A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.522

Language: English

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DRAUPADĪ. Daughter of Drupada, king of Panchāla, and wife of the five Pāndu princes. Draupadī was a damsel of dark complexion but of great beauty, “as radiant and graceful as if she had descended from the city of the gods.” Her hand was sought by many princes, and so her father determined to hold a swayam-vara and allow her to exercise her own choice in the selection of a husband. The swayam-vara was proclaimed, and princes assembled from all parts to contend in the lists for the hand of the princess; for although in such contests the lady was entitled to exercise her swayam-vara or own choice, it generally followed that the champion of the arena became her husband. Most astonishing feats of arms were performed, but Arjuna outshone all by his marvellous use of the bow, and he became the selected bridegroom. When the five brothers returned to the house where their mother, Kuntī, was staying, they told her that they had made a great acquisition, and she told them to share it among them. These words raised a great difficulty, for if they could not be adroitly evaded they must be obeyed. The sage Vyāsa settled the matter by saying, “The destiny of Draupadī has already been declared by the gods; let her become the wife of all the brethren.” So she became their common wife, and it was arranged that she should stay successively two days in the house of each, and that no one of them but the master of the house should enter it while she was there.

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Arjuna was her favourite, and she showed her jealousy when he married Su-bhadrā. In the great gambling match which the eldest brother, Yudhi-shthira, played at Hastinā-pura against his cousins, the Kauvaras, he lost his all—his kingdom, his brothers, himself, and their wife Draupadī. So she became a slave, and Dur-yodhana called her to come and sweep the room. She refused, and then Duh-sāsana dragged her by the hair into the pavilion before all the chieftains, and tauntingly told her that she was a slave girl, and had no right to complain of being touched by men. He also abused her and tore off her veil and dress, while Dur-yodhana invited her to sit on his thigh. Krishna took compassion upon her, and restored her garments as fast as they were torn. She called vehemently upon her husbands to save her, but they were restrained by Yudhi-shthira. Bhīma was in a rage of passion; he was prevented from action; but he vowed in loud words that he would drink the blood of Duh-sāsana and smash the thigh of Dur-yodhana in retaliation of these outrages, which vows he eventually fulfilled. Draupadī vowed that her hair should remain dishevelled until Bhīma should tie it up with hands dripping with the blood of Duh-sāsana. The result of the gambling match was that the Pāndavas, with Draupadī, went into exile for twelve years, and were to dwell quite incognito during another year. The period of thirteen years being successfully completed, they were at liberty to return.

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Twelve years of exile were passed in the jungle, and in the course of this period Jayad-ratha, king of Sindhu, came to the house of the Pāndavas while they were out hunting. He was courteously received by Draupadī, and was fascinated by her charms. He tried to induce her to elope with him, and when he was scornfully repulsed, he dragged her to his chariot and drove off with her. When the Pāndavas returned and heard of the rape, they pursued Jayad-ratha, and pressed him so close that he put down Draupadī, and endeavoured to escape alone. Bhīma resolved to overtake and punish him; and although Yudhi-shthira pleaded that Jayad-ratha was a kinsman, and ought not to be killed, Draupadī called aloud for vengeance, so Bhīma and Arjuna continued the pursuit. Bhīma dragged Jayad-ratha from his car, kicked and beat him till he was senseless, but spared his life. He cut off all Jayad-ratha’s hair except five locks, and made him publicly acknowledge that he was a slave. Draupadī’s revenge was then slaked, and Jayad-ratha was released at her intercession. In the thirteenth year, in which her husbands and she were to live undiscovered, they entered the service of the king of Virāta, and she, without acknowledging any connection with them, became a waiting-maid to the queen.

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She stipulated that she should not be required to wash feet or to eat food left by others, and she quieted the jealous fears which her beauty excited in the queen’s mind by representing that she was guarded by five Gandharvas, who would prevent any improper advances. She lived a quiet life for a while, but her beauty excited the passions of Kīchaka, the queen’s brother, who was commander-in-chief; and the leading man in the kingdom. His importunities and insults greatly annoyed her, but she met with no protection from the queen, and was rebuked for her complaints and petulance by Yudhi-shṭhira. Her spirit of revenge was roused, and she appealed as usual to Bhīma, whose fiery passions she well knew how to kindle. She complained of her menial position, of the insults she had received, of the indifference of her husbands, and of the base offices they were content to occupy. Bhīma promised revenge. An assignation was made with Kīchaka which Bhīma kept, and he so mangled the unfortunate gallant that all his flesh and bones were rolled into a ball, and no one could discover the manner of his death. The murder was attributed to Draupadī’s Gandharvas, and she was condemned to be burnt on Kīchaka’s funeral pile. Then Bhīma disguised himself, and tearing up a tree for a club, went to her rescue. He was supposed to be the Gandharva, and every one fled before him. He released Draupadī, and they returned to the city by different ways.

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After the term of exile was over, and the Pāṇḍavas and she were at liberty to return, she was more ambitious than her husbands, and complained to Krishna of the humility and want of resolution shown by Yudhi-shṭhira. She had five sons, one by each husband—Prati-vindhya, son of Yudhi-shṭhira; Śruta-soma, son of Bhīma; Śruta-kīrtti, son of Arjuna; Satānīka, son of Nakula; and Śruta-karman, son of Saha-deva. She with these five sons was present in camp on the eighteenth and last night of the great battle, while her victorious husbands were in the camp of the defeated enemy. Aswatthāman with two companions entered the camp of the Pāṇḍavas, cut down these five youths, and all whom they found. Draupadī called for vengeance upon Aswatthāman. Yudhi-shṭhira endeavoured to moderate her anger, but she appealed to Bhīma. Arjuna pursued Aswatthāman, and overtook him, but he spared his life after taking from him a celebrated jewel which he wore as an amulet. Arjuna gave this jewel to Bhīma for presentation to Draupadī. On receiving it she was consoled, and presented the jewel to Yudhi-shṭhira as the head of the family. When her husbands retired from the world and went on their journey towards the Himālayas and Indra’s heaven, she accompanied them, and was the first to fall on the journey. See Mahā-bhārata.