Polyandry in Mahabharata

So we have been discussing it, what's your thought on this matter?

1 Was Draupadi married to 5 Pandavas?

2 Was there 1 year rule?

3 Was she only married to Yudhishtira?

4 Was she only married to Arjun?

Originally posted by: NoraSM

So we have been discussing it, what's your thought on this matter?

1 Was Draupadi married to 5 Pandavas?

2 Was there 1 year rule?

3 Was she only married to Yudhishtira?

4 Was she only married to Arjun?

Polyandry or not, Panchali was definitely married to Yudhishtira, so #4 is incorrect. #2 - there was no 1 year rule in CE or KMG. #1 has many instances in text as supporting evidence. There are a few pointing to #3. Personally, I don't really care which of the two is correct.

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

Polyandry or not, Panchali was definitely married to Yudhishtira, so #4 is incorrect. #2 - there was no 1 year rule in CE or KMG. #1 has many instances in text as supporting evidence. There are a few pointing to #3. Personally, I don't really care which of the two is correct.

I included 4 as in Harivamsapurana Draupadi is married to Arjun only

Moreover, I was wondering something people had written about Karna not being able to marry wife of his younger brother, how did Yudhishtira marry Arjun's wife?

Please do give a detailed explanation of why you think polyandry didn't exist, as I have read about it but I haven't seen any evidences of it

Originally posted by: NoraSM

I included 4 as in Harivamsapurana Draupadi is married to Arjun only

Moreover, I was wondering something people had written about Karna not being able to marry wife of his younger brother, how did Yudhishtira marry Arjun's wife?

@Bold. I have critical edition of Harivamsa purana. Still, it's not impossible I missed seeing this. Do you have a verse # or chapter you can point me to?

As for the 2nd part, Panchali was not Arjuna's wife yet when she reached the potter's hut. If you read the swayamvar scene, she approaches the winner with the garland but never puts it on him. And as per Manu Smirti, younger brother's wife is akin to daughter but not older brother's. So Yudhishtira had to marry her first in case of polyandry.

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

@Bold. I have critical edition of Harivamsa purana. Still, it's not impossible I missed seeing this. Do you have a verse # or chapter you can point me to?

As for the 2nd part, Panchali was not Arjuna's wife yet when she reached the potter's hut. If you read the swayamvar scene, she approaches the winner with the garland but never puts it on him. And as per Manu Smirti, younger brother's wife is akin to daughter but not older brother's. So Yudhishtira had to marry her first in case of polyandry.

Most of my information is from secondary source, one of my friends told me that she was married only to Arjuna according to Harivamsapurana, I checked right now, it's on Wikipedia page of Harivamsapurana too. Now Wikipedia is not a credible source so you have to enlighten me on this one 🤧🤧😂😂😂

About Draupadi being Arjun's wife, I read this -

"Krishna beholding the mark shot and beholding Partha also like unto Indra himself, who had shot the mark, was filled with joy, and approached the son of Kunti with a white robe and a garland of flowers. And Arjuna the accomplisher of inconceivable feats, having won Draupadi by his success in the amphitheatre, was saluted with reverence by all the Brahmanas. And he soon after left the lists followed close by her who thus became his wife.'"

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01191.htm

Originally posted by: NoraSM

Most of my information is from secondary source, one of my friends told me that she was married only to Arjuna according to Harivamsapurana, I checked right now, it's on Wikipedia page of Harivamsapurana too. Now Wikipedia is not a credible source so you have to enlighten me on this one 🤧🤧😂😂😂

About Draupadi being Arjun's wife, I read this -

"Krishna beholding the mark shot and beholding Partha also like unto Indra himself, who had shot the mark, was filled with joy, and approached the son of Kunti with a white robe and a garland of flowers. And Arjuna the accomplisher of inconceivable feats, having won Draupadi by his success in the amphitheatre, was saluted with reverence by all the Brahmanas. And he soon after left the lists followed close by her who thus became his wife.'"

