The Lord is the sole protector of every Jivatma even though we tend to think it is one's parents, relations, children, friends, etc., who stand by us. True that we need to help others and we also seek their help in the course of our existence. But there are instances when the Lord has established that His unfailing help reaches those who seek Him with sincerity. In the case of Draupadi's appeal for help, it is also made clear that the Lord's name is more effective than His presence, said Sri Nagai Mukundan in a lecture.
When Draupadi became the wife of the Pandavas, her life saw both highs and lows of a very unusual nature. At one point of time, she was publicly insulted and all her appeals of help to her husbands, in-laws, the assembly of elders, famed warriors, learned scholars, etc., were of no avail because none of them had the courage to defend her honour.
When Draupadi was caught alone in this predicament, and saw no way of defending herself, she made a total surrender to Lord Krishna. She thought of Krishna and cried out loudly His auspicious names to save her from the danger. The incident came to a temporary halt with a tired Dussasana unable to remove the endless reams of cloth that protected Draupadi's modesty. It was Krishna, who was in Dwaraka, who had sent the necessary help. This event is followed by the terrible vows of Bhima and Draupadi to avenge this atrocity. Draupadi vows that only when the enemy's blood would run through her hair would she be satiated.
In Villi Bharatam , a Tamil re-telling of the Mahabharata by Villiputhurar, Draupadi's innate strength and power are revealed when she is keen that the Pandavas should win their freedom when they go into exile for 13 years, including one year of incognito life. So she asked for another game of dice stating that while the Kauravas were not obliged to pledge anything, the Pandavas would pledge their good deeds. And, unlike in the earlier round when Yudhishtira played spontaneously and lost, she reminded him to think of Krishna and play. Of course, the Pandavas won the game and their freedom as well.
