DRAUPADI'S SECRET!

The secret of Draupadi,though not mentioned in many versions, but considered to be an important episode in Mahabharat and sometimes better known as the "Jambul episode".

Draupadi did not love all five husbands equally and that she loved and longed for Arjun more amongst all the brothers. However, Arjun had never reciprocated the emotion as he was more in love with Subhadra (Krishna's sister) than anybody else. The hidden love of Draupadi for Karna is something that has been explored by many writers.

According to a legend from Mahabharat, during the twelfth year of the exile of the Pandavas, Draupadi saw a ripe jambul (rose apple), hanging from a tree. She plucked it to have it. No sooner had she done this, Lord Krishna came from somewhere and stopped her from eating it. According to Lord Krishna, the ripe fruit was supposed to be the fruit with which a sage was supposed to break his twelve-year fast. Not finding the fruit at its place,Pandavas could earn the wrath of the sage, resulting in more trouble. Pandavas prayed Krishna to relieve them from the crisis.

Lord Krishna said that he see to it that the wrath of sage Amitra does not befall on Pandavas. In order for that to happen, each one of Pandavas must speak only the truth. Saying thus, he took them to the tree. He placed the fruit under the tree and told that each one of them should reveal all secrets about them without hiding anything and without any deceit.Then the fruit will go and cling to the tree on its own accord. Having said this, he invited Yudisthir to speak first.

Yudisthir said that truthfulness, honesty, tolerance and righteousness should flourish in this world while wickedness, conceit and dishonesty should banish entirely. He hold Draupadi responsible for the whole bad events happened to them. At this, surprisingly the fruit moved two feet above the ground and remained in the air.

Next, Lord Krishna asked Bheem to speak. Lord Krishna sternly warned Bheem that if he uttered a lie, the fruit would be burnt to ashes. Bheem said that he was never content with food, fight, sleep, and sex, and always craved for more. He would kill every one of Dhritarashtra's sons. He had great reverence and unflinching loyalty towards Yudishthir, but would kill anyone who insulted his mace.The fruit moved two feet further up.

Arjun spoke next and said, "Prestige and fame mean more to me than even my life. Unless I kill Karna in the war, the ambition of my life will not be fulfilled and for that i would adopt any method,even if it is against Dharma." The fruit moved up two feet further.

Then Nakul said that virtues, a noble birth, wealth or beauty do not give a person what he desires. He believe that a man can attain fame just by leading a life in this world that is based on his discrimination alone. Again, the fruit moved up two feet.

Lord Krishna looked at Sahadev and Sahadev said, "Truth is my mother. Intelligence is my father and good deeds are my siblings. The love that I shower on others is my friend. My calm mind is my wife. The attitude of eradicating the thoughts of hatred, enemity and vendetta is my son. I believe these to be my real family." He also said that he had the knowledge of the past, the present and the future. One would never come to grief if one sought his advice, but he himself would not volunteer to offer any advice or suggestion to anyone. The fruit moved up by two feet again.

At last Draupadi said, "I have five husbands like the five senses, namely, eyes, ears, nose, mouth and body. Though I have five husbands, I am being the cause of agony for all. I feel penitent for having acted thoughtlessly inspite of being well educated. After Draupadi said what she did, the fruit didn't move up and join the branch. Krishna said that she concealed something. With great trepidation, Draupadi looked into the eyes of her husbands and said "I love five of you. But I love a sixth too. I love Karna . I regret not marrying him on account of his caste. If i had married Karna, then i would never have to experience any of these bitter events in my life".

This was a shock to all her husbands, but none said anything. Draupadi having confessed this,the fruit went back on the branch of the tree and all was well. The Pandavas got the message that in spite of five brave husbands, they had failed their wife when she needed them the most. When Draupadi was being disrobed after she was lost in the dice-game, none of the husbands could come to her rescue. It brought out the weakness amongst each one of them, and that Draupadi had a soft corner for someone who was more a man than the five of them. This was an insult which they had to bear without any malice towards their wife. Also, being the wife of five, made her that much vulnerable to such acts, than it did to their own wives, which each had taken for themselves.