A Part V: Five Holy Virgins, Five Sacred Myths

common feature shared by

all the five panchkanyas is
“motherlessness.” The
births of Ahalya, Tara, Mandodari
and Draupadi are unnatural; none
have a mother. Satyavati is born of
Living by Their Own Norms
an apsara Adrika who is turned into
a fish by a curse. In emerging from
Unique Powers of the Panchkanyas
the elements, Tara, Ahalya,

Pradip Bhattacharya
Mandodari and Draupadi resemble
the ocean-born apsaras. We know
nothing of Pritha-Kunti’s mother.
Motherless Gandhakali-Satyavati In the earlier instalments we have, first, considered the three kanyas
and Pritha are given away by their of the Ramayana—Ahalya, Tara and Mandodari—followed, in the
fathers Uparichara Vasu and Shura second instalment, by Satyavati who shares many features that
in childhood. Kunti finds no foster- distinguish her grand daughter-in-law Kunti whose remarkable
mother and her only succour is an character and deeds were examined in the third part. In the last
old midwife. Matsyagandha-
issue we looked at Kunti’s daughter-in-law, Draupadi. In this
Satyavati does not even have that.
As adolescents, both are left by their
concluding piece we seek to find answers to the question with
foster-fathers, the Dasa chief and which we began: why are these five women termed ‘Kanyas’
Kuntibhoja, to the mercies of two “(virgins)” and what is the secret of their being celebrated as having
eccentric sages and become unwed redemptive qualities.
mothers with no option but to discard
their first-borns.
Indeed, scholars beginning with Chitrangada’s Babhruvahana—
If Draupadi had hoped to find her
Bankimchandra over a hundred years Draupadi’s five sons are nothing more
missing mother in her mother-in-law,
ago, have questioned the very fact than names and might have been
she is tragically deceived, as Kunti
of her maternity since, unlike the interpolated. The South Indian
thrusts her into a polyandrous
other Pandava progeny— Draupadi cult specifically states that
marriage that exposes her to
Hidmimba’s Ghatotkacha, Subhadra’s her sons were not products of coitus
salacious gossip reaching a
Abhimanyu, Ulupi’s Iravan and but were born from drops of blood
horrendous climax in Karna declaring
that fell when, in her terrifying Kali
her a whore whose being clothed or form, her nails pierced Bhima’s hand.1
naked is immaterial. As if that were Draupadi is a sterile Shri, like
not enough, Kunti urges her to take Jyeshtha or Alakshmi. Her
special care of her fifth husband, solitariness as a kanya is stressed
Sahadeva, as a mother! No other explicitly after the war when
woman has had to face this peculiar Yudhishthira tells Gandhari that the
predicament of dealing with five Panchalas are exterminated, leaving
husbands now as spouse, then as only a kanya as their remainder:
elder or younger brother-in-law (to “pancalah subhrisham kshinah
be treated like a father or as a son kanyamatra vasheshitah”. 2
respectively) in an endless cycle. Ahalya and Satyavati are also not
Draupadi’s motherlessness seems known for maternal qualities. Valmiki
to be carried forward into her own has not a word to say about the
lack of maternal feelings. Her five mother-son relationship between
sons are not even nurtured by her. Ahalya and Shatananda. Ahalya’s
She sends them to Panchala and son abandons her and lives
follows her husbands into exile to comfortably in Janaka’s court,
ensure that the wounds of injustice expressing relief that she is finally
and insult inflicted upon them and Ahalya with Ram acceptable in society following
herself remain ever fresh. Rama’s visit. Vyasa is abandoned by

No.145 30
 both parents and attributes his at least one more wife. She never has
survival to chance (see issue 143). Arjuna for herself, as he marries
These kanyas remain Ulupi, Chitrangada and has Subhadra
quintessentially virgins and, except as his favourite. Yudhishthira pledges
for Kunti, hardly ever assume the her like chattel at dice. Finally, they
persona of mother. leave her to die alone on the
This feature of being rejected- mountainside at the mercy of wild
and-rejecting-in-turn that is a beasts, like a pauper, utterly rikta,
recurring leit motif with the kanya is drained in every sense.4
not just of antiquary interest. It In her long poem “Kurukshetra”
recurs in one of the most significant Amreeta Syam conveys the angst of
explorations of the Bengali woman’s Panchali, born unasked for, bereft of
struggle to step into the modern age father, brothers, sons and her beloved
by experimenting with new ways of sakha Krishna:
motherhood: Ashapurna Debi’s “Draupadi has five husbands—but
trilogy Pratham Pratisruti, she has none—
Subarnalata and Bakul Katha. The She had five sons—and was never a
heroine, significantly named mother…
Satyabati, is “abandoned” by her Sivadas of Kalamandalam enacting The Pandavas have given
father who gives her away in child- the role of Draupadi Draupadi…
marriage at the age of eight. When No joy, no sense of victory
and is a social outcast. Kunti loses
she gives birth to her son, she No honour as wife
her parents and then her husband
simultaneously receives news of her No respect as mother —
twice over (first to Madri and then
mother’s death. She struggles to Only the status of a Queen…
when he dies in Madri’s arms).
educate her children in a new urban But they have all gone
Satyavati is abandoned by Parashara
milieu of a nuclear family. In her And I’m left with a lifeless jewel
after he has enjoyed her, loses her
absence, her daughter Subarna is And an empty crown…
husband Shantanu, both royal sons
also married off at the age of eight. my baffled motherhood
and one grandson (Pandu), while
Thereupon Satyabati physically Wrings its hands and strives to
another is blind and the third cannot
turns away from the wedding, weep.”5
be king because her daughter-in-law
abandoning her daughter on the The Unique Ahalya
Ambika deceived her and sent in her
threshold of motherhood, repeating
low-caste maid to Vyasa. The Among the five, Ahalya remains
the desertion she herself had
kingdom, for which she manoeuvred unique because of the nature of her
experienced. The pattern repeats Devavrata into becoming Bhishma, daring and its consequence. Her
itself when Subarna, receiving news slips through her fingers like sand. single transgression, for having done
of her mother’s death, finds herself Seeing her great grandchildren at what her femininity demanded, calls
unable to think of her own daughter. each other’s throats, she realises the
It is a patriarchal society’s tradition down an awful curse. Because of her
grim truth of Vyasa’s warning, “the unflinching acceptance of the
of enforced motherlessness that the green years of the earth are gone”
novels seek to challenge at the cost sentence, both Vishvamitra and
and leaves for the forest, so as not to Valmiki glorify her. Chandra Rajan,
of the heroines being regarded as witness the suicide of her race
aberrant mothers. Ashapurna Debi another sensitive poet of today,
(I.128.6, 9). Strangely, her son Vyasa
questions the traditional concept of catches the psychological nuances:
tells us nothing of her end.
motherhood which confines woman Mandodari loses husband, sons, “Gautama cursed his impotence and
to the role of a biological parent with kith and kin in the great war with raged…
no hand in shaping the future of the Rama. Tara loses her husband Bali to she stood petrified
girl child. This is precisely what we Rama’s arrow shot from hiding. Both uncomprehending
notice in the case of the five kanyas.3 have to marry their younger brothers- in stony silence
Theme of Loss in-law who are responsible for their withdrawn into the secret cave
The theme of loss is common to husbands’ deaths (see issue 141). of her inviolate inner self…
all the five kanyas. Ahalya has no Draupadi finds her five husbands she had her shelter
parents, loses both husband and son discarding her repeatedly. Each takes sanctuary

No.145 31
 benediction ways the kanyas are treated. Sugriva agree that, like this passionate
within, perfect, inviolate hides behind Tara and uses her to heroine of the Mahabharata, millions
in the one-ness of spirit calm the raging Lakshmana. of women are publicly humiliated and
with rock rain and wind Kuntibhoja uses Kunti to please even raped as a punishment for
with flowing tree Durvasa. Draupadi is used first by challenging the male will or for
and ripening fruit Drupada to take revenge on Drona ‘talking back’ at a man. Many men
and seed that falls silently by securing the alliance of the are known to use violence against
in its time Pandavas, and then by Kunti and the wives merely because they ‘back-
into the rich dark earth.”6 Pandavas to win their kingdom thrice answer’!” 15 Draupadi made the
A very different evocation of over (through marriage; in the first unforgivable ‘mistake’ of publicly
dice game; and as their incessant refusing to accept Karna as a suitor
Ahalya was done by Rabindranath
goad on the path to victory). 8 and of laughing at Duryodhana (as
Tagore in a lovely poem7:
Unknown to her, even sakha Krishna he laments to his father Dhritarashtra)
“What were your dreams, Ahalya, throws her in as the ultimate when he made a fool of himself in
when you passed temptation in Karna’s way, assuring Indraprastha’s magical palace,
Long years as stone, rooted in earth, him that Draupadi will come to him in capping this with refusing to obey
prayer the sixth part of the day, shashthe ca Duryodhana’s summons to appear in
And ritual gone, sacred fire extinct tam tatha kale the dice-game assembly unless her
In the dark, abandoned forest- draupadyupagamisyati. 9 This is question was answered. She had to
ashram? … followed by Kunti urging Karna to be taught a lesson.
