Pandavapriya Draupadi

Krishna pacifying Draupadi.

Pandavas along with Draupadi proceeded towards lake Dwaitavana and decided to live there for some time. Dwaitavana lake was quite beautiful. Flowers and trees surrounded that lake and animals like deer used to consume grass near that lake. Yudhisthir with Arjun and Vrikodara started collecting some wood for Draupadi to make something to eat. While those men went to collect wood, Nakul and Sahadev sat near Draupadi to give her company and to protect her from any wild creatures. Draupadi liked to see this scenery and sat peacefully under one tree, her eyes viewing some Rinku deer who were consuming their meal. When her husbands came back with firewood, she made lunch for her husbands, consisting of only some roasted vegetables and soup of spinach and mint. She had managed to collect some vegetables which were near that lake, while they had gone to collect some wood. All of them ate that meal and then proceeded towards Kamyaka forests where they were about to live for many years from that day. They reached Kamyaka and made one hut for themselves to live. All Pandavas would be resting in hall when night time came and one chamber was made for Draupadi. She liked her new home and thought that she would live here quite peacefully for some time.

Those Pandavas had decided to protect Draupadi and keep her pleased forever as she had not seen more happiness from that time, when she was married to them. How could they find their meal everyday? They had decided to live their time in forests and make plans for regaining kingdom of Indraprastha. They would be wasting their precious time if they went each day to find their meal. Thus, Yudhisthir decided to pray to Sun God, who is the main source, for their meal. He did penance for some days with some mantras which only praised Sun God and finally Lord Suryanarayana came infront of him. "I know what you want to seek from me, Oh Yudhisthir!" Sun God said to him and gave him one vessel. "Use this container when you and your close ones want to eat meal. This container is Akshayapatra and will give you rice and vegetables until you are satisfied. Rice will stop pouring out from this container when Draupadi, your dutiful wife has completed consuming rice. Therefore, you men much eat first and she must eat after you all are satisfied". Thus, Sri Suryanarayana blessed Yudhisthir and went.

Yudhisthir gave that container to Draupadi who was pleased that they could get unlimited rice and vegetables from that container. They used that container for getting rice and serving that rice to her husbands. When she ate from that container and was satisfied, that container would stop producing rice for that particular day. She loved to love in Kamyaka with her dear husbands, but was angry when she thought about her disrobing incidence. Some days had gone for them in Kamyaka when one day, Draupadi's brother Dhristadyumna with Krishna and Satyaki came to Kamyaka to meet them. Draupadi ran to Krishna and started weeping when she saw his lotus face. She said "Thank you for meeting us again Oh Krishna! How are my dear children? How is my dear Subhadra? Tell me." Krishna wiped her tears and made her sit in her hut and said "Do not worry about them dear Draupadi. Rukmini takes care of your sons along with Subhadra. My son Pradyumna teaches them warfare techniques and Balaram Dau teaches them mace wielding. They are fine dear Draupadi, you do not worry about them." "And what about my Suthanu?" Draupadi inquired. "Suthanu remembers you each day but my maharanis play with her and keep her pleased." Draupadi was wishing to see her kids.

She remembered that she had not asked Krishna what he  would like to take. She had nothing much to give him. She brought one cup of water for him and then gave two cups to water to Satyaki and Dhristadyumna. Draupadi got all happiness of her life when she saw her brother who had come to meet them. "Welcome to our dwelling, Oh revered Bhraata! How is Pitashri?" she asked him. Dhristadyumna replied "Pitashri is fine, but is truly sad upon listening that Kauravas humiliated you infront of all men. Our kingdom is with you Oh Draupadi! Do not worry as one day, when we will wage war against those Kauravas, I will slay Dronacharya, which is my purpose in this world and Shikhandi will slay Bhishma Pitamah as per his wish." Draupadi said to Krishna infront of her husbands, "Oh Krishna! When that petty Duryodhan was insulting me, all my dear valiant husbands kept staring towards me  without helping me. How could Dusshasan drag me to that Kurusabha of vile men when these sons of Kunti were present there?" She angrily said these words referring towards her husbands. Yudhisthir was quiet hearing these words of Draupadi. He could not see her anger and her sadness towards their inability to save her from Dusshasan and Duryodhan. Krishna said "If I was there with you all, I would have not let this game take place and thus, would prevent you from getting insulted. But King Shalya, who got angry as I put end to life of Shishupal, came to Dwarka. He challenged me to one duel and therefore, I could not come with you. But do not worry Draupadi. Those Kauravas will reap fruit of their actions in that war which will occur after your life of forests ends". Krishna's pacifying words were beneficial in calming Draupadi.

Arjun got up from his seat and said "I will Karna for you dear Draupadi! He said you as unchaste. I will slay that evil one!" Vrikodara also said "I will slay that Duryodhan and all his brothers, who humiliated you among them." Yudhisthir never liked war but this time, he also was in favour of his dear brothers. He could not see sadness of his wife. Krishna gave many instructions to Pandava brothers. Then he blessed them and Draupadi, and went towards Dwarka. Dhristadyumna went to kingdom of Panchal. All of them were pleased because Krishna had met them.

Draupadi was praying that her kids must live pleased in their new residence.