so, the marriage couldn’t be immoral.
Quoting the exact passage below.
Kunti’s Opinion
Kunti regarded her eldest son Yudhishthira (who was born of her union with Dharmaraja himself) as an authority on dharma. Therefore, since he approved of the marriage, she did not believe it to be incorrect. However, she did put forth her concern about her speech becoming untrue and having to face the consequences of that.
Ved Vyasa’s Answer to Everyone
Ved Vyasa first addressed Kunti to ease her conscience. He remarked that even the (genuine) concern she had of saving herself from the consequences of untruth showed how pure she was, and this itself was eternal virtue.
After saying this, Ved Vyasa took the King to a separate room and explained to him that Draupadi was actually the Goddess Adi Para Shakti herself, and the five Pandavas were five Indra. He went on to describe how their marriage was ordained by Lord Shiva himself. Not only did Ved Vyasa explain all this, but he also granted the king, divine sight, through which he could see his daughter and the five Pandavas in their celestial form.
King Drupada’s dilemma was resolved after seeing Drupadi and the five Pandavas in their celestial form and understanding that Lord Shiva himself had ordained this marriage. If Lord Shiva had ordained it then it was beyond simple moral law and he had no objection.
I like this particular interaction between Ved Vyasa and the others because in dealing with the issue of Draupadi’s marriage, it also points to the larger issue of social norms, the Vedas, and morality. Vyasa muni shows us how Divine forces act behind the scenes to influence human life, and because we are not aware of these forces, we cannot judge morality based solely on logic, precedence, and even the Vedas. However, that doesn’t mean we can totally disregard morality. I’ll leave you with three quotes by the Auroville Mother (Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual partner) on this topic.
The (Auroville) Mother
You can break the moral rules only when you observe the Divine Law.
The Mother, May 1966
You have no right to dispense with morality unless you submit yourself to a law that is higher and much more rigorous than any moral law.
The Mother, 28th May 1947
Moral laws have only a very relative value from the point of view of Truth. Besides, they vary considerably according to country, climate and period. Discussions are generally sterile and without productive value. If each one makes a personal effort of perfect sincerity, uprightness and good-will, the best conditions for the work will be realised.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-13 05:51:452023-09-23 12:24:18A Discussion on Morality: Ved Vyasa Addresses Kunti, Drupada, Yudhishthira, and Drishtadyumna
Image of Kunti apologizing in front of Draupadi, and her son, Yudhishthira
After the swayamvara, Druapadi, Arjuna, and Bhima walked to the potter’s house where the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, were staying disguised as brahmanas.
Upon entering the cottage, Arjuna did not tell his mother about what had transpired at the swayamvara. He did not tell her that he had fulfilled the challenge designed by King Drupada and that Draupadi had chosen him as her husband. He did not tell his mother that he had returned home accompanied by Draupadi (also known as Yajnaseni) herself.
He simply told his mother, perhaps as he had been doing every day after they started staying at the potter’s house, that he had bought home alms. Here are the exact words used in the unabridged Mahabharata.
We don’t know why Arjuna said “alms” instead of Draupadi. It’s possible he wanted to surprise his mother, but that’s just my extrapolation. However, what we do know is what Kunti said next and how she responded when she realized she had made a mistake.
Kunti, without seeing Arjuna, simply said: “Enjoy ye all.” A moment after that, Kunti saw Draupadi (also known as Krishna) and she immediately realized her mistake and exclaimed, “Oh, what have I said?” Quoting the exact passage below.
Upon realizing her mistake, she took Draupadi gently by her hand and went to her eldest son Yudhishthira, who was well-known for his wisdom and knowledge of dharma, to ask him for a solution. Presenting a passage from the Mahabharata.
The passage above clearly shows that the Pandavas did not marry Draupadi simply because their mother said so. In fact, Kunti, herself, confessed that she had uttered those words out of ignorance. She wanted to find a solution that fulfilled three criteria:
Her speech should not become untrue.
Draupadi should remain without sin (as a result of the solution).
Draupadi should not be uncomfortable with the solution.
Modern readers might be surprised about Kunti’s concern for her speech not becoming untrue. We might think all she had to do was take back her words, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. In those times, words, once spoken, had a certain power. They could not be recalled or gone back upon with the same ease with which we do so in modern times.
We have to understand the mindset of people who followed the dharma during those times. They gave a lot of importance to truth and purity of speech. Words were not uttered frivolously, and a noble person would think a hundred times before uttering even half a lie. Thoughts and words were treated with reverence. From that perspective, it is not very difficult to understand why Kunti was concerned about her words becoming untrue. However, she did not want Draupadi to bear the consequence of the mistake she’d made out of ignorance. She made that very clear when she said that Draupadi should remain without sin and should not be uncomfortable with the solution.
So, Kunti’s response upon realizing her mistake was to explore a solution that was correct and in accordance with the dharma. In those times, when faced with a dilemma, people of a noble disposition tried to find a solution that was aligned with the dharma and also correctly balanced all the issues involved.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-11 04:42:452023-09-23 12:26:39How did Kunti Respond When she Realized her Mistake of Asking Her Sons to Share Draupadi?
Did you know the Pandava brothers were told about Draupadi’s destiny to marry all of them even before they went to her swayamvara? Did you know that all the five Pandava brothers were smitten by Draupadi when they heard about her the first time?
These stories are not commonly narrated, so there is a good chance you haven’t heard of these events.
What a Learned Brahmana Tells the Pandavas About Draupadi
The location in Ekachakra village (West Bengal) where the Pandavas are said to have stayed after escaping from the house of lac
After escaping unhurt from the highly-inflammable house of lac at Varanavata, the Pandavas were convinced that Duryodhana and his supporters would go to any length to remove the Pandavas from their path and ensure that Duryodhan ascends the throne of Hastinapura — even if it meant slaying the Pandavas.
Duryodhana not only had powerful supporters but also had an army at his disposal. The Pandavas, on the other hand, had only each other. In such a situation, they had no option but to remain undercover until a solution presented itself. Therefore, the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, disguised themselves as brahmanas and took up residence as guests at a brahmana’s house in a village called Ekachakra.
