द्रौपदी , wife of the पाण्डवस् .

Previous births

पाञ्चाली had many previous births. During all these births many gods blessed her saying that she would have five husbands when she was born as the daughter of द्रुपद . Stories about her previous births lying scattered in the पुराणस् are given below:

मायासीता

When राम and लक्ष्मण were in exile in the forest with सीता , अग्नि came to राम once and told him in private thus: "Oh राम , you have incarnated on earth to kill रावण . The time for that is drawing nigh and ere long रावण would carry away सीता . It is not proper that सीता , the incarnation of लक्ष्मी , should be touched by रावण . Therefore I shall keep सीता safe with me and I am giving you a phantom सीता to be with you in her stead." श्रीराम took the मायासीता from अग्नि without even लक्ष्मण knowing it and handed over the original सीता to the custody of अग्नि .

While thus श्री राम , लक्ष्मण and मायासीता were living together in their hermitage a golden deer was seen one day in the precincts of their आश्रम . सीता was enamoured of the beautiful deer and wanted it. So राम keeping लक्ष्मण to watch over सीता went in search of the deer. श्री राम tried his best to capture the deer alive. But all his efforts failed and by that time he had come far from the आश्रम following the deer. So he discharged an arrow and killed it. While falling dead the deer raised a cry imitating that of राम 's and called लक्ष्मण for help. The deer was none other than मारीच , the uncle of रावण . On hearing the call for help लक्ष्मण rushed to the spot from where the sound came and सीता was left alone for some time. रावण came to the आश्रम at that time and took the मायासीता away to लङ्का .

राम and लक्ष्मण went to लङ्का with an army of monkeys and after killing रावण took back सीता to अयोध्या . Then राम in deference to public opinion put सीता into the fire to test her purity. At that time god अग्नि taking back मायासीता gave the real सीता to राम , unscathed by the fire. Then, when मायासीता was thus abandoned by राम she bowed down before श्री राम and अग्नि and asked them thus "What am I to do now? Where should I go?" They advised her to go to पुष्कर and do penance there and blessed her saying that at the successful end of her penance she would become स्वर्गलक्ष्मी . परमशिव was pleased by her penance and appearing before her asked her what boon she wanted. मायासीता who had become स्वर्गलक्ष्मी by then requested शिव to give her a husband. She repeated the request 'Patiṃ dehi' (Give me a husband) five times and शिव said that she would have five husbands in her next life as the daughter of the King of पाञ्चाल with the name कृष्णा . (9th Skandha, Devī Bhāgavata)

नालायणी ( इन्द्रसेना )

Once there was an aged sage named मौद्गल्य . नालायणी alias इन्द्रसेना was the wife of मौद्गल्य . Even though the wife was young and the husband old, नालायणी was very chaste. The sage became very old, grey-haired and rugous, skeletonlike with a foul smell emanating from his body. He was always in an angry mood. Still नालायणी stuck to him as a chaste, loving and dutiful wife. As time passed on मौद्गल्य became a leper. One day while the sage was eating, a finger of his broke and fell into the rice. With great calmness and devotion नालायणी removed the finger from the rice and ate the rice. Greatly pleased at this act of hers the sage asked her what boon she wanted and she replied she desired to have an amorous life with him as पञ्चशरीर . मौद्गल्य granted her the boon and they both travelled the whole world enjoying an amorous life. When the sage took the form of a mountain नालायणी became a river and when the sage took the shape of a flowering tree she became a creeper on it. They spent thousands of years like that and then मौद्गल्य became tired of a sexual life and returned to the ascetic life. Even after such a long period of erotic life नालायणी was still lustful and she resented the decision of her husband to go back to the life of a hermit. She begged her husband to continue the same life for some more time. मौद्गल्य got cross when she thus caused hindrance to his penance and cursed her saying that she would in her next life be born as the daughter of the King of पाञ्चाल when she would have five husbands to satisfy her lust. Greatly grieved at this curse she practised severe austerities standing in the midst of पञ्चाग्नि . Pleased with her penance शिव appeared before her and blessed her saying that she would be born in her next birth in a very noble family and she would then have five husbands, good-natured, doing godly work and equal in valour to इन्द्र . She then pleaded that she should be granted the boon to remain a virgin during the coitus with each of her husbands. शिव granted that wish. Then शिव sent her to the river गङ्गा , and asked her to fetch a beautiful young man whom she would be seeing there. Accordingly she went to the river to do as she was directed.

