Draupadi : Highly misunderstood devi

Pick up any contemporary work on Mahabharata and you will find trivial depiction of Draupadi. More than anything else, her sex life is discussed. Her vastra-haran is trivialized by creating visuals.

This happens when society revere and appreciates मूढ अधार्मिक intellectuals.

First of all, translations from Sanskrit or any other folklore tales to Hindi and then into English is highly vulnerable to misinterpretation and misrepresentation.

Second, any characterization of Draupadi based on literal translation of popular polyandry metaphor is not only misleading but tomfoolery and can only help in intellectual pleasure(Debate/Discussion/Lucid writing/pastime) which nullifies purpose of writing epic i.e. to show mirror to society and bring them towards dharmic way of living.

Draupadi is from that characters brigade, whose Krishna is member, and who has satisfied creative-hunger of many new-age literary writers. Majority of them writes spiritually distasteful, factually incorrect, single lensed, half-baked imagination for reader’s imaginary pleasure (where sexual imagination attracts maximum readers).

Let me share only one example which is enough to describe true Draupadi.

In Udyoga parva, when Krishna’s peace treaty failed and Krishna left the House of Representatives, Drona warned Kauravas that are you really trying to win Pandava who are protected by Draupadi’s austerities?

द्रौपदी यस्य चाशास्ते विजयं सत्यवादिनी ।
तपोघोरव्रता देवी कथं जेष्यसि पाण्डवम् ।। 5.139.18.1||

तपोघोरव्रता – intense ब्रह्मचर्य!
सत्यवादिनी – The one who always speaks truth

“How can you vanquish the son of Pandu, when Draupadi who is truthful in speech and devoted to rigid vows and austerities, prays for his success?”

Not only meanings of words like धर्मज्ञा, सत्यवादिनी and देवी, which are used for Draupadi on different occasions by different persons, are difficult to imagine in 21st century but also it is impossible to imagine towering character like Draupadi in our times when fanciful, delusional and bubbling writers are engaged in imaginary sexual acts.

Draupadi is solution for present day female-freedom conundrum/confusion, provided we shift and raise our intellectual eyebrows from sexual/polyandry imagination of her and try to re-portray her character afresh with new outlook.

Are you ready to live like धर्मज्ञा, सत्यवादिनी and देवी? lol ..ignore, forget it.

PS: Draupadi’s birth was by emergence. So does Sita’s birth. One from sacred fire, another from sacred Bhu (Soil).

They on metaphysical plane, represent basic elements. Elements when disrobed by Asuri power centers, Vishnu protects her.

All elements are at risk including Draupadi and Sita by Asuri power. We need to kindle Vishnu among our hearts to protect them.

Remember: Itihas (Ramayana and Mahabharata) kept moral values alive on this land since time immemorial. They play critical role in maintaining dharma-fabric in society. It is your job to pass on the torch to the next generation. Don’t miss your duty.