It was while they were in Ekachakra that another wise brahmana came to stay with their host for a few days. As was the custom, everyone worshipped the learned guest and requested him to narrate stories of his experiences while wandering in different lands. After telling them stories about various countries, kings, rivers, and shrines, the brahmana told them about Draupadi, the princess of Panchala. He told them the story of her birth — how she was born from the fire during a great sacrifice conducted by her father, Drupada. He then went on to describe her beauty and told the Pandavas that Draupadi’s father, King Drupada, was hosting a swayamvara (self-choice ceremony) in the coming days for his daughter to choose a husband.
According to Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s translation of the epic, the Pandava brothers went into a daze after hearing about Draupadi and her beauty. Here are the exact words used by Kisari Mohan Ganguli in the Adi Parva (Chaitraratha Parva subsection):
Quote from Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s translation describing how the Pandavas reacted after hearing the brahmana speak about Draupadi.
This quote shows that all five brothers were smitten by Draupadi. But there’s more.
What Ved Vyasa Tells the Pandavas About Draupadi’s Destiny
Soon after the learned brahmana left, Ved Vyasa visited the Pandavas in Ekachakra.
Quoting Kisari Mohan Ganguli from the Adi Parva (Chaitraratha Parva subsection) verse CLXXI:
Ved Yasa’s words to the Pandavas at the brahmana’s house in Ekachakra
The Pandavas left for Panchala after hearing Ved Vyasa’s counsel.
The unabridged Mahabharata makes it clear that not only were all the Pandavas smitten by Draupadi, but were also informed by Ved Vyasa about their destiny to marry her, and that the marriage would bring them great happiness.
I find these stories interesting because they show us how the threads of destiny come together. They show us how the marriage was fated and how two brahmanas arrived as messengers of destiny to ensure that the Pandavas were in the right place at the right time for the fated event to occur.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/1529px-Panda_visit_Kedarnath.jpg10801529Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-09 05:59:212023-12-13 09:35:50Did the Pandavas Know They Were Destined to Marry Draupadi?
Draupadi is known as the fire-born princess because she was born from the sacrificial fire when her father, King Drupada, conducted a great sacrifice to beget a son who would slay the great warrior-brahmin, Dronacharya (Drona).
Let’s take a step. Why did Drupada want to slay Dronacharya? And if the sacrifice was for a son who would slay Dronacharya, then why did it bear a daughter as well?
Why Did King Drupada Want to Slay Drona?
The relationship between Drupada and Drona went a long way back. Drona’s father, the great sage Bhradawaja, and Drupada’s father, Prishata, the king of Panchala, were very good friends. King Prishata sent his son, Drupada, to study at Sage Bharadawaja’s hermitage. At the hermitage, Drupada and the sage’s son, Drona, who were of the same age, became very good friends.
In childhood innocence, Drupada once promised his dear friend, Drona, that whatever belonged to him also belonged to Drona by virtue of their friendship. Years later when Drupada became the king of Panchala, Drona went to his court and reminded him of their friendship. Drona had expected a warm embrace from his childhood friend, instead, Drupada insulted him with these words:
“One of low birth can never be the friend of one whose lineage is pure, nor can one who is not a car-warrior have a car-warrior as his friend. So also one who is not a king cannot have a king as his friend. Why dost though, therefore, desire (to revive our) former friendship?”
King Drupada to his childhood friend Drona
Drona was mortified by his friend’s words. He left Drupada’s palace with a resolve to humiliate the king. Soon after that, Drona went to Hastinapura and became the teacher of the Kuru princes. He taught them the art of combat and the usage of various weapons. After their education was complete, Drona asked his students to capture King Drupada and present the king to him.
His students, especially Arjuna, vanquished Drupada’s army and presented the defeated king to Drona. With the king defeated, his kingdom officially belonged to Drona. However, Drona did not care for the kingdom. He wanted to teach the king a lesson for insulting him, so he returned half the kingdom to Drupada, and once again solicited his friendship, as an equal.
The vanquished king maintained a pleasant front and accepted his offer, but the humiliation ate into his psyche. He lost all peace of mind. Such was his mental torment, that he spent his entire day thinking about how to defeat or slay Drona.
Drupada knew that his child Shikandi did not have the power to defeat Drona. Even the best warriors in his army were no match for Drona’s power and skill. Since neither his child nor his army could match Drona’s prowess, he decided to visit the accomplished sages in the hope of finding someone who would conduct a sacrificial rite to help him win a battle against Drona.
One day, while wandering along the banks of the Ganga and the Yamuna, he came across a hermitage that housed sages of the highest order. There he met Yaja and Upayaja, who, he could see, had the power and knowledge to perform the sacrificial rites.
King Drupada spend several days serving them. After winning their trust, he requested Upayaja, the more knowledgeable of the two, to help him win against Drona. He even promised generous gifts to Upayaja for performing the sacrifice, but Upayaja declined. He also did not consider it appropriate to use his knowledge for such matters. However, his younger brother Yaja accepted the king’s offer. He performed the sacrifice successfully. When the final libations were poured into the fire, there emerged from it, not one, but two children. The first was a son, Drishtadyumna, who would eventually slay Drona in the battle at Kurukshetra, and the second was a daughter, Draupadi, who would become the catalyst for the battle.
As the above story suggests, Draupadi was born from the fire as the result of Drupada’s desire to avenge the humiliation he received from Drona. However, that’s only part of the story.
The other part of the story is that Draupadi was destined to be born at that time, she was destined to marry five husbands, and her five husbands were destined to be the Pandava princes. She was destined to be a catalyst for the fierce battle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas at Kurukshetra.
So Draupadi had to be born at that time, and because she was The Goddess Sri (Adi Para Shakti) herself, she had to be born in a special way. This is not my extrapolation. Ved Vyasa himself said these words in a conversation with King Drupada.
“Thus, O king, they who have been born as the Pandavas are none else than the Indras of old. And the celestial Sri herself who had been appointed as their wife is this Draupadi of extraordinary beauty. How could she whose effulgence is like that of the sun or the moon, whose fragrance spreads for two miles around, take her birth in any other than an extraordinary way, viz., from within the earth, by virtue of the sacrificial rites?“
— Ved Vyasa to King Drupada (Adi Parva, Vaivahika Parva subsection, verse CLXLIX)
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-07 12:10:222023-09-23 12:30:28Why was Draupadi Born From the Fire?
Most people know Draupadi as King Drupada’s daughter, the wife of the five Pandavas, and the queen who was wrongfully insulted in the Hastinapura court.
Some people also believe her to be a revengeful queen who caused the war at Kurukshetra.
