The Pandavas Decide to Share Draupadi as a Common Wife
Kunti, without looking, tells her sons to "share together" the alms they have brought — which is Draupadi. Now bound by their mother's inadvertent command, the Pandavas must find a way to obey without committing adharma (unrighteousness). Yudhishthira makes a decision that will define their household forever.
Bhima and Arjuna returned to the potter’s house where they were hiding, their hearts full of triumph. They had won Draupadi — Yajnaseni, daughter of King Drupada — at her swayamvara (bridegroom choice ceremony). They presented her to their mother Kunti, who was inside the house. “See what alms we have got,” they said.
Kunti did not look. It was her habit to instruct her sons to share whatever they brought home. So, without seeing the princess standing before her, she replied, “Share it together.”
Only then did she look up and see Draupadi. She saw the lady’s beauty, her royal bearing, and was stricken with misery at what she had just said. A mother’s word, once spoken to her sons, could not be taken back. She was now anxious not to commit adharma. What could be done? She took Draupadi by the hand and went to her eldest son, Yudhishthira.
“This daughter of Drupada was presented to me as ‘alms’ your younger brothers obtained,” she told him. “O king! O son! As I am in the habit of doing, but in ignorance, I said what I thought was proper: ‘Share it together.’ Now tell me how those instructions of mine don’t become a lie. How can the Panchala king’s daughter not be touched by adharma, committing that which hasn’t been done before?”
Yudhishthira, the wise king, sat in silence and thought. He then consoled his mother and turned to Arjuna, who had actually won Draupadi by stringing the great bow and hitting the target. “O Pandava! You are the one who won Yajnaseni. It is proper that you should make this princess happy. Let the sacred fire be lit. You should marry her in accordance with the proper rites.”
Arjuna refused. “O king of men! Since this is not the law that others accept, do not make me tread this path of adharma.” He laid out an order of precedence: Yudhishthira, as the eldest and king, should marry her first, then the mighty-armed Bhima, then himself, then Nakula, and finally Sahadeva. “Vrikodara, I and the twins think that the lady should be yours,” Arjuna concluded. “After reflecting on it, please do what is appropriate, in accordance with dharma and fame and the welfare of the king of Panchala. Instruct us. We are all waiting for your command.”
Then, all five brothers looked at Draupadi, who was standing there. They looked at each other, and then sat down, her image fixed in their hearts. Draupadi’s form, created by the creator himself, was charming enough to beguile all living beings. As they looked at her, love arose in each of them, putting their senses into turmoil.
Yudhishthira saw their faces and knew what was in their minds. He also remembered the words of the sage Dvaipayana (Vyasa). Fearing that conflict might arise between the brothers over this woman, the king made his decision.
“This fortunate Droupadi,” he said, “will be a wife to all of us.”