{| Doubts and Discussions about Mahabharata |} - Page 109

I believe the CE omitted Krishna from the Vastraharan, as many are of the opinion that Krishna was raised to God status much after the epic was conceived. If I am not wrong, I read somewhere that the Srimad Bhagwatam was a product of this Krishna-bhakti.

As for my opinion, I read an article which has also been shared in another thread on the forum which explains the 'vastraharan' part convincingly. It would be labelled as blasphemy in the MB context, and many would want to dismiss it as mere hand-waving and another theory aimed at catching eyeballs only and devoid of any actual merit. It argues that the 'vastraharan' incident as described in KMG might never have happened. Draupadi was insulted, yes, but there was no attempt at stripping her. The fact that she was staked at a game of dice, dragged by her hair in open court when she was menstruating, in robes not decent enough to be worn in public and the demeaning things said by Duryodhan and Dusshasan were insult enough. The 'vastraharan' and the subsequent call to krishna for help were later interpolations, to make Draupadi's insult more dramatic.

And interestingly the author has sufficient evidence to substantiate it's claim from the KMG translation itself, saying that the 'stripping' of Draupadi is hardly ever mentioned later in the epic, Whenever there is reference to the dice game fiasco, it is only Draupadi being dragged by her hair that is mentioned but not the actual attempt to disrobe her, which the author found weird. Also when Draupadi meets Krishna later during their exile, she confronts him as to why he did not come to HP to support their cause, something which she would not have said had Krishna actually brought about the miracle. (IMO)

If this theory were true, it would make more sense why Bhishma, Vidura and the other elders chose to remain silent and contemplate about the subtleties of dharma, wondering whether Draupadi was a slave of the Kauravas, rather than show some shock at the queen of the pandavas and IP being stripped in public.

After that the Pandavas slew Hidimva, and then they went to a town called Ekachakra. There also they slew a Rakshasa of the name of Vaka and then went to Panchala. And there obtaining Draupadi for a wife they returned to Hastinapura. And there they dwelt for some time in peace and begat children. And Yudhishthira begat Prativindhya; Bhima, Sutasoma; Arjuna, Srutakriti; Nakula, Satanika; and Sahadeva, Srutakarman. Besides these, Yudhishthira, having obtained for his wife Devika, the daughter of Govasana of the Saivya tribe, in a self-choice ceremony, begat upon her a son named Yaudheya. And Bhima also obtaining for a wife Valandhara, the daughter of the king of Kasi, offered his own prowess as dower and begat upon her a son named Sarvaga. And Arjuna also, repairing to Dwaravati, brought away by force Subhadra. the sweet-speeched sister of Vasudeva, and returned in happiness to Hastinapura. And he begat upon her a son named Abhimanyu endued with all accomplishments and dear to Vasudeva himself. And Nakula obtaining for his wife Karenumati, the princess of Chedi, begat upon her a son named Niramitra. And Sahadeva also married Vijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, obtaining her in a self-choice ceremony and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. And Bhimasena had some time before begat upon Hidimva a son named Ghatotkacha. These are the eleven sons of the Pandavas.