At that time all the devas joined together and performed a याग at नैमिषारण्य . काल , the god of Death, was one of the chief priests for the function. The याग lasted for a long time and since काल was consecrated for the याग he did not attend to his duties as the god of Death. Death came to a dead stop and men increased in alarming numbers and the devas were perplexed. They went to ब्रह्मा and acquainted him with the frightening situation. ब्रह्मा sent them to नैमिषारण्य . They went there and were talking to काल when they saw a few golden flowers coming down the river. Getting curious इन्द्र walked up the river to locate the origin of these flowers. When he reached the place of origin of गङ्गा he saw नालायणी there. नालायणी took the beautiful young man to शिव . शिव was at that time engaged in a game of dice with पार्वती and इन्द्र did not then recognise शिव . इन्द्र in his arrogance argued that the whole universe belonged to him. शिव jumped up enraged and ran after इन्द्र who ran to the mouth of a cave. शिव caught him and said that he would show him four इन्द्रस् inside that cave. Both of them entered the cave and to the amazement of इन्द्र he saw four other इन्द्रस् sitting inside the cave. They were all the creation of शिव and with the original इन्द्र the number of इन्द्रस् came to five. Then addressing नालायणी who had followed them शिव said, "Oh beautiful girl, do not be worried. All these five are your husbands. You will be born as the daughter of the King of पाञ्चाल . Then all these five will be born in the lunar race and will marry you."

The Indras agreed to be born on earth and do the work of God. After that they all went to महाविष्णु and requested him to give them mighty accomplices to fulfil their mission. Then महाविष्णु plucked two hairs from his body, one white and the other black, and dropped them on the ground. The black hair was born as श्री कृष्ण and the white hair was born as बलराम , to help the पाण्डवस् later.

पाञ्चाली 's two previous births can be explained thus: अग्निदेव created मायासीता who in turn became स्वर्गलक्ष्मी to be born as पाञ्चाली . मायासीता was a part of महालक्ष्मी and so also नालायणी who became पाञ्चाली was a part of लक्ष्मी . पाण्डवस् are known to be the sons of five gods and they used for the procreation of the पाण्डवस् इन्द्रांश (part of Indra) thus making them all Indras. [mh-1-197-1 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva • [mh-1-198-1 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva .

Birth of पाञ्चाली

पाञ्चाली was born in the palace of द्रुपद , King of पाञ्चाल . She had a brother named धृष्टद्युम्न . There is a story about their birth in the पुराणस् :

द्रुपद insulted द्रोण his classmate in the Gurukula and द्रोण kept in mind the insult to wreak vengeance on द्रुपद . द्रुपद , therefore, wanted a son to be born who would defeat द्रोण in a battle. ब्रह्मिन्स् advised him to conduct a याग for that purpose. He decided to conduct one on a large scale and went about in search of a यज्वा (one who performs sacrifices according to Vedic rites) and reached कल्माषपुरी on the banks of the river गङ्गा . There he saw a brahmin's house where lived two sages named याज and उपयाज . They were in figure and nature alike. At first द्रुपद went to the younger of the two, उपयाज . He went near him and after massaging his feet and legs requested him to officiate in a याग aimed at getting for him a son to conquer द्रोण in a battle. He promised to give him ten crores of cattle for that and also anything else the sage wanted. These promises did not make the sage consent to conduct the याग and so the King stayed at the आश्रम serving the sage. A year went by and one day the sage appeared cheerful and told द्रुपद thus: "Oh King, my brother who was walking one day in a storm saw a fruit lying on his way and ate it without first ascertaining whether the fruit was pure or not. Again, I have seen him taking food from others freely and eating it. I think he is wishful about wealth and, perhaps, if you approach him he may help you."

द्रुपद went to याज and after serving him to please him made his request promising him much wealth. याज was ready to perform the यज्ञ . उपयाज came to them at that time and याज consulted his brother before going to perform the यज्ञ . The याग was successfully conducted and at the end the priest याज called the wife of द्रुपद and gave her हव्य (clarified butter). Because the हव्य was prepared by याज and was offered by उपयाज the sages said that the queen would get two children. While याज was offering oblations to the sacrificial fire a boy with a crown on his head and bearing a sword and a bow in his hands rose from the fire. The ऋषिस् present there then said that, that boy would kill द्रोण . He was named धृष्टद्युम्न . Then from the dais of the याग -fire emerged a beautiful lady of dazzling brilliance. Immediately a voice from heaven was heard to say thus: "This सुमध्यमा (a girl in her blossoming youth) would work on the side of God and will cause terror to the कौरवस् ."

