Draupadi- the Tale of an Empress

by Saiswaroopa Iyer

  ‘That fearsome creature who poisoned the lake was the Lord of Dharma? And the Lord of Death himself?’ Draupadi exclaimed.

  ‘He had come to test me.’

  ‘With that list of bizarre questions? I had heard a part of the conversation…’

  ‘Perhaps he wanted to test my ability to gather myself when everyone I love was in danger. Especially when we are in this state because of the choices I made.’

  ‘What did he tell you when I was…in that daze, after you tried reviving Nakula?’

  ‘He asked me why I chose him of all the brothers, when choosing Arjuna or Bhima would have been, in his words, a “better” choice considering the circumstances.’

  ‘Because he is the son of the princess of Madra and you wanted to be fair to your late stepmother?’ Draupadi smiled.

  Yudhishtira beamed, staring into space, until she asked the uncomfortable question.

  ‘How will Bhima or Arjuna react when they get to know this, Yudhishtira?’

  The indulgent smile on his lips became more pronounced. ‘I don’t know what they will say, but had I chosen them instead of either of the twins, Bhima would have cursed me till the end of my life and Arjuna would have been miserable for the rest of his life, blaming himself for not keeping our mother’s word to Princess Madri. Why do you ask, Draupadi?’

  Draupadi considered telling him about her conversation with Nakula right after the game but decided against it. Nakula’s thought of separating from him had obviously been an impulsive reaction. All Draupadi needed to know was if she had done the right thing by dissuading him, despite her own agony at that time. She now knew she had.

  ‘The period of Agnatavasa starts in about a month, Samragni,’ he said after a long time, settling to lie down on the hard floor.

  ‘To begin with, we might need to stop calling each other samrat and samragni, just in case…’ Draupadi paused, hearing his breath even out into a gentle snore. She was indeed glad that their time in the forest had come to an end.

  But a new phase awaited them, promising more intrigue and excitement.

  Thirty

  Agnatavasa

  ‘That is quite a collection!’ Nakula exclaimed, pointing at the basket of blossoms that Draupadi was carrying when she returned from the river.

  ‘The woman who claims that she was the sairandhri, the hairdresser, to Empress Draupadi, has got to show what she is capable of!’ Draupadi smiled, inviting him to help her braid her hair. Being the one who was the most conscious when it came to appearance, among the five brothers, Nakula readily agreed. The last five months had been hectic and full of activity. They had spent days deciding where they could spend their year of living incognito and in which disguises. Panchala and Dwaraka had been ruled out, keeping in view that those were the obvious places that would be scrutinized by Duryodhana’s spies. After a good deal of deliberation, Yudhishtira had suggested the kingdom of Matsya. Ruled by King Virata, the kingdom had been a loyal ally to the Kurus during the times of their father, Pandu. Even during the campaign of the Rajasuya, King Virata had extended a lot of co-operation. The Rajasuya being the only event where they had met him face to face, there was lesser risk of him recognizing the Pandavas or their queen.

  Then, there was the question of the roles each of them would play, to stay undetected. Nakula first suggested that they could adopt the role of commoners and mingle with the citizens. Sahadeva too agreed with the suggestion citing that it was crucial for them to stay abreast of what the commoners and travellers thought of the royalty and about the happenings at Hastinapura. But for strategic reasons, Yudhishtira strongly opined that some of them should stay close to the royal family and if possible influence them to stay favourable to the Pandavas after the period of exile. These discussions often led to someone’s heart breaking at the turn of events. Each worried about how the other would face the hardships and hazards involved in the professions they chose.

  Draupadi noticed that each of them tried to look at the year as an opportunity to indulge in their passions—Nakula opting to join the royal stables, Sahadeva choosing to mingle with the commoners as a cowherd, and Bhima choosing to be a cook as well as a trainer to the aspiring wrestlers under the patronage of the king. To their dismay, Yudhishtira opted to pose as an astrologer-turned-mendicant, by the name Kanka Bhattaraka. It was one thing to live the life of an ascetic in the forests, but living in a role subservient to a king, who was much inferior in valour as well as wisdom, was distressing.

