Devi Draupadi’s marriage to the five Pandavas was not a worldly error but a divine mission, rooted in her identity as Swarga-Lakshmi. Sanctioned by Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu, her life upheld dharma during a time of cosmic imbalance. The Pandavas, incarnations of celestial beings, and Krishna himself guided her path. Her story offers timeless lessons in strength, sacrifice, and divine purpose.
Even to the greatest of believers, one aspect of the Mahabharata seems difficult to reconcile, namely the marriage of Draupadi to the five Pandava brothers. A study of the epic however, makes us realise the deeper details of the story, generating within us a profound respect for this virtuous lady.
The question was first put by Drupada, the brother of Draupadi, to Bhagawan Vyasa as follows: "Respected sage! How can one woman become the wife of many, without leading to sin? Please explain this in detail". Thereupon, Vyasa Ji explained through a story how it came to be that the Pandava's marriage with a single wife was in conformity with dharma.
Draupadi- A Novel on The Heroine of Mahabharata
Gathered together and they went to Brahma Ji seeking guidance: “O Creator, the humans no longer fear death. They are becoming like us. What should we do?”
Brahma Ji replied: "Why are you frightened of humans, when all of you are immortal? There should not be any fear in you from mortals".
Large Size Lord Brahma
The gods said: "Since the mortals have become immortals, there is no difference between us any more. Upset at this equality, we have come to you to seek a distinction."
Indra, wishing to find out the mystery behind the lotus, went to the source of the river and saw there a lady, radiant like fire, filling water from the river, standing knee deep in it. She was crying, and the tears from her eyes, as soon as they touched the water, transformed into golden lotuses.
Indra followed her and soon came across an extremely handsome young man, seated on the peak of the Himalayas. Accompanying the man was a beautiful woman. Both were playing a game of dice. However, Indra’s arrival did not bother them one bit and this indifference angered Indra, who perceived it as an affront to his authority.
Looking with red eyes towards the handsome man, Indra gave vent to his anger saying: "Don’t you know that I am the king of the world? This world is under my control. You should know that I am the lord of all." The young man took no notice of what Indra had said and continued to be immersed in his game.
This further infuriated Indra who repeated what he had said. On seeing that Indra was angry, the young man, who was none other than Bhagawan Shiva with his wife Parvati, cast a look at Indra and smiled. At that look the king of gods became motionless and stood fixed at the spot, like a pillar.
Lord Shiva and Parvati on Mount Kailash
Then the radiant Bhagawan Shiva said to him: "O Indra! Never act with such pride again and think of yourself as the lord of this world. If you think you are powerful, then go ahead and remove this large stone lying in front of you. Under it is a cave in which you will find a surprise." Indra did as he was told. In the cave he saw four other Indras of previous ages. Indra, on seeing them became very sad and wondered, "Will I also encounter the same fate?".
This woman will be your wife. There you will perform extraordinary feats of violence and will be the cause of sending a large number of men to their deaths. Then, as a consequence of the positive karma that you will perform as human beings, you all will again attain Indrahood. You will achieve all that I have said and much more."
The ever compassionate Bhagawan Shiva accepted their request and addressed the weeping woman who had accompanied Indra : "You are none other than Swarga-Lakshmi, the personification of all that is auspicious in heaven. You are distressed because of the condition of your lord, these five Indras. You too will accompany them to the human realm and become their wife." The graceful woman bowed, humbly accepting Bhagawan Shiva’s command.
The four earlier Indras, now humbled in the cave, bowed before Bhagawan Shiva and spoke with reverence:
“O Lord, we accept your command. But may we be born not of humans, but from divine beings. Let our lives fulfill a purpose beyond our own.”
Shiva, in his grace, agreed.
Thus, when the five celestial beings were later reborn on Earth:
🔶Yudhishthira was born of Dharma Deva
🔶Bhima from Vayu
🔶Arjuna from Indra himself
🔶Nakula and Sahadeva from the twin Ashwini Kumars
As for the radiant weeping lady? Shiva turned to her with kindness:
“You are Swarga-Lakshmi, the fortune of heaven itself. You shall take birth as their wife, and your union will uphold dharma on Earth.”