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01191.htm

‘When the uproar reached its peak, Yudhishthira, foremost among those who tread the path of dharma, swiftly left the assembly and went home, accompanied by the twins, supreme amongst men.aOn seeing the target shot and on seeing Partha, the equal of Shakra, Krishna was extremely happy. She went to Kunti’s son with a garland of white flowers. All the Brahmanas paid homage to the one who had accomplished the unthinkable and had won herin the assembly. He soon left the arena, followed by the one who would be his wife.’ - CE, Volume 1, Chapter 179.

I would love to see where it says Panchali was only Arjuna's wife, but to my knowledge, it is nonexistent and wishful thinking by shipper fans.

Edited to add. I just checked that Wiki page. It says Digambara Jain texts like Harivamsa purana. But Harivamsa purana and Digambara Jain Mahabharata are not the same thing.

Originally posted by: HearMeRoar

‘When the uproar reached its peak, Yudhishthira, foremost among those who tread the path of dharma, swiftly left the assembly and went home, accompanied by the twins, supreme amongst men.aOn seeing the target shot and on seeing Partha, the equal of Shakra, Krishna was extremely happy. She went to Kunti’s son with a garland of white flowers. All the Brahmanas paid homage to the one who had accomplished the unthinkable and had won herin the assembly. He soon left the arena, followed by the one who would be his wife.’ - CE, Volume 1, Chapter 179.

I would love to see where it says Panchali was only Arjuna's wife, but to my knowledge, it is nonexistent and wishful thinking by shipper fans.

Edited to add. I just checked that Wiki page. It says Digambara Jain texts like Harivamsa purana. But Harivamsa purana and Digambara Jain Mahabharata are not the same thing.

I am talking about Jain Mahabharata only, Didn't know there are different versions with same name, There's a lot of confusion about it

The text I have provided is from KMG version (I think) , the link is attached, again mistake in translation 😂

@BOLD - My friend isn't a shipper, we were just discussing it and she told me that Polyandry didn't exist as she was married to Arjun only according to Jain Mahabharata Harivamsapurana (That's what I have been calling it for about 2-3 weeks now)

Draupadi being Arjun's wife only would be a very big character assassination on Yudhishtir as then he staked the wives of his younger brother while he still had his wives and son to stake. There could not be a justification even by statements like Shakuni suggested. Shakuni could have only suggested not ordered. And no where a person could be so stunned that he doesn't understand that staking brother's wife when son is still left is Adharma

Originally posted by: NoraSM

I am talking about Jain Mahabharata only, Didn't know there are different versions with same name, There's a lot of confusion about it

The text I have provided is from KMG version (I think) , the link is attached, again mistake in translation 😂

@BOLD - My friend isn't a shipper, we were just discussing it and she told me that Polyandry didn't exist as she was married to Arjun only according to Jain Mahabharata Harivamsapurana (That's what I have been calling it for about 2-3 weeks now)

She could have checked in Wikipedia too because I don't think Harivamsapurana is a Jain scripture. Puranas as far as I know are all Hindu texts

Originally posted by: FlauntPessimism

Draupadi being Arjun's wife only would be a very big character assassination on Yudhishtir as then he staked the wives of his younger brother while he still had his wives and son to stake. There could not be a justification even by statements like Shakuni suggested. Shakuni could have only suggested not ordered. And no where a person could be so stunned that he doesn't understand that staking brother's wife when son is still left is Adharma

Agreed.

This is why I believe that polyandry existed but wasn't acceptable in a way we are assuming, They focused too much on purity aspect of Draupadi, which suggests they weren't open to women living with multiple partners so they went to lengths to keep that loophole of her being one person's wife for 1 year. There's Arjun's exile, Bheem and Draupadi occurrence which suggests she was married to these two as well, Did she have scenes with Nakul and Sahdev?

If Polyandry didn't exist then Karna has been crucified unnecessarily for insulting Draupadi over something which didn't even exist

I have read many times that polyandry didn't exist but none has given any evidence to convince me that it didn't happen, I read about Bheema addressing Draupadi as his Bhabhi but the person who said it didn't provide citations