However, there is much more to Draupadi than what we commonly know from the abridged versions and retellings of the Mahabharata. One of those is her celestial identity.
Let me tell you the story of who Draupadi was in the celestial regions. We may even call this her higher and more authentic identity.
This story is narrated in the Adi Parva (Vaivahika Parva subsection) by Ved Vyasa to Draupadi’s father, King Drupada.
The Time When Humans Became Immortal
In the days of yore, long before the birth of the Pandavas, there was a time when humans became immortal. They stopped dying because the celestials were performing a grand sacrifice in the Naimisha forest, and Yama, being busy with the sacrifice, had no time to take human lives. Consequently, the human population on earth started to increase.
This became a matter of huge concern for the celestials. Vexed by the fact that humans had become immortal, they decided to approach Lord Shiva to voice their concerns. However, Lord Shiva couldn’t understand their fear. The celestials were already immortal. Why then, was human immortality of any threat to them?
This is what they said when questioned by Lord Shiva.
“The mortals have all become immortal. There is no distinction now between us and them. Vexed at the disappearance of all distinction, we have come to thee in order that thou mayest distinguish us from them.”
The celestials to Lord Shiva
The celestials wanted the distinction between them and humans to continue. They wanted to maintain their superiority.
Lord Shiva smiled and told them that human immortality was temporary because Yama was busy with the sacrifice. Everything would return to normal after the sacrifice, he assured.
The Golden Lotuses
Relieved by Lord Shiva’s words, the celestials returned to the ongoing sacrifice by the banks of the Ganges. Very soon, they noticed a golden lotus being carried downstream by the river’s current. They marveled at the lotus and saw it flow by with the river’s current, and just as they were about to return their attention back to the sacrifice, they saw another lotus and then another, followed by even more lotuses. The celestials were awed by the beautiful lotuses and wondered where they came from. Piqued with curiosity, Indra decided to go up the river to find the origin of the lotuses.
Indra’s journey up the river led him to the very source of the Ganga, where he saw a beautiful maiden who shone like the sun. She stood there weeping a constant stream of tears. When her tears touched the water of the Ganges, they instantly became golden lotuses.
Concerned about the maiden’s grief, Indra walked up to her and asked why she was crying. Instead of answering his question, the maiden asked Indra to follow her. She took him to a place in the Himalayas, where Indra saw a handsome young man engrossed in a game of dice with a beautiful young lady. Both were seated on thrones placed on one of the Himalayan peaks. Assuming the young man to be the reason for the maiden’s grief, Indra called out to him and said:
Know, intelligent youth, that this universe is under my sway.
— Indra to the young man playing dice
However, the young man was so engrossed in his game that he didn’t even move his eyes, let alone his face. This impudence infuriated Indra and he thundered repeatedly at the youth as if to warn him:
“I am the lord of the universe!”
— Indra to the young man playing dice
The young man remained unperturbed by Indra’s words. He simply smiled and cast a sideways glance. However, this was no ordinary glance. It held within it the fire and fury of the universe. It terrified Indra so much that he froze on the spot. Unable to move, Indra stood there like a staff.
After the game of dice ended, the young man — who was none other than Lord Shiva — addressed the weeping woman and asked her to bring Indra to him.
“Bring Sakra hither, for I shall soon so deal with him that pride may not enter his heart.”
— Lord Shiva to the weeping maiden
But the weeping woman was no ordinary maiden. She was the great goddess Devi Adi Para Shakti herself. When the goddess touched Indra, he collapsed on the ground, as if paralyzed, like a piece of cloth falling on the floor. Lord Shiva looked at Indra and thundered!
Act not Sakra, ever in this way again.
— Lord Shiva to Indra
Lord Shiva Orders Indra to Enter a Cave
After uttering these words, Lord Shiva commanded Indra to enter a nearby cave and see for himself what his future had in store. In the cave, Indra saw four other devas (celestial beings) like himself. They had once been great and powerful but were now in a wretched and pitiable state.
Indra cowered with fear. He folded his hands to the great lord and begged forgiveness, but Lord Shiva shut him with these words:
“Those that are of disposition like thine never obtain my grace. These others had at one time been like thee. Enter thou this cave, therefore, and lie there for some time. The fate of you all shall certainly be the same. All you will have to take birth as humans. After achieving many difficult feats and slaying a large number of humans, you will return to the celestial region.”
— Lord Shiva to Indra
It was clear to the five Indras they would have to be reborn on earth to fulfill their destiny before they could return to the celestial regions. Lord Shiva always meant what he said. Resigning to their fate, they folded their hands and requested Lord Shiva that they be born on earth through celestial fathers.
“We shall go from our celestial regions even unto the region of men where salvation is ordained to be difficult of acquisition. But let the gods Dharma, Vayu, Maghavat, and the twin Aswins beget us upon our would-be mother.”
— The five Indras to Lord Shiva
The current Indra (Maghavat) requested Lord Shiva that instead of being born on earth, he would create a fifth person through a portion of his energy. This person would fulfill all the tasks that Lord Shiva had ordained.
Shiva agreed to all these requests and asked Devi Adi Para Shakti to also be reborn as the wife of the five Indras (to play a part in the events that had to occur on earth before it entered the new era called Kaliyuga, or the age of darkness).
Many years later, the five Indras were born as the five Pandavas, and Devi Adi Para Shakti, as Draupadi.
Ved Vyasa Grants Divine Sight to King Drupada
Ved Vyasa grants divine sight to King Drupada to see Draupadi and the Pandavas in their celestial form
After enlightening King Drupada about his daughter’s celestial identity and explaining how the threads of destiny had come together in this life leading Draupadi to marry the five Pandavas, Vyasa granted divine sight to Drupada so he could see his daughter and the Pandavas in their celestial splendour.
When King Drupada saw Draupadi and the five Pandavas as celestial beings, shining the like the sun, noble, splendid, decked with beautiful jewels and celestial garments, he was awestruck and he wondered about how the divine forces worked on earth through deep disguise.
Interesting Facts
Have you ever wondered if India has any temples dedicated to Draupadi? According to this TOI article, there are close to 800 temples dedicated to Draupadi Amman in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Her temples are usually small and situated in remote places. Devi Draupadi or Draupadi Amman is worshipped as the village deity (Gram Devi) as well as the family deity (Kula Devi) in these places. The villagers pray to her for protection, rain, and good crops.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.png00Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-05 10:46:192023-09-23 12:31:15Who Was Draupadi in Her Celestial Form?
