Jaanbai got flashes of the yagya today.
“When a dark-skinned young lady of about twenty-five years stepped out of that yagya kund, neither the pandits nor the King could believe it. She was the unexpected one. Her birth was pure; she was not born out of revenge or by any means involving the notorious kaam. She was the daughter of Yagya, born of the sacred Agni, thoroughly imbued with purity and a deep understanding of Dharm(a).
She’s Yagyaseni. She’s Yagya Sambhuta. Pavitra, powerful, and fierce, yet the most affectionate. She and Krushn were the most crucial characters who made the Mahabharat what it was: a worldly affair to cleanse the earth of adharmis and re-establish Dharm(a).
She was given as a Prasad to Drupad and hence was named Draupadi. It didn’t take her long to be called Princess Panchali; she had, how should I say it… absorbed the essence of the Kingdom of Panchal. Probably the second-largest kingdom after Hastinapur, Panchal was the land of Rishis and scholars. Yagyaseni was perhaps the human embodiment of all the good things the kingdom of Panchal stood for.
Panchali was obsessed with the dark blue flowers that grew in her room. Draupadi, from her youth, had been in love with Krushn. Her understanding of Krushn was on par with, if not surpassing, Kunta maa’s, and if I may be bold, I’d say it exceeded even Arjun’s.
In the first meeting itself, Panchali offered her favorite blue flowers to Krushn and with them, she offered her entire being to him as well and when she did, she meant it and practiced it truthfully. That’s why Krushn determined that he would elevate her to the top of Satitva.
Look at her faith,” Jaanbai began. She was very passionate about this subject and its subject, Yagyaseni herself.”
“Look at her faith in Krushn, that when he said she should marry Arjun, saying ‘Who mujhsa hi hai’, she accepted it with grace and a smile on her face. She was disheartened that Krushn couldn’t accept her, but she had always placed her faith in him far above and beyond her own wishes. Panchali understood Krushn; she knew he would have had a reason behind it.
And look, if he had accepted her, she would never have been etched in our histories like this; she would have just been one of Krushn’s wives, hidden beneath his supremacy. Krushn, with this decision, placed her with him to become pujya.Draupadi understood how Krushn thought.
Krishna had expertly learned the basic lessons that a rajkumari should know. Adept in the kitchen, in the rajya sabha, and in war craft, Krishna was a being unimaginable by mortals. She was a fearsome creature to behold. And no, I’m not exaggerating at all; in fact, if anything, I am only able to describe her with the limited knowledge I possess.
In her younger years, Krishna used to sit with Maharishi Ved Vyas. He was impressed by her understanding of Dharma and the way things worked. She used to ask him confounding questions.
Krushn would talk to her in normal conversations, but she had figured out that with each sentence, she had to decrypt his underlying meaning. She’d always think about him but now with the perspective of a sakhi.
One subtle signal from Krushn, and she refused to marry Karna. Imagine the strength and faith she practiced then. The courage to upset so many powerful people, even when she knew very well that it wasn’t fair to reject Karna based on his so-called inferior birth.
She could’ve argued with Krushn, but she knew what samarpan meant, and she was a warrior at heart to practice this samarpan at its best. Panchali was a swayamvara. She could see the way Arjun was, when he won the contest set for the swayamvar. She still chose to marry the messy and dirty but magnificent Brahmin Arjun without even knowing that it was him. She accepted his hand because Krushn wished that for her.
When she was born out of that yagya, Krishna asked herself and Krushn a question that very few of us could even think of asking. A question so powerful and potent that it could set you free from this worldly labyrinth and perhaps help you achieve your soul’s purpose. The question was, ‘What is the purpose of my being?’
There was something about her, the way she looked at someone; a man who isn’t a man would just perish by meeting her gaze. The way she carried herself, everyone knew she was in every way eligible, or should I say the only woman fit to be the samragyi of the entire Bharat khand – Aryavart.
Some even say that the Bharat Mata we depict and pray to is actually Yagyaseni herself. And what a worthy being for this honor! Until her arrival, everyone was busy with their own singular fights and problems, limited to themselves. She was the catalyst that turned events in a manner wholly beneficial for the entire samaj. Not Arjun, but I feel it was Yagyaseni who was far more important to Krushn, and perhaps she was closer to him as well.
