Draupadī
Draupadī is a central female character in the Mahābhārata, one of India's most significant ancient epics, which narrates the power struggles between two rival families, the Pāndavas and the Kauravas. Born from a fire as the daughter of King Drupada of Pāñcāla, Draupadī is often associated with divine qualities and is considered an incarnation of the goddess Sri, emblematic of prosperity and kingly power. She becomes the wife of all five Pāndava brothers after Arjuna wins her in a tournament. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she is humiliated by the Kauravas in a rigged dice game, an event that ignites a quest for revenge leading to the epic Kuruksetra War.
Draupadī's experiences reflect her resilience in the face of adversity, as she endures profound trials yet receives divine assistance during her moments of need. Despite her revered status, Draupadī’s polyandrous marriage has sparked debate within certain cultural contexts, leading to varying interpretations of her character. In some regions, she is even worshipped as a goddess, with rituals that commemorate her life and struggles. Ultimately, her story is not only pivotal to the Mahābhārata but also represents broader themes of honor, justice, and the complexities of female agency in ancient narratives.
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Subject Terms
Draupadī
Author: Traditional
Time Period: 1 CE–500 CE
Country or Culture: India
Genre: Myth
PLOT SUMMARY
Draupadī is an important female character in the classic Indian story the Mahābhārata. The Mahābhārata is a complex tale of the struggle of different factions competing for succession to the throne of a northern Indian kingdom called Kuruksetra. The two principal opposing sets are rival cousins, the Pāndavas and the Kauravas. The two main sides draw other families into their struggle in a dynamic and baroque series of alliances.
In this complicated tale, Draupadī is the beautiful and intelligent daughter of Drupada, king of a region along the Ganges River called Pāñcāla. Born from the fire of a sacred ritual sacrifice and associated with mystical powers, Draupadī is also said to be an incarnation of the goddess Sri (sometimes associated with Laksmī, or Lakshmi), who represents kingly power and the right to continued succession.
Eager to forge an alliance with a militarily powerful family, King Drupada holds a tournament so that suitors can show off their skills to his daughter. She will then choose as her husband the champion who most impresses her; the man of her choice will therefore become a protector of the kingdom. After one of the five Pāndava brothers, Arjuna, wins an archery contest, Draupadī chooses him to be her groom. When Arjuna explains to his mother that he has won a contest, she misunderstands him; thinking he has won treasure, she admonishes him to share equally with his brothers. Arjuna follows his mother’s instructions, and all five brothers marry the princess Draupadī. Eventually she gives birth to five sons, one sired by each husband.
In a major turning point in the Mahābhārata, the villain Śakuni entices the Pāndava brothers to play a game of dice against the Kauravas. Unbeknownst to the players, the dice used have been carved from the leg bone of Śakuni’s father, and he can magically control the outcome of their rolls. Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pāndava brothers, gradually loses all of his property and then his freedom and that of his brothers. In the end, he loses Draupadī as well. As the Kauravas seek to strip her of her clothes to shame her, the god Krsna (Krishna) intervenes and gives her an endless number of garments. In his shame, the patriarch of the Kauravas frees the Pāndava brothers. Draupadī is so insulted by the crude actions of the Kauravas, however, that she vows revenge.
The members of the Pāndava clan, including Draupadī, are exiled to the forest for twelve years. When the thirteenth year comes, however, Draupadī encourages the men in her family to go to war against the Kauravas. When Krsna comes to try to make peace, she argues against him, saying that the Pāndavas must fight to uphold her honor.
The Pāndavas are victorious in the ensuing campaign, known as the Kuruksetra War. However, Draupadī’s five sons are killed in combat by the great warrior Aśvatthāmā. She vows to fast until Aśvatthāmā is caught and killed. Eventually, he is caught, but Draupadī shows him mercy, taking a jewel he wears on his head instead of his life.
In the end, Draupadī follows her five husbands in their quest for world renunciation. They try to climb the sacred Mount Meru, but this feat is physically too much for Draupadī, and she dies in the attempt. In death, she is reunited with her family in the heavenly realm.
SIGNIFICANCE
The Mahābhārata is one of the most enduring works of art from the Indian subcontinent. Along with the roughly contemporaneous Rāmāyana, the Mahābhārata is definitive of classical Sanskrit literature, offering a fascinating window into what life was like in early medieval India. Dating it, however, can be problematic. The epic is traditionally credited to the great scholar Vyāsa, who is said to have been an incarnation of the god Visnu (Vishnu) as well as the scribe who first wrote down the holy Hindu texts, the Vedas and Puranas. However, modern scholars have concluded that the Mahābhārata was composed in pieces that were repeatedly redacted and mainly passed down through the generations in a tradition of oral storytelling. The existing version of the Mahābhārata probably took shape around the fourth century CE, and its earliest forms probably date back to before 500 BCE
The events of Draupadī’s life set into motion some of the central plots of the Mahābhārata. Foremost, it is her humiliation by the Kauravas and her desire for revenge that drive the Pāndavas to fight the Kauravas. This culminates in the great Kuruksetra War, the definitive conflict in the epic. Therefore, Draupadī is known to many as the chief instigator of the Kuruksetra War and one of its main victims, since her five sons are killed in its battles. As many scholars have noted, this is a typical pattern in Sanskrit literature, wherein the fates of women often cause reactions among the main protagonists and antagonists that drive the overall plotlines of the tales.
Draupadī has been one of India’s favorite literary heroines since the early medieval period. She represents a woman who both endures great trials and gains divine intervention to help her overcome injustice. However, she has also been a somewhat controversial figure. Her marriage to all five Pāndava brothers is an exceedingly rare act of polyandry within the Sanskrit tradition, and it is an act that some conservative Hindus have considered blasphemous. Nonetheless, the popular appeal of the Draupadī character endures.
In some places, Draupadī’s admirers have elevated her to a divine role. For instance, she is worshipped as a goddess in some parts of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where elements of the Mahābhārata story that pertain to Draupadī’s life are acted out ritually in temple plays. Such rituals also include feats of extreme endurance, such as fire walking. Expressions of religious fervor such as possession by spirits also take place during these rituals, with the afflicted individuals talking in the voices of characters from the Mahābhārata.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dimmitt, Cornelia, and J. A. B. Van Buitenen. Classical Hindu Mythology. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1978. Print.
Leemings, David Adam. Mythology: The Voyage of the Hero. New York: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.
Shattuck, Cybelle. Hinduism. New York: Routledge, 1999. Print.
Van Buitenen, J. A. B. The Mahābhārata. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1973. Print.
Wilkins, W. J. Hindu Mythology. London: Curzon, 1973. Print.