Concern for Draupadi

July 27, 2014 10:06 pm | Updated 10:26 pm IST

Lord Krishna’s concern for Draupadi stands out in the Mahabharata as an example of the Lord’s concern for those who have unshakeable belief in Him, said Akkarakkani Srinidhi, in a discourse. Duryodhana, angered that the war was going against him, gave vent to his anger against Bhishma. He accused Bhishma of not fighting well, saying Bhishma did not want to hurt the Pandavas. In order to prove that he had not failed in his duty, Bhishma asked Duryodhana to send his wife Bhanumati to his (Bhishma’s) tent. Bhishma had a plan to bless Bhanumati, after special prayers. His blessings would ensure that she would never be widowed.

Draupadi had a premonition that something unhappy awaited her. So she sought out Krishna, and expressed her fears to Him. Krishna, knowing of Bhishma’s plan, stopped Bhanumati, and sent Draupadi in her place. Draupadi, in her hurry, forgot to wear her slippers, and Krishna, unable to bear the sight of thorns hurting her feet, gave her His slippers. Draupadi reached Bhishma’s tent, and Bhishma, thinking Bhanumati had come, blessed her instead.

There was another occasion too when Krishna saved Draupadi. Sage Durvasa, famous for his anger, visited the Pandavas. Draupadi had a vessel, known as akshayapatra, which would go on giving a steady supply of rice. But once washed for the day, it would yield nothing until the next day. Draupadi had cleaned the vessel, when Durvasa arrived. Krishna helped her out. There was one small grain of rice left in the vessel. Krishna consumed it, and this caused the hunger of Durvasa and his followers to disappear.

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