The Fateful Evening...Arjun Draupadi OS Thread.3 - Page 65

Marriage is the occasion of the first big and socially accepted commitment between two people. The two human beings who expect a life together with dreams and many prospects come together and through the exchange of the varmala become one. The concept of varmala is as old as the Indian civilization.

Several details of garlands and Varlama ceremony can be traced back to ancient Indian epics, where not just humans, but even gods and goddesses have the Varmaala ceremony before marriage. This proves that Varmala exchange is a ritual that was part of the Vedic culture.

The ritual started in prehistoric times when husbands were chosen in "Swayamvar. In swayamvar, it is said that a list of suitors would be invited and when the girl from the list of suitors would chose her husband she wishes for she would garland him. This ritual is called varmala.. It is an important ritual in Hindu matrimonial ceremony since it is the first ritual which signifies that socially the bride has accepted groom as her husband.

There are different types of Swayamvaras .
1 The bride chooses the groom. Damayanti swayamvara, Kunti swayamvar falls under this type. The bride's choice is final. And the garland...it validates the choice of the bride. When Damayanti entered with the garland, she saw five Nalas before her.As per some rationalists the garlanding hardly matters. But in a swayamvar it holds significance. If by mistake Damayanti places the garland round the neck of one of the gods Of quarters instead of Nala ,she could never be the wife of Nala whom she loved.

In another type of Swayamvara the bride is called Virya Sulka one who demands valour as dowry..Sita ,Draupadi,Lakshana...the list continues.

Rama lifted Siva Dhanush and met with the requirement. Ofcourse the dhanush broke in that process. Sita placed the garland and accepted him as her husband.

Arjun hit the fish target and won Draupadi. In the assembly of Drupada Panchali placed the garland round Arjun's neck and accepted him as her husband.

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.'"

Clearly it is mentioned she became his wife by then.

But ofcourse destiny changed everything. Draupadi was shared..a wife was shared among five. Arjun's wife was shared.
When she came to the hut with him she already became his wife. For Hindus garlanding matters. Hence Vyