Originally posted by: thearcher
Bhavaani said something about Great Golden Sacrifice being a PP book. At some point I will get that one, I want to finish Parva first. This seems like a Panchali POV book not PP but some hot ArDi scenes
May be someone who has already read GGS can post?
@Anu- I just skimmed through my kindle version of Great Golden sacrifice. There are a lot of Arjun-Subhadra scenes and Arjun as warrior and post war role of Arjuna. So far, I haven't come across any ArDi scenes.
Here is one citation on how Subhadra defends Draupadi (just before the Pandavs leave for Meru)
Though we gripped our hands together, trying to stay as one, a gulf grew between us . Subhadra's voice was quiet and desperate. "Draupadi will go with you. Give her this, Arjuna. Draupadi's love for you is deeper than anything." At last I understood what it was and our hands no longer gripped as though our lives were in them. We gazed and gazed. My unspoken arguments were of little worth. It would have demeaned us for me to speak. So she said it for me. "I know you could not give her what you gave to me. There is no Adharma. Just as she could not give to anyone what she felt for you. It was as it was." "That is what I say, Beloved. Life or karma"call it what you will" is like that. Who are we to question what the Lord bestows? We two were the fortunate ones in this. No one comes through the battle without wounds. We are Kshatriyas. How many times have I poured libations in gratitude for what we have? Draupadi has suffered bitterly. No one knows it better than I. But she has accepted her fate even as we have accepted ours ." It was all true, but it clanged like a broken sword. Her brows furrowed. "You see..." Her voice was slow and thoughtful. A sparrow flew into the room and perched first on the lamp and then on the table, looked around and chirping flew out again. She took it as an omen. "That means what I say is true. You say that nobody knows better than you, how Draupadi has suffered, and that is true, perhaps, of the five of you. I have always thought that Arjuna is the only one to understand a woman's heart, which is why he occupies my heart. Perhaps no other man can understand as he does. I think your mother understood too, though she always said it was misfortune to be born a Kshatriya queen. When still, before Kurukshetra, she sent the message with Krishna that she would disown you if you did not fight, she was not thinking of her kingdom nor of yours. She was thinking of Draupadi being dragged into the Sabha. Draupadi has been the sacrifice. Without her, you would never have fought. Krishna always said so. All along she was the sacrifice, the fireborn thrown into the fire. Then there is this other wound. Abhimanyu and Ghatotkacha were everybody's darlings, but not her sons. They were not even mourned as ours were." "Her sons became Dhrishtadyumna's during the years we were in the forest. We hardly knew them," I murmured. "I know, I know." She closed her eyes and said it again, "I know," as though building a wall against any argument that I might have. "Subhadra, sacrifice is the centre of our lives. We are all offered. Krishna himself became the sacrifice when Dwaraka needed to end. He always said that it was in itself a sacrifice to take on human bodies. In that sense there is a Kshatriya hero in every human being. Knowing this is what makes us Aryans. We do what we must, and offer it to the gods." Something began to cede in me. It tasted almost like consent but it was bitter. And then she said, "Krishna wanted me to stay."
Looks like, Arjun wanted Subhadra to accompany him on the last journey but Subhadra decided to stay back and wanted Draupadi to accompany them
Grassi, Maggi Lidchi (2012-07-16). The Great Golden Sacrifice of the Mahabharata (Kindle Locations 14286-14294). Random House India. Kindle Edition.
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