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Though the life of Draupadi seems to be similar to that of Sita Devi the former case is entirely different from the later.
Life :
Birth
Though both of them are said to have peculiar births (Sita was found under the ground(Daughter of Mother Earth), Draupadi is said to have come out of a fire sacrifice performed by Drupada) there is lot of distinction in their birth itself.
Raja Janaka(Sita Devi's Father) was a Self-Realized King. He had a pure attention based on dharma (inner religion and moral conduct) and the Spirit.He was both a king and a saint. He was in the world, but not of the world.(Videha is having no consciousness of human body.Videha is knowing that: 'I am not the body; I have a body; this is my body, yet I am not the body.' You can walk feeling as though you have no body and the mind is in such a state of equanimity).He was that rarest of the rare yogis, who attained liberation, even while living in human body. That is what is called 'videha mukti'.All the Videhas including Sita Devi belong to this category.She was also known as 'Videhi'. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna cites Seeradhwaj Janaka as an illustrious example of the Karma yoga.
When King Janaka was ploughing the ritual field she was raised by the plough from the furrow as a baby girl.Since she is gained while consecrating the ritual-field, she is named as Seetha.In Valimiki Ramayan Janaka referred Sita as his own soul-child!
Drupad was humiliated by Drona and he sought revenge.To gain revenge on Drona, Drupad performed a fire-sacrifice and obtained Dhrishtadhyumna and Draupadi.They were born to wreak revenge as it were.Draupadi didn't have any childhood.She and her brother entered this world as grown-ups.
Swayamvar & Marriage
According to valmiki ramayana,no swayamvar was announced and nothing like we see in mytho serials happened.It goes on like this - Rama went with Vishwamitra to Mithila where Janaka was performing a yagnya(Sacrifice).Vishwamitra informed Janaka of Rama's willingness to see such a great Dhanush. Then Janaka informed the story of the dhanush and the what his intentions are.Sita is an ayonija and Janaka determined to give her in marriage to only that person who could lift the Shiva dhanush and string it.Actually Ram,Lakshman & Vishwamitra visited Mithila long time after this decision was made by King Janaka.When Shri Ram stringed the bow Janak called for his parents.Ofcourse there was a tradition of performing marriage in the girl's house and Janaka sent for King Dasharath and duly gave his daughter in the marriage ceremony.Neither Sita Devi nor Shri Ram saw each other previously i.e, before the ceremony.The same applied for other 3 princes and princesses who were made together in this alliance.
According to Mahabharat Drupad conducted a contest of striking the Matsya yantra to get a suitable groom for his daughter.Draupadi was present in the hall were the contest took place and all the princes lusted at her beauty.Draupadi had a choice in selecting her husband from those who were capable of striking Matsya Yantra.She was able to raise her voice when Karna proceeded to strike the target.Finally when Arjun succeeded she was sent to their place without any ceremony being conducted.Because of the words uttered by Kunti unmindfully Pandavas decided to share her amongst themselves.Draupadi finally landed as their common lady.A ceremony was conducted after this incident.
Position as Queen
A day prior to Shri Ram's crowning Sita left with her husband for Vanvaas who chose to leave the Kingship in accordance with his father's vows.They spent 14yrs in exile.Sita's Brother - in - Law Lakshman regarded her as his own mother and obeyed her.Sita and Lakshman shared a mother-son relationship.After returning from Vanvaas she was crowned as the Queen of Ayodhya.Sita's Harmony with the Earth and Living Beings"I shall remain happy by gazing at the hills, lakes, and rivers," Sita says when convincing Rama to allow her to accompany Him.The natural beauty of forest life delights Sita, and she feels so cheerful and at home there that she seems to prefer it to the complexities of the city. Her silks and gold are gone. She has given up her palace bed-"as soft and white as milk foam"-to sleep on fallen leaves. And she no longer dines on a variety of delicious foods but on forest fruits and nuts and greens. Still, she has no regrets.Forest life reveals that Sita has a special connection with the earth, the rivers, and the animals.She is the Mother Queen of nature.
