HARI OM

Having grown up watching the original Mahabharata television series like millions of Bharatiyas just like me, one cannot help but get attracted to several immense personalities in this itihasa. And I would presume that the most attractive figure would be the ideal that is, Sri Krishna, the purna avatar, the glowing epitome of the 16 kalas. But I am not here to talk about Bhagwan – I will humbly leave all the extolling of Bhagwan, to be done by His true devotees. There is another individual, whom I will dwell upon – divine form born out of agni and who carried that passionate light eternally with her in all the trials and tribulations that befell her and her loved ones until the end of her life – Draupadi, the other Krishnaa (one of dark complexion and pure skin radiating purity, honour and principality).  Yes, that is also one of her names besides Panchali, Yagnaseni, Malini, Sairandhri, Parshati, Nityayuvani, Ayonija.

She is known as one of the Panchakanyas and rightly so -

“Ahalyā draupadī sītā tārā mandodarī tathā pancakanyāḥ smarennityam mahāpātakanāsinīm”

English Translation - Remembering the five maidens, Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara, Mandodari, destroys great offences.

Those were the days where every word coming out of a person’s mouth was valued. It was taken seriously unlike today where the tendency is to be casual. But being adept at communication is what Krishnaa was. She took utmost care when looking after each of her 5 husbands, their needs were looked after so well that each of them always kept looking at her whenever they were together as if to say “what will she say to me”. But to attain that sort of respect one will have to completely surrender one’s pride, desire and anger at the alter and serve the partner with seva bhaav. Not only that but she managed the affairs of Yudhishthira’s palace with a minute attention to detail and efficiency. She knew the names and faces of all the 1,00,000 maids serving guests in the palace. She used to know the problems of every cowherd, servant, and soldier of the palace. She made sure the wealth of the palace was intact and ever flowing. She treated her mother-in-law like her own mother and never complained about her to her husbands. In today’s context, all this sounds so surreal. And I would admit it is. But what isn’t is the ‘seva bhaav’ aspect wherein you give your all when engaging with people and situations with a single pointed devotion. The result is seen in that it assures straight and calm thinking even during excruciating circumstances. For example, see what happened when Krishnaa was dragged by Dushasan when she was in rajasvala (a menstruating woman who had left her hair open and tied herself with a single cloth) to the court. Imagine standing in front of all court elders, family members of the Pandavas, her 5 husbands in this physical state, humiliated to the core. No one spoke up for her, no one reached out to her. She was alone.

Let me stop here for a bit of contemplation.

A woman has everything in life, she has worked hard to attain it and maintain it, and yet when she needs help, everyone abandons her. She must fend for herself. Krishnaa is the highest ideal of a householder who had great warrior husbands. She conducted herself in such a way that no one could point a finger at her. She was always alert to her surroundings and needs of her husbands, family and those working under her and for the welfare of their kingdom. There is a Hindi idiom that goes like this:

जो जागत है वो पावत है, जो सोवत है वो खोवत है।  -  The general meaning is to use time wisely by doing things efficiently. But another, more prolific meaning for this idiom is ‘The gift of life can be enjoyed only if life is lived with alertness and awareness.’

Krishnaa lived and breathed this idiom. But this can be carried out only when you have figured out your swadharma – that is, doing actions based on one’s ability. To do this requires knowing one’s swabhava, that is, one’s innate tendencies and abilities, your inherent nature that determines the way you interact with the world. Krishnaa’s swadharma was very clear from the time she emerged from the agni of the yagna her father had arranged along with her twin brother. Though revenge was the purpose for which they were born, Krishnaa had only a wish to be a householder by getting married to a man who had the 5 best qualities. As this is impossible to have in one man, she received 5 warrior husbands with each of these qualities respectively, and she accepted them whole-heatedly. Her purpose was only seva of her warrior husbands with utmost care, dedication, and devotion. With this swadharma in focus, she lived her life by taking on the burden of responsibility so that her husbands could carry out their respective swadharmas with full-fledged surrender.

