Draupadi - Marriage To The Pandavas

Marriage To The Pandavas

Drupada intended that Arjuna alone win the hand of his daughter. Upon hearing of the Pandavas' supposed death at Varanavata he set up a swayamvara for Draupadi. The princes vying for Draupadi's hand had to shoot five arrows at a revolving target, while looking only at its reflection in a bowl. Drupada was confident that only Arjuna could accomplish this task. Arriving with his brothers disguised as Brahmins (priests), Arjuna successfully tackled the target, which other kings and prince were unable to accomplish.

While in exile, Kunti, mother of the Pandavas often advised her sons that they share everything they have (or obtain through Bhiksha, i.e. alms) equally amongst themselves. Upon returning home with Draupadi, on purpose, Yudhisthira addresses his mother first "Look mother, what we have brought ". Kunti, unmindful of what Yudhisthira was referring to, unassumingly asked her son to share whatever it is with his brothers. Thus, in order to obey their mother's order all five accepted Draupadi as their wife.

When Krishna visits the family, he explains to Draupadi that her unique position as the wife of five brothers results from a certain incident in her previous birth, She was born as Nalayani (daughter of Nala and Damayanti) She had in that lifetime prayed to Shiva to grant her a husband with fourteen desired qualities. Shiva, pleased with her devotion, tells her that it is very difficult to get a husband with all fourteen qualities that she desired. But she sticks to her ground and asks for the same. Then Lord Shiva grants her wish saying that she would get the same in her next birth with five husbands, she was shocked and asked lord shiva is it a boon or curse, shiva replied back saying "My child do not get worried, you will regain your virginity each an every morning you take bath, till the end of your life you will live with virginity" Hence she gets married to brothers each who represents a given quality: The just Yudhisthira for his wisdom of Dharma; The powerful Bhima for his strength that exceeded that of a thousand elephants combined; The valiant Arjuna for his courage and knowledge of the battlefield; the exceedingly handsome Nakula and Sahadeva, for their love. The five Pandava brothers were said to have the fourteen qualities desired by Draupadi in her previous birth.

None of Draupadi's children survive the end of the epic. Ashwatthama went to torch the camping tents of the Pandavas at night. But he got confused with the Upapandavas (sons of Draupadi and pandavas) as they looked very similar to their fathers. So instead of torching the camps of Pandavas he end up torching the camps of Draupadi's children. Parikshit, grandson of Subhadra and Arjun, is the sole Pandava descendent who survives, at the end of Mahābhārat.