Today you shine enjoy (bhunkshva) Yudhishthira’s Patriarchal Myth Making
Like a newly woken princess, calm Shri (another name for Draupadi) that A telling example of patriarchal re-
and pure. was acquired by Arjuna.10 There is writing occurs in Kashiram Das’ early
You stare amazed at the dawn world. an unmistakable harking back to 18th century version of the epic in
… Kunti’s command to her sons to Bengali rhyme.16 During the forest
You gaze; your heart swings back enjoy (bhunkteti) what they had exile Draupadi prides herself on her
from the far past, brought together when Bhima and fame as a sati exceeding that of any
Traces its lost steps. In a sudden Arjuna had announced their arrival ruler. Krishna crushes her pride by
rush, with Draupadi as alms. No wonder creating an unseasonal mango that
All round, your former knowledge of Draupadi laments that she has none she craves for and has Arjuna pluck
life returns… to call her own, when even her sakha for her. Krishna warns that this is the
Like first unhesitatingly uses her as bait! We only food of a terrible ascetic, whose
Created dawn, you slowly rise from cannot but agree with Naomi Wolf’s anger will turn all of them into ashes,
the blue condemnation of masculine culture’s and that only if they confess their
Sea of forgetfulness. You stare efforts to “punish the slut” in one
secret desires will the mango be re-
entranced; way or another, the sexually
fixed to its branch. The mango almost
The world, too, is speechless; face independent woman who crosses the touches the tree as the brothers state
to face ambiguous lakshmana-rekha
what obsesses each of them, but falls
Beside a sea of mystery none can separating “good” from “bad”.11
down when Draupadi states that
cross Vimla Patil, editor of Femina,
revenge is her sole desire. Arjuna
You know afresh what you have writes, “Most Indian women would
threatens to kill her, and then she
always known.” has to confess that having Karna
Symbols of Reselience as her sixth husband has been her
None of these maidens breaks secret wish. Bhima—her
down in the face of personal invariable rescuer—upbraids her
tragedy. Each continues to live unmercifully for her evil nature.
out her life with head held high. Here we have evidence of a
This is one of the characteristics male backlash expressed through
that set the kanya apart from other inventive myth-making. This
women. attitude is well reflected in a report
There is an aspect of in the newspaper The Hindu of a
exploitation that we notice in the Tara in stone carving from Kurudmale temple discourse by a lady, Jaya

No.145 32
 Srinivasan, echoing the patriarchal reality, I think, so they did not dare
response12: to say anything against her or burn
“It is indeed extremely difficult to the Mahabharata or write nastily
control the mind as reflected in all about her. For the marginalized
scriptural texts. Even sensory would have protested in a big
organs may be kept quiet for some way…Even after becoming
time, but not the mind. It is in this legends, it is Draupadi who remains
background that the Ahalya a threat to the political animal and
episode in the Ramayana should so he will not touch even the fringe
be viewed. Born in a family of of her pallu, as he knows what
culture and having married a sage happened when Duhshasana rose
of distinction, her mind faltered for to disrobe Draupadi! Not so Sita.
