Draupadi and Pandavas

The relation between Pandava brothers as well as their own characteristics, behavior, position in the family as well as their responsibility towards family were instrumental in shaping their relationship with their common wife Draupadi.

Draupadi respected, loved or appreciated them for what they were.

• To understand, even before Draupadi arrived in the family Yudisthira had assumed the father figure in the family. No one would cross his command or advice at least in front of him - that was the respect he used to get. His words used to be final.

• Bhima already had started taking responsibility to protect the family. The family was hugely depended on him. He was the reason why the Pandavas survived one after another catastrophic events. Bhima was also considered to be the favorite brother of Yudisthira.

• Arjuna proved to be good student and used to be respectful towards elders. He formed a very special bond with Bhishma and then Drona. In fact Yudisthira became more than an elder brother, a Guru or Lord like figure in the eye of Arjuna. Draupadi mentioned him as disciple of Yudisthira while describing him. He became renowned warrior when he was studying under Guru Drona.

• Young Nakula and Sahadeva used to help their elder brothers.

Now either Draupadi knew about Pandavas or she about their past from them post marriage and also observed their behavior and characteristics.

• She revered Yudisthira and treated him as he held the most respected position in the family for being eldest son of Pandu and king. She never left his side for a single time and always stood with him.

• Bhima’s relationship with Draupadi became more visible during dice game and post dice game. One of the reason what I have assumed is that the humiliation of Draupadi in front of him by his arch enemy the Kourava cousins angered him as well. His own inability to protect her hurt his male ego the most. So post dice game he was eager to do every thing to make Draupadi happy and wanted to make her feeling secured in his presence so that he could uplift himself in front of Draupadi. Which is why Drauapdi asked him to bring flowers or went to him for planning to kill Keechaka. Bhima had gained immense trust and confidence. She also knew him as supremely powerful who would go any length to fulfill his vengeance.

• Now come to Arjuna. Arjuna was the one who won her hand by performing difficult task. After that he went on to achieve so many feathers in his crown such as burning of Khandava Prastha, Digvijaya Yatra etc. He was charming, attractive and handsome prince. He was also very famous. But he was not the decision making person in the family as he regarded Yudisthira as his Guru or Lord. He was the person who stayed least time with Draupadi always spending time on learning or on mission.

• Yudisthira was still the man of priority in her life. She rescued him in the first boon from slavery and rescued others in second boon. She asked Bhima to bring flower for her but the flower she had in her hand, she gave it to Yudisthira. She put the jewel of Asvathamma in Yudisthira’s crown. She also spent majority of her time in company of Yudisthira as she was the queen or empress on virtue of being wife of Yudisthira.

• Now probably Yudisthira knew that while he was the man of priority for Draupadi, he might not get the position Arjuna had in her eye. Which is why Yudisthira mentioned her partiality towards Arjuna.

• Arjuna on the other hand had always treated Yudisthira as his Guru and even though himself desired Draupadi, he had to give up his claim on Draupadi. It was Yudisthira who then took final decision to make her common wife of all brothers.

• One observation that took me to immense surprise is while it was said that all five brothers married other women, there was no mention of presence of Yudisthira’s other wife Devika in Indraprastha or in Hastinapura. In fact her family fought on behalf of Kouravas. The wives of other brothers were present in both in Indraprastha and post war in Hastinapura.

• Majority of people believes that there was a rule where she had to stay 1 year with each brothers. The mention of such rule exist in southern version of Sanskrit epic while it doesn’t exist in any of the northern versions. Irrespective with whom she spent her private time, by virtue of being empress she had many other responsibilities to deal with. While she could well spent some times for different reason with King Yudisthira, it was probably a raw deal for brothers who also had different roles assigned for them.

• While it might looks like their individual roles might not came on their relationship with Draupadi, it is worth to mention that Draupadi held a very commanding position towards rest of four brothers. The very example was the way she contradicted Yudisthira and asked Bhima and Arjuna to chase Jayadratha and capture him. Draupadi end of the day was Queen and other four younger brothers were assigned with roles such as minister or adviser or commander of army.

• So all these reasons the brothers were getting less chance to spend time with Draupadi and went on to marry other queens as they knew they won’t get position of Yudisthira in eye of Draupadi. They also might not wanted to seen as competing for Draupadi’s attention.

This explained few things -

1. Why Yudisthira mentioned Draupadi to be partial for Arjuna.

2. Why Draupadi felt bad when Arjuna brought Subhadra.

3. Why Arjuna brought Subhadra or why other brothers brought their wives.

4. Why Arjuna stated on 17th day of the war that Yudisthira in the bed of Draupadi when she was actually not present in battlefield.

So while love among brothers never diminished they had to realize the situation and adjust with it and accept it.

The article is based on complete analysis of unabridged translation of Mahabharata by Kisori Mohan Ganguli and Bibek Debroy.