After Draupadi’s swayamvar, when she went with Arjuna to the potter’s house where the Pandavas were staying (in disguise), it was soon proposed that Draupadi marry all the five Pandava brothers. Polyandry was not socially common or acceptable at that time. Therefore, it concerned her father, King Drupada. He did not want her to perform an act that might be sinful.
Image of Draupadi (far right) with the five Pandavas — Dasavatar Temple, Deogarh
It is at this critical time of the epic, that Ved Vyasa assuaged King Drupada’s concern by telling him the story of a boon Lord Shiva had given to Draupadi in one of her previous lives.
This narration can be found in the Adi Parva (Vaivahika Parva subsection) of the Unabridged Mahabharata.
In one of Draupadi’s previous lives, she was the daughter of an illustrious Rishi. Even though Draupadi was very beautiful and virtuous, in that life, she was unable to find a good husband. So she prayed to Lord Shiva by performing various ascetic practices.
Lord Shiva was soon pleased with her penance and appeared before her to grant a boon.
“Ask thou the boon thou desirest.”
— Lord Shiva to the maiden (who was Draupadi in a previous life)
This virtuous maiden overwhelmed and delighted by the great lord’s presence repeated her desire multiple times:
“I desire to obtain a husband possessed of every accomplishment.”
— The maiden asking a boon from Lord Shiva
Lord Shiva smiled and said:
“Thou shall have, amiable maiden, five husbands.”
— Lord Shiva to the maiden
The maiden was confused. She had asked for only one husband. Why did the Lord bless her with five? She folded her hands and said:
“O Sankara, I desire to obtain from thee only one husband possessed of every virtue.”
— The maiden to Lord Shiva
Though Shiva wasn’t an active part of the Mahabharata like Krishna (Vishnu), he played a vital role by giving boons to many people like Draupadi (in her past life), Amba, Jayadratha, etc. He gifted the Pasupata astra to Arjuna and arrived when Ashwatthama involved him in Sauptika Parva.
Lord Shiva continued smiling. He was pleased with her, so he explained that she had repeated her request five times and hence she was blessed with five virtuous husbands. However, he added, the blessing would come to fruition in a future life.
Through this story, Ved Vyasa explained to King Drupada that it wasn’t sinful for Draupadi to marry the five Pandavas since this destiny was pre-ordained by Lord Shiva himself.
https://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/SHIVA-ART_-Photo.jpg780884Paraghttps://draupadiparashakti.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/draupadi-blanc.pngParag2022-06-03 21:00:002022-05-30 05:11:37Lord Shiva’s Boon to Draupadi in a Past Life
How Did the Crowd at Draupadi’s Swayamvara Respond When a Disguised Arjuna got up to Participate in the Contest?
After escaping from the house of lac in Varnavata, Arjuna and the other Pandavas had gone into hiding. Consequently, they lived disguised as brahmanas. The Pandavas continued their disguise even when they went to the Panchala country to attend Draupadi’s swayamvara. Within the amphitheater, they sat, dressed in deesskin, with other brahmanas.
Arjuna did not participate in the contest when the swayamvara began. He remained seated and waited for all the kings and princes to try and bring down the target. However, when none of them were able to attain success, Arjuna got up from his seat and proceeded towards the center of the amphitheater to string the bow and shoot the target.
When the brahmanas saw Arjuna proceed towards the bow, many were happy and cheered for him, some were displeased and actively discouraged him, and the others wondered if he would be able to accomplish such a difficult feat.
It’s a delight to understand these reactions with the help of quotes from the Unabridged Mahabharata.
As we can see from the quote below, most of the brahmanas were happy to see Arjuna proceed towards the bow.
However, not all were happy. They thought a brahmana was naturally unskilled and weak to accomplish a task that required strength and training in arms. They were worried that he would fail and make them the laughing stock of the assembly hall, or, even worse, they might incur the anger of the kings because one of them dared to participate in an event where all the great warriors had failed. Let’s examine the exact words.
However, many brahmanas who saw Arjuna’s strength also spoke out in his favor comparing him with the great brahmana warrior, Parashurama.
I find this incident interesting because it shows how people react when someone tries to step out of their prescribed periphery to accomplish a task that his lot has not yet accomplished. Regardless of their reasons, some will support and some will oppose, some will encourage and some will discourage. But, at the end of the day, we see how Arjuna just went ahead and did what he had to do. And, just like Arjuna, so must we.
Is it True That Anyone Who Shot the Target at Draupadi’s Swayamvara Would Marry Her?
King Drupada had erected a massive amphitheater for Draupadi’s swayamvara. It was a grand event where kings and princes arrived from across the country in the hope of winning her hand in marriage.
When Draupadi entered the amphitheater on the 16th day, her brother, Drishtadyumna, took her hand and addressed the assembled kings and princes in a voice as deep as thunder. He explained the challenge devised by his father, King Drupada, to win his sister’s hand in marriage. He went on to tell them that anyone possessed with lineage, beauty, and strength, who is able to shoot the target through the orifice with the five decorated arrows may wed Draupadi.
Here are the exact words according to the Unabridged Mahabharata.
Then he introduced all the kings and princes who were present there, to Draupadi. One by one, he told her their names, lineages, and achievements. After he had introduced everyone to his sister, he invited the participants to approach the bow and target and apply their skills and strength.
The common understanding about Draupadi’s swayamvara is that any person who fulfilled the challenge would marry Draupadi. Many people even think of this challenge disparagingly, because it makes Draupadi appear as some kind of an object that would be awarded to the person who fulfilled the challenge. However, this is not the truth. The contest was designed to ensure that only Arjuna could complete the challenge, and, in the case, someone else got close to winning the challenge, enough stipulations were put in place (along with Draupadi’s own power to deny participation to anyone she did not wish to marry) to ensure they would not be able to marry her.
We see clearly, in the Unabridged Mahabharata, that Drishtadyumna also mentions lineage, beauty, and strength as being necessary for a person to wed Draupadi. It’s a different matter we never encounter the situation where someone who did not possess these qualities shot the target. In fact, none of the participants were even able to string the bow. Not even the mighty Jarasandha. Karna may have succeeded, but Draupadi stopped him. Arjuna, even though dressed in a brahmanas simple garb, was not stopped by anyone. Most likely, because he looked very noble; like a celestial being. We know that from these words a few brahmana friends of the Pandavas used to describe them. (Note: In the passage below, Draupadi is referred to as Krishna)
The simple truth is that Draupadi was not an object that would be given away to the person who won the contest. Far from it. She was the goddess incarnate and the contest was designed to ensure that only Arjuna could win it.