a moment and she committed a Either the legend will not fight back
grave sin and incurred a curse. or it is so compassionate the
Why should she commit this political animal can get away with
mistake? There lie the lessons for its desecration and be forgiven
others. However on expressing her too.” 19
regret over the fault, the curse was Contrast with Sita
lifted when the dust particles from Curiously, it is women scholars
the feet of Rama fell on her. The Kichaka and Draupadi: Ravi Varma who cannot seem to agree on this.
message from her life gives us This insight from a Tamil scholar is
great hope to secure His grace if protectors of the protagonists, giving contradicted by Dr. Nabaneeta Dev
only we hold on to the feet of the a new currency to the Sanskrit epic Sen from Bengal. Studying the folk
Lord… What Ahalya did was lore.13 songs of Telugu, Tamil, Maithili and
unpardonable and Sage Gautama, Intriguingly, where the so-called Bengali on Sita, she states,
naturally enraged at her “Dravidian” political backlash “No, a revengeful woman cannot
misconduct, condemned her.” against “Aryan” hegemony targeted win…Draupadi is too dramatic to
(Emphasis in the original) traditional icons like Rama and Sita be a role model for the weak and
Cults of Draupadi and even burnt copies of the the exploited. Women cannot
There is, however, a feature that Ramayana, not a word was said or identify with Draupadi, with all her
sets Draupadi quite apart from her written against Draupadi and her five husbands, and with Lord
fellow kanyas. Between the 12th and temples. Analysing the reasons, the Krishna for a personal friend. With
15th centuries she became the central eminent scholar Dr. Prema her unconventional lifestyle and
figure in a number of bardic epics. Nandakumar draws a perceptive thirst for vengeance, Draupadi
Draupadi is the only kanya to whom distinction between the two great inspires awe. Sita is a figure closer
a living cult is dedicated, with epic heroines: home…she is not part of the
temples dotting the Gingee- “Sita is the patient compassionate elite…she laments but does not
Pondicherry area of Tamil Nadu and mother whose fire remains veiled challenge Rama in the songs…Sita
street plays held annually celebrating by her soft approach, but Draupadi is the one with infinite forbearance
her greatness. By reincarnating as is quite different. Whereas Sita is and thus a winner even when she
Bela in the Rajasthani Alha, and generally associated with the loses.”20
subsequently as Yakajoti, the Rani of upper caste (Aryan) hegemony, Dev Sen appears to be ignorant
Raja Desing in the south, she Draupadi has always been the of the popularity of the Mahabharata
completes her cycle of seven births goddess of the common people. A street plays, theru-koothu, and the
as sati. In Yakajoti’s story, Hiltebeitel recent parallel would be the way Draupadi Cult celebrated exclusively
points out, we encounter war cries Meera’s bhajans are sung by the by villagers. And, as Dr. Prema
invoking Allah, Hari and Govinda marginalized and lower castes in Nandakumar points out apropos
along with wedding chants calling on Rajasthan. The Dropadai Amman Draupadi being too dramatic:
Allah and Radha, showing the Festivals are quite well known and “any woman whom a huge hulk of
Hindu-Islamic syncretism that had there are night-long dramas (theru- a fellow tries to disrobe in public
developed by then. These oral epics koothu) on the Mahabharata. The while the entire Pandava-Kaurava
celebrate Dalit and Muslim political leaders knew this social ‘heroes’ look on (perhaps

No.145 33
 leeringly?) doing nothing will why we won’t be told what to do by
scream throughout her life and will our husbands. A woman can only do
not speak in ambassadorial one thing…She must always be as
accents across the table. The real her nature is. She must always be
truth about the matter is that we maiden and always be mother. Before
are both (Sita and Draupadi), we every love she is a maiden, after every
need both, we identify with both love she is a mother.”24 (emphasis
as the circumstances demand of mine)
us.” 21 We have only to recall the
Draupadi is also the only kanya encounters of Surya, Dharma, Vayu,
to have become a symbol of the Indra and Pandu with Kunti, of
oppressed and grossly humiliated Parashara and Shantanu with
Indian nation. While watching a Gandhakali, of Draupadi with her
night long street play in the Draupadi husbands, of Ulupi with Arjuna, of
Amman Festival,the great Tamil poet Ganga with Shantanu Indra with Ahalya, to realise the
Subramania Bharati was struck by the profundity of this utterance.
