Draupadi - The Tritagonist Of The Mahabharat

THE DEPARTURE

Draupadi maintained the reputation of her husbands, her parents and parents-in-law. 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 kingdom.
Draupadi appears from the flames with a divine announcement from the heavens that she would be the cause of destruction of evil-warriors. Draupadi, is always subjected to violence: her swayamvar ends in strife; a fivefold marriage is imposed upon her; she is outraged in the royal court twice over; Jayadrath and Keechak attempted to rape her. Draupadi is also veritably a virgin goddess of war. The birth of Draupadi was unnatural without having a mother. If Draupadi had hoped to find her missing mother in her mother-in-law, she was tragically deceived as Kunti thrusts her into a polyandrous marriage that exposes her to a salacious gossip reaching a horrendous climax in Karna calling her a public woman whose being clothed or naked immaterial. No other woman has had to face this peculiar predicament of dealing with five husbands now as spouse, then as elder or younger brother-in-law in an unending cycle.
Bheema and Arjun had announced their arrival with Draupadi as alms. No wonder Draupadi laments that she has none to call her own, when even her Sakha unhesitatingly uses her as bait! Draupadi, despite having husbands and chidren, remains alone to the last.
On his return to Hastinapur, Yudhishthir ruled nearly for 36 consecutive years. Later, Arjun gave Yudhishthir an account of the destruction of the Yadavas. The king then and there resolved to abdicate the throne and retire from the world itself. In this resolve, he was followed by his four brothers and Panchali. Parikshit, Abhimanyu's son, was installed the Kuru king and Yuyutsu, Dhritarashtra's son by an other woman, was appointed regent.

The five Pandava brothers and Draupadi started on their journey, with a dog following them.

The five brothers and Draupadi traversed the country for a while, steeped in the spirit of renunciation. Yudhishthir led the group, followed by Bheem, Arjun, Nakul, Sahadev, Draupadi and the dog, in that order. They traveled east and reached the seashore. The god Agni appeared before them and advised Arjuna to cast the Gandiva bow and the two inexhaustible quivers into the sea. They were of no further use to the Pandava hero. Arjuna complied.

The party then proceeded southwards along the coast. After a distance, they cut across the sub-continent and reached the western coast. There they saw the waters that had swallowed Krishna's Dwaraka. They finally wound their way north and reached the foot of the Himalayas.
The party of seven then made the Meru hill in the Himalayas their destination. They walked in silence, steeped in Yogic exercise. After traversing some distance, Draupadi fell down. Yudhishthir and his brothers did not stop. They left the lifeless Draupadi behind and walked on their course.

Panchali's POV before death :

My husbands no longer need me. I die here all alone. I hate my fate. I think I had made a big, in fact a very big mistake for not marrying Angaraj Karna. He would have not let me die like this alone. He would have been present and encouraging every step of mine. I wouldn't have been gambled away in front of everyone. So much more would have happened. I'm very sorry Angaraj. If possible, please forgive me.
Saying this, Draupadi dies.

Bheem asked Yudhishthir, "O Dharmaraj, for what sin has Panchali fallen on the ground?" Yudhishthir replied, "This is the result of her partiality for Arjun."

Some distance further, Sahadev fell. Yudhishthir explained that Sahadev's sin was his pride, that he was the wisest of all.

Next to fall was Nakul. To Bheem's query this time, Yudhishthir's answer was that Nakul was always conscious of his good looks.

When Arjun fell next, Yudhishthir told Bheem, "Arjun declared that he would single-handedly kill all his foes in one day. He could not fulfill his boast."

It was finally Bheem's turn to fall. Before he parted with his life, Bheem asked his brother what sin had he committed. Yudhishthir replied, "In the matter of eating, you were selfish. You never cared if others needed food. You also boasted about your own strength."
So saying, the eldest of the Pandavas continued to walk, leaving his brothers and Panchali behind. He was now followed only by the dog.

The dog that followed Yudhishthir.

The only human alive from among the Pandavas, Yudhishthir, walked some more distance. Suddenly, amidst much sound and radiance, Indra descended in his chariot and landed in front of Yudhishthir.

The celestial bade the Pandava king to ascend the chariot in order to proceed to Heaven. Yudhishthir refused, saying that he would not go to Heaven unless accompanied by his brothers and Draupadi. Indra explained that they had all gone to Heaven, casting off their bodies. Yudhishthir alone was privileged to reach Heaven without parting with his earthly form.

There then arose an argument about the dog that had faithfully followed the Pandava king till the end. Yudhishthir insisted that the dog should also climb into the chariot. It finally turned out that the dog was none other than the god Dharma. The god of justice, who had come to test Yudhishthir, expressed his pleasure at his son's behaviour.

On arriving at Heaven, Yudhishthir was greeted by the sight of Duryodhan sitting in splendour, surrounded by several deities. A shocked Yudhishthir asked Narada who was with him, "By what right is this wicked Duryodhan enjoying the felicities of Heaven? Where are my brothers and Panchali? Where are all those kings and friends of mine who fought for Truth? I do not want to stay here for a moment. Take me to those noble souls."

Narada told Yudhishthir, "O king! You have reached Heaven where there is no room for such animosities. Besides, Duryodhan has attained this region by virtue of his being noble in the battlefield. However, if you insist, I shall have you taken to those heroes whom you are yearning to meet."

A messenger led Yudhishthir to Hell. It was a dark and thorny path, damp, with bad odour. Corpses were seen strewn all around. There was the sound of moaning, of people in agony. Suddenly, Yudhishthir heard some familiar voices, those of his brothers, of Panchali, of Karna and of the truthful heroes who fought for justice in the Great War. They were all pleading to Yudhishthir to save them from their suffering.

Yudhishthir was indignant. He told his messenger, "Return to Heaven and inform the gods that I want to stay here and share the pain my dear ones are experiencing."
The messenger did as he was told. Immediately, Indra, accompanied by several other gods, appeared before Yudhishthir. Indra told the king, "This is in the order of things. Those who are to be consigned to Hell are first sent to Heaven for a short duration, to enjoy the fruits of the few goods deeds they have performed on earth. Those who are assured of their place in Heaven are given a glimpse of Hell, to expiate the few sins they have committed. Your visit to Hell is due to your deception of Drona in the battlefield."

"With all sins being washed off, you and your friends would now become permanent residents of Heaven."

Yudhishthir was then taken to River Ganga that flows through the three worlds, Heaven, Earth and the netherworld. He took a bath in the river and his body was purified. He then reached Heaven where he found already arrived, those noble souls who fought to establish truth on earth.