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Draupdi XV - Death

© Harsh Nevatia

Yudhishthir ruled for thirty-six years after the war. When Krishna, their friend and mentor, gave up his mortal body and ascended to heaven, the Pandavas decided to do likewise. They crowned Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu and grandson of Arjun, as emperor of Hastinapur and left the city dressed in barks of trees. Draupadi similarly dressed and without ornaments formed the sixth and a dog formed the seventh. The ladies wept at the sight of their beloved queen walking through the city dressed as a mendicant.

After traversing the length and the breadth of the country they reached the foothills of Mount Meru. Mount Meru was one of the purest places on earth and the pathway to heaven. There Draupadi collapsed and fell on the earth lifeless. Bhim expressed astonishment at this and asked Yudhishthir, "Draupadi had led a life without sin. Where most women are unable to serve one husband satisfactorily, she had served five. Why then is she deprived of the reward of ascending to heaven?"

"Draupadi had led a virtuous life," replied Yudhishthir, "But she had committed a solitary sin. She was married to us five brothers. She cared equally for us all and showed no partiality in sexual relations. But in the secret of her mind she favoured Arjun more than the rest of us. This was her sin for which she is being denied entry to heaven. But do not worry about her. Continue on your way to eternal bliss."

The brothers began the climb up Mount Meru. One by one Sahadev, Nakul, Arjun and Bhim fell lifeless for the solitary sin each had committed. Only Yudhishthir reached the gates of heaven, along with the dog, where Indra the king of Gods invited him in. Yudhishthir refused to do so unless his brothers and wife were also allowed to enter heaven. Indra told him that they were already in heaven, having discarded their mortal bodies. Yudhishthir then told Indra that he would not enter unless the dog that had followed him from Hastinapur is allowed to enter.

Indra said, "You know the law of Karma. After many life cycles this dog will be born as a human and after many life cycles as a human he will attain the virtuosity required to enter heaven."

"In that case I will wait here for him till he attains the required virtuosity," replied Yudhishthir.

No sooner he said that the dog transformed himself into Dharma, the God of Righteousness. "This was your final test," he said. "If you had abandoned the dog, you would have sinned and would have to leave your mortal body behind before entering heaven. Now you have earned the right to enter heaven in your mortal body."

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