powerful appeal she had for common virgin, wife and mother—is found in Autonomy Inspires Awe
folk and penned an epyllion, what an Abyssinian woman told C.G. Jung, while discussing the
Draupadi Sapatham (“Draupadi’s Frobenius. In her words we find the phenomenon of the maiden describes
Vow”) depicting her as the wronged reason for our kanyas remaining such her “as not altogether human in the
princess, the nation-in-shackles, a an enigma to men throughout the usual sense; she is either of
symbol of perfect surrender to the ages: unknown or peculiar origin, or she
Divine and the representative of “How can a man know what a looks strange or undergoes strange
womanhood subjugated for woman’s life is?…He is the same experiences”.25 This fits the kanyas
millennia.22 before he has sought out a woman as a group. So long as a woman is
An outstanding instance of how for the first time and afterwards. But content to be just a man’s woman,
Draupadi’s character speaks the day when a woman enjoys her she is devoid of individuality and
powerfully to oppressed womanhood first love cuts her in two…The man acts as a willing vessel for masculine
today is vividly brought alive in spends a night by a woman and goes projections. On the other hand, the
Mahasweta Devi’s remarkable short away. His life and body are always maiden uses the Anima of man to gain
story, “Dopdi” in which this name is the same…He does not know the her natural ends (Bernard Shaw
given to a tribal woman who refuses difference before love and after love, called it the Life Force). Amply do
to succumb despite gang-rape and before motherhood and after we see in the cases of these maidens
torture. motherhood…Only a woman can that, “The Anima lives beyond all
The Cross of Lonliness know that and speak of that. That is categories, and can therefore
The kanya, despite having
husband and children, remains alone
to the last. This is the loneliness at
the top that great leaders bear as their
cross. The absence of a mother’s
nurturing, love, a mother who models
and hands down tradition, leaves the
kanya free to experiment, unbound
by shackles of taught norms, to
mould herself according to her inner
light, to express and fulfil her
femininity, achieving self-
actualisation on her own terms. One
is tempted to use a modern cliché to
describe her: a woman of substance.23
An invaluable insight into what is so
Draupadi being kicked by Kichaka in Virata’s court : painting by Ravi Varma
very special in being a woman—

No.145 34
 dispense with blame as well as with Sati Versus Shakti However, Balarama also visits the
praise.”14 The Anima is characterised In this context, the mystic and Vriddhakanya teertha celebrated for
by “a secret knowledge, a hidden poet Nolini Kanta Gupta’s study of an old spinster who had to learn that,
wisdom…something like a hidden these maidens tallies quite remarkably unless she married she could not, as a
purpose, a superior knowledge of life’ with the Jungian insight into the mere brahmacharini, attain heaven!19
laws”15 which we see in this group of meaning of being a virgin. He points The Age of Freedom
epic women. That is why Shantanu, out, “In these five maidens we get a In Mahabharata, we find
Bhishma, Dhritarashtra, Pandu, the hint or a shade of the truth that woman evidence of the freedom enjoyed by
Kaunteyas, Sugriva can never quite is not merely sati but predominantly women in the past. In the Adi Parva
come to grips with Satyavati, Kunti, and fundamentally she is Shakti”.18 Pandu tells Kunti:
Draupadi and Tara and are ever in awe He notes how the epics had to labour “in the past, women
of them. at establishing their greatness in the were not restricted to the house,
Each kanya’s unique feature is that teeth of the prejudice that woman must dependent on family members;
she, as much as the sati, has the power never be independent, but always be they moved about freely,
to pronounce a curse. Devayani a sati, known for her absolute, they enjoyed themselves freely.