How was the Grandeur of Draupadi’s Swayamvara Described in the Mahabharata?
Drupadi’s father, King Drupada, was a generous king, so it’s not surprising that he had made lavish and extravagant preparations for his daughter’s swayamvara.
The swayamvara was to be conducted in a large amphitheater built in an auspicious location, on level ground. It was situated in the north-east direction of the Panchala capital. This large amphitheater was covered with a canopy of various colors and was scented with black aloes and water made from sandalwood paste. The entire space was decorated with beautiful flowers of many varieties and it resounded with the notes of a thousand trumpets.
Beautiful mansions circled the amphitheater and the entire complex was protected by a high wall that had several arched doorways and a moat.
The mansions surrounding the amphitheater were built as residences for the kings and princes who would come from kingdoms all over Bharatvarsha to the swayamvara. These mansions were pure-white 7-storeyed buildings. Their color is compared to the Himalayas by Ved Vyasa in the Mahabharata.
The windows of these mansions were covered with networks of gold and the walls were studded with diamonds and other precious stones. Comfortable and exquisitely decorated beds were made for the royals and the floor was further decorated with lovely carpets.
The inner and outer walls of the mansions were adorned with garlands of flowers and were scented with excellent aloes such that their fragrance would be perceived from a distance of one yojana (eight miles).
All mansions were 7-storeyed but their widths varied. The larger mansions were assigned to more powerful kings. Many of these mansions were large enough to accommodate a hundred doors.
The entire event lasted for sixteen days. The guests included people from all strata of society. They came from all over Drupada’s kingdom, neighboring kingdoms, and then, of course, there were the kings and princes who had come to participate in the swayamvar. The kings came from near and distant kingdoms. They had all heard of Draupadi’s beauty and each one carried a wish in his heart to be the chosen one.
King Drupada entered the amphitheater from the north-eastern gate.
The first fifteen of the sixteen days were filled with performances and entertainment by actors, dancers, athletes, and performers of various arts. The entire amphitheater was filled with people who had come to partake in the celebrations while the kings and princes watched the performances from the balconies of their mansions. The Pandavas sat with their brahmana friends and other regular folks in the amphitheater. For these fifteen days, the amphitheater resounded with applause from the audience and generous gifts were bestowed by the visiting kings to the performers.
During these first 16 days, various actors, dancers, and performers made their performances and were handsomely rewarded by the kings who were present.
In the center of the amphitheater was an apparatus (Ved Vyasa describes it as machinery) that contained a target and on the ground, near the apparatus was a stiff bow. The target and the bow were part of a challenge designed by King Drupada, however, they would be used only on the sixteenth day when Draupadi entered the amphitheater.
A Discussion on Morality: Ved Vyasa Addresses Kunti, Drupada, Yudhishthira, and Drishtadyumna
After Draupadi’s swayamvar, she (cheerfully) went with Arjuna and Bhima to the potter’s house where the Pandavas were staying in disguise.
The next day, King Drupada (Draupadi’s father), sent his priest to the potter’s house to invite them for a feast at his palace.
Till this point, the king did not know their identity. He had a strong feeling, based on his son, Dhrishtadyumna’s, secret observations, that the youth who had fulfilled the difficult challenge, was none other than Arjuna, but he still wasn’t certain. After Kunti, Draupadi, and the Pandavas arrived at his palace, Drupada asked Yudhishthira about their identity. Yudhishthira, knew that King Drupada cherished the desire to marry his daughter Draupadi to Arjuna. He finally revealed their true identity to King Drupada in his palace.
King Drupada was not only relieved that his daughter was about to be married into a noble and virtuous family, but he was also overjoyed and exuberant that his desire for obtaining Arjuna as his son-in-law was fulfilled. He suggested that Arjuna and Draupadi perform the marriage rites immediately since it was an auspicious day. Till this point, King Drupada was unaware of what had transpired at the potter’s house between Kunti, Draupadi, and the five Pandavas, and about the proposal that she marry all five brothers.
It was only when he suggested the marriage rites, that Yudhishthira said, he too would have to marry Draupadi. This took the king by surprise. He (possibly) did not register the implication of what Yudhishthira had just said, so he suggested that instead of Arjuna marrying Draupadi, Yudhishthira, being the eldest brother, may marry her. However, Yudhishthira clarified that all five brothers would have to marry Draupadi.
This proposal made King Drupada very uneasy. He was put into a dilemma, because he was unsure of the morality of one woman marrying five men and, he did not want his daughter to enter into a morally questionable alliance.
It was during this critical and delicate situation that Ved Vyasa came to the palace. Everyone immediately stopped the discussion to welcome and worship the great rishi. After honouring the sage, the king approached him with his doubts regarding the proposed marriage.
Quoting from the unabridged Mahabaharata, below.
Ved Vyasa replied that the practice of one woman having many husbands had become obsolete because it was opposed to the Vedas and present-day customs, but, that didn’t mean it was sinful. However, before giving further explanations, he asked everyone assembled there to share their opinion.
What follows are the opinions of King Drupada, his son, Drishtadyumna, Yudhishthira, and Kunti. Finally, after hearing them, Ved Vyasa presents his own views about the marriage.
King Drupada’s Opinion
Drupada went by social precedence as well as the Vedas. He wasn’t aware of any precedence where one woman had taken many husbands, and because this practice was opposed to the Vedas, he was not in favour of the proposal. Quoting the exact passage below.
Drishtadyumna’s Opinion
Drishtadyumna believed that an elder brother of good conscience would never approach his younger brother’s wife. He agreed that the ways of morality were subtle and he also confessed that the subtlety was beyond his understanding, and therefore, he could not agree to this proposal with a clear conscience. Quoting the exact passage below.
Yudhishthira’s Opinion
Yudhishthira took a different approach to the dilemma. He was aware of two precedences where a (virtuous) woman had many husbands. But along with precedence, he also gave importance to his inner feeling. He believed that his purity and truthfulness made his disposition such that he would not incline toward a sinful act. If an act was sinful, his heart would instinctively reject it, and because his heart approved of this marriage, it was not immoral.
