19: The wrong idea that Draupadi was jealous of the other wives of the Pandavas

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Bharathi199

Active Member
There is a common idea that Draupadi was jealous of the other wives of the Pandavas and she did not allow them into Hastinapur. Why would she not allow other wives into Hastinapur unless she was afraid they would become Empress or Chief Queen? But Draupadi was never one to crave wealth or power.

- Would she have married a poor Brahmin if she had wanted to be Queen, when 100s of powerful, wealthy Kshatriya princes were vying for her hand?
- Would she not have agreed to marry Yudisthir and become Queen instead of opting to marry the five and invite confusion into her life?
- Would she have gone on exile with the Pandavas instead of going with her brother Dristadyumna to live in luxury?
-Would she have gone along with them on their final journey instead of staying back at Hastinapur to reign in Parikshit's name?

Now, from the epic:

The epic says that the other wives DID live in Hastinapur after the great war. All of the Pandavas had wives apart from Draupadi, not just Arjuna and all of them come to Hastinapur for the Ashwamedha yaga and stay there. Finally, when the Pandavas leave for their final journey, Subhadra is left at Hastinapur to care for young Parikshit.

Draupadi viewing Subadhra with jealousy or treating her badly owing to jealousy is not accurate. She does express her anger to Arjun when he returns from exile with Subadhra as his wife but he pacifies her and then sends Subadhra dressed as a cowherd girl to her but Draupadi does not show any anger or jealousy to her.

Excerpt: Adi parva: Haranaharana Parva
Subhadra introduces HERSELF as a maid to Draupadi but Draupadi embraces her with affection:
And returning soon unto where Subhadra, attired in red silk, was staying, Arjuna, sent her into the inner apartments dressed not as a queen but in the simple garb of a cowherd woman. But arrived at the palace, the renowned Subhadra looked handsomer in that dress. The celebrated Bhadra of large and slightly red eyes first worshipped Pritha. Kunti from excess of affection smelt the head of that girl of perfectly faultless features, and pronounced infinite blessing upon her. Then that girl of face like the full moon hastily went unto Draupadi and worshipped her, saying, 'I am thy maid!' Krishna rose hastily and embraced the sister of Madhava from affection, and said, 'Let thy husband be without a foe!' Bhadra then, with a delighted heart, said unto Draupadi, 'So be it!' From that time, O Janamejaya, those great warriors, the Pandavas, began to live happily, and Kunti also became very happy.'

In the same chapter we see that Subhadra gave birth to Abhimanyu and Draupadi gave birth to her five sons. It is mentioned that Draupadi conceived Arjuna’s son POST EXILE, meaning that relations between Arjun- Draupadi- Subadhra were perfectly friendly.

Then Subhadra, the favourite sister of Kesava, gave birth to an illustrious son, like Puloma's daughter, (the queen of heaven) bringing forth Jayanta. And the son that Subhadra brought forth was of long arms, broad chest, and eyes as large as those of a bull. That hero and oppressor of foes came to be called Abhimanyu.
..
The auspicious Panchali also, from her five husbands, obtained five sons all of whom were heroes of the foremost rank and immovable in battle like the hills. Prativindhya by Yudhishthira, Sutasoma by Vrikodara, Srutakarman by Arjuna, Satanika by Nakula, and Srutasena by Sahadeva,--these were the five heroes and great warriors that Panchali brought forth, like Aditi bringing forth the Adityas.
..

And because Arjuna's son was born upon his return from exile during which he had achieved many celebrated feats, that child came to be called Srutakarman.

Later, Krishna takes Subadhra/ Abhimanyu with him when he comes to see the Pandavas AFTER they have left Hastinapur to go one exile. Dhristadyumna takes Draupadi’s sons with him. This means the Pandavas had left with everyone to go into exile and later, Subadhra was taken away by Krishna perhaps because Abhimanyu was too young?? If Draupadi wished to treat Subadhra like a maid, wouldn’t she have insisted that Subadhra stay with them during exile and serve her?? Instead she made no objection to Krishna taking her away to Dwarka where she would spend the exile period in relative comfort.

Excerpt: The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Arjunabhigamana Parva: Section XXII
Vana Parva: Arjunabhigamana Parva
Vaisampayana continued, "Having addressed the Kaurava thus, that foremost of male persons, of mighty arms, the slayer of Madhu, possessed of every grace, saluting the Pandavas, prepared for departure. And the mighty-armed hero reverentially saluted Yudhishthira the just, and the king in return and Bhima also smelt the crown of his head. And he was embraced by Arjuna, and the twins saluted him with reverence. And he was duly honoured by Dhaumya, and worshipped with tears by Draupadi. And causing Subhadra and Abhimanyu to ascend his golden car, Krishna, mounted it himself, worshipped by the Pandavas. And consoling Yudhishthira, Krishna set out for Dwaraka on his car resplendent as the sun and unto which were yoked the horses Saivya and Sugriva. And after he of the Dasharha race had departed, Dhristadyumna, the son of Prishata, also set out for his own city, taking with him the sons of Draupadi.

Post war, all the wives of the Pandavas are in Hastinapur and so are the widows of the slain Kauravas. We see them all introduced in The Asramavasika parva. Again, this negates the ‘Draupadi was jealous of other wives’ claim rather nicely.

Excerpt: The Mahabharata, Book 15: Asramavasika Parva: Asramavasa Parva: Section XXV: Asramavasika Parva: Asramavasa Parva:

This lady, of eyes as expansive as lotus petals, who seems to have touched the middle age of life, whose complexion resembles that of the blue lotus, and who looks like a goddess of Heaven, is Krishna, the embodied form of the goddess of prosperity. 1 She who sits besides her, possessed of the complexion of pure gold, who looks like the embodied rays of the moon, in the midst of the other ladies, is, ye foremost of regenerate ones, the sister of that unrivalled hero who wields the discus. This other, as fair as pure gold, is the daughter of the snake-chief and wife of Arjuna. 2 This other whose complexion is like that of pure gold or like that of Madhuka flowers, is the princess Chitrangada. This one, that is possessed of the complexion of an assemblage of blue lotuses, is the sister of that monarch, that lord of hosts, who used to always challenge Krishna. She is the foremost wife of Vrikodara. This is the daughter of the king of Magadha who was known by the name of Jarasandha. Possessed of the complexion of an assemblage of Champakas, she is the wife of the youngest son of Madravati. Possessed of a complexion as darkish as that of the blue lotus, she who sits there on the earth, and whose eyes are as expansive as lotus-petals, is the wife of the eldest son of Madravati, This lady whose complexion is as fair as that of heated gold and who sits with her child on her lap, is the daughter of king Virata. She is the wife of that Abhimanyu who, while divested of his car, was slain by Drona and others fighting from their cars. These ladies, the hair on whose heads shows not the parted line, and who are clad in white, are the widows of the slain sons of Dhritarashtra.

Excerpt: The Mahabharata, Book 15: Asramavasika Parva: Putradarsana Parva: Section XXIX
Asramavasika parva: putradarsana Parva:

Queen Gandhari, with bandaged eyes, joining her hands, addressed her father-in-law (Vyasa). Deeply afflicted with grief on account of the slaughter of her sons, she said,--'O foremost of ascetics, sixteen years have passed over the head of this king grieving for the death of his sons and divested of peace of mind. Afflicted with grief on account of the slaughter of his children, this king Dhritarashtra, always breathes heavily, and never sleeps at night. O great Rishi, through the power of thy penances thou art competent to create new worlds. What need I say then about showing this king his children who are now in the other world? This Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, hath lost all her kinsmen and children. For this, she who is the dearest of my daughters-in-law grieves exceedingly. The sister of Krishna, viz., Subhadra of sweet speech, burning with the loss of her son, grieves as deeply.
 

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