How Did Lord Krishna Save Draupadi From Vastraharan In Mahabharata?

Mahabharata is an epic story about two warring royal factions, the Pandavas and Kauravas, who were the main opponents that fought the war of Kurukshetra. Kauravas showed utter malice towards Pandavas and troubled them at every given opportunity. Unable to withstand the progress that Pandavas were making, the Kauravas took the help of Shakuni, who illadvised them to challenge Pandavas with a game of dice. Whoever failed in the game would be sent on exile for 12 years. Pandavas failed the game and lost all their important possessions including Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas to Kauravas. Draupadi was called to the Court of Duryodhana and was insulted in the most vicarious manner.

This story is about vasthrapaharan, of the Pandava Queen Draupadi, whose modesty was outraged in the court of Dritharashtra, Draupadi had been pledged as a pawn in the game of dice that Pandavas played with Kauravas which finally led to exile of the Pandavas. After Pandavas lost everything including Draupadi, the evil Duryodhana had her forcefully dragged into his court in the presence of her husbands. Duryodhana went to the extent of calling out to Dusshasana to disrobe Draupadi in the presence of courtiers. It was Draupadi, whose darshan was unavailable to even the best of people, who stood there exposed to the worst limit that any woman can imagine herself in. Immersed in deep grief she calls out to her husbands who were only able to bend their heads in helplessness and shame, as a response to her pleas. Elderly warriors like Bhishma, Dritharashtra and Drona were speechless as barely witnesses to the inhuman atrocity.

1. The Vastrapaharan Scenario

As Dushshasana plunged forward and caught hold of her saree, Draupadiheld on to her clothes, overwhelmed, crying aloud for help. No one could support her at that point in time, she realized quickly. In her wailing agony, she remembered Lord Krishna who was at that time in Dwaraka and not in Hastinapura. She threw up one of her hands and cried "Oh Dwarakanatha, please help me", holding her saree with one hand but Lord Krishna did not respond even then.

2. Rescue of Draupadi

Finally, after a lot of struggles, she summoned her faith, and cried with both her hands up in the air, "Oh Krishna, my Hridaya natha (my indweller in heart), please save me from this humiliation". At this, copious tears of all those gathered. moistened the floor of the court. In the next instant, her saree pleats seemed to lengthen and saree after saree, enveloped her as Dushshasana continued his wily act, and Draupadi stood there, statue-like, forgetting herself in Krishna's remembrance.
Finally, when Draupadi could not be disrobed, exasperatedly Duryodhana gave up and sent them on exile. While in Forest, the Pandavas asked Krishna to visit them. At this time, Draupadi asked Krishna as to why he did not immediately help her when she called out to him and why did he leave her wailing in agony for help.

3. Draupadi Questions Lord Krishna

Lord Krishna replied smilingly, "you called out Oh Dwarakanatha"; Will it not take a long time for me to journey to Hastinapur? You were also holding on to your saree trying to protect yourself. It was when you called out to me saying Hridayanatha by throwing out both your hands, I descended down from your heart then and there to help you."

4. Shri Krishna's Response

Firstly, she used her royal authority as a princess and tried subduing dushshasana. When that did not work, she called out to her five husbands who were not in any position to help her. Finally, she called out to Lord Krishna crying "Dwarakanath" which meant that it would take some time for him to come from the far-off Dwaraka. She was holding on to her clothes trying to protect herself using her own efforts and still depended on herself when she called out the second time. The third time she called out to him by the name hridayanatha which meant lord of her heart. It was at this time that she realized no one could save her from being bandied about and her modesty insulted. So, feeling truly helpless, she calls out to the Lord holding up both her hands in a gesture of prayer.

Lord instantly supplies an endless ream of cloth to her. So, it means, when you do all that is in your hands, and then lastly pray for divine interference, he will surely come to your aid. The moment you feel that you can handle your predicament he stops helping or hesitates to help. Her episode shows stages of devotion that a human soul goes through, from defence, to helplessness to self-doubt, to final surrender and its path of evolution that finally reaches the divine. It also proves that ego comes in between us and the Lord. It proves that there is no one in this world to save us when things come to the head, that he is our ultimate friend and saviour that helps when we call out to him with a sincere heart and an earnest feeling of surrender.
It is only when you give up yourself and things that belong to you to God, wholeheartedly, that God showers his grace.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information. Kindly consult the concerned expert before practising or implementing any information and assumption.