unquestioning devotion to her They slept with any men they liked
curses Kacha that he will be unable to
husband. This he describes as the from the age of puberty;
use the mantra he has learnt from her
subjugation of Prakriti to Purusha, they were unfaithful to their
father Shukracharya by her favour.
typical of the Middle Ages. The most husbands,
Urvashi curses Arjuna to lose his
ancient relationship, he says, was the and yet not held sinful…
virility because he refuses to respond converse: Shiva under the feet of his the greatest rishis have praised
to her advances. Rambha, another goddess-consort. this tradition-based custom;…
apsara, curses Ravana with death In the Mahabharata we find the northern Kurus still practise it…
should he rape any female in future. confirmation of this paradigm shift. In the new custom is very recent.”20
Vedavati curses Ravana that she will the course of his pilgrimage, Balarama
be the cause of his death. Amba turns Pandu narrates the story of
comes to the Plaksha Prasravana
herself into Bhishma’s nemesis. Uddalaka explaining to his outraged
teertha where a brahmacharini, a
son Shvetaketu, when a Brahmin takes
Ganga, turned down by Pratipa, celibate female ascetic, obtained the
his mother away in their presence,
enchants his son Shantanu: highest heaven and the supreme yoga
as well as the fruit of a horse sacrifice. “This is the Sanatana Dharma.
“He stood there,
All women of the four castes
Entranced,
are free to have relations
All his body
with any man. And the men,
In horripilation.
well, they are like bulls.”21
With both eyes
He drank in her beauty Ulupi and Urvashi’s
And wanted behaviour with Arjuna and
To drink more.”17 Ganga’s with Pratipa and
Shantanu—all approaching the
Jung pinpoints the men with frank sexual
desymbolised world we live in demands—are instances of the
now, in which man struggles to type of freedom characterising
relate to his Anima “outside” the kanya’s nature. In these
himself by projecting her on kanyas, we find the validation of
numerous women although, Naomi Wolf ’s celebration of
paradoxically, she is the psyche women as “sexually powerful
within that he must commune magical beings”.22 By the time of
with. That, perhaps, is the Pandu, however, the Aryans
message hidden behind the hint settled around the Sarasvati-
to keep ever fresh the memory of Yamuna region had started
the five maidens so that we looking down upon their
become conscious of the Anima- Northern brethren and even
Draupdi with Sairandhri
projection. classed them—such as the

No.145 35
 Madras—with Mlecchas, non- strictures of their orthodox patriarchal
Aryans. When Karna lashes back at society that undermines women such
Shalya for abusing him, he criticises as the Maharis.27
the loose morals of Madra women On the other hand, for Vimla Patil
because they enjoy themselves with Draupadi’s personality personifies
fish, beef and wine, express their fire, while Sita (whom she
emotions uninhibitedly and mix freely incongruously includes in the group
with men.23 instead of Kunti) is the daughter of
Mode of Elements the earth. Ahalya “for her forbearance
One interpretation of why the is likened to the freshness and active
epithet kanya is applied to these nature of the wind”; Tara (all the three
women is because they were not women of that name, that is,
engendered in the usual way “but Harishchandra’s queen, Vali’s wife
were created from various elements and Brihaspati’s wife who is
which compose the universe thereby Queen Draupadi by Aditi Chandra’s beloved) is associated
establishing that their sanctity and “with space and has the quality of
morning in a Sanskrit shloka to intelligence, compassion and large-
chastity is not bound by physical
remind them of the power they heartedness”; Mandodari “with the
bodies…Ahalya, Sita, Draupadi, Tara
symbolised because of their spiritual element of water, turbulent on the
and Mandodari are the epitome of
strength…in truth, every Indian surface yet deep and silent in her
chastity and purity but were
woman has shades of all the spiritual quest.” Pointing out that the
punished for no fault of theirs. Given
panchkanyas within her soul!”25 Pancha Kanya are living role models
the precarious situations they were
This is a modern restatement of a for Indian women, she writes,
in, these women still came out
traditional belief that is part of the “Like their icons, they have dual
unscathed and set examples of being
Mahari dance tradition in which the personalities. They are bound by