Jaanbai stopped to look at her audience. Everyone was listening to it intently. It took them a minute to come to the reality. Jaanbai continued then,
“Krushn never kept any obligations either. He had given her the name ‘Krishna’.
With that gesture, he accepted her into him, metaphorically. He attached himself to her too, again metaphorically. They were complementary to each other, connected by a thread so divine that it was beyond our grasp to comprehend.
When Krushn hurt his finger, Draupadi was wearing a saree that was very pavitra, worn only on religious and auspicious occasions.
Everyone scattered out trying to find a bandage to wrap around the , and Krishna, without a second thought, tore a strip from her saree’s pallu and wrapped his finger. When Krushn asked why she did that, she said she would give everything in her being if it was of any use to him. She said that, ‘these threads that got to get wrapped around your finger are so blessed, the ones that couldn’t get that blessing are the ones that got wasted.’
Isn’t it beautiful?
Imagine the satitiva of Draupadi, with Krushn she always maintained a friendly yet pure relationship with him and faithfully practiced her wifely duties towards her husbands.
It was in fact her decision to marry all the five of the Pandavs. After Kunta maa’s mistake which I’m not sure was a mistake anyway, it was when all the scholars and Drupad’s family along with Krushn and the pandavs were sitting in a meeting to think about the grave situation at hand. Dharmaraj refused to not take Kunta maa’s orders. Dharmaraj had given the suggestion that the rest four brothers would give up the worldly affairs and take on sainthood.
Krishna was in deep state of shock. She sat alone trying to process her life from now onwards but then she regained her balance and she decided that she’d marry all five of the Pandav brothers. She thought that’d perhaps this was Krushn’s strategy otherwise such a big event wouldn’t have happened unless he wanted it to happen.
So, she took a calculated decision. Draupadi thought it to be unfair to the rest four of the brothers that for her and Arjun to stay married, they had to give up on all of the worldly affairs. She knew that the Pandav brothers’ bond was strong and they were each other’s strengths and reasons to live. They really functioned as one whole unit and were at their strongest when they were together.
Krishna thought it would not be right in any way to be the reason to break them up, she in fact was the only one who could keep them bonded together and she was also the only one who could gel in their bond like a missing piece of the puzzle. Only Krishna had been able to manage to keep the Pandav brothers closer than ever. She had all the facets to take on all the roles she’d need to take on in this situation going further.
She always had Dharma in her being. Krishna was now the wife of all the Pandav brothers, but she voluntarily assumed the role of caregiver to Nakul and Sahadev as she was older than them. I feel it’s beautiful that she broke the tradition by choosing a husband younger than her.
She was Bheem’s friend. The scriptures have mentioned that if she had any problem or anything to talk about, she’d first tell that to Bheem. Bheem always cared for her, probably more than any others.
She was Arjun’s wife. The partnership a wife and husband ought to have, was prescribed to us by her through her and Arjun’s relationship.
And lastly, she was Dharmaraj’s shishya. They would always be having debates, discussions, and playing strategic games. Yuddhishthir now had an amazing disciple and partner who was at par to learn about the facets only he had. With this, she managed to establish so many types of relationships a woman can have, all the while giving us a clear understanding of what loyalty meant.
Krishna had made one more decision. She knew how important it was for the Pandav brothers to be united, which is why she had banned the other wives of the Pandav brothers from residing with them. She wasn’t selfish it was a strategic decision. Otherwise she could’ve easily stopped Subhadra to come stay with them too, but she didn’t. She knew it was Krushn’s decision to get Subhadra married to Arjun, which meant that it must be a part of Krushn’s strategy. She became Subhadra’s best friend and elder sister all in a moment’s time.
When it was decided that she’d be with each husbands for a year, she was progressive enough to decide to have a year just for her to be her own self, to recharge. And with this system she followed her role ardently. And among all this she even managed to be Krushn’s sakhi.