He went on to cite the two precedences. The first example was from the Puranas, where a virtuous maiden called Jatila (of the Gotama race) had married seven rishis. In the second example, he cited the case of an ascetic’s daughter who had married ten brothers who were also exalted ascetics themselves.
Finally, he went on to say that because his mother (whom he considered the foremost among superiors) had said so, the marriage couldn’t be immoral.
Quoting the exact passage below.
Kunti’s Opinion
Kunti regarded her eldest son Yudhishthira (who was born of her union with Dharmaraja himself) as an authority on dharma. Therefore, since he approved of the marriage, she did not believe it to be incorrect. However, she did put forth her concern about her speech becoming untrue and having to face the consequences of that.
Ved Vyasa’s Answer to Everyone
Ved Vyasa first addressed Kunti to ease her conscience. He remarked that even the (genuine) concern she had of saving herself from the consequences of untruth showed how pure she was, and this itself was eternal virtue.
He went on to agree with Yudhishthira’s reasoning, however, he did not want King Drupada to simply take his word on the matter and agree to the marriage. He wanted to reveal to King Drupada, the subtle and celestial forces that acted behind the material world. Therefore, he took King Drupada to a room, where they would be alone, and revealed the celestial form of Draupadi and the Pandavas. Click here to read the story that describes how Drupadi was the Goddess Adi Para Shakti herself and the five Pandavas were five Indras.
I am quoting Ved Vyasa’s words below.
After saying this, Ved Vyasa took the King to a separate room and explained to him that Draupadi was actually the Goddess Adi Para Shakti herself, and the five Pandavas were five Indra. He went on to describe how their marriage was ordained by Lord Shiva himself. Not only did Ved Vyasa explain all this, but he also granted the king, divine sight, through which he could see his daughter and the five Pandavas in their celestial form.
King Drupada’s dilemma was resolved after seeing Drupadi and the five Pandavas in their celestial form and understanding that Lord Shiva himself had ordained this marriage. If Lord Shiva had ordained it then it was beyond simple moral law and he had no objection.
You can read the detailed story of the celestial form of Draupadi and the five Pandavas by clicking here.
Some Additional Thoughts
I like this particular interaction between Ved Vyasa and the others because in dealing with the issue of Draupadi’s marriage, it also points to the larger issue of social norms, the Vedas, and morality. Vyasa muni shows us how Divine forces act behind the scenes to influence human life, and because we are not aware of these forces, we cannot judge morality based solely on logic, precedence, and even the Vedas. However, that doesn’t mean we can totally disregard morality. I’ll leave you with three quotes by the Auroville Mother (Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual partner) on this topic.
How did Kunti Respond When she Realized her Mistake of Asking Her Sons to Share Draupadi?
After the swayamvara, Druapadi, Arjuna, and Bhima walked to the potter’s house where the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, were staying disguised as brahmanas.
Upon entering the cottage, Arjuna did not tell his mother about what had transpired at the swayamvara. He did not tell her that he had fulfilled the challenge designed by King Drupada and that Draupadi had chosen him as her husband. He did not tell his mother that he had returned home accompanied by Draupadi (also known as Yajnaseni) herself.
He simply told his mother, perhaps as he had been doing every day after they started staying at the potter’s house, that he had bought home alms. Here are the exact words used in the unabridged Mahabharata.
We don’t know why Arjuna said “alms” instead of Draupadi. It’s possible he wanted to surprise his mother, but that’s just my extrapolation. However, what we do know is what Kunti said next and how she responded when she realized she had made a mistake.
Kunti, without seeing Arjuna, simply said: “Enjoy ye all.” A moment after that, Kunti saw Draupadi (also known as Krishna) and she immediately realized her mistake and exclaimed, “Oh, what have I said?” Quoting the exact passage below.
Upon realizing her mistake, she took Draupadi gently by her hand and went to her eldest son Yudhishthira, who was well-known for his wisdom and knowledge of dharma, to ask him for a solution. Presenting a passage from the Mahabharata.
The passage above clearly shows that the Pandavas did not marry Draupadi simply because their mother said so. In fact, Kunti, herself, confessed that she had uttered those words out of ignorance. She wanted to find a solution that fulfilled three criteria:
Modern readers might be surprised about Kunti’s concern for her speech not becoming untrue. We might think all she had to do was take back her words, but it’s not as simple as it sounds. In those times, words, once spoken, had a certain power. They could not be recalled or gone back upon with the same ease with which we do so in modern times.
We have to understand the mindset of people who followed the dharma during those times. They gave a lot of importance to truth and purity of speech. Words were not uttered frivolously, and a noble person would think a hundred times before uttering even half a lie. Thoughts and words were treated with reverence. From that perspective, it is not very difficult to understand why Kunti was concerned about her words becoming untrue. However, she did not want Draupadi to bear the consequence of the mistake she’d made out of ignorance. She made that very clear when she said that Draupadi should remain without sin and should not be uncomfortable with the solution.
So, Kunti’s response upon realizing her mistake was to explore a solution that was correct and in accordance with the dharma. In those times, when faced with a dilemma, people of a noble disposition tried to find a solution that was aligned with the dharma and also correctly balanced all the issues involved.
Did the Pandavas Know They Were Destined to Marry Draupadi?
Did you know the Pandava brothers were told about Draupadi’s destiny to marry all of them even before they went to her swayamvara? Did you know that all the five Pandava brothers were smitten by Draupadi when they heard about her the first time?
These stories are not commonly narrated, so there is a good chance you haven’t heard of these events.
Let’s backtrack to the unabridged Mahabharata, translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, to find out what the Pandava brothers knew before they went to Panchala to participate in Draupadi’s swayamvara.
What a Learned Brahmana Tells the Pandavas About Draupadi
After escaping unhurt from the highly-inflammable house of lac at Varanavata, the Pandavas were convinced that Duryodhana and his supporters would go to any length to remove the Pandavas from their path and ensure that Duryodhan ascends the throne of Hastinapura — even if it meant slaying the Pandavas.
Duryodhana not only had powerful supporters but also had an army at his disposal. The Pandavas, on the other hand, had only each other. In such a situation, they had no option but to remain undercover until a solution presented itself. Therefore, the Pandavas and their mother, Kunti, disguised themselves as brahmanas and took up residence as guests at a brahmana’s house in a village called Ekachakra.
