Draupadi - The Queen of Mahabharata

 

Chapter-1

Title: Draupadi's Birth - Description

In the vast majority of Hindu scriptures, it is asserted that Draupadi's birth was unlike any other, as she did not come into existence from a woman's womb. She is often referred to as "ayonij" (meaning 'not born from a woman's womb'). The detailed account of her extraordinary birth is narrated in the Adi Parva, the opening book of the revered epic Mahabharata.
Drona, the revered teacher of the Kuru princes, defeated Drupada with the assistance of his disciples and acquired half of the Panchala kingdom. Drupada sought revenge but soon realized that none of his children or allies possessed the power to slay Drona. Consequently, he resolved to undertake a momentous Yajna (fire ritual) to beget a formidable son.
Rishi Yaja and Upayaja played the roles of chief priests, diligently serving in the Yajna ceremony. Upon its completion, the priests directed Drupada's wife, Prishati, to make a sacred offering. However, she hesitated and requested time to bathe before proceeding. Impatient to wait, Yaja offered a sacrifice directly into the fire, leading to the miraculous emergence of a young man and a woman. The prophecy foretold that the boy, named Uttara, would bring significant changes, and the dark-skinned girl would be the first among all women, destined to cause the downfall of numerous Kshatriyas.
This maiden, named Draupadi, grew up as the protector of Dhrishtadyumna and Krishna. While known by these names, she is better recognized as "Draupadi," their guardian and guide. Embracing Drupada and Prishati as her parents, Draupadi was nurtured and raised within the grandeur of Drupada's palace. Her beauty was unparalleled, as described by the esteemed author of Mahabharata, Vyasa. Draupadi possessed a deep complexion akin to the blue lotus, enchanting eyes like lotus petals, exquisite coppery nails, and captivating, dark, curly tresses exuding a fragrance reminiscent of the divine blue lotus.
Born from the sacred fire, Draupadi's allure was ethereal and irresistible. Her arms were fair, her bosom profound, and her whole being radiated celestial charm. A sweet fragrance emanated from her being, which could be sensed from miles away. Her extraordinary beauty surpassed all on Earth, akin to a divine daughter born among humans. Such was her celestial appeal that even gods, Danavas, or Yakshas could aspire to marry her.
Thus, the unique and awe-inspiring tale of Draupadi's birth is etched in the annals of the Mahabharata, revealing the extraordinary origins of this remarkable woman destined for an exceptional destiny.

Chapter-2
Marriage and Children

Drupad's intention was to marry Draupadi to Arjuna, who had previously defeated him in battle. Upon hearing about the purported death of the Pandavas in Varnavat, Drupadi established a swayamvara, a competition for suitors to choose her husband. The challenge involved lifting and stringing a massive bow and hitting a golden fish's eye only by looking at its reflection in water. News of Draupadi's swayamvara spread far and wide, attracting many princes and commoners, all heading towards Panchala. At the same time, the Pandavas, along with their mother Kunti, set out on their journey to Panchala. On their way, they encountered a large group of Brahmins who invited them to accompany them. Eventually, in the swayamvara, most of the assembled kings proved incapable of fulfilling the challenge. There are different accounts of Karna's participation; some say he refused to marry Draupadi because of her birth in a Suta family, while others describe his failure in stringing the bow to win her hand. In the end, disguised as a Brahmin, Arjuna succeeded in the task. The Kauravas and other present rulers objected to a Brahmin's victory in the competition and attacked Draupadi and Arjuna. However, Arjuna and Bhima, together, defeated all the opponents and protected Draupadi. They returned home to Kunti, shouting, "Look what we have achieved!" Kunti thought they were talking about some charity received in the forest or some great reward, unaware of the truth. Arjuna explained the whole story of their success to Kunti, including their shared agreement that all five brothers would marry Draupadi. This incident is a rare example of polyandry in Sanskrit literature.
Later, Draupadi became the mother of five sons, one from each of the Pandava brothers, known as Upapandavas. Their names were Prativindhya (son of Yudhishthira), Sutasoma (son of Bhima), Shrutakarma (son of Arjuna), Shatanika (son of Nakula), and Shrutakirti (son of Sahadeva). On the eighteenth day of the Kurukshetra War, Ashwatthama massacred the Upapandavas at the Pandava camp, seeking revenge for his father Drona's death.

Chapter-3
The Kurukshetra War

During the war, Draupadi stayed with other women in the women's quarters, the Ekachakra. On the sixteenth day, Bhima killed Dushasana, drank his blood, and fulfilled his oath. There is a popular myth, often depicted in various adaptations of the Mahabharata, where Draupadi is shown washing her hair with Dushasana's blood, a symbolic act of revenge for the humiliation she suffered during the dice game. Although this event is incredibly powerful and symbolic, it does not appear in Vyasa's original Sanskrit Mahabharata. Alif Hiltebeitel, in his celebrated research work "The Cult of Draupadi," explores the origins of this myth during his travels through rural India. He discovered that the first literary mention of this blood-washing event was in a Sanskrit play called "Venisamhara" or "Bridging the Hair (of Draupadi)," written by the renowned playwright Bhatta Narayana in the Pallava era. Since then, this potent theme of revenge has been extensively used in most retellings and adaptations of the Mahabharata, inadvertently attributing its authorship to Vyasa.

Chapter-4
Ashwatthama's Assault

Ashwatthama, seeking revenge for the treacherous murder of his father and other Kuru warriors by the Pandavas, launches a night attack on their camp along with Kripacharya and Kritavarma. In the dark of the night, Ashwatthama slays Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, the Upapandavas, and the remaining Pandava and Panchala forces. At dawn, Yudhishthira receives the news and instructs Nakula to bring Draupadi from Matsya Kingdom.
Draupadi makes a vow that if the Pandavas fail to kill Ashwatthama, she will undertake an indefinite fast. The Pandavas encounter Ashwatthama in Vyasa's hermitage. Ultimately, Arjuna and Ashwatthama unleash the powerful Brahmastra upon each other. Vyasa intervenes and advises both warriors to withdraw the destructive weapons. Due to his lack of complete mastery over the knowledge, Ashwatthama redirects the weapon towards Uttara's womb, but Krishna uses his Sudarshan Chakra to protect the unborn child. For this act, Krishna curses Ashwatthama.
The Pandavas capture Ashwatthama, strip him of his ornaments, and Draupadi forgives the killer of her children. The power of her forgiveness calms her anger, and she converses about Guru Drona's son, Ashwatthama.
"We only seek to avenge the pain inflicted upon us, Guru's son himself became a recipient of my faith. Oh Bharata, let the king wear this jewel on his head!"

Chapter-5
Life and Death Afterwards

Draupadi and Yudhishthira perform the Ashwamedha sacrifice and rule the kingdom for 36 years. When their husbands take renunciation and proceed on a journey to the Himalayas and heaven, Draupadi accompanies them. During the journey, she is the first one to pass away.
When Bhima asks Yudhishthira, why Draupadi fell, he responds, "O Best of Men, though we all were equal to her, she showed much partiality towards Dhananjaya. Today, she reaps the consequence of that behavior, O Best of Men."