Draupadi is one mythical character whose qualities, choices, personality traits and character have always been a hot topic of debate. Women and men, admire her and question her alike. It is known that Draupadi was the cause of Mahabharata, a war spoken and written about in religious as well as other scriptures. Each character in this epic saga taught us something and whether we take or not, like it or dislike it.
Draupadi too, in her own way, teaches us some important life lessons. So here they are:
1. Don’t suffer in silence
Drauapdi was indeed a strong female character. In fact, for her times, she could be called a rebel. What she suffered was wrong and she raised her voice against it at every chance.
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2. Know your mind and speak it
Throughout the saga, Draupadi was sure of her choices, knew her mind and even demanded for this.
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3. Pure intentions and being true to one’s duties will help you to attain justice
The ‘Chirharan’ incident is proof that if one has pure intentions and stays true to one’s duties, justice will be brought.
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4. Even a mighty empire can be brought down by being patient
The Kauravas were more in number and had a stronger chance of winning the war but Draupadi kept her faith and patience thanks to which a mighty empire was burnt to the ashes.
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5. Choose a man who protects you rather than a man you adore
A man you are crazy about (Arjun in this case) will beg for love and make all the moves to gain his love rather than have it generously given to you whereas a man who adores you (Bhima) will take on the world for you and treat you with tenderness and will always focus on making you happy.
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6. The only person you can rely on is yourself
In the end, Draupadi was abandoned by all her husbands and even her sons were not there on her journey. Hence, the only person who should depend on is yourself; gather your assets, control them and use them wisely when the time comes instead of expecting others to provide for you. Remember that you are dispensable, irrespective of what you think and others lead you to believe.
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7. Use your tongue wisely
The triggering point of the Mahabharata was Draupadi mocking Duryodhana saying, “A blind man’s son is also blind’. If only Draupadi had been wise to keep her words in check, things might have turned out differently.
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8. Have a trustworthy male friend
Krishna was always a good friend to Draupadi. She shared her worries with him, turned to him for advice and Krishna in turn gave her the much needed support and even protected her on many instances. In fact, if not for her Krishna, Draupadi would have been disrobed at the ‘Chirharan’ too.
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9. Be careful what you wish for
Supposedly Draupadi prayed to Lord Shiva and asked for a husband who would be noble and strong, skilled with the bow, handsome and wise. Unable to find a single man with all these qualities, Lord Shiva blessed her with five husbands, each of whom possessed a single quality out of these. So, one must be careful about what they wish for.
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10. Fight for your rights
Draupadi was probably one of the few females of her era who fiercely fought for her rights even when she had to go against her elders or her loved ones.
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For her times, Draupadi was surely a feminist who fought for her rights! Even today her ideals stand true and continue to inspire men and women alike in the 21st century.