Draupadi

For other uses, see Draupadi (disambiguation).
"Panchali", "Sairandhri", "Yajnaseni" and “Krishna” redirect here. For other uses, see Panchali (disambiguation), Sairandhri (disambiguation), Yajnaseni (disambiguation) and Krishna (disambiguation)

Draupadi
Member of Panchakanya
Panchali
Draupadi worshipped as Draupadi Amman
Other names
  • Krishnā
  • Yajnaseni
  • Panchali
  • Drupadakanya
Devanagariद्रौपदी
Affiliation
Texts
GenderFemale
Genealogy
Born
Panchala
Died
Himalayas
Parents
Siblings
SpousePandavas
ChildrenUpapandavas
DynastyKuru dynasty by marriage

Draupadi (Sanskrit: द्रौपदी, romanized: draupadī, lit. 'Daughter of Drupada'), also referred to as Krishnā, Panchali, and Yajnaseni, is the main female protagonist of the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata, and the wife of the five Pandava brothers—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva.[1] She is noted for her beauty, courage, and polyandrous marriage.[2]

In the Mahabharata, Draupadi and her twin brother, Dhrishtadyumna, were born from a yajna (fire sacrifice) organized by King Drupada of Panchala. Arjuna won her hand in marriage, but she had to marry the five brothers because of her mother-in-law's misunderstanding. Later, she became the empress of Indraprastha after Yudhishthira performed the Rajasuya ritual and achieved the status of the emperor. She had five sons, one from each Pandava, who were collectively addressed as the Upapandavas.[3]

The most notable incident in Draupadi's life is the game of dice at Hastinapura where Yudhishthira lost all his possessions, and she was humiliated by the Kaurava brothers and Karna. An attempt was made by Dushasana to disrobe her, but she was saved by the divine intervention of Krishna. Following the subsequent episodes, Draupadi and the Pandavas were exiled for thirteen years, with the last year being a period of hiding when she assumed the identity of the maid Sairandhri. The exile was followed by the Kurukshetra War, where Draupadi lost her father, brothers, and her five children. After the war, she resumed her role as the empress for thirty six years, after which she retired to the Himalayas along with her husbands.[4]

Draupadi's story has been an inspiration for various arts, performances and secondary literature.[5] In Hinduism, she is extolled as one of the panchakanya (five virgins), archetypes of female chastity whose names are believed to dispel sin when recited.[6] In some parts of the sub-continent, a sect of Draupadi exists, where she is worshipped as a goddess.[7]

  1. ^ "The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Vaivahika Parva: Section CLXLIX". Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  2. ^ Patra, Avinash (2012). "Draupadi A Woman of Rare Love". The Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2022. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ Johnson, W. J. (2009). "Draupadi". A Dictionary of Hinduism. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780198610250.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19861-025-0.
  4. ^ Bhawalkar, Vanamala (2002). Eminent Women in the Mahabharata. ISBN 9788185616803. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Relooking, Retelling And Rereading Women in the Epics". Outlook. 1 October 2021. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
  6. ^ Bhattacharya, Pradip (March–April 2004). "Five Holy Virgins, Five Sacred Myths: A Quest for Meaning (Part I)" (PDF). Manushi (141). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  7. ^ Alf Hiltebeitel (1 January 1991). The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : From Gingee to Kurukserta. Motilal Banarsidass. p. ii. ISBN 978-81-208-1000-6.