Draupadi was the fiery yet compassionate wife of the Pandavas and she needs no introduction further. Yet we bring you few facts we bet you did not know about her.
- Draupadi symbolizes the binding of the five chakras of the human body hence, she is known as Kula Kundalini which resides in the spinal cord of a human body.
- Draupadi is also referred to as Panchali (one from the kingdom of Panchala), Yajnaseni (one born from a Yajna or fire-sacrifice), Mahabhaaratii (great wife of the five descendents of Bharata) and Sairandhri (an expert maid, her assumed name during her second exile in which she worked as Virat kingdom's queen Sudeshna's hair-stylist).
- It is said that in her previous birth she has asked Lord Shiva a boon where she wanted to marry a man with qualities like good looks, patience, dharma, archery skills and strength to which Lord Shiva said that she will not be able to find one man with all these qualities instead she shall marry five men who shall possess each of her mentioned qualities.
- Draupadi was a fearless woman. In those times, women did not express much of their emotions but when Draupadi was insulted she demanded justice from King Dhritarashtra. She, as Sairandhri, again demanded justice directly from king Virata when she was insulted by his brother-in-law Kichaka. She openly condemned those kings (Virata and Dhritarashtra) for failing to protect a woman. She even condemned great warriors such as Bhishma, Drona, Kripacharya and her husbands for not saving her from the humiliation during Cheer-Haran episode.
- Draupadi’s father Drupada, King of Panchala, created her for the sole purpose of destroying the Kuru household that patronized Drona, who used his students, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, to conquer and then divide Panchala. Thus, Draupadi was born an adult, with no appreciation of childhood or parenting. Draupadi was raised in hatred, designed for destroying a family.
- There is also an interesting story of Durvasa saving Draupadi from the Cheer-Haran. Shiva Purana attributes her miraculous rescue to a boon granted by Durvasa. The story goes that the sage’s loincloth was once carried away by the Ganges. Draupadi quickly tore a piece of her garment to cover him. The sage granted her a boon, which caused an unending stream of cloth to cover her when Dushasan was trying to strip her.
- When Draupadi agreed to be the common wife, her condition was that she would share her household with no other woman. In other words, disregarding popular practice of the times, the Pandavas could not bring their other wives to Indraprastha. Arjuna, however, succeeded in bringing one wife in. She was Krishna’s sister, Subhadra. And with a little advise from Krishna, she was able to trick her way into the household.
- Before she moved to the next husband, Draupadi walks through fire to regain her virginity and purity. Such rules were never placed before polygamous husbands. All the Pandavas had other wives but these wives stayed with their parents and the Pandavas had to travel out of the city to visit their other wives in the four years that Draupadi is intimate with the other brothers.
- Draupadi always considered Lord Krishna as her Sakha or beloved friend and Krishna addressed her as Sakhi, this is emblematic of the spiritual love existing between the livid Draupadi and Krishna. The only true friend, who validated her persona and came to her rescue each time she found herself in dire circumstances, was Krishna, whose divine presence she experienced constantly in her life.