Draupadi - a tale of horror , hurt, humiliation and HONOR!

[Guest guest]

folks, i am going to narrate to you the famous story of 'draupadi ,

the wife of pandavas ' and the hurt, humiliation she faced at the

hands of the kauravas....

 

this story also illustrates how the 'saree' can be such a protective

garment saving a woman's honor... yards and yards of material and not

so easy to disrobe...but, on a more serious note, it illustrates how

the lord protects his devotees when there is total surrender!

 

the story unfolds thus...

 

Duryodhana burst into a wicked laugh. "Who's there? Draupadi is now

my servant. Drag her here," he ordered.

 

The Pandavas felt as if their hearts were stabbed. They bent their

heads in shame. Yudhishthira now knew what an unjust action he was

guilty of. But it was now too late and regret was of no use.

 

Draupadi was in her queenly apartment. Duryodhana's messenger went

and told her, "Yudhishthira has lost you n a game of dice, and

Duryodhana has won. So now, you must serve in Dhritarashtra's palace."

 

Draupadi was dazed. She said, "Can anyone offer his wife as a stake

in any gamble? Further. If Yudhishthira had lost himself earlier,

then he had no right to offer me as a stake. Did King Yudhishthira

first offer himself or me as a stake? Find out and come back." The

messenger returned to the court.

 

Hearing his words, Duryodhana was very angry.

 

"A servant woman should have a short tongue," said Duryodhana.

 

You go and drag her here by the hair," he told Dusshasana.

 

By nature this Dusshasana was wicked. And now he was ordered by his

elder brother. So what could check his arrogance?

 

He dragged Draupadi by her hair to the royal court.

 

And Duryodhana taunted her, "Yudhishthira lost everything. Finally he

staked you also. You are now my servant."

 

It was a crowded royal court. Many were the elders in it – like

Dhritarashtra, Bheeshma, Drona , Kripa and Vidura. Draupadi looked at

them all with eyes eager for help. But no one spoke.

 

All the elders were silent. The subjects were stunned. Her husbands

sat with their heads bowed.

 

"Where righteousness and justice do not exist, it ceases to be a

court; it is a gang of robbers," said Draupadi.

 

Dusshasana grinned and uttered wicked words.

 

Bheema was like a volcano now. He thundered in anger, "I will burn

the hands of Dusshasana."

 

The old sire Bheeshma advised Duryodhana and said, "Do not disgrace

the royal family of the Kurus."

 

But Duryodhana gave only a cruel laugh. And he ordered Dusshasana –

"A servant need have no queenly robes. Snatch her saree.

 

Dusshasana should have respected Draupadi, his sister-in-law, like

his own mother. But the wicked fellow began to pull at her saree.

 

Draupadi's weeping and wailing would have moved a stone to mercy. She

begged all the elders to protect her. Tearfully she told them, "To be

dishonoured is to die. Please save me." She turned to the five

Pandavas and said, "My father had faith in the strength of your arms

and gave me to you. In an open assembly I am being dishonoured, but

you sit with folded arms. Are you not ashamed?"

 

But all her words were useless. She was the daughter of King

Draupada; she was the wife of the Pandava heroes who defeated all

other Kings and performed the great Rajasuya Sacrifice; an empress in

truth. But when she was being insulted and dishonoured in the open

court, there was no one to protect and help her.

 

Draupadi wept and sobbed – "O Lord Krishna! You are always kind to

your worshippers. Please do not forsake me, whoever may do so. O

Protector of the helpless! You are my one help!" She closed her eyes;

her mind fixed on Lord Krishna.

 

O Wonder of wonders! Draupadi's saree became endless. Dusshasana

went on pulling her saree. The sarees rose in a heap. Dusshasana's

hands were tired.

 

Still Duryodhana's pride would not come down. "What if the saree has

become endless?" he said, and patting his thighs, again taunted, "You

are a servant in my palace."

 

Insult after insult! Draupadi's wrath raised its hood with a hiss and

cried for revenge. She cursed him in anger: You will die with a

broken thigh." She shouted at Dusshasana: "Only after you get

punished for this sin, I will tie up my hair. Not till then."

 

The court trembled at her terrible oath. The earth shook. Comets

filled the sky. There were ill omens on all sides.

 

Bheema, who had the strength of a hundred elephants, had so far kept

quiet because of his elder brother. Now his rage knew no bounds. And

he thundered – "I will beat this sinner Duryodhana's thighs into

pulp. And I vow to tear open Dusshasana's breast and drink his blood."

 

Bheeshma and Drona cautioned Dhritarashtra – "Why do you keep quiet

even after listening to the wickedness of your sons? You have heard

the curse of the pained heart of the very virtuous woman, Draupadi.

It might mean the end of your line."

 

Dhritarashtra was also afraid. He said to Draupadi, "You should not

have been shamed thus. You are indeed a good and righteous woman. Ask

of me any boon."

 

Draupadi asked for the liberation of her husbands. Dhritarashtra

returned their kingdom also and tried to console them.

 

source -hindunet

 

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folks, if you will notice - this story has one important lesson for

all of us...

 

there is a phrase called 'purna charanagati' - that is 'complete

surrender'

 

as you will notice, when dussasana was disrobing draupdai, draupadi's

one hand was clutching at her saree and the other hand, she threw up

in despair.... wailing and weeping, she cries... and requests all her

five husbands to come to her rescue... none of them are able to help

her including the strong and mighty bheema.... and then, in sheer

agony, she cries out to lord krisha, her one hand still clutching at

the saree and the other hand thrown up in the air "o krishna! please

save my honor!" but, lord krishna still did not come to her

rescue.... only when draupadi let go of her other hand (that was

clutching at the saree) and threw both her habds in utter

desperation, did our beloved lord krishna come to her rescue!!! this

is called 'puna charanagati' or total surrender!!!

 

when you pray to god/ess, you must do so in total surrender - letting

go! is the key phrase.... in al anon also, this is one of the twelve

steps -let go , let god (ess) !

 

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om sree krishnaayaii namaha! ( krishnaa is also another name for sree

durga ) krishnaa is also a name for draupadi as she is krishna's

sister!