MAHABHARATA,
an Indian epic and Indian imitation of Homer’s “ILIAD” is a story of Gods
intervention in the life of Humans, Demigods and Avatars. And one of the
biggest and most important avatar is DRAUPADI or PANCHALI, daughter of King
DRUPADA of Panchal. The birth of Draupadi is by a fire-sacrifice performed by King Drupada to gain
revenge on Guru Drona (Who has won the half of the kingdom of Drupada with the
help of Pandu putra ARJUN). She emerged out from the fire-sacrifice after her
sibling DRISHTDYUMNA and she was destining to bring about the destruction of
the whole KURU-LINE.Her
journey was not easy because she was the avatar and whatever will going to be
happen was already inserted in her destiny. She faced many problems like get
married with five brothers (PANDAVAS), abused by KARNA in the assembly of HASTINAPUR
before her CHEERHARAN and her death at a very young age. She compromised all
the problems with help of Krishna advices and did whatever her husband’s
(PANDAVAS) said to her. And she was the only character of MAHABHARATA who
didn’t any childhood followed by her sibling DRISHTDYUMNA, as she was born from a fire-sacrifice.
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| FIRE SACRIFICE |
Draupadi’s
birth and marriage was predestined. According to NARADIYA PURANA and VAYU PURANA,
Draupadi was composite Avatar of Goddesses SHYAMALA (wife of Dharma), SARSWATI
(Wife of Vayu), SACHI (wife of Indra) and USHA (wife of Ashwinis) and hence
married their earthly counterparts in the form of the five Pandavas. She was also
avatar of Goddess Shree or wealth who was joint wife to five Indras (the Five
Pandavas).She came as Sita especially to take revenge from Ravana while Agni
hid the real Sita.The fifth avatar was Draupadi herself. So we find in
Draupadi, a composite avatar of Kali, Parvati, Sachi, Shyamala, Usha, Bharati,
Shree, Swaha, the eight goddesses.Enraged
at a jest by Parvati and the four goddesses, Brahma cursed them to human birth.
Parvati thought of the solution wherein they will be born as one woman,
Draupadi and hence share the earthly body for a smaller period of time. Her fight
against injustice when DUSHASANA removed her saari in CHEERHARAN
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| VASTRA-HARAN |
reflects
Parvati or her Shakti, when she cursed the whole KURU LINE for her insult Kali
inhabiting Draupadi's mortal flesh at that time. At other times, Draupadi was
docile and even waited to be rescued showing the qualities of other goddesses
like Sachi and Usha. Other times, she showed cleverness in hiding their true
identity and asking Vayu putra Bhima to kill the evil KICHAKA like Goddess
SARASWATI would, when she disguised as a MALINI, servant of King VIRATA KICHAKA
had desired to enjoy her beauty during the period of AGYAAT-VAAS.Somehow
her marital life was not good. Wife of five husbands, she find out it quite
difficult but with the help of Lord Krishna she had started managing. Once Lord
Krishna said to her," You will spend one year with each husband. Others
will be forbidden to enter the chamber in which you and the husband-of-the-year
are staying. If one does so, even accidentally, he would be exiled for one
year." Only Lord Krishna was there who knows the whole scenario of
Draupadi’s life past and present. He even mentioned that why she has five
husbands? What she did? Is there any wish she asked to LORD BRAHMA for her
future husband?Although
Draupadi was married with PANDAVAS but there was a point that she was in love
KARNA (the other son of KUNTI). And Draupadi had accepted that when she plucked
out the fruit from the branch of a tree which hanging there from last 12 years
for a priest. And the tree asked her about the chastity of her and for that she
had confessed that she love KARNA but don’t want to marry with him, she even
said that, "If I had married him, I would not have
been gambled away, publicly humiliated and called a whore".
But
when she was dying and her head was on BHEEM’s lap she had confessed her love
to Arjun.
Being
a composite avatar and having a short life, she got what her destiny has for
her. She was helped out by Lord Krishna and protected by PANDAVAS. She lived
her life with lots of problems and reflects different shades of Goddesses. For
example when the battle was over the Pandavas argued among themselves about who
was responsible for the victory and Lord Krishna suggested that they should ask
Barbareek - after all, he had seen the entire war from the top of the NEEM TREE. Barbareek answered that he saw only two things in the entire war: Krishna's
Sudarshana wheel slaughtering Kaurava warriors and Draupadi drinking up all the
blood, having transformed herself into Mahakali.
