Krishn and Draupadi sit together and immersed in a deep conversation, inside the humble hut built by Pandavas after losing everything in that ill-fated dice game. Draupadi took a deep breath before speaking to Krishn.
“Govind, is there a woman whose fate is more miserable than mine? I have five husbands, but when I needed them the most, not one of them stood up for me. Even now, Dharmaraaj shows no interest in waging war to avenge my dishonor. Arjuna and Bhim are the mightiest warriors of this Aryavarta, undefeatable in battle, yet I remain powerless. What an irony! What a tragic life Keshav; you cannot even understand, the agony I am going through. The humiliation of being disrobed is one thing, but the deeper wound is that my husbands choose to remain distant in the face of my sufferings. What can a woman do when her husband—or in my case, five of them—are unsupportive?”
Krishn listened to Draupadi with patience before responding thoughtfully.
“Sakhi, such negative thoughts don’t suit you. Have you forgotten that you are Yajnaseni? You don’t need support from your husbands; rather, they need support from you. Look at Dharmaraaj—he is bound by his duty, by his sense of righteousness. Bhim, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadeva; how can they go against the will of their elder brother? And Partha… though he is the greatest archer in the world, even he is helpless in avenging his wife’s disgrace. It’s a tragic situation. In times like these, you must be optimistic and supportive. Your courage must shine now. They will draw strength from you.”
Draupadi gave a bitter smile and responded:
“No one can match you in a battle of words, Keshava. But you still did not grasp the depth of my suffering. I don’t blame you; after all, you are a man. How could you possibly understand a woman’s heart? And as usual, you are taking Arjuna’s side.”
Krishn feigned hurt, his voice tinged with a playful tone.
“How can you say that, Panchali? I don’t understand women? Me, who was raised by two mothers and 16,108 wives! And you say, I don’t understand women! I am so disappointed and hurt.”
Krishn said the last line with melodramatic effect and waited a while to see the reaction of Draupadi. She knows his antics well. She remain unaffected by his words. Krishn smiled and continued his conversation with Draupadi in his usual hypnotic voice.
“Remember Sakhi, you and I; we are one! you are Krishna and I am Krishn. Your suffering is my own. Never doubt over it for a moment that I don’t understand you. As for why I defend your husbands, it’s because I care for you, Sakhi. You only see the present, but I can foresee the future. I can see what lies ahead.”
Draupadi looked him with tearful eyes. With sadness in his tone, Krishn continued;
“That day in the Kuru assembly, it wasn’t just you who was dishonored. Each of the Pandavas too was stripped of their dignity, their pride and their strength. You have the strength to endure this trauma, but they are not as resilient as you. The Arjuna you see now is nothing but a hollow man, he is a shell of once what he was! He was pretending to be the strongest but one harsh word from you could shatter what little remains of him. And if that happens, you will lose him forever. So, be mindful of your words and actions, Sakhi. Destiny chose you as the shared wife of all five because your mental strength is greater than theirs combined.”
A tear slipped from Draupadi’s eye as she asked, “Then tell me Keshav, what should I do?”
Krishn smiled in his usual reassuring way. “Fulfill your dharma. Support your husbands, stand by them and they will rise to stand by you. The time for action is not yet come, but it will. Until then, be patient. Do your karma and trust the Karma to answer everything in time.”
Draupadi watched Krishn, who was now peacefully gazing out of the window. The calmness on his face stood in stark contrast with her storm filled heart. And his words and his calm face, soothed her troubled heart. She followed his gaze.
The Pandavas were sitting outside the hut, dejected and sad. Their shoulders were heavy and eyes downcast. Draupadi understood, their pain is also as deep as her own. A newfound clarity settled over her. She now understood her Dharma and Karma. This heartfelt conversation with Krishn not only offered Draupadi comfort but also showed her the right path to follow. Now, she would stand stronger than before; not for herself but for them.