Draupadi, also known as Krishnaa is the adopted daughter of King Drupada of Panchala, who becomes the wife of the five Pandavas. Draupadi's real name was Krishna, She was called Draupadi and Yajnaseni, from her father; Parshati, from her grandfather Prishata; Panchali, from her country; Sairindhri, `the maid-servant' of the queen of Virata; Panchami, `having five husbands;' and Nitayauvani, `the ever-young.'
King Drupada of Panchala and Dronacharya were students of the same teacher and the king had promised Dronacharya to provide some help at later point of time. However when Dronacharya requested assistance, Drupada declined saying that he did not know him. This angered Dronacharya a lot. Later on when Pandavas wanted to offer Guru Dakshina to Dronaacharya, Drona requested them to defeat and humiliate Drupada. King Drupada of was defeated by the Pandava prince Arjuna on behalf of Drona, who subsequently took half his kingdom to humiliate him. To revenge on Drona, he performed a fire-sacrifice (yajña) to obtain a means of besting him. He wanted a son who would kill Dronacharya and daughter to be married off to Arjuna. Draupadi emerged from the Yagna, as a full grown, in the bloom of her youth,as a beautiful dark skinned young woman, together with her brother Dhrishtadyumna from the sacrificial fire. Draupadi was a damsel of dark complexion but of great beauty, "as radiant and graceful as if she had descended from the city of the gods. She had a wavy beautiful,long hair and a body which had the aromatic smell of a blue lotus.As this dark hued damsel of incomparable beauty emerged from the flames it is said that the gods in heaven, the apsaras, the three worlds and even the rishis stared momentarily, dumbstruck at her beauty. She was one of the most beautiful princesses and almost every king wanted to marry.
Infact Draupadi was so beautiful that once while she was having a bath, the a palace maid embraced her wanting to enjoy her. Draupadi was very pious and God-fearing. She never feared fighting for what she belived was right. She had prayed to Shiva to grant her a husband with five desired qualities. However while doing the prayer, she repeated a particular part of Mantra 5 times. Unfotunately, the manta ends with " give me a husband" Shiva, pleased with her devotion, grants her wish as she requested. Hence she ends up getting married to five brothers.
As per Narada and Vayu Puranas, Draupadi was composite Avatar of Goddesses Shyamala (wife of Dharma), Bharati (Wife of Vayu), Sachi (wife of Indra), Usha (wife of Ashwinis) and hence married their earthly counterparts in the form of the five Pandavas. Once the wives of Indra, Dharmadeva, Vayu, Ashwini Kumars wanted to play a practical joke on Chatur Muka Brahma. They try and tease Brahma using their beauty trying to seduce him. Enraged at a jest by Bhrati, Shyamala, Sachi and Usha, Brahma cursed them to human birth and live a life with multiple husbands. They prayed to Parvati who thought of the solution wherein they will be born as one woman, Draupadi and hence share the earthly body for a smaller period of time.

Draupadi maintained the reputation of her husbands, her parents and parents-in-law. She said, "I was born to the great king Drupada, I have become the daughter-in-law of the world famous king Pandu, I have married the great Pandavas who are proud of themselves and I have given birth to sons who are heroes. How can I be a servant?" These words of Draupadi will move one’s heart. She wanted her parents to be proud of her, she wanted her children to feel that they are the children of a great mother, she wanted her husbands to feel that they were married to a great woman and she wanted her parents in law to be proud of her and she wanted to please them. Draupadi herself was always behaving in a manner in which she maintained the reputation of her family and her great country.
She understood that Lord Krishna was not a close friend and a relative of the Pandavas, but the Supreme Sriman Narayanan in human form. To demonstrate this bhakti to Rukmini and Satyabhama, Lord Krishna took them to Indraprastha, were in when combing the hair of Draupadi, they see that every hair on her head resonates with words "Krishna Govinda". That was the extent of her deep devotion to the Lord. It had impregnated into each single hair of her head. That was also a reason why Lord Krishna immediately responded to help her whenever needed. During the Rajasuya yaga, when Krishna's Sudarshana Cakra kills Sisupala and returns to the lord, it cuts the lords finger. Draupadi, immediately bandages the wound with a piece of cloth she was wearing. Note that the cloth that she was wearing was one designed for a Empress of all those asembled there. As a queen, she could have just ordered servants to look after Krishna's finger. However her selfless act of helping the lord pleases Krishna so much that he feels indebted to her till the end. Krishna treats Draupadi as his sister, pledges his friendship to Draupadi and vows to show the world the greatest example of friendship. He protects her whenever she asks him for help.

