Mahabharata: The Woman's Life-Story

By Indrajit Bandyopadhyay

Draupadi is a wonder woman in the history of literature. She is undoubtedly the central character in Mahabharata. Other than the Draupadi we find in Vyasa’s Mahabharata – in all Folk Mahabharatas –Draupadi is a powerful woman with powerful sexuality. In the Buddhist Jataka, Draupadi has illicit sexual relation with a hump-backed servant; in some Folk Mahabharata of South India, Draupadi has secret sexual desire for Krishna and Karna; in Bheel Bharata – a Folk Mahabharata of the Bheel (or, Bhil) tribes of Rajasthan – she has sexual relation with Vasuka Naga, a ‘snake’ king and is Vasuki’s willing sexual partner for sometime; and in Devi Bhagavata Puraana, Kichaka, the brother-in-law of King Virata of Matsya Kingdom, rapes her. In the present story, my attempt to reconcile ‘classical’ and Folk Draupadi, is by infusing the Greek mythical elements in Draupadi’s sexual relations outside her polyandrous marriage. Draupadi – to me – is the superior example of woman’s Evolutionary Psychology in full splendour.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 3, 2012
• ISBN: 9781300473329

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Mahabharata: The Woman's Life-Story

Mahabharata: The Woman's Life-Story

Indrajit Bandyopadhyay

Copyright © 2012 Indrajit Bandyopadhyay

All rights reserved.

ISBN:  978-1-300-47332-9

Dedication

I dedicate this work to the Narrators of Folk Mahabharata

Content

Preface

Mahabharata: The Woman's Life-Story

Preface

Draupadi is a wonder woman in the history of literature. Putting aside the ‘patriarchal’ interpretation of Mahabharata, she is undoubtedly the central character in Mahabharata.

Other than the Draupadi we find in Vyasa’s Mahabharata in its present form – which has obviously been tampered much to give it a gloss of male-glory, though, even then Draupadi flashes through that cloud of conspiracy as the central character every now and then – Folk imagination runs wild with Draupadi.

In all Folk Mahabharatas – they are many, varied, and to be found spanning across different cultures of India – Draupadi is a powerful woman with powerful sexuality.

In all Folk Mahabharatas, she is hailed as Goddess – incarnation of Parvati, wife of Shiva – and hailed for her voracious sexuality. We cannot be sure whether Folk Mahabharata demeans her by such portrayal or glorify her.

Apparently, such portrayal seems to be opposite to her portrayal in ‘classical’ Mahabharata, however, if the ‘classical’ Mahabharata is examined well with open mind, one will find that Draupadi’s portrayal in Folk Mahabharata is actually in ‘line’ and spirit of ‘classical’ Mahabharata.

‘Classical’ Mahabharata does not show Draupadi’s sexual relation with any man other than her five husbands – even in her fantasy; however, Folk Mahabharata shows it without hesitation and reserve.

In the Buddhist Jataka, Draupadi has illicit sexual relation with a hump-backed servant; in some Folk Mahabharata of South India, Draupadi has secret sexual desire for Krishna and Karna; in Bheel Bharata – a Folk Mahabharata of the Bheel (or, Bhil) tribes of Rajasthan – she has sexual relation with Vasuka Naga, a ‘snake’ king – initially it seems Vasuki rapes her, but on scrutiny it does not seem so, and Draupadi is Vasuki’s willing sexual partner for sometime; and in Devi Bhagavata Puraana, Kichaka, the brother-in-law of King Virata of Matsya Kingdom, rapes her.

I believe that such portrayal of Draupadi cannot be without reasons.

From Kautilya’s Arthashastra and Vatsayana’s Kamasutra, we learn that women used their sexuality for political reasons – of course this is as relevant today.

In this story Rape of Draupadi, I postulate – on the basis of my interpretation of ‘classical’ Mahabharata – that Draupadi had a very active role in state politics, and as such her conscious use of her sexuality had a political dimension. In other words, she sometimes used her sexuality for political gain of her husbands. Careful scrutiny of Jayadratha-episode and Kichaka-episode reveals this.

Jayadratha tried to abduct her (with professed intention to marry her – which, of course can be interpreted as forcing her into sex – though marriage by abduction was ‘legal’ in those days in the name of Rakshasa marriage), and Kichaka, after failing to earn her consent in sex (again, with professed intention to marry her), tried to rape her. in both cases, Draupadi’s ‘use’ of sexuality is evident. What is more, the Pandavas ultimately gained politically – when, following Draupadi’s insult, they humiliated Jayadratha and killed Kichaka. What I suggest is that, Draupadi used her sexuality ‘politically’ to achieve that end.

In ‘classical’ Mahabharata, Draupadi never have sex – forced or willing – with any other man. How do we reconcile with her sexual affair with a hump-backed servant, Vasuki and Kichaka in Folk Mahabharata, then?

My explanation is that, the matter can be explained from the point of view of Evolutionary Psychology of woman – a subject of much discourse in modern times – but a knowledge that ancients already had, and certainly Folk wisdom always already have.

In the present story, I have tried to reconcile ‘classical’ Mahabharata and Folk Mahabharata about Draupadi.

In Greek Mythology, we have the story of Zeus’ numerous rapes – like his rape of Hera or Leda. Then we have Aphrodite – a very prominent archetype of woman’s Evolutionary Psychology – with numerous extra-marital affairs. And then we have Athena. Once, the Greek-Visvakarma Hephasteos tried to rape Athena, but in his attempt he only managed to ejaculate on her thighs. It is a case, which is rather – Non-Rape Rape.