Her character, the way she held herself made her respectable in every one’s opinion probably even in the likes of Duryodhan. All the learned men knew her power and had a gravity of her Satitva.
With every turn in life, she took on more roles and carried them beautifully and with perfection. Also on a lighter subject, when people say ‘Jai Shri Krishna’ instead of ‘Jai Shri Krushn’ they’re actually wishing the Jai of Yagyaseni. I’m fine with both.” Jaanbai chuckled softly.
“Let’s keep it till here, shall we?” Jaanbai asked politely. Everyone agreed. They sang the correct version of Hanuman Chalisa and departed for their homes.
It was 7 in the morning now. Jaanbai was at the temple. All of them were cleaning the temple after the events of yesterday. Some woman was cleaning the Shivling and the yoni. Jaanbai wondered why in some regions still, women are said to not touch the Shivling. Was there a reason for it? Something scientific behind it? She also wondered why is it that Shiv pooja should be done sitting down. If there are reasons behind these, she wished to know.
They were all resting at the Otlo, under the peepal tree. Just then Mukhi maa’s daughter-in-law, Krishna, came with jaggery lemon, lemonade for them. It was so refreshing, everyone went for seconds. After a little while, everybody dispersed. Krishna sat next to Jaanbai. The friends now had some peace to talk about whatever they wished to.
Krishna said to Jaanbai, “You know what I wonder sometimes? I think maybe it was because Draupadi was supposed to be birthed this way is why Narayan made Dron and Drupad fight. Because otherwise these events might never have happened and also that only Drupad was capable of such a powerful and divine task of having kids from a yagya that required so much jap, tap, and penance of extreme sorts. What do you think of it?”
“Well, that is a very interesting approach, Krishna. It kinda makes a bit of sense as well. Drupad’s was also the only kingdom that could provide the Pandavs the support they’d need through their lives. After their Lakshagrah escape the first time they were seen was at Draupadi’s swayamvar, and Krushn wanted that to happen, and that’s why the challenge was the way it was. I also feel that the devi-like woman as she was wouldn’t have any other befitting birth than being the daughter of Yagya agni. She perhaps even had the idea that she’d be the one claimed responsible for the war, but she took it in her stride along with other personal losses for the benefit of the samaaj, so yeah I do agree with you that maybe she was what mattered the most in that yug, in that karyakaal.
You know what she did for Ashwatthama, the man who killed her sons without any reason?”
Krishna was curious now, she said excitingly, “What?!”
“She was furious at him! Hadn’t she suffered enough in this war? She knew that her sons weren’t going to survive the war, but when it actually happens, it’d hit like a ton of bricks, no? Losing your children that way? She ordered her husbands to get him and kill him. They got him, and just as Bheem was about to kill him, she stopped him.
She said that she had just lost her five sons but still had her husbands for support. Guruma, Ashwatthama’s mother, had already lost her husband with trickery; now she shouldn’t lose her only son too. Even in that much agony, she couldn’t let another woman’s happiness get jeopardized. Krushn then awarded him with a befitting punishment.
She also didn’t want her husbands to incur another brahm hatya paap. How can people be so dumb or unlearned to tell this Dharm yukt woman is the selfish reason for Mahabharat?”
They both sat there for a while when DadiBaa came towards them from the temple. She also joined the team. Jaanbai and Krishna caught her up with their talks.
“You know, I feel even Mata Kaikeyi was as brave as Yagyaseni. It would’ve taken her so much strength to endure all the heat and negativity of making the crown prince of Ayodhya go serve a vanvaas so he can fulfill his avtaar’s purpose along with his significant other. Mata Kaikeyi must have loved Ramji with all her heart to do that for him. Only a true mother could’ve done that. Only a true mother is capable of loving her child with all her heart and also setting her child on the true path of their purpose.
In the same sense, I strongly believe, Yagyaseni is this Bharat Khand’s mata.
Only she could’ve done what she has done for the people of this Aryavart. She was never a damsel in distress. She was the warrior, a character in whose story even Yogeshwar Krushn played a supporting role!”
They all chuckled softly at this revelation and realization.