याज blessed the wife of द्रुपद saying that the two children would thenceforth call her mother. याज himself named the boy धृष्टद्युम्न and the girl according to the ethereal voice, कृष्णा . कृष्णा was dark in complexion. कृष्णा was called पार्षटी because she was the grand-daughter of पृषत and द्रौपदी because she was the daughter of द्रुपद and पाञ्चाली because she was the daughter of the King of पाञ्चाल . पाञ्चाली grew up in the palace of द्रुपद . [mh-1-167-1 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva

After escaping from the lac palace the पाण्डवस् reached a village named एकचक्रा after walking a long time through the forests. There they stayed in a ब्रह्मिन् 's house. Every morning they would go in disguise for begging and return with the alms in the evening. This was their daily routine and one day while they were in their daily round they saw a group of ब्रह्मिन्स् and they said they were going to the स्वयंवर of the daughter of the King of पाञ्चाल . The ब्रह्मिन्स् invited them also to come along with them describing in detail the beauty of the girl and the elaborate and festive arrangements made for the marriage. The पाण्डवस् went to पाञ्चाल along with the ब्रह्मिन्स् . On the way they met वेदव्यास and receiving blessings from him they went to the capital city of पाञ्चाल and took their abode in the house of a potter. Nobody knew who they were.

द्रुपद had placed a mighty steel bow in the marriage hall. When all the distinguished guests were seated in the marriage hall, the King announced that his daughter would be given in marriage to him who bent the steel bow and with it shot a steel arrow, through the central aperture of a revolving disc, at a target placed above. Many valiant princes from all parts of भारत including the Kauravas had gathered there. When it was time for the ceremonies to begin पाञ्चाली clad in beautiful robes with a bewitching charm which excited the royal assemblage entered the hall with a garland in her hands. Then धृष्टद्युम्न brother of पाञ्चाली said "Hear ye, oh princes, seated in state in this assembly, here is the bow and arrow. He who sends five arrows in succession through the hole in the wheel and unerringly hits the target shall win my sister."

Many noted princes rose one after another and tried in vain to string the bow. It was too heavy and stiff for them. Then Arjuna rose and meditating on नारायण , the Supreme God, strung the bow with ease and hit at the target. पाञ्चाली then put the garland on Arjuna's neck and accepting him as her husband went with him and stayed that night at the house of the potter. Drupada that night went to the house of the potter to make enquiries about his daughter and son-in-law. His joy knew no bounds when he knew that his son-in-law was none other than the celebrated Arjuna. The पाण्डवस् then took पञ्चाली to their home in एकचक्रा and as soon as कुन्तीदेवी heard the footsteps of her sons outside she said from inside asking them to share that day's alms among themselves little knowing that it was a bride that had been brought by them. Thus पाञ्चाली became the common consort of the five पाण्डवस् . Then the marriage of पाञ्चाली was ceremoniously conducted after inviting friends and relatives. The पाण्डवस् then built a new palace at इन्द्रप्रस्थ and lived there. [mh-1-190-1 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva (190-220)

श्री कृष्ण was present there along with the leading members of the clan of वृष्णि . He could recognise the पाण्डवस् in spite of their disguise. श्री कृष्ण went to the potter's house and visited them. He gave them valuable presents on the occasion of their marriage.

Making Draupadī naked

Once दुर्योधन challenged धर्मपुत्र to a game of dice. धर्मपुत्र lost all and in the end in despair pledged द्रौपदी and lost her. Immediately दुर्योधन asked विदुर to bring द्रौपदी to his palace and make her serve as a servant-maid. विदुर did not consent to that. Then दुर्योधन asked प्रातिकामि to bring her. While entering the palace of द्रौपदी , प्रातिकामि was as timid as a dog about to enter the cage of a lion. He informed द्रौपदी of his mission. द्रौपदी sent him back and then दुर्योधन sent another messenger. द्रौपदी went with him to the court of the कौरवस् . As soon as दुश्शासन saw द्रौपदी he jumped at her and caught hold of her hair and dragged her to the centre of the assembly. When दुश्शासन dragged her thus she said in piteous tones "I am in my monthly period and I have only the upper garment on me. Please do not take me to the assembly." दुश्शासन was not moved by these pleadings and he dragged her still.