It was while they were in Ekachakra that another wise brahmana came to stay with their host for a few days. As was the custom, everyone worshipped the learned guest and requested him to narrate stories of his experiences while wandering in different lands. After telling them stories about various countries, kings, rivers, and shrines, the brahmana told them about Draupadi, the princess of Panchala. He told them the story of her birth — how she was born from the fire during a great sacrifice conducted by her father, Drupada. He then went on to describe her beauty and told the Pandavas that Draupadi’s father, King Drupada, was hosting a swayamvara (self-choice ceremony) in the coming days for his daughter to choose a husband.
According to Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s translation of the epic, the Pandava brothers went into a daze after hearing about Draupadi and her beauty. Here are the exact words used by Kisari Mohan Ganguli in the Adi Parva (Chaitraratha Parva subsection):
This quote shows that all five brothers were smitten by Draupadi. But there’s more.
What Ved Vyasa Tells the Pandavas About Draupadi’s Destiny
Soon after the learned brahmana left, Ved Vyasa visited the Pandavas in Ekachakra.
Ved Vyasa also spoke to them about Draupadi. He told them the story of how a maiden had received a boon from Lord Shiva that she would have five husbands in a future life. Ved Vyasa went on to tell the Pandavas that the maiden had been born as King Drupada’s daughter, Draupadi, and she was destined to have all the five Pandava brothers as her husbands.
Quoting Kisari Mohan Ganguli from the Adi Parva (Chaitraratha Parva subsection) verse CLXXI:
The Pandavas left for Panchala after hearing Ved Vyasa’s counsel.
The unabridged Mahabharata makes it clear that not only were all the Pandavas smitten by Draupadi, but were also informed by Ved Vyasa about their destiny to marry her, and that the marriage would bring them great happiness.
I find these stories interesting because they show us how the threads of destiny come together. They show us how the marriage was fated and how two brahmanas arrived as messengers of destiny to ensure that the Pandavas were in the right place at the right time for the fated event to occur.
Why was Draupadi Born From the Fire?
Draupadi is known as the fire-born princess because she was born from the sacrificial fire when her father, King Drupada, conducted a great sacrifice to beget a son who would slay the great warrior-brahmin, Dronacharya (Drona).
Let’s take a step. Why did Drupada want to slay Dronacharya? And if the sacrifice was for a son who would slay Dronacharya, then why did it bear a daughter as well?
Why Did King Drupada Want to Slay Drona?
The relationship between Drupada and Drona went a long way back. Drona’s father, the great sage Bhradawaja, and Drupada’s father, Prishata, the king of Panchala, were very good friends. King Prishata sent his son, Drupada, to study at Sage Bharadawaja’s hermitage. At the hermitage, Drupada and the sage’s son, Drona, who were of the same age, became very good friends.
In childhood innocence, Drupada once promised his dear friend, Drona, that whatever belonged to him also belonged to Drona by virtue of their friendship. Years later when Drupada became the king of Panchala, Drona went to his court and reminded him of their friendship. Drona had expected a warm embrace from his childhood friend, instead, Drupada insulted him with these words:
Drona was mortified by his friend’s words. He left Drupada’s palace with a resolve to humiliate the king. Soon after that, Drona went to Hastinapura and became the teacher of the Kuru princes. He taught them the art of combat and the usage of various weapons. After their education was complete, Drona asked his students to capture King Drupada and present the king to him.
His students, especially Arjuna, vanquished Drupada’s army and presented the defeated king to Drona. With the king defeated, his kingdom officially belonged to Drona. However, Drona did not care for the kingdom. He wanted to teach the king a lesson for insulting him, so he returned half the kingdom to Drupada, and once again solicited his friendship, as an equal.
The vanquished king maintained a pleasant front and accepted his offer, but the humiliation ate into his psyche. He lost all peace of mind. Such was his mental torment, that he spent his entire day thinking about how to defeat or slay Drona.
Drupada knew that his child Shikandi did not have the power to defeat Drona. Even the best warriors in his army were no match for Drona’s power and skill. Since neither his child nor his army could match Drona’s prowess, he decided to visit the accomplished sages in the hope of finding someone who would conduct a sacrificial rite to help him win a battle against Drona.
One day, while wandering along the banks of the Ganga and the Yamuna, he came across a hermitage that housed sages of the highest order. There he met Yaja and Upayaja, who, he could see, had the power and knowledge to perform the sacrificial rites.
King Drupada spend several days serving them. After winning their trust, he requested Upayaja, the more knowledgeable of the two, to help him win against Drona. He even promised generous gifts to Upayaja for performing the sacrifice, but Upayaja declined. He also did not consider it appropriate to use his knowledge for such matters. However, his younger brother Yaja accepted the king’s offer. He performed the sacrifice successfully. When the final libations were poured into the fire, there emerged from it, not one, but two children. The first was a son, Drishtadyumna, who would eventually slay Drona in the battle at Kurukshetra, and the second was a daughter, Draupadi, who would become the catalyst for the battle.
As the above story suggests, Draupadi was born from the fire as the result of Drupada’s desire to avenge the humiliation he received from Drona. However, that’s only part of the story.
The other part of the story is that Draupadi was destined to be born at that time, she was destined to marry five husbands, and her five husbands were destined to be the Pandava princes. She was destined to be a catalyst for the fierce battle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas at Kurukshetra.
So Draupadi had to be born at that time, and because she was The Goddess Sri (Adi Para Shakti) herself, she had to be born in a special way. This is not my extrapolation. Ved Vyasa himself said these words in a conversation with King Drupada.
Who Was Draupadi in Her Celestial Form?
Introduction
Most people know Draupadi as King Drupada’s daughter, the wife of the five Pandavas, and the queen who was wrongfully insulted in the Hastinapura court.
Some people also believe her to be a revengeful queen who caused the war at Kurukshetra.
However, there is much more to Draupadi than what we commonly know from the abridged versions and retellings of the Mahabharata. One of those is her celestial identity.
Let me tell you the story of who Draupadi was in the celestial regions. We may even call this her higher and more authentic identity.
This story is narrated in the Adi Parva (Vaivahika Parva subsection) by Ved Vyasa to Draupadi’s father, King Drupada.
The Time When Humans Became Immortal
In the days of yore, long before the birth of the Pandavas, there was a time when humans became immortal. They stopped dying because the celestials were performing a grand sacrifice in the Naimisha forest, and Yama, being busy with the sacrifice, had no time to take human lives. Consequently, the human population on earth started to increase.