Jaanbai added to this, “It’s her world we’re just living in it! Quite literally.”
DadiBaa turned to Jaanbai. She said to her, “Diku, I read Agnikanya.” Jaanbai’s face beamed up. She smiled and looked at DadiBaa with expectant eyes.
DadiBaa teased her for a moment and chuckled softly, “It was as beautiful as you had painted it to be, baccha. Dhruv Dada unravels her in a new, much better light. I fell in love with her, the book, and the journey it took me on. I’ll read it again after some time.”
Jaanbai’s glee was uncontrollable. “When you’re free, baa, I would like to make you listen to Hita Ambrishji’s Draupadi charitra as well. It is one that’ll make you fall in love with both Krushn and Krishna. Also, I had one more suggestion, baa. I guess if you wish to continue this Draupadi’s charitra, it would be great!”
“Oh no, this is just the first time I learned about her. Knowing you, you must have tried to do your research to the point that you channelize her in you. It’s best if you only do it.”
Though for you to not have to repeat the whole conversation we three just had, I’ll repeat it to our fellow villagers tonight.” Jaanbai looked at DadiBaa with great admiration.
“Deal” Jaanbai softly said.
“Also can I say a thing I have been wondering about Baa?” DadiBaa nodded.
“When on their last journey, Yagyaseni was the first one to fall. Yuddhishtir gave the reason that it was her that fell first because she loved Arjun a little more than the rest of them. But, as I was lying on that land where it is speculated that Draupadi lay waiting for death and the last freedom, I wondered that even are fingers aren’t the same or equal, because they’re meant to be different as they offer us different varieties of uses thanks to their uniqueness, they’re that way for a reason. We have to treat them by their own differences or should I say she took on the roles of different kinds of wives according to her husbands behaviors and characteristics. It would’ve been unfair and not dharm yukt to love or treat each of them the way it was with Arjun no? Is my point coming across baa?
“Yes child. That is a beautiful way of thinking but I guess it is something only Krishna and Krushn know.”
The three of them departed for their homes.
It was 7:45 pm now.
Jaanbai and her pink aasan were already at the Otlo.
The kids’ party today had decided they’d sit beside and take turns sitting in her lap. So before the adults arrived, these chhotus had already formed a Lakshman rekha of sorts around Jaanbai. Nandini jumped into Jaanbai’s lap, almost crushing her. Jaanbai made a little oomph sound, and Nandini got so worried for her.
Jaanbai hugged Nandini to assure her that she was alright. They were back to their giggly selves again. Everyone was seated now. Jaanbai was finding a good point to start when little Nandini said, “Didi, we had Pani Puri today! Do you want one? I can go rush and bring it for you!”
Jaanbai chuckled, “No Diku. But thank you so much, Nannu.” Nandini was a little confused but didn’t seem to care as such.
Jaanbai started, “It is speculated that Puchka, Golgappa, or Pani Puri, whatever we call it, was invented by Yagyaseni herself. Kunta mata was very intelligent you see. Ever wondered why she always had all the five Pandav brothers function as a single unit? It wasn’t just so that Madri’s sons feel like life was unfair. It was because just like Yagyaseni, she knew that these five brothers were invincible when they’re together. They functioned the best when together. Anyway, my point is that she was far too intelligent for us to analyze her strategies.
It is said that she gave Krishna a challenge to make a dish that wasn’t very complex and still provides all the types of tastes in one bite. Maybe she was testing Krishna if she was up to the task of handling and functioning with the Pandav brothers, if she’d be able to get through all the challenges that she might have to face as a wife to five most powerful and divine humans. Panchali made Pani Puri. She came through in Kunta mata’s challenge.
Yagyaseni, with her adept skills and intelligence in all matters, became the CFO and CEO during the Pandav clan’s reign. From planning the Kingdom to keeping herself updated on even the smallest pulse of the entire kingdom, Yagyaseni managed to be omnipresent everywhere. She oversaw most of the decisions of the Kingdom along with her husbands. She proved herself worthy of being called the Samragyi; she had worked for it.