भीम could not hold himself calm against this atrocity any longer and in a roar of wrath he abused धर्मपुत्र for pledging पाञ्चाली thus and losing her. अर्जुन however remonstrated gently with भीम . Then to the consternation of all, दुश्शासन started his shameful work of pulling at पाञ्चाली 's robes to strip her of all the clothes. All earthly aid having failed द्रौपदी in utter helplessness implored divine mercy and succour. Then a miracle occurred. In vain did दुश्शासन toil to pull the garments completely and make her naked. As he pulled off each, fresh garments were seen to come from somewhere and cover her nudity. दुश्शासन retired from his work exhausted and disappointed. Then कर्ण ordered that द्रौपदी should be sent to the palace of दुर्योधन as a servant-maid. Hearing this दुश्शासन once again started dragging her. द्रौपदी wept. भीम roared in fury and said that if his brother, धर्मपुत्र , gave him permission he would at that instant smash to death the कौरवस् just like a lion killing the animals. भीष्म and द्रोण interfered and pacified him. दुर्योधन stood up and striking his right thigh with his right hand challenged भीम to a fight. भीमसेन did not like दुर्योधन exhibiting his naked thigh in front of द्रौपदी and an angered भीम declared that he would in a battle break दुर्योधन 's thigh with his mace. धृतराष्ट्र came to the scene and pacified both of them and turning to पाञ्चाली asked her to name any boon she wanted from him. पाञ्चाली said: "In order that my son, प्रतिविन्ध्य , should not be called a 'dāsaputra' (son of a servant) his father धर्मपुत्र should be released from his servitude." The boon was granted. Then she requested that all the other पाण्डवस् should be set free. That was also allowed. धृतराष्ट्र then asked her to name a third boon. पाञ्चाली then said that all क्षत्रिय women were entitled only to two boons and so there was no need for a third one. Then द्रौपदी took a vow that her hair which was let lose by the wicked दुश्शासन would be tied properly only by a hand tainted by the blood of दुश्शासन . After that in strict obedience to the conditions of the wager the पाण्डवस् started for the forests with द्रौपदी to spend twelve years in the forests and one year incognito. [mh-2-68-1 ] Mahābhārata • Sabhā parva (68-77) Ten Chapters from Chapter 68

वनवास of पाञ्चाली

(Life in the forests). During the exile of the पाण्डवस् in the forests पाञ्चाली was involved in many events of which a few important ones are given below:

किर्मीर 's attack

When the पाण्डवस् were in the काम्यकवन , किर्मीर , the brother of बक , came to the आश्रम where पाञ्चाली was taking rest. The demon was such a fierce-looking giant that पाञ्चाली was forced to shut her eyes by fright and she became wearied like a river in the midst of five hillocks. भीमसेन immediately ran to her rescue and killed किर्मीर . [mh-3-11-1 ] Mahābhārata • Vana parva .

पाञ्चाली consoled धर्मपुत्र by her soothing words. [mh-3-27-1 ] Mahābhārata • Vana parva .

Once when her woes became unbearable she condemned the devas. (Chapter 3, वन पर्व ) .

While the पाण्डवस् were on the mountain गन्धमादन , पाञ्चाली persuaded भीम to bring for her the सौगन्धिक flower. (See under Bhīma) .

While the पाण्डवस् were living in the बदरिकाश्रम waiting for the return of अर्जुन who had gone on a year's pilgrimage, पाञ्चाली was carried away by जटासुर . (See under Jaṭāsura)

After she was rescued from जटासुर , पाञ्चाली along with her husbands dwelt in the hermitage of आर्ष्टिषेण . (See under Ārṣṭiṣeṇa) .

Once द्रौपदी gave instructions on the duties of a wife to सत्यभामा who came to the forests along with श्री कृष्ण . [mh-3-233-1 ] Mahābhārata • Vana parva • [mh-3-234-1 ] Mahābhārata • Vana parva .

Once दुर्वासस् with his disciples came to the forest as the guests of the पाण्डवस् . They came late and पाञ्चाली had taken her food already. The अक्षयपात्र (the never-empty pot) could not be invoked to produce anything that day and पाञ्चाली was greatly agitated and worried. She prayed to श्री कृष्ण for succour and श्री कृष्ण also coming hungry searched in the pot for something to eat and finding a bit of spinach sticking to the sides of the pot grabbed it with avidity and ate it. The guests felt as if they had enjoyed a sumptuous feast and left the place well pleased. (See para XII under Duryodhana) .

