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Draupadi I - Birth

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Draupadi was a beautiful, intelligent and virtuous woman. There are few women in Hindu mythology who were aggressive and who spoke their mind in a world of men. Draupadi was one of them. She is considered by many as the first feminist of Indian mythology. The circumstances leading to her birth began to take shape while her father was yet young and unmarried.

Drupad was the prince of Panchal. His father King Prushata sent him to the hermitage of sage Agnivesh for his education. There, Drupad got acquainted with a brahmin, Drona, the son of sage Bharadwaj. In a moment of camaraderie Drupad swore that they would equally share whatever the two owned. Both went their different ways after completing their education.

In due course Drupad became the king of Panchal. But life was not good to Drona. Teaching assignments were hard to come by and he spent most of the time idle and in poverty. Once his young son Ashwatthama began to cry for milk, which led to an altercation with his wife Kripi. He then decided to cash his rain cheque and made his way to Drupad's court. After the exchange of pleasantries Drona reminded Drupad of the promise and demanded two cows from his share of the cows in Drupad's cowsheds. Drupad said that an offhand comment made during ones childhood could not be treated as a binding oath. Drona should realise that friendship exists only between equals. And one cannot equate a powerful king with a poor brahmin. He however added that many brahmins approached him daily for all kinds of donations and if Drona approached him in a similar fashion he would gift much more than two cows. Drona's self respect was hurt and he went away in a huff. But the insult festered in his soul, waiting for an appropriate time to burst out.

Soon Drona was appointed the instructor in warfare to the royal princes of Hastinapur, the sons of Pandu and Dhritarashtra. He was provided with all the respect and comforts befitting his new status and his days of penury were over. After the education of the princes was complete, it was time for Drona to ask for his gurudakshina or fees. It was the custom that the teacher asked for his fees only after the education of his student was completed. As gurudakshina he asked the sons of Pandu to bring King Drupad to him as a prisoner. The princes had learnt their lessons well and successfully brought King Drupad bound in chains to Drona. The brahmin haughtily said to the king, "Once you had promised me half your wealth, but had refused to redeem the pledge. Today I own all your wealth, but I will honour our childhood bond. I will give half to you and let bygones be bygones."

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