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Did Draupati commit any polyandry by marrying 5 Pandavas?
PANDAVAS MARRYING Draupati
When the Pandavas arrived with Draupadi at the hut they were staying in, Bheema said, "Look at what we brought, mother!" Thinking it to be Bhiksha like every other day, Kunti said, "Share it amongst yourselves." To follow their mother's command and to make her word not false, The Pandavas all married Draupadi.
The justifications are that in her previous birth, Draupadi was told by Lord Shiva that she would have five husbands, and also, to follow a mother's command. Draupadi also got a boon from God that after each month of staying with a different husband, she would become a virgin.
Now about justifications behind Draupadi's polyandry
People mention the story of Shiva's boon but overlook another story that he described. Let us see that story for the benefit of our readers.
Long ago, the devas had arranged a great yajna in the Naimishi forest near the confluence of Bhagirathi and Gomti rivers. Lord Yama was performing the sacrifice of animals in that yajna. Because Yama was busy there, death had vanished from earth. No human being was dying and the world became overpopulated. The devas became worried that the humans had seemingly become immortal and there was no longer any distinction between devas and humans. They went to Brahma for a solution. He said that things would resume their normal course once the yajna was over and Yama returned to his duties. The devas then went back to the yajna. There, Indra observed a golden lotus floating along the river.
Curious, he followed the lotus to the Himalayas. There he saw a woman bathing in the river. She was continuously weeping and her tears were transforming into golden lotuses. He asked her what the matter was. She said that to find out, he must follow her and see for him. Indra did so and she led him to one of the mountain peaks where he saw a couple on a throne playing dice. Indra introduced himself as the lord of the universe but they paid no attention. This angered Indra and he again said that he was lord of the universe. Of course, the couples were none other than Lord Shiva and Parvati.
Shiva and asked him about the other men. As it turns out, those men were Indras from previous kalpas and they had also insulted Shiva out of arrogance. Hence Shiva commanded them all to be born on earth and carry out great deeds so that they may regain the status of Indra which they had lost due to arrogance.
The four previous Indras immediately agreed and requested that they should be fathered by Vayu, Yama/Dharma and the Ashwinis so that they will be able to use both human and divine means in their battles on earth and thus ensure that they
regain the status of Indra. The current Indra proposed that, instead of going himself, he would send a portion of himself to earth. Shiva, out of kindness, granted their wishes and also commanded that the woman who had led Indra to him would be the common wife of the 5 Indras on earth.
Vyas says that that woman was the goddess Sri. The rest is of course, history: the 5 Indras were reborn as the Pandavas (Arjun being the partial incarnation of the current Indra) and the goddess Sri became Draupadi. Vyas then granted Drupad temporary divine sight by which he was able to see the Pandavas and Draupadi in their original divine form.
After this Vyas also described the story of Draupadi being a rishi's daughter in her previous birth who received the boon of 5 husbands from Shiva.
And that's it. These are all the arguments and justifications provided regarding Draupadi's polyandrous marriage.
Anyone with a different argument please?
PANDAVAS MARRYING Draupati
When the Pandavas arrived with Draupadi at the hut they were staying in, Bheema said, "Look at what we brought, mother!" Thinking it to be Bhiksha like every other day, Kunti said, "Share it amongst yourselves." To follow their mother's command and to make her word not false, The Pandavas all married Draupadi.
The justifications are that in her previous birth, Draupadi was told by Lord Shiva that she would have five husbands, and also, to follow a mother's command. Draupadi also got a boon from God that after each month of staying with a different husband, she would become a virgin.
Now about justifications behind Draupadi's polyandry
People mention the story of Shiva's boon but overlook another story that he described. Let us see that story for the benefit of our readers.
Long ago, the devas had arranged a great yajna in the Naimishi forest near the confluence of Bhagirathi and Gomti rivers. Lord Yama was performing the sacrifice of animals in that yajna. Because Yama was busy there, death had vanished from earth. No human being was dying and the world became overpopulated. The devas became worried that the humans had seemingly become immortal and there was no longer any distinction between devas and humans. They went to Brahma for a solution. He said that things would resume their normal course once the yajna was over and Yama returned to his duties. The devas then went back to the yajna. There, Indra observed a golden lotus floating along the river.
Curious, he followed the lotus to the Himalayas. There he saw a woman bathing in the river. She was continuously weeping and her tears were transforming into golden lotuses. He asked her what the matter was. She said that to find out, he must follow her and see for him. Indra did so and she led him to one of the mountain peaks where he saw a couple on a throne playing dice. Indra introduced himself as the lord of the universe but they paid no attention. This angered Indra and he again said that he was lord of the universe. Of course, the couples were none other than Lord Shiva and Parvati.
Shiva and asked him about the other men. As it turns out, those men were Indras from previous kalpas and they had also insulted Shiva out of arrogance. Hence Shiva commanded them all to be born on earth and carry out great deeds so that they may regain the status of Indra which they had lost due to arrogance.
The four previous Indras immediately agreed and requested that they should be fathered by Vayu, Yama/Dharma and the Ashwinis so that they will be able to use both human and divine means in their battles on earth and thus ensure that they
regain the status of Indra. The current Indra proposed that, instead of going himself, he would send a portion of himself to earth. Shiva, out of kindness, granted their wishes and also commanded that the woman who had led Indra to him would be the common wife of the 5 Indras on earth.
Vyas says that that woman was the goddess Sri. The rest is of course, history: the 5 Indras were reborn as the Pandavas (Arjun being the partial incarnation of the current Indra) and the goddess Sri became Draupadi. Vyas then granted Drupad temporary divine sight by which he was able to see the Pandavas and Draupadi in their original divine form.
After this Vyas also described the story of Draupadi being a rishi's daughter in her previous birth who received the boon of 5 husbands from Shiva.
And that's it. These are all the arguments and justifications provided regarding Draupadi's polyandrous marriage.
Anyone with a different argument please?