जयद्रथ carried away पाञ्चाली from the forests once. The पाण्डवस् rescued her. (Para 4 under Jayadratha) .

Life incognito

After their twelve years of exile in the forests the time for living in disguise for a year came and Dharmaputra and his brothers with पाञ्चाली spent that period in the palace of the King विराट . Each assumed a new name and accepted different types of service under the King. पाञ्चाली took the name of सैरन्ध्री and served as a companion and attendant to the princess. One day कीचक , the mighty brother-in-law of the King, tried to molest पाञ्चाली and भीमसेन killed him. (See under Kīcaka) . It was at the time when the incognito life was coming to an end that the कौरव army headed by दुर्योधन carried away the cattle of the King विराट . The King was absent from the palace at that time and the prince, उत्तर , had not the guts to go and attack the कौरव army. It was पाञ्चाली who then suggested sending of बृहन्नल of the palace ( अर्जुन ) to serve as charioteer of उत्तर . (See under Arjuna, Para 24)

Subsequent events

The thirteen years of life in exile and incognito came to an end. But the कौरवस् were not prepared to give half of the kingdom to the पाण्डवस् . The differences between them increased and it led to a great war. श्री कृष्ण agreed to go as a messenger to the court of धृतराष्ट्र and ask for the share of the पाण्डवस् . Before leaving he asked each of the पाण्डवस् what he should say at the court of धृतराष्ट्र . पाञ्चाली then approached कृष्ण in private and said she desired for a war to defeat the कौरवस् . She then reminded कृष्ण of a vow taken by भीमसेन that he would tie her hair with his hands smeared with the blood from the thigh of दुश्शासन .

The peace-mission of कृष्ण failed and the famous कुरुक्षेत्र battle started. Many valiant warriors on both the sides were killed. When अभिमन्यु was killed सुभद्रा wept bitterly and पाञ्चाली who went to console her fainted. श्री कृष्ण revived her. पाञ्चाली asked भीमसेन to bring to her the inborn jewel on the head of अश्वत्थामा , son of द्रोण . She wanted to take revenge on him for killing her brother धृष्टद्युम्न . After a fierce battle for eighteen days the कौरवस् were defeated and their tribe annihilated. पाण्डवस् took hold of हस्तिनापुर and पाञ्चाली was one among those who persuaded धर्मपुत्र to take charge of the administration of the state as its ruler. धर्मपुत्र performed an अश्वमेधयज्ञ and पाञ्चाली gave presents to चित्राङ्गदा and उलूपी who were present for the function then. After the अश्वमेध द्रौपदी lived in हस्तिनापुर serving कुन्ती and गान्धारी alike for a long time. It was at that time that धृतराष्ट्र , गान्धारी and कुन्ती went to the forests and द्रौपदी expressed her desire to go along with them to be of help to them. But they did not allow her to do so. While the पाण्डवस् were living in हस्तिनापुर as the rulers of the country eminent ऋषिस् from different parts of the country visited them and some of the सिद्धस् (realised souls) among them saw पाञ्चाली as the goddess महालक्ष्मी herself. [mh-15-25-9 ] Mahābhārata • Āśramavāsika parva

पाञ्चाली

At the fag end of their life the पाण्डवस् crowned परीक्षित् as the King of हस्तिनापुर and started on their महाप्रस्थान . They travelled for long through the हिमालयस् and reached महामेरु . At that time पाञ्चाली fell down dead. Then भीमसेन asked युधिष्ठिर why without any particular ailment पाञ्चाली died. युधिष्ठिर replied that it was because she showed special interest in अर्जुन The पाण्डवस् walked on and all of them excepting धर्मपुत्र died on the way one by one. Even before धर्मपुत्र entered स्वर्ग पाञ्चाली and the four brothers had reached there. [mh-17-1-1 ] Mahābhārata • Mahāprasthānika parva (1-4) .

Sons of पाञ्चाली

पाञ्चाली had five sons one each from each of the five husbands. She got प्रतिविन्ध्य of युधिष्ठिर , श्रुतसोम of भीमसेन , श्रुतकीर्ति of अर्जुन , शतानीक of नकुल and श्रुतकर्मा of सहदेव . [mh-1-95-73 ] Mahābhārata • Ādi parva .