Panchakanya ✅

Draupadi

Draupadi is the heroine of the well-known Indian epic, Mahabharatha. She is the daughter of Drupad, Panchal's King, sister of Dhristhadyumna and Shikandini. She is also the wife of the Pandavas (Yuthishtira, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva) and best friend of Shri Krishna. She is the mother of the Upapandav (Prathivindhya, Shatanika, Suthasoma, Srutesena, Srutakarma) and a daughter from Yuthishtra, Suthanu.

She have many other names. Her name Draupadi or Drupadakanya means daughter of Drupad. Her other names are, Panchali (princess of Panchal), Mahabharathi (heroine of Mahabharatha or wive of Pandavas, Yagyaseni (the one born from sacrifice fire or daughter of Yagyasena), Krishna (the one with dark skin, the third krishna after Vasudeva Krishna, 3rd Pandava Krishna), Agnijaa (made up from Agni or daughter of the fire), Nithyayuvani ( the one who becomes virgin at every fortnight), Shairandhari, Malini, Samragani, Panchami (the one with five husbands) and Parshati (granddaughter of Prishata).

Once, Drupad perfomed a yajna called Putrakamesti to get a male child who can defeat Dronacharya. From the sacrificial fire, a warrior called Dhristhadyumna emerged follow by his sister, Draupadi. Draupadi is a beautiful dark-skinned woman. They had no childhood. After her birth, a heavenly voice mentioned that she will be the reason of  the destruction of Kuru-line. 

Shri Vasudeva Krishna asked Drupad to set up a Swayamvar for Draupadi to choose her husband after hearing the rumors that Pandavas and their mother are dead at Varnavat. The competitive contest was for a bow warrior. Karna, the king of Anga was also a bow warrior. He took part in that competition. But before he could win, Draupadi rejected him saying that she will not marry a low cast man. Karna was insulted.

Then, Arjuna took part in that swayamvar in the form of a Brahmin. In the end, he won. Karna smelled something fishy. He got to know that Arjuna is the one who won the swayamvar in the form of a brahmin. The kauravas attacked him. Bheema and Arjuna defeat and protect Draupadi at the same time. After that, they went to their hermitage. The pandavas said to their mother that Arjuna is so lucky because he won alms (referring to Kanya-Dhana). The mother said  "Share the alms equally". This was the turning point of Draupadi's life. There is a flashback for this incident.

In her previous birth, Draupadi was the daughter of King Nala & Damayanthi. Her name was Nalayani. She was a true devotee of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva granted her a wish. She said she wanted to marry a person exactly with the qualities of Indra Dev. Lord Indra said that is impossible as no one can have all the qualities of Lord Indra. But she was adamant. Lord Shiva bless her with a boon that she will be married to 5 men who has the qualities of Lord Indra. And it was Yuthistra, incarnation of Lord Yama, Bheema,incarnation of Lord Vayu, Arjuna, incarnation of Lord Indra, Nakula and Sahadeva, incarnations of Ashvini Kumaras.

Pandavas asked for the wasteland, Khandavaprasta to build a kingdom. With the help of Shri Vasudeva Krishna, they rebuilt Khandavaprasta into Indraprasta. Once, Yuthistra and Panchali performed a Raja Suya Yagna. Duryodhana visited the Rajasuya Yagna. At that time, there was a splash  and Duryodhana found himself waist deep in water, drenched from head to foot by the hidden pool. Bheema and Arjuna laughed with their servants. One of the servant of Draupadi said 'Andhasya Putr Andhaha' which means, a blind man's son is also a blind. Draupadi smiled for the joke. This is why Duryodhana hated Panchali.