Draupadi enjoyed the position as a Queen at Indraprastha and later when her men lost all the wealth in Dice game she was humiliated by her Brothers - in - Law and had to leave for 12 years Vanvaas and 1 year Agnat Vaas where she had to act as a maid of King Virat's Queen.After the great war of Mahabahrat she got back her position of Queen.
Bearing Atrocities
Sita was kidnapped by Ravan and was kept under captivation in the final year of Exile.Interestingly Ravan took her with him but never was able to touch her.Some versions say he took her by cutting the piece of earth on which she was standing.Shri Ram fought with Ravan,killed him and took her back with him.
Draupadi was humiliated by Dhritrashtra's sons during the dice game.They dragged her by hair and tried to pull her cloth.Draupadi struggled hard to escape and pleaded the Royal assemblage including her Men who never responded to her cries.She finally sought Divine help and got freed.She was kidnapped by Jayadrata during the Agnaat Vaas.
Raising Chidren
Sita had an oppurtunity to raise her Kids and moulded them as the best like Shri Ram.They were later crowned as ruled Ayodhya succeeding their father.
Draupadi's children were brought-up by her parents as she had to spend her time with her husbands during exile.Unfortunately she lost her 5 sons during the great war of Mahabharat.
Personality :
Sita
Sita Devi personifies the primordial "Mother Goddess" and embodies all the characteristics of the ideal "mother".Sita manifested all the feminine virtues Fame (Kiriti), Beauty (Shri), Speech (Vak), Memory (Smriti), Intelligence (Medha), Courage (Dhriti) and Forgiveness (Kshama) to perfection. However, she was above all the incarnation of Kshama or Forgiveness.
Kshama&Karuna...she was above all the incarnation of Kshama or Forgiveness. The following episodes from The Ramayana illustrate the "forgive (the sins) and forget (the faults)" nature of Sita.
1) Sita initially curses Ravan for his foolishness who intended to make her his.But she forgives him and advises him to enjoy his own woman and keep away from her who is the of another man.She says"One who is not satisfied in his own wife, is a fickle-minded one with disturbed senses, mean minded one, to such a man, others' wives will lead to humilation."She advises him to surrender to Ram and give her back to him with due respect.Which is good for him.She directs him to gives up his ego and gain Shri Ram's friendship as well as spiritual merit.
2) Similarly, Sitaji was also full of kindness and understanding, even to those who had wronged her. For example, after the battle of Lanka, Hannumanji came to bring her the good news of Ravan's death. Seeing Hanumanji's wrath, the rakshashies of Lanka sought Sitaji's protection. Having already seen how the female guards of Sitaji had harassed her earlier, Hanumaji said, "Mother, let me now punish these wicked creatures who tormented you so mercilessly. Now they hide behind your skirts, but they surely deserve severe punishment for all the evil they have done in the past." Eternally compassionate, Sitaji calmed him down by saying, "Son, these poor wretches were simply carrying out their orders. Just as you follow your master's orders with such zeal, so did they. Is it right to punish servants for the folly of their masters? Forgive them for my sake. They have really shown me great lenience, and only pretended to harass me in front of Ravan. In his absence, they often comforted me and gave me hope of seeing my beloved Lord again."
With tearful eyes, Hanumanji bowed his head, "Mother, you are more compassionate than Lord Rama. His wrath consumed the entire army of Lanka, were as you will not let me singe a single hair of these wicked women. You are truly kindness personified."
Uttanahrdaya...As Sita, Rama, and their soldiers are returning to Ayodhya, they reach Kishkindha, the home of the monkey warriors who assisted Rama in defeating Ravana.
Sita says, "I would be pleased if I could return to Ayodhya in the company of all the wives of the monkey chiefs."Rama stops the chariot, the monkeys quickly get their wives, and when everyone has returned and is seated, they continue on their way.