ideal women.”24 Vimla Patil, former
Oriya verse goes:26 the strictest norms of society, on the
editor of Femina, links each kanya
to one of the elements: Pancha bhuta khiti op tejo maruta one hand; yet, on the other hand,
“Are you an ‘earth’ woman? Do byomo they are left free to prolifically use
you feel an affinity to the element Pancha sati nirjyasa gyani bodho the chinks in the armour of social
of ‘fire’ because of your passionate gomyo and traditional laws made by a
nature? Do you flow serenely Ahalya Draupadi Kunti Tara staunchly male-oriented pecking
through life like “water’? Is your Mandodari totha order. Within the scope of social
spirit free and elusive like the Pancha kanya... boundaries, they can still express
‘wind’? Or do you dream of being Five elements, earth, water, fire, wind, their personalities and design their
light as air and vast like ‘space’? ether own life-graphs…The life-graph of
As an Indian woman, it is likely that Are in essence the five satis. This the each of these women is somehow
you have a little of all these wise know replicated in the lives of millions of
elements in you and that you Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Indian women even today... The
combine all qualities of the five Mandodari panchkanya theme has inspired
elements. If this is so, you should Five virgins… Indian women for eons… Most
not be surprised, for…all Indian Ahalya personifies water, Indian women believe that they
women carry the legacy of their Draupadi represents fire, Kunti tolerate and accept the worst kind
icons, the most celebrated symbolises mother earth, Tara of injustice like Sita and remain
panchkanyas of mythology …In personifies wind and Mandodari steadfast in their duty and devotion
fact, the five women have such a ether. However, Dr.Ratna Roy, leading to their husbands and families. Yet,
powerful hold over the hearts of exponent of the Panchakanya Mahari surprisingly, like Draupadi, they also
millions of Indians that they are dance, feels that this equation of each hide storms of anguish anger and
called the panchkanyas (five element representing one of these revenge in their hearts. They believe
women) whose very names ensure women cannot be substantiated. For that the curse of a virtuous, strong
salvation and freedom from all evil. her the emphasis is on the purity of woman can ruin the most powerful
It is not uncommon for devout these women because they did not of men. Like Mandodari, they live a
Hindus to recite their names each break any humanistic codes, only the life of duality, with the turbulence

No.145 36
 5
of varied experiences on the surface wider relation with another.”29 Amreeta Syam: Kurukshetra (Writers
and a deep, silent core in their souls, It is the ability to distinguish the Workshop, Calcutta, 1991, pp. 38-9).
Other notable interpretations of Draupadi’s
where wisdom originates. Like masculine power of logos, the power lot are Dr. Pratibha Ray’s Oriya novel
Mandodari, they have an inherent of words, of thought, of will and of Yajnaseni(Englished by Pradip
gift of distinguishing between right acting in the outside world, that makes Bhattacharya, Rupa, 1995), Dr. Chitra
and wrong. In a crisis, they know the kanyas so significant to women Chaturvedi’s Hindi novel Mahabharati
(Jnanpith Prakashan, 1986) and Dr. Dipak
how to insist on doing what they today. From their lives we can learn Chandra’s Bengali novel Draupadi
consider right. Like Ahilya, (sic.) how to integrate successfully the Chirontoni (Dey Books, Kolkata).
6
they have a dormant power buried masculine in the feminine, without one Chandra Rajan: Re-visions (Writers
deep down in their psyches. They overwhelming the other. Each of them Workshop, Calcutta, 1987, p. 12).
7
Ahalya http://www.kundu.u-net.com/
have the strength to move like the is a telling example of this, perhaps radice1.htm by Rabindranath Tagore
wind and the compassion to forgive Kunti most of all. We have seen it in translated by William Radice.
8
wrongs done to them. Like Tara, her ability to take the toughest The Bengali tele-serial Draupadi dwells upon
they seek a special lustre of their decisions, her using the story of this issue.
9
Udyoga Parva, 134.16 (pointed out by Dr.
own. They seek a sacred place— Vidula, her building a special Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri in “Draupadi”,
which is their right—in the vastness relationship with Vidura and, above Barttaman, annual number1396 B.S.).