THE GAME OF DICE

This was the key incident for the Kurushektra War.  Shakuni, the uncle of Kauravas ,had magic dice that would never disobey his will, as they were made from the bones of Shakuni's father.He uses that to defeat the pandavas during the game of dice in Hastinapur. Yuthistra lost every thing in his first round. In the coming rounds, he staked Nakula, Sahadeva, Bheema and Arjuna, finally himself. Duryodhana was still not satisfied. He forced Yuthishtra to stack Panchali as well. At last he lost her also. Draupadi questions Yudhishthira's right on her as he had lost himself first and she was still the queen. Duryodhana, angry with Draupadi's questions, commands his younger Dushasana brother to bring her into the court. He dragged her hair and forcefully pulled her to the court. Bheema pledges to remove Dushasana's hands, as they touched Draupadi's hair. Draupadi questioned Yuthishtra again about his rights on her. The evil Duryodhana offered her a seat on his thigh. Bheema vows in front of the entire assembly that he would break that thigh of Duryodhana.

Karna gets angry and says that when Yudhishthira lost all his possession he also lost Draupadi, even specifically staking her. Karna calls Draupadi 'unchaste' for being the wedded wife of five men, adding that dragging her to court is not surprising act whether she be attired or naked. He orders Dushasana to take away Draupadi's attire. She knows that neither her husband nor her relations can help her. The only person she remembers now is a friend, more like a brother, Shri Vasudeva Krishna. She chants his name. Krishna extended her sari. Even Dushasana got tired.

There is also another flashback for this incident. Once the pandavas and Shri Krishna was bathing in the river. Draupadi invites everyone to come out from the river, but Krishna was in the river remaining silence. Draupadi understood that Krishna's clothes were washed off. So she brought some cloth an gave it to Krishna. Krishna was very thankful to her and mentioned that he would help her in any situtation. In the other hand, when Krishna kills Shishupala with his Sudarshana Chakra, his own fingers got hurt. Panchali immediately tore a part of her sari and bandaged his fingers. Krishna was touched with her action. This is why, Krishna was very close to his Sakhi.

EXILE

Jayadratha, the husband of Dusshala, once saw Draupadi in an hermitage. He wants to marry her. Draupadi told to him that she cant marry him as he was like brother to her as he was husband of her sister-in-law. Later, he forced her into his chariot. After the Pandavas finished their hunt and found Draupadi missing. Learning of their wife's abduction by Jayadratha they rushed to save her. On seeing the Pandavas coming after him, Jayadratha left Draupadi on the road, but the Pandavas manage to arrest him. Yuthishtra asked Bheema to forgive him for the sake of Dusshala and Maa Gandari. So, the shaved Jayadratha's hair at 5 different parts as the punishment for his evil deed.

 On the year they had to go into exile, the Pandavas chose to stay secretly in the  Matsya Kingdom in different forms and names. This is where, Panchali earn the name Shairandhari, an experienced maid. Here, she was tortured by Kichaka. He fall for Shairandhari's beauty. He requested her to marry him, but she refused. She said that she was already married with Gandharvas.  Once, Shairandhari went to Kichaka's room to fetch wine to fulfill the Queen's wish. He took advantage of that and tried molest her. She escaped and run to the Virata's court. Kichaka kicked her in front of all the courtiers, including Yuthishtra. Draupadi then cursed Kichaka with death by her husband's hand. Laughing it off, Kichaka only doubted their whereabouts and asked those present where are the Ghandaravas were. Yudhishtra then told Shairandhari to go to the temple , as Kichaka would not do anything to her there. 

  Later that night, Arjuna consoled Draupadi, and with Bheema, they hatched a plan to kill Kichaka. Draupadi meets with Kichaka, pretending to actually love him and agreeing to marry him on the condition that none of his friends or brothers would know about their relationship. Kichaka accepted her condition. Draupadi asked Kichaka to come to the dancing hall at night. Bheema fights with Kichaka and kills him.  

DEATH

Yagnaseni followed her husbands on their journey to Heaven. On that journey, she was the one who fall first. When Bheema asked the reason Draupadi can't continue her journey to Yuthishtra, Yudhishthira names Draupadi's partiality towards Arjuna  as the reason.

On the remaining journey, the rest of the all Pandavas fall, with only Yudhishthira surviving. Eventually, when Yuthistra goes to heaven, he sees Draupadi sitting in meditation in the form Goddess Sri. He is told, that the Goddess had taken birth in the form of Draupadi to be the wife of the Pandavas.

Hey these is all about Draupadi, if there is any mistake please let me know.