Mention Draupadi and most people immediately remember the dice game, the humiliation in the royal court and Krishna’s protection. But that familiar image often leaves out another side of her character. Draupadi was not merely a woman caught in the events of the Mahabharata. She was intelligent, articulate, questioning and remarkably strong under pressure. Several popular stories about her have also been simplified through television, retellings and folklore. Some details are supported by the Sanskrit epic, while others come from later traditions. Here are five commonly repeated beliefs about Draupadi that deserve a closer look.