In the present story, my attempt to reconcile ‘classical’ Mahabharata and Folk Mahabharata about Draupadi, is by infusing the Greek mythical elements in Draupadi’s sexual relations outside her polyandrous marriage.

Draupadi – to me – is the superior example of woman’s Evolutionary Psychology in full splendour.

Mahabharata: The Woman's Life-Story

Images are never of the past or future – images are just images…fragments retained by memory… yet so real to our gullible mind…our reaction, responses and feelings giving them life…and they feeding on us…our mind making imaginary past present and future of them…and our mind lost in their vortex!

They can be taken care of with effort, but those without form?

Unequipped mind to cope with the…unknown…yet convoluting unseen!

Whose eyes are downcast? Mine or theirs? Who is the escapist?

O how to stand face to face? Or, is there any face to offer?

Where is freedom with them…burdening the mind, thwarting the worldly mind from fading in contemplation, forcing the mind to live in the mist… which my heart yearns to go beyond?

And without the Beyond where is Moksha?

We bade adieu to all our worldly possessions, our hard-earned kingdom at the costliest of price, our well-wishers, blood-relations, non-blood relations more than relations, our secret enemies - and now we are on the last of our last journey.

Our last journey, yes, but when we set out 35 years back we did not know how long it would last.

We had been in the Southern parts of Bharatavarsha for the last few years staying in the forests or outskirts of forests. We have been living like common people and in company of common people.

We lost touch of the political developments or turmoils of the new Bharatavarsha.

Those were not important to us any more.

Wherever we went, I heard strange stories about myself.

The Great War and the life story of the Pandavas and their consort have stormed Bharatavarsha’s psyche and the impact is surely to last for some thousand years.

Ah! It was glorifying indeed to know I was a Goddess! And some called me incarnate of blood-thirsty all-destroying Kali! My dark complexion has its advantages, after all.

At last I could be at par with my God-borne husbands! Hah!

And to save me from uncomfortable questions, I was even denied a womb and infancy!

People said I was born of fire to play the inferno of destruction of the Kuru race.

Common people have always confused me.

Why are they willing puppets in the hands of puppets?

And it is they who coined the name Panchali for me! Out of respect and admiration for me, so they say.   

Is it so? I am called in the name of my motherland. Is it glory or is it depriving me of my independent entity?

Puppets of puppets calling me puppet to avoid facing the sad truth about themselves!

How clever the ploy of glorification! Denying me the reality of my birth, denying me even the existence of my childhood! All, to justify a war; All, to wear a white conscience; All, to hush up their greed, lust and avarice in the shadows of my blaze!

All, a dirty design to attribute the cause of large destruction to a woman!

Men make war and savour gory blood-bath, and men write history. Absolute business monopoly!

A woman’s opinion is not taken, a woman’s voice is repressed. Yet, a place in history is ensured…and the place is decorated with an idol…not representing the real…but a construct ensuring their comfort…ensuring protection from discomforted qualms of their own conscience.

Whose voice do they suppress?

History is a constricted path carved out of the open green field…the assumption of a story trampling stories…and scattering stories on its trail.

Six silent figures drag their last possessions along the rough terrains of the Himalayas; six silent figures no longer a part of life down there in the plains!

How will the end come? What pursuit?

What Heaven does my elder husband’s calm eyes eager for?

Heaven is no space…yet we have to roam about in space for it… 

What am I doing?

I laugh to myself. I have no existence outside them. Where they are, I must be.

It is not slavery…nor dead habit. It is my being…my essence.

I love my husbands. I cannot live without them.

Yet doubt…yes doubt…self doubt of different hue…creeping into my mind like unforeseen creepers entangling motion…like tentacles of smoke darkening a bright recess…the innermost of my mind.

Where is the borderline between habit and spontaneity? What in me guards the border? What in me obfuscates the border?

As we crossed the Vindhya to enter North Bharatavarsha, we learnt that Parikshit was long dead. He was killed by Takshaka of the Nagas.

Partha’s Khandavadahana had come to a full circle.

And his son Janmejaya is ruling Hastinapura, nay, Bharatavarsha. The great Yajnavalka’s disciples are his ministers. And he has ministers from all Varnas.

Janmejaya had performed a Naga-sacrifice, under the auspices of Maharishi Vyasa, and had cleansed a huge populace of the Nagas from Northern Bharatavarsha.

Finally, he gave up the policy of war and established peace with the Nagas. Finally he has accepted the Nagas as the ancestors of the Bharata dynasty.

Finally, it seems, the days of maddening wars to set History right are over.

The second and final phase of Maharishi Dwaipayana’s visionary project is underway.

The Bharata-war was just the first phase and we had played our role.

Poor they…who saw so much in the Bharata-war

People say Janamejaya is ruling wisely like Yudhishthira.

Now we are none to Bharatavarsha…it is now Janamejaya’s Bharatavarsha.

We six sat quietly for the whole night around a fire.

At dawn we worshipped the Sun and resolved to undertake our last journey to leave the frames that has been our faithful companions…our happiness and sorrow…our pleasure and suffering.

History moves on without us. We had done our part.

Our lives have sailed through the tumultuous waves of Artha, Kama and Dharma.

We have seen and experienced the extremes. That has been our joy…our essence.

Krishna used to say about us, and he consoled Mother Kunti with such words –

"Overcoming sleep and langour, and wrath and joy, and hunger and thirst, and cold and heat, thy children are always in the enjoyment of