Draupadī Pūrvajanma

In the Vaivāhika Parva of the Ādi Parva, Vyāsa tells the account of Draupadī’s earlier birth. It explains why she was to have five husbands. In that earlier life she was the daughter of a ṛshi (seer). She was beautiful and good, but she could not find a husband. She performed hard tapas (austerity) to Bhagavān Śiva. Five times she asked, “give me a husband”. Bhagavān Śiva was pleased with her steady devotion and gave her five husbands in her next birth. She was born again as Draupadī, the daughter of Drupada.

The ṛshi’s daughter

In her earlier birth, Draupadī was the daughter of a great ṛshi. She was good, very beautiful, and had a pure and steady heart. Yet with all these qualities she had no husband, because no man came to ask for her. She was alone, beautiful, and devoted to dharma, but she could not find a partner in life.

She did not give way to despair. She turned to tapas instead. She performed hard austerities to Bhagavān Śiva, with fasting, meditation and prayer, and she kept one single aim. Her wish was simple and complete: a husband. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 196)

Five prayers

In the strength of her tapas, she called out to Bhagavān Śiva five times. Each time she used the same words:

patim dehi

“Give me a husband.” Each time she said it was a full act of devotion, sincere and undivided.

Bhagavān Śiva appeared before her. He was pleased with her tapas and moved by her sincerity. He asked her what she wanted. She said her prayer again: patim dehi. He told her, “You have asked five times. You shall have five husbands in your next birth.” (Ādi Parva, Chapter 196)

The vara is fulfilled

She was born again as Draupadī, born from the fire of Drupada’s yajña. The five husbands that Bhagavān Śiva had promised were the five earlier Indras, now born as the Pāṇḍavas. So the marriage of one woman to five husbands was the fulfilment of Bhagavān Śiva’s own vara (boon), given freely in answer to sincere tapas in an earlier life.

Vyāsa gave this account to Drupada together with the Pañcendra Upākhyāna, the account of the five Indras. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 196)

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Vaivāhika Parva, Chapter 196