  Like a herd of elephants forced to pass through the throat of a mosquito!

  Draupadi sighed, immers herself into the task of collecting herbs, flowers and other ingredients, and fashioning herself some tools that a sairandhri of a superior grade should have. Turning the other way when Nakula helped her with an exquisite style of braid, she caught sight of Bhima and Yudhishtira examining themselves for one last time before leaving for Matsya.

  Swallowing the lump in her throat when Bhima’s gaze met hers, Draupadi tried to smile at his unspoken inquiry. Yudhishtira looked at her new form. Regret shadowed his face. Something she had seen numerous times in the past twelve years. But this time, she walked up to him and squeezed his arm, ‘Pray, don’t worry about me, Samrat. The five invincible Gandharvas, Jaya, Jayesha, Vijaya, Jayatsena and Jayatbala—my husbands—will ensure my safety throughout this year,’ she beamed. The five names had been chosen by the brothers for discrete communication during the year.

  ‘It is almost time! Where is Arjuna?’ Sahadeva halted midway. ‘Arjuna?’ he mouthed, staring into the smiling eyes of his brother, now dressed as a eunuch.

  ‘Brihannala, the dance teacher,’ Arjuna corrected, mimicking the body language of the third gender to perfection. Considering the shocked expressions around him, he smiled, ‘Someone needs to stay in the palace, close to Draupadi, as she claims her husbands will ensure her safety.’

  ‘Actually,’ Bhima retorted, ‘Draupadi, you keep a watch on him! Posing as a eunuch among the women of the palace, you know what I mean!’ he guffawed, drawing smiles from the rest.

  Yudhishtira’s smile faded seeing Draupadi and Arjuna exchange meaningful glances, and he chided himself for entertaining the thought. It was not the first time he had felt that the intimacy Draupadi had with Arjuna was more than what she had with others, including himself. But he could not bring himself to ask Draupadi directly, given what she had gone through because of him. Shaking his head, the eldest Pandava brought his attention to the task in hand.

  ‘Now we need to reach the outskirts and conceal our weapons while Draupadi seeks the audience of Queen Sudeshna of Matsya.’

  He led the way.

  The temple of Ambika, a much-revered Shakti Peeth, situated in Matsya, was in its usual morning bustle. The ageing priest had gathered flowers from the sellers and was returning to the garbhagriha when his eyes fell upon an old woman accompanied by her granddaughter. They were regular visitors to the temple. The old man melted seeing the woman break down in front of the goddess.

  ‘How long will you grieve like this, sister?’

  ‘Till the goddess secures justice to my daughter who died under her very watch!’ the old woman retorted, her indignation directed at the deity in the garbhagriha.

  The priest sighed, brushing the hair of the little girl with pity. ‘It was not said in vain that one should avoid any association with royalty. I pray to the goddess every day to secure justice for your daughter.’

  ‘My child was brutally raped and murdered within the walls of the palace, I can swear!’

  ‘Shh, sister! Why do you want to invite more trouble upon yourself?’ the priest tried to pacify her. ‘Strange are the ways of the goddess. She tests her children. But rest assured, she will punish the monsters who prey upon defenceless women this way!’ he paused, sensing a movement. ‘The question is when. Only she knows,’ he whispered, turning to see who the visitor was.

  The woman was the epitome of grace and majesty even in her humble fabric and
simple jewellery of various beads and rosary strings. The old priest looked at her approach them with a warm smile after bowing to the goddess.

  A goddess herself!

  ‘I am Malini from Indraprastha,’ she introduced herself, folding her hands together. ‘I was told that the queen comes here to worship the goddess. I seek her audience and compassion.’

  The priest informed her that Queen Sudeshna was expected soon. The temple was usually emptied for the royal family to carry out their worship. But today, the priest decided to make an exception for this strange woman. He carried out his rituals, and eventually, the queen came. He saw Malini approach the queen and request her to hire her as a sairandhri.

  The old woman who was a mute spectator almost intervened when the priest blocked her. Sudeshna was too happy to hire her as the previous sairandhri had died months ago.

  Let her not face the same fate that my daughter did!