But we are all ordinary humans aspiring for such ideals in our ordinary lives. If this is contextualised in today’s times, what do we see.  Firstly, in modern times, with the number of distractions (majorly being social media) along with selfish motives of people, poor lifestyles, improper infrastructure, needy people etc, it would be impractical to expect that a person, let alone a woman, could have the luxury to follow their swadharma, that is follow their heart’s innate calling. So let’s take Krishnaa’s case down to a very practical level.

1) Doing for others (your husband and children) with a single pointed devotion = love. Personally, I think there is merit in this. Leave aside the modern concept of equality that has been drilled into us by postmodernism and then begin your life as a householder in this manner. The results will be seen, in reciprocation by your partner in equal measure, for the most part. When ego, pride and desire are dropped from your being while fulfilling desires and carrying out your duties for your husband and children, it is inevitable to see a change in the family environment. And this change is visible faster in your children compared to your husband.

2) Growing up in a modern world can honestly screw up our worldview and this I would assert affects mostly girls. Let’s not deny that girls are more emotional in nature, so more the reason they should be taught ideal values from a young age in such a manner that there is no scope for doubt of what her role in any type of relationship is. We have plenty of varied examples of inspirational women from various backgrounds from our ancient past itself – like that of the Panchakanyas noted above – there are many many more, like Sabari, Ahilyabai Holkar, Devaki, Yashoda, Aandal, Mira Bai, Brahmavadinis (like Lopamudra, Gargi, Haimavati, Swaha, Gautami etc), Queen Velu Nachiyyar, Queen Dipamba, Avuddai Akka etc to name a few.  

3) When the seeds of ideal values are planted in each girl at a young age itself, the chances of drifting away towards adharmic territories are lesser. This doesn’t mean that it will not happen. After all, today’s day and age will bring us to face all kinds of people and situations. In effect, inspiration from Krishnaa means – HIGH ALERTNESS AND AWARENESS. And girls can be taught techniques to attain and maintain this state if only family members took the efforts to educate/expose them on the same.

4)  I have put so much onus on developing women to their fullest potential (in this piece) in terms of EQ (emotional quotient) because a woman (whether she is a householder, working professional, soldier, artist, teacher etc) who has achieved this state, in that case, whether she is able to carry out her swadharma or not doesn’t matter anymore. But the power such a woman yields will make a profound impact on the people around her, young and old, in a positive manner. And that impact is enough to propel things forward in this world towards dharma and dharma only.

 Let us come back to Krishnaa and what transpired at the court, while she was standing all alone in a humiliated state without anyone to speak up for her, meanwhile being taunted by Duryodhana, Karna and Dushasana. She read the situation and spoke up for herself. She demanded from all the courtiers and family members present an answer to her question. And she kept asking this question until King Dritharashtra was forced to give an answer on the prompting of Queen Gandhari. She asked whether inviting King Yudhishthira for a gambling game and provoking him to wager his family along with making her a slave was acting in accordance with Dharma. After repeated cries - in between which Dushasana tried disrobing her but her sanctity was saved by the grace of Bhagwan Krishna – her answer came. The King was forced to reply and in that answer he said that she could never be a slave and was his esteemed daughter-in-law and a free citizen. He also asked her what else he could give to her and then she immediately asked for the freedom of her husbands along with their weapons.

 Everything is returned back to them, but as the katha goes, the game of dice is played once again but this time the condition is for the loser to spend 12 years in exile in the forest and the 13th year unrecognised. Upon recognition, they will have to repeat the same terms once again, that is, 12+1 years of exile. And fully knowing the consequences, that embodiment of Dharma, Yudhishthira, plays and loses.

We know the events that follow and I will not go into that. Coming back to the one born of agni, that is Yagnaseni.

What makes a woman act like this? Why doesn’t she hold any grudges against her husband for not standing up for her and instead asks for their freedom too? How does she carry out her duties whole-heartedly despite going through such a traumatic situation? How does she carry on with life in a forest after living as a Queen in Yudhishthira’s palace? How did she keep the fire of revenge burning for so many years until she got it?

Krishnaa, a divine warrior who fought every battle head on without engaging in it physically - sakhi of that divine consciousness, Madhava. In my humble opinion, we need many such ‘Krishnaas’ to pull up our degrading societies from mediocrity to higher standards of quality and consciousness.

Until my next post, stay safe and keep smiling y'all. Ram Ram.🙏🏽