Krutagnata...After the coronation of Sita-Rama, Sita wants to give Hanuman something as a token of her appreciation for all that he did for her. She unclasps the necklace that Rama has given her and then looks at Him. Understanding her intention, Rama asks her to give the necklace to Hanuman, and she happily places it around his neck.
Also Nirpekshprema(unconditionallove),Devotion,Vairagya(dispassion),compassion, patience, perseverance,Shraddha,generosity,brave,strong and many more...
Sita is a strong woman without the anger and the desire.
Draupadi
Draupadi's personality mostly depended on the situation she is in.
Possessed many Virtues...Draupadi was a strong woman, who could be just as aggressive as passionate and caring, depending on the situation.One thing that is for sure about Draupadi is that she was beautiful.She had a fierce tongue and couldn't withstand injustice.
Revenge & Anger...In the Game of gambling, Yudhisthir, lost his kingdom including his brothers and their wife Draupadi. The result of gambling made Duryodhan to insult Draupadi with abusive languages. Dushsasan pulled by her hair and got her in side the court room. Even Duryodhan invited her to sit on his thigh, abused and ordered to disrobe her. There was no one to protest and protect her. At this moment Bhim vowed that he would drink the blood of Duhsasan and smash the thigh of Duryodhan for avenging the insult of Draupadi.
Draupadi with a rage of revenge vowed that her hair would remain loose until Bhim tie it up with hands of dripping blood of Duhsasan.During the Twelve years of exile in the jungle. One day, Jayadrath, king of Sindhu, came to the house of the Pandavas and tried to dishonor Draupadi with evil desire. Draupadi wanted that he be killed for his misdeed.But Pandavas spared his life with cutting off Jayadrath's hair except five locks. And forced him publicly acknowledge that he was a slave.The king of Virata's commander-in-chief, Kichak was also killed by Bhim because of Draupadi's revenge. Kichak was trying to molest her and play with her feminine prestige.Her Anger and Revenge destroyed the wicked souls at the same time killed her dear sons,Father,Brother and other clan members.She cursed all those women related to Kauravas that they'll be deprived of their husbands soon.No mother could tolerate the death of her loving sons. Aswatthama did that gruesome killing of her five sons at the dead of night when all were sleeping. Draupodi could not tolerate the death of her five sons. She requested her husbands to take revenge against the killer with his life. Though Aswatthama, was left after taking away his jewel which he wore as an amulet.
Though she sought for revenge for the injustice against her there was a moment when she forgave Ashwatthama who killed her 5 sons.She saw beyond her own pain and forgave Ashwathama his crime of killing her children for the sake of his mother Kripi.Draupadi even succeeded in winning back freedom for her enslaved husbands.
Surrender to Krishna...When she was being humiliated in the dice hall,Draupadi held on to her saree (a long Indian traditional dress), for as long as she could, but the strength of the soldier pulling it away became too overbearing for her.In sheer desperation, she remembered her Krishna, and called out his name as an absolute last resort for any kind of help. Krishna never came, and her grip on the saree was loosening fast. She carried on calling from the depth of her heart, still holding onto her saree with every ounce of strength she could muster; yet still her Krishna never came.Her ego was not ready to fully submit itself to the divine, and her faith was not strong enough to trust Krishna to come and save her.Draupadi was almost about to pass out as she could no longer hold on. She finally gave up all her efforts, and pleaded Krishna whole-heartedly.It was only when she lost all sense of hope, that her ego had finally loosened its grip on her saree, that her heart allowed space for the divine to enter and work its charm. Only then, could Krishna make his appearance and save her by turning her saree into a never-ending robe, so no matter how many times her perpetrators pulled away at her saree, the dress kept unfolding further and further with no end in sight. Finally, the soldiers gave up in sheer exhaustion, as they were unable to pull the saree off her, no matter how many times they tried.
Sita Devi was complete with the highest spiritual status a human can attain.
No doubt Draupadi was brave and strong and she may be considered amongst the strongest women in our history.But Sita possesses a Divine Personality herself being Divine Mother, whereas Draupadi possesses a strong worldly character.Share your Opinion!
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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