Degradation of women started from Draupathi

Today being Sunday we spent an hour watching Mahabharata serial.It had a sensitive episode 'disrobing of Draupathi'.In these days of atrocities on women increasing day by day,we feel that it had a beginning in Mahabharata.The most touching and sensitive anecdote was telecast with all the unanswerable questions emanating from Draupathi.
The episode which is telecast for three hours or so is contained in just 3 verses in Mahabharata.
“1 Then Duhsasana, O king, forcibly pulled off Draupadi’s garment in the middle of the assembly, and began to strip her.
2. But whenever one of Draupadi’s garments was removed, O king, another similar garment repeatedly appeared.
3.Then there rose a mighty roar of approval—a terrible roar from all the kings watching the greatest wonder in the world.”

Dharma covered her with sarees of different hues and colours"
Poet Bharathi has written a separate work as " panchali sapatham' on this issue.All the operas, movies give special emphasis showing heaps of sarees streaming from nowhere( from Lord Krishna's hands)



What does the word'Dharma ' refer to? Does it refer to Dharmic Vidura or the audience overpowered by Dharma?
Except the 3 slokas mentioned above,nobody talks about this incident later in the entire epic.
Everybody raises the question why Draupathi's questions were not answered and not why she was disrobed



When Pandavas meet Krishna in Exile ,Draupadi specifically mentions about being dragged by hair and no mention of disrobing, or appeal to Krishna even telepathically.


Later when Yudhishtira recounts the sufferings ,there is no mention of 'stripping'.


Even during peace mission, this topic doe not come to surface.


Even Kunthi while recollecting the events talks only about'dragging by hair' and not disrobing.
Earlier works like Devi Bhagavatham, Bhasa's dramas " Dootha vakyam and Dhootha Ghatothkacham describe so many incidents that happened during Dice game but never utter a single word about this 'disrobing'.
During Mahabharata time Shri Krishna was Kunthis nephew, king of Dwaraka and brother of Balarama. Except for a brief period of preaching Gita his Godliness is not revealed much..

Many scholars subscribe to the view that the disrobing incident, is not a part of original text and incorporated therein when Lord Krishna's worship was popularised.

It is argued that sage Vyasa would not have ventured to write about such an atrocity that might never happened.

Just to ennoble the greatness of Shri Krishna , and his miracles this incident had been added later to add spice to the epic.

Another version is 'for Krishna this is not such a great issue to intervene direct. He ordered Sun God who sent his agents Chaya and maya who went unseen by others and went on dressing Draupathi even without her knowledge.Sun God was indebted to Draupathi as she had gifted many clothes to Sun during Sani's marriage.

We don't know whether the episode occurred at all or Sun God was replaced bY krishna in later years.
For women even being dragged in a court is a great insult.

Already there are many unanswered questions about epics.One more suspicion gets added to the vast list..
Whether it forms a partof mahabharata or not, it is an interesting view to see multitudes of sarees arriving in sequence for a few mts.Why to bother about the opinion of researchers?
Jayasala 42



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There are many questions unanswered and unanswerable in Mahabharat.
Though Draupadi had been humiliated on number of occasions, disrobing in the midst of a palace is the worst thing for a woman to face.
Jayasala 42

 

Dear Stillwaters and Indu,

Thanks for the response. The more we read Mahabharata in detail the more we know what we don't know.
Disrobing of Draupadi is a sample
Jayasala 42

 

Dear Getstrength,

I also listen to Shri Velukkudi's lectures daily. I possess a copy of the scholarly book by Shri Gurucharan Das and his analysis on Krishna's guiles. You are right. We cannot understand the essence of mahabharat in one go. The significance it conveyed in younger days is totally different from what it signifies today when I am 72.
My point was, the disrobing scene which has motivated so many TV artists and movie takers has become a point of discussion and scholars, especially in Bengal are of the view that Draupadi was only dragged and not disrobed. They have cited slokas from original versions.The anecdote might have been added later when Krishan's worship became popular.We cannot totally set aside such opinion of scholaras who have made a thorough analysis of the epic with reference to language, usage of terms, royal customs and the style of future authors.

I totally agree that even of Draupadi was not disrobed, just dragging a woman by hair itself is a great insult.
Not a lesser insult is her being pledged by her husband.
We have to take these epics with a pinch of salt as reg the contents.

But, the literature as such is very vast with the narration of kathas and upkathas running to thousands.
We have to interpret the story in comparison to the customs and practices prevailing in the kingdom and society at the point of time.
The greatest beauty of Indian epic is that the author does not give room for others to comment on the good/evil aspects of characters.
Every negative activity, whether done by the king, queen, Bhishma, Drona, Dharma or Lord krishna are questioned by Vyasa himself through the mouth of other characters.
Mahabharata is a treasure in itself and gems are many to be enjoyed on repeated readings.
Thanks for your wonderful response.

Jayasala 42