10
of space. From this niche, they all, in her farewell, “calm of mind, all ibid. 135.8.
11
spread their compassion and passion spent” for, “The Animus Naomi Wolf, best-selling feminist author
and advisor to the American President and
tenderness. It is for every woman power…makes possible the Vice-President, in Promiscuities quoted in
to study the life-graphs and development of a spiritual attitude TIME, 8.11.1999, p. 25.
12
personalities of the panchkanyas which sets us free from the limitation The Hindu(www.hinduonnet.com/2002/
and decide which element they and imprisonment of narrowly 09/30/stories/2002093003240900.htm)
Sept. 30, 2003.
empathise with.”28 personal standpoint.”30 13
Alf Hiltebeitel: Rethinking India’s Oral
Attempts at Sanitisation Emma Jung sums up the crucial and Classical Epics University of Chicago
importance of integrating the feminine Press, 1999.
Nolini Kanta Gupta makes an 14
and the masculine that the five kanyas C.G. Jung: The Archetypes and the
extremely perceptive comment on how Collective Unconscious, Routledge, p. 28-
the patriarchal system has sought to represent uniquely: “In our time, when 29.
sanitise the kanyas’ dangerous such threatening forces of cleavage are 15
ibid. p. 31.
16
at work, splitting peoples, individuals, http://www.iskcon.org/gallery/002/
independence by projecting them as 006.htm painting by Puskar Das (Matthew
satis instead: and atoms, it is doubly necessary that
Goldman)
“We moderns also, instead of those which unite and hold together 17
Ibid. 1.97.28.
looking upon the five maidens as should become effective; for life is 18
Mother India, June 1995, pp. 439-443.
19
founded on the harmonious interplay Mahabharata IX.53.4-8 and 50.51-24
maidens, have tried with some quoted in A. Hiltebeitel, Rethinking the
manipulation to remember them as of masculine and feminine forces,
Mahabharata, University of Chicago Press,
sati. We cannot easily admit that there within the individual human being as 2001, p.145.
was or could be any other standard of well as without.”31 That is why the 20
Mahabharata 1.122.4-8.
21
exhortation to recall the five virgin Ibid.1.122.13-14.
woman’s greatness beside 22
Gupta op.cit.
maidens is so relevant now. The past
chastity…Their souls did neither 23
Mahabharata, Karna Parva, 26-28, 37 42:
does indeed hold the future in its “Women mix freely with men known and
accept the human idea of that time or
womb.  unknown…They eat fish, beef, drink wine,
thereafter as unique, nor admit the cry, laugh, sing and talk wildly and indulge
dharma-adharma of human ethics as Endnotes in promiscuity.”
1
the absolute provision of life. Their A. Hiltebeitel Cult of Draupadi, University 24
Deccan Herald, 27.4.2003, “Panchakanya
of Chicago Press, 1988, vol. I, p. 293. ballet today” referring to danseuse Vani
beings were glorified with a greater 2
Mahabharata, 15.44.32. Ganapathy’s performance.
and higher capacity. Matrimonial 3
Indira Chowdhury: “Rethinking 25
The Tribune online edition 27.10.2002,
sincerity or adultery became irrelevant Motherhood, Reclaiming a Politics”, www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021027/
in that glory…Woman will take resort Economic & Political Weekly, XXXIII.44, herworld.htm#1
31.10.1998, pp. WS-47 to 52. 26
Dr. Ratna Roy, personal communication.
to man not for chastity but for the 4
Shaonli Mitra has Bhima come up to her 27
Personal communication. Also see
touch and manifestation of the gods, at the end and ask, “Are you in much pain, www.olywa.net/ratna-david
to have offspring born under divine Panchali?” She answers, “In the next birth, panchakanya.htm
be mine alone, Bhima, so that I may rest a 28
Vimla Patil op.cit.
influence… a person used to follow
little, my head in your lap.” Nathaboti 29
Gupta op.cit.
the law of one’s own being, one’s own Anathabot M.C. Sirkar & Sons, Calcutta, 30
Ibid. p.40.
path of truth and establish a freer and 1990, p.69. 31
ibid.

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