Ragyi still managed to look after her husbands and kids. She had established herself as the universal nurturer, a mother, and as the most powerful woman on the face of Aryavart (not kidding). Perhaps my own limitations might not be able to give you a grasp of the gravity of her being, her character, but I’m hoping you all see her in the light I see her in.
Talking about insulting Duryodhan, Ragyi would never have done that. She never said what everyone accuses her of saying. No scripture ever mentions Ragyi insulting Duryodhan in any way. Even after all the events that had happened, she never let anything get to her head. Dhruv dada mentions that she fought with Yuddhishthir just to make him work up the furiousness to announce the war. She did it on Krushn’s signal. She did this because they all had seen what would happen if the likes of Duryodhan got to lead the most powerful kingdom. Dharm demanded them to clean the Earth off the likes of Dushasan, Duryodhan, etc.
She was a pratibhashali woman who always held her grace. She always played by the rules as if she had digested them and inculcated them into her system. I guess that’s how she could play by her own rules and use all her knowledge for the good of the people. She was a feminist for sure, always standing up for women’s rights and what was fair.
Dhruv dada describes her as the woman with so much responsibility and still a woman who managed to remain as light as a butterfly. Every time Krishna faced adversity, she would check where her faith in Krushn faltered or lacked. Only true saints try to go to the root cause of what caused a certain problem and the reactions that followed. With every disappointment, she’d see if the base of it had any aspect of adharm or self-centered facets. She knew Krushn would never let her stray away from her role as a beacon for dharm. Hita Ambirshji says Krushn never let Krishna feel happiness or sadness. She was always kept above all these maya-related emotions.
Some folklore says it was Ragyi who was so strong and focused on making Mahabharat a Dharmyuddh, that she with utmost politeness and aadar asked Bheeshm Pitamaha what is the way he can be killed in this dharmyuddh. Bheeshm was so impressed by her that he gave her so many blessings and ashirvachan along with the trick with which he could leave his weapons, this war, and subsequently his obligation to the throne of Hastinapur. Bheeshm chuckled and said that if she had asked this question early in the war, all would have ended much earlier.
Some folklores say Duryodhan got Bheeshm so worked up with his vicious words that he made Bheeshm take a vow that he’ll kill one of the Pandav brothers which subtly pointed towards Arjun because only he could compete against Bheshm Pitamaha. Krushn couldn’t sleep thinking about how to get through this unscathed for the Pandav brothers.
Suddenly, in the middle of the night, he got an idea and went to Krishna’s tent. He asked her to come with him. She just up and left with him, no questions asked! He led her to Bheeshm Pitamaha’s tent and told her to go seek his blessing, to just go and sit near his feet. While he stood on guard as nobody could know Draupadi went to see Bheeshm. He took her padukas in his hand, hid them in his clothes and guarded the tent standing there. Bheeshm saw in faint light that it was some married daughter who was sitting at his feet. He blessed her with akhand saubhagya.
As soon as he said, ‘सदा सौभाग्यवती भव:’,
Krishna asked him politely, ‘Baba, if either one of my husbands is killed by your hands tomorrow, then wouldn’t this blessing of yours be false?’
Then it dawned on Pitamaha who it was sitting in front of him with her head bowed. He understood it was Krushn’s doing. He smiled lovingly at Krishna who still sat bowing her head down.
He asked her where was the one strategized all this, the one who brought you here at this hour.
Krishna pointed outside the tent and there he was, Krushn, standing there with Krishna’s padukass in his hands.
Bheeshm seeing this scene now offered Namaskar to Krishna understanding her purity and satitva. He said,
‘Dhanya ho tujhe beti, pehra dete hai jo tera, who jagat rachane waala hai.’
He also said something along the lines that beti aaj tune pure Bharat vansh ko pavan kar daala, teri jooti uthaye jo tera pehra de raha hai, teri raksha khud murari kar raha hai, tere patiyon ko kya hi ho sakta hai?
The cheerharan was the last test of Krushn for Krishna; he wanted to prove her power and satitva. Seeing her stability, courage in this horrific situation during her periods, her faith in him, Krushn himself felt very disturbed by all this. He was so furious at how Krishna was treated that he made a vow to Draupadi that, ‘Krishna, even though you don’t think of revenge, I will make the entire Bharat khand pay for this insult of yours.’