This became a matter of huge concern for the celestials. Vexed by the fact that humans had become immortal, they decided to approach Lord Shiva to voice their concerns. However, Lord Shiva couldn’t understand their fear. The celestials were already immortal. Why then, was human immortality of any threat to them?
This is what they said when questioned by Lord Shiva.
The celestials wanted the distinction between them and humans to continue. They wanted to maintain their superiority.
Lord Shiva smiled and told them that human immortality was temporary because Yama was busy with the sacrifice. Everything would return to normal after the sacrifice, he assured.
The Golden Lotuses
Relieved by Lord Shiva’s words, the celestials returned to the ongoing sacrifice by the banks of the Ganges. Very soon, they noticed a golden lotus being carried downstream by the river’s current. They marveled at the lotus and saw it flow by with the river’s current, and just as they were about to return their attention back to the sacrifice, they saw another lotus and then another, followed by even more lotuses. The celestials were awed by the beautiful lotuses and wondered where they came from. Piqued with curiosity, Indra decided to go up the river to find the origin of the lotuses.
Indra’s journey up the river led him to the very source of the Ganga, where he saw a beautiful maiden who shone like the sun. She stood there weeping a constant stream of tears. When her tears touched the water of the Ganges, they instantly became golden lotuses.
Concerned about the maiden’s grief, Indra walked up to her and asked why she was crying. Instead of answering his question, the maiden asked Indra to follow her. She took him to a place in the Himalayas, where Indra saw a handsome young man engrossed in a game of dice with a beautiful young lady. Both were seated on thrones placed on one of the Himalayan peaks. Assuming the young man to be the reason for the maiden’s grief, Indra called out to him and said:
However, the young man was so engrossed in his game that he didn’t even move his eyes, let alone his face. This impudence infuriated Indra and he thundered repeatedly at the youth as if to warn him:
The young man remained unperturbed by Indra’s words. He simply smiled and cast a sideways glance. However, this was no ordinary glance. It held within it the fire and fury of the universe. It terrified Indra so much that he froze on the spot. Unable to move, Indra stood there like a staff.
After the game of dice ended, the young man — who was none other than Lord Shiva — addressed the weeping woman and asked her to bring Indra to him.
But the weeping woman was no ordinary maiden. She was the great goddess Devi Adi Para Shakti herself. When the goddess touched Indra, he collapsed on the ground, as if paralyzed, like a piece of cloth falling on the floor. Lord Shiva looked at Indra and thundered!
Lord Shiva Orders Indra to Enter a Cave
After uttering these words, Lord Shiva commanded Indra to enter a nearby cave and see for himself what his future had in store. In the cave, Indra saw four other devas (celestial beings) like himself. They had once been great and powerful but were now in a wretched and pitiable state.
Indra cowered with fear. He folded his hands to the great lord and begged forgiveness, but Lord Shiva shut him with these words:
It was clear to the five Indras they would have to be reborn on earth to fulfill their destiny before they could return to the celestial regions. Lord Shiva always meant what he said. Resigning to their fate, they folded their hands and requested Lord Shiva that they be born on earth through celestial fathers.
The current Indra (Maghavat) requested Lord Shiva that instead of being born on earth, he would create a fifth person through a portion of his energy. This person would fulfill all the tasks that Lord Shiva had ordained.
Shiva agreed to all these requests and asked Devi Adi Para Shakti to also be reborn as the wife of the five Indras (to play a part in the events that had to occur on earth before it entered the new era called Kaliyuga, or the age of darkness).
Many years later, the five Indras were born as the five Pandavas, and Devi Adi Para Shakti, as Draupadi.
Ved Vyasa Grants Divine Sight to King Drupada
After enlightening King Drupada about his daughter’s celestial identity and explaining how the threads of destiny had come together in this life leading Draupadi to marry the five Pandavas, Vyasa granted divine sight to Drupada so he could see his daughter and the Pandavas in their celestial splendour.
When King Drupada saw Draupadi and the five Pandavas as celestial beings, shining the like the sun, noble, splendid, decked with beautiful jewels and celestial garments, he was awestruck and he wondered about how the divine forces worked on earth through deep disguise.
Interesting Facts
Have you ever wondered if India has any temples dedicated to Draupadi? According to this TOI article, there are close to 800 temples dedicated to Draupadi Amman in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Her temples are usually small and situated in remote places. Devi Draupadi or Draupadi Amman is worshipped as the village deity (Gram Devi) as well as the family deity (Kula Devi) in these places. The villagers pray to her for protection, rain, and good crops.
Lord Shiva’s Boon to Draupadi in a Past Life
After Draupadi’s swayamvar, when she went with Arjuna to the potter’s house where the Pandavas were staying (in disguise), it was soon proposed that Draupadi marry all the five Pandava brothers. Polyandry was not socially common or acceptable at that time. Therefore, it concerned her father, King Drupada. He did not want her to perform an act that might be sinful.
It is at this critical time of the epic, that Ved Vyasa assuaged King Drupada’s concern by telling him the story of a boon Lord Shiva had given to Draupadi in one of her previous lives.
This narration can be found in the Adi Parva (Vaivahika Parva subsection) of the Unabridged Mahabharata.
In one of Draupadi’s previous lives, she was the daughter of an illustrious Rishi. Even though Draupadi was very beautiful and virtuous, in that life, she was unable to find a good husband. So she prayed to Lord Shiva by performing various ascetic practices.
Lord Shiva was soon pleased with her penance and appeared before her to grant a boon.
This virtuous maiden overwhelmed and delighted by the great lord’s presence repeated her desire multiple times:
Lord Shiva smiled and said:
The maiden was confused. She had asked for only one husband. Why did the Lord bless her with five? She folded her hands and said:
Though Shiva wasn’t an active part of the Mahabharata like Krishna (Vishnu), he played a vital role by giving boons to many people like Draupadi (in her past life), Amba, Jayadratha, etc. He gifted the Pasupata astra to Arjuna and arrived when Ashwatthama involved him in Sauptika Parva.
Lord Shiva continued smiling. He was pleased with her, so he explained that she had repeated her request five times and hence she was blessed with five virtuous husbands. However, he added, the blessing would come to fruition in a future life.
Through this story, Ved Vyasa explained to King Drupada that it wasn’t sinful for Draupadi to marry the five Pandavas since this destiny was pre-ordained by Lord Shiva himself.
Credits
Image Credit: By User:Arjuna Filips – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0