She bowed humbly, accepting this divine destiny. In time, she would be born as Devi Draupadi, daughter of King Drupada—graceful, powerful, and pure.
Then Shiva took them all to Bhagawan Vishnu, who approved of everything that had taken place and said: "Nowadays, there is too much burden on the earth because of there being too many humans (due to Yamaraja’s yajna); so much so that humans have started of thinking of themselves as immortals.
The gods too desire that death start playing its role again and the balance in the cosmos be restored. Let these gods themselves go and fulfil this mission, which I fully support." Bhagawan Vishnu then plucked two hairs from his body, one black, one white. These became:
Krishna (born to Devaki)
Balarama (born to Rohini)
Thus it was that the former Indras were born as the Pandavas, and the celestial Lakshmi, ordained to be their wife, was born as the divinely beautiful Draupadi.
Harmonious Brothers, Krishna And Balarama
There is much to learn from this history of Draupadi. The first is that there is not a single thing in this world which is without use. Even death is highly required. Without death, the burden on the earth becomes too much. As for the great Draupadi, we realize here her true origin as an incarnation of Lakshmi. Her birth had the sanction of all the three Gods - Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu.
Autobiography of Draupadi (Novel)
Despite her royal birth, Draupadi lived with grace and humility:
🔶She accepted this without a trace of resentment.
🔶Forgave the brahmin who killed her children, preventing further bloodshed
🔶Stood by her husbands through exile, war, and humiliation
She was not only a queen—but a symbol of divine resilience.
“Homage to the sacred land where Devi Draupadi once walked. Her life, her dignity, and her service continue to inspire seekers of truth.”
💠Draupadi is the incarnation of Swarga-Lakshmi, destined to marry five divine beings.
💠Her marriage was ordained by Shiva, approved by Vishnu, and aligned with dharma.
💠The Pandavas were former Indras reborn to restore cosmic balance after Yamaraja’s yajna.
💠Draupadi’s humility and forgiveness reveal her spiritual greatness.
💠Her story reflects YMYL and dharmic principles, not moral confusion.
💠Spiritual seekers can find deep insights on karma, duty, and divine purpose here.
Because the five Pandavas were former Indras reborn by divine command. Her marriage upheld dharma, not sin.
Yes. She was Swarga-Lakshmi, born on Earth to be the consort of the Pandavas.
The epic doesn’t focus on romantic preference. Her role was dharmic and divine, serving as their spiritual equal.
Patience, forgiveness, inner strength, and the importance of fulfilling one’s spiritual role.
Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, served as her guide, protector, and spiritual confidant throughout the Mahabharata.
Yes. In regions like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, she is venerated as a village deity and protector.
She was Swarga-Lakshmi, the celestial embodiment of divine fortune and auspiciousness in heaven.
Yes, they were incarnations of celestial beings like Indra, Dharma, Vayu, and the Ashwini twins, born to fulfill a cosmic duty.
Her life shows that dharma often transcends rigid societal norms and must be understood through divine wisdom and deeper purpose.
Despite immense suffering, she upheld values of forgiveness, dignity, and service, setting an example of inner strength and spiritual grace.
No, it was divinely sanctioned and aligned with dharma, as explained by Bhagawan Vyasa in the Mahabharata.
Draupadi: A Novel on The Heroine of Mahabharata
“May the grace of Devi Draupadi inspire strength, dignity, and devotion in all our lives. Explore more sacred stories and deepen your connection to dharma with us.”
The history of Draupadi occurs in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata, Chapters 195-196.
References & Further Reading:
Sri Nitin Kumar is a firm believer in Vedanta Philosophy, and is today an acknowledged scholar on the Vedas, Puranas, and indeed the Brahma Sutras. With his deep understanding of the Sanskrit Language, he is presently directly involved in translations of ancient Hindu texts into English.
The author also holds a keen appreciation of visual art, and has been associated in the recent past with the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi.
Your email address will not be published *
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist