Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c15.13

v2.c15.13

in mind how often, in the Epic, strife between the various wives of a polygamous husband comes to be spoken of, we feel inclined from the silence on the one hand, and the very clear indications the other way to draw here very favourable conclusions at least for the old conditions among the Kshattriyas. Kuntī's love for Draupadī may be taken as giving the characteristic. She says : “ Dearer to me than all sons is Draupadī ” (v, 90.43) ; and her particular disgust and sorrow is aroused by the fact that it is Draupadī that has been so badly treated by her enemies, has suffered so much misery, and goes on ever suffering (v, 90.43 ff., 85 ; xv, 17.9 ff.). She acknowledges that she no longer had any love whatever for her sons, when Draupadī was dragged into the hall, and all looked on without stirring (v, 90.49) ; and she reminds Arjuna and Bhīma through Kṛṣṇa what a shame lies on both, that Duḥṣāsana, Karṇa, and Duryodhana should have done this to the poor woman (v, 90.80–82). This love comes out in special beauty when Draupadī has to go off with her husband into the forest of banishment (ii, 79), and she mourns very deeply when her mother-in-law has gone off into the penitential forest (xv, 22.14–17). Gāndhārī, all of whose sons have been slain, does not bewail this so much as the sorrow of her widowed daughters-in-law (xi, 18.2 ; cp. 17.24 ; 18.6 ; 22.15 ; 24.6 ff.). On the tender regard between Sītā and her mother-in-law some light will be thrown by and by in another connection.