Many years later, when Dushasana brought Draupadi to the court of the Kauravas with the intention of humiliating her in public, she appealed to Krishna for his Divine intervention and to save her honour. In times of grave crisis, only Madhava (God) can save man. Believing in this, Draupadi prayed to Krishna for succour. Her faith in the Lord’s name saved her. And Draupadi’s plea for help was heard by Lord Krsna all the way in Dwaraka and for the kindness she had shown him a long time before, Lord Krsna remembered that the tying of a bandage improvised by her at one time in the past repaid her kindness with not just one garment, but an endless colorful stream of saris, so she would not be publicly humiliated. Embolded by the Lords assistance in miraculous ways, Draupadi declares that she will tie her hair only after washing with the Kaurava's blood. This key incident is often considered to mark a definitive moment in the story of Mahabharata. It is the one of the driving reasons that ultimately led to the Mahabharata war. Swami Desikan sums up the deeds of the God with the statement " Panchali kuzhal muditaar " in his Tiruchinnamalai

Many years later, when Dushasana brought Draupadi to the court of the Kauravas with the intention of humiliating her in public, she appealed to Krishna for his Divine intervention and to save her honour. In times of grave crisis, only Madhava (God) can save man. Believing in this, Draupadi prayed to Krishna for succour. Her faith in the Lord’s name saved her. And Draupadi’s plea for help was heard by Lord Krsna all the way in Dwaraka and for the kindness she had shown him a long time before, Lord Krsna remembered that the tying of a bandage improvised by her at one time in the past repaid her kindness with not just one garment, but an endless colorful stream of saris, so she would not be publicly humiliated. Embolded by the Lords assistance in miraculous ways, Draupadi declares that she will tie her hair only after washing with the Kaurava's blood. This key incident is often considered to mark a definitive moment in the story of Mahabharata. It is the one of the driving reasons that ultimately led to the Mahabharata war. Swami Desikan sums up the deeds of the God with the statement " Panchali kuzhal muditaar " in his Tiruchinnamalai
Apart from this, Krishna also saved her from Jayatradha's lust and many times more during the vanavasa time. Krishna was instrumental in Pandavas getting Akshaya Patram from Surya Bhagavan to help. Draupadi offered a morsel of left over spinach to Krishna with devotion and Krishna, in return, appeased the hunger of thousands of Duruvasa’s disciples when they came to her as guests. Whenever he got a chance, Krishna showcased to world the qualities of Draupadi. Be it during Rajasuya Yagnam , be it in vanavasa time, or be it in the battlefield og Kurushetra. When Aswattama ( son of Dronacharya ) kills the Upa-Pandavas at night, the Pandavas want to kill him. However Draupadi pardons him as he is Guru-putra.The heart of a mother is well exposed when Draupadi comments “Do not make his mother, Drona’s wife, cry the way I do in my chastity shedding tears constantly in distress over a lost child“. She knows the pain of loosing children, so did not want another mother to experience it!
Draupadi is regarded by most Hindus as the exemplification of bhakti to God. The story of Draupadi is also a lesson of courage, determination, faith, hope and victory and the loss that comes with it all.She stands as the epitome of unshakeable faith . She is counted aong the pati-vrata stree in mahabharath along with Damayanti, Ghandari, and others. Many a heroine may have been scripted in many a story but none can equal this great Draupadi. She showcases best the spirit of Mahabharath.
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