Gandhari was furious with Dhritarashtra for letting things go this far; she felt that today he proved that he wasn’t just blind physically but in every other way as well. She knew this for sure that Yagyaseni’s one look and she could’ve burnt his entire kingdom to the ground.
Still, Yagyaseni just asked for the freedom of her husbands, she was a kshatrani after all. She could’ve asked for everything they owned, and Dhritasrashtra was under her obligation to do so, yet she said that her husbands would not accept a kingdom given to them in this way, like charity.
In this, Karna said to Arjun something like, “You are lucky, Arjun, that Yagyaseni herself freed you today. It could’ve been me, but I guess I wasn’t lucky or worthy enough for her. She was more dharm yukt than Dharmaraj now”
Jaanbai stopped for a moment.
She was so into her monologue that she forgot to check up on her audience. Even the kid in her lap had changed! She didn’t know when Nandini had shifted from her lap to her thigh and little Saumitra was sleeping in her lap. The adults were mesmerized, and the kids were almost asleep. Taking this opportunity, the mothers took their kids into their laps. Jaanbai let Saumitra sleep in her lap only; he clutched onto her kurti a little tightly with his little fist and was fast asleep. She looked at him lovingly.
Jaanbai continued further.
“Yuddhishthir said to Bheem, who suggested that only them five brothers go for the Vanvaas and that Ragyi shouldn’t have to go as she was a princess and Bharat khand’s daughter in law, to him Dharmaraj said, ‘Bheem, the five of us are together, surviving and at our best is only because of Krushn, Krishna and Kunti. Without them we are nothing.’ People still with great confidence say she was born out of revenge, that she was the root of Mahabharat? Like how unlearned people can be?
In fact, Krishna was the unlabelled Prasad by the yagya. Her ideal Sitaji was something of that sort. She was the daughter of the rishis; you ask how? When the atrocities of Raavan grew, all the saints collected their blood in an earthen pot, hid it at a barren land where no one went, and cursed Raavan that when this pot is unearthed, it will be the cause of his destruction. That pot turned into a beautiful little girl child Sita, Janak found her while ploughing a barren and abandoned field.
Now, before anyone questions the mighty resilient and peaceful Jagad jannani Sitaji, I’ll clarify this. History has always been a witness that the powerful shifts in the universe and in every yug where something terrible ends and something beautiful begins, has been able to happen thanks to all our female devis. Because only they are capable of giving agni parikshas, only they’ve the satitva to be able to make it come to a successful completion. If I’m being bold, I’ll say that no man could’ve ever been able to take the heat and weight of these events on them. Whether it’d be Sati, Sita or Yagyaseni, women turn the worst of the situations for the better. Only them. But they ought to have enough Satitva that the rest of the praja find it easy to follow them.
Lastly, I’ll say this, Krishna was a Prasad from the gods above so Krushn along with her can reinstate dharm.”
Jaanbai stopped now. She was trying to map the effect of her Yagyaseni Charitra monologue. She noticed, at least 6 people had tears in their eyes. Even her! She realized it just now. Everyone was too moved to even speak.
So, Jaanbai started the Hanuman Chalisa, they followed her cue and this time she ended it with Jaikaar of various god and goddesses and lastly she said, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. She smiled at her own slyness of saying Jai of Yagyaseni; it felt like Krishna was smiling on her. She folded hands into a Namaskar and everyone reciprocated. They all dispersed silently.
She sat there for a while thinking that perhaps Yagyaseni would’ve had some human faults in her. But perhaps for someone who showcased such devi like characteristics, showing us the way to live, maybe we could let ourselves think her to be a perfect devi. Jaanbai thought that maybe there still might’ve been many unknown facets of Yagyaseni. She thought that she’d like to dig deeper in Yagyaseni’s charitra maybe through it she’d find Krushn too. She smiled at her thoughts and picked up her aasan and went home. It was a Shubh Ratri indeed.
Fin.