  The prayer in the old woman’s eyes was clear. Before long, Sudeshna left the temple, taking the newly-appointed sairandhri with her to the palace.

  Following the queen, Malini discretely exchanged glances with four men who had positioned themselves at various points on the street leading to the palace.

  Agnatavasa had begun.

  Thirty-one

  Matsya

  Princess Uttara hummed the composition she was learning from the new dance teacher she adored. Tapping her feet to the rhythm playing in her mind, she felt the sairandhri’s expert hands braid her hair. She could even hear the female guards at the door of her chamber gasp in admiration. She frowned, thinking of what the dance teacher had remarked on her hairstyle.

  ‘Malini…’ she called out to her mother’s favourite hairdresser and hesitated. She knew too little about braiding and grooming to say anything. But then, the opinion of her dance teacher could not be dismissed that easily. ‘Acharya Brihannala seems dissatisfied with my hairdo,’ she added, turning to assess Malini’s reaction. ‘The braid always seems to loosen in between the dance sessions. And…’

  ‘That eunuch needs to learn some grace, Princess Uttara,’ Malini shot back. ‘I always thought dancers learn grace with time and practice. But your teacher seems to be a sad exception.’ Malini suppressed a grin. ‘Let me throw a challenge, princess,’ she beamed. ‘Ask Brihannala to braid your hair as well as I do. I shall teach you to dance better than she ever can.’

  Uttara sighed, ‘I cannot help thinking, sairandhri, that if Brihannala was a man, you both would make a great couple!’ In her banter, Uttara did not notice Malini’s hands freeze for a moment before the hairdresser recovered and went about addressing the finer aspects of grooming. ‘Don’t you feel so, Malini? Mahadeva made a grave mistake by making Brihannala a eunuch. As a man, he would have stolen and broken hearts!’

  Malini wordlessly adorned the last string of flowers in Uttara’s hair and then turned the princess around to supervise her work. ‘Well, what can I say, Princess? I am a mere sairandhri to dare disagree with her mistress.’

  Uttara’s face fell. ‘Those words hurt, Malini. I share things with you I don’t share with my own mother.’

  Malini could not help beam tenderly at the indignant fifteen-year-old. Princess Uttara was indeed delightful.

  Almost like a daughter she never had.

  ‘You know that I am married to the five great Gandharvas, each vying with the other in their physique and valour,’ her words assumed a tinge of pride. ‘How can I even consider a eunuch like Brihannala as a prospective husband?’

  Uttara clutched her arm. ‘Believe me, Malini! Pray, come with me to the Nartanashala today and watch her do the Shiva Tandava. I swear, even Lord Mahadeva would not look as handsome as Brihannala does. Witness her finesse and then deny my claim. She is more masculine than any man!’ Uttara did not stop there. ‘She is a warrior too! She also drove Arjuna’s chariot on many occasions and is his close friend. Though I am sure you know this, having worked as a close attendant to Queen Draupadi herself.’

  A polite cough interrupted them. Uttara grinned at the colourfully dressed Brihannala. ‘Come in, Acharya Brihannala! I am vouching for your Shiva Tandava to impress Malini.’

  Brihannala cleared her tone again. ‘Apparently, impressing your sairandhri is something that was beyond even her five husbands, Princess Uttara.’ The eunuch winked suggestively, earning an immediate frown from Malini. But Brihannala did not miss the momentary curve on Malini’s lips.

  ‘The charioteer and friend of the great Arjuna does not consider a lowly sairandhri worth impressing, Princess Uttara.’ Turning at the dance teacher with mock anger, Malini raised a finger, ‘I also hear that our little princess is tiring with your dance practice, Natyacharya. Perhaps you need a reminder that the Nartanashala is not a battlefield.’

  Uttara rose and began inspecting her hair in the small artificial pool constructed in the centre of her chamber. The princess of Matsya was too lost in admiring herself to notice Malini and Brihannala exchange more than just looks behind her. The next moment, something else drew her attention. Uttara straightened, hearing the guards scuttle before falling into line. Her smile faded. Not even King Virata, her father, inspired that kind of fear among the palace employees. The one causing the fear among her guards could only be…

  A voice boomed along the adjoining corridor. ‘Where is my favourite niece? Why don’t I see her welcoming her dear uncle?’ The footsteps were a telling indication of the visitor’s exuberance.

  Uttara stared at the door and at the sight of the burly visitor, dressed in the finest silks and intricately crafted jewellery. She smiled widely, ‘Uncle Keechaka!’ She ran into the muscular arms of the commander-in-chief of the Matsya army.

  Malini and Brihannala looked at each other. None of them had missed seeing the flicker of fear in Uttara’s eyes before she had received her uncle. Involuntarily, their eyes fell upon the sky through the window, trying to gauge the position of the moon and the stars.

  ‘About five fortnights more,’ Arjuna whispered.

  But Draupadi’s face told him that she was already busy planning something.

  ‘When the war with the Trigartas comes upon us, my heart breaks because my husband who is in the army has to leave for the front. But when it concludes, I am overcome with fear, because along with my husband, Commander Keechaka returns!’ The palace maid broke down in the middle of the spacious chamber where the first rung of Queen Sudeshna’s companions lived. Her friends tried to console her.

  ‘What happens when Keechaka returns?’ Malini looked up at the group of women. She immediately bit her tongue for forgetting to use a reverent salutation for the commander, but the palace maid was too aghast to notice.

  ‘What happens? Malini, haven’t you seen him?’

  Malini shook her head, deliberately omitting the fact that she had heard Keechaka barge into Princess Uttara’s room.

  ‘Do yourself a favour, don’t let him see you,’ another palace maid advised her. ‘Or better, apply something on your face that looks like a skin affliction or something and make yourself look unattractive. You are new here, Malini. Understand why we are advising you to do so.’

  The maid who had started the whole conversation broke into sobs. Malini could not stop herself from trying to comfort the distraught woman. She did not need any more indication of what had happened. ‘Sister, why do you tolerate his advances? Why don’t you let the king of Matsya know what his dear brother-in-law and commander is doing to the women under his protection?’

  The other woman shook her head. ‘Do you think the king does not know what he is up to?’ Angrily brushing her tears aside, she gazed at Malini. ‘And do you know what happened to the erstwhile sairandhri who dared to resist his advances? Her mutilated body was found near the cremation ground outside the city.’

  Malini did not speak much except for some comforting words. Even those made her feel restless. Granted, she was passing through hard times. But that did not mean that she closed her eyes to the pred
icament of those who worked with her. It did not mean that she helplessly fell into line, trying to look unattractive. Even the idea made her tongue go bitter. She might be a sairandhri today, but her spirit was still that of the empress she had been.

  The maids gasped when they saw her decked up with flowers and beads the next day. They shrugged, knowing that they had done their job of warning her. Beyond that, her safety was not their concern. Though to them, it looked like the queen’s favourite sairandhri was doing her best to attract the unwanted attention of the lusty commander. Had she not said that she had five husbands, and that too, Gandharvas? Malini noticed even Queen Sudeshna regard her with wide eyes that day. ‘By Rudra, Malini! How on earth are your husbands able to stay away from the beauty that you are?’

  Malini smiled and said nothing. But after a moment or so, she clutched her stomach in mock pain. ‘The food, Maharani. I could not sleep a wink because of the ache in my stomach!’

  The kind Sudeshna was too overcome with concern to notice her pretence. ‘That is worrisome, sairandhri! I shall immediately send a warning to the head cook, Ballava.’

  Malini nodded, gulping the water that the queen offered her. ‘Pray, specifically tell him that the sairandhri of the queen herself had to spend a sleepless night!’

  Sudeshna nodded and immediately sent a maid to the royal kitchen. Draupadi sighed with satisfaction. The clue of her sleepless night, would, she knew, be enough to warn the head cook of the palace. Her Bhima would never fail her. ‘Malini, if you want to take the day off and rest, it is fine.’

  What a contrast between the brother and sister of the same blood!

  Malini nodded gratefully. ‘Maharani, the day of my husbands’ return is drawing closer. I would request an audience with the king’s personal adviser, Kanka Bhattaraka. I heard that he is peerless in astrology and can grace anyone with an accurate prediction.’