Draupadi's Failed Attempts to Escape: Week 7 Story
Bibliography: "Mahabharata Online: Public Domain Edition" by Laura Gibbs. Web source.
Draupadi has grown up all her life dealing with everything from her brother, Dhrishtadyumna, and her father, Drupada. She was forced into marriage with the Pandava brothers, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva. Just when she thought her life can't get any worse, she and her husbands were sent into exile. Living with five husbands became a living hell for her and she would do anything to escape.
One day, a nice king appeared named King Jayadratha. He glimpses at Draupadi and immediately wants her. However, all Draupadi wants is to escape so she makes an offer.
"If you take me away from the Pandavas, I will lay with you for a single night", she says.
This surprises king Jayadratha as this was not the innocent demeanor she initially had. King Jayadratha agrees and takes her with him into his chariot. On the road, king Jayadratha spots the Pandava brothers coming for him. As he doesn't want to deal with them, he pushes Draupadi out of his moving chariot and shuts the door.
Draupadi is distraught, but she doesn't want her husbands to be angry with her so she tells them king Jayadratha tried to kidnap her. This motivates the brothers even more who then successfully hunt down and kill the king. Draupadi thanks her husbands, but is secretly angry for the failed attempt to escape.
Many months later, her husbands decide to visit Matsya kingdom. There, Draupadi attempts to escape once again. She sees prince Kichaka and senses an opportunity. Prince Kichaka was known to be a kind and gentle prince. He had many suitors lining up for him. In the middle of the night, Draupadi sneaks into prince Kichaka's room and begs him to save her from the Pandavas. She tells him that all she wants is freedom. Prince Kichaka agrees and allows her to sleep on his bed while he sleeps on the couch. Draupadi continues to tear up thanking the prince when all of the sudden, the Pandavas break into the room. The Pandavas immediately assume the prince kidnapped their wife. Without hesitation, Bhima kills the prince. Draupadi is visibly upset.
"Why can't you just leave me alone? I do not and never wanted to be your wife!", she shouts.
Her husbands stare into her eyes giving her a blank expression.
"You are free to go", says Bhima. That is when she realizes...all she had to do was ask.
Author's note: I deviated from my original plan for this storytelling assignment. As Draupadi has endured many tragedies in her life, I wanted to add a spin to each of the events whether its her kidnapping by Jayadratha or King Kichaka. I made it into her attempts of escaping the Pandavas. I ended the story on a bit of a funny note. She worked so hard to escape her husbands, but never thought to actually realize the Pandavas aren't evil and would let her escape if she had asked.
Hi Amy! I definitely like your spin on the story, and I really enjoy that ending. The Pandavas, especially Bhima, were great warriors but could also be a little naïve. I do feel bad for Draupadi, because being exiled, especially with five husbands, can be a lot. She never intended to marry five men, and she always grew up in royalty, so exile was definitely a radical change.
ReplyDeleteHey Amy!
ReplyDeleteI really liked your take on the story. It was a unique story. I love how Draupadi had this innocent charm to her and using that charm, she got two royals to try to help her leave. Unfortunately, both of them died trying to help her. All she wanted was to just leave. The ending was kind of funny, all she had to do was ask and the Pandavas would have let her leave, instead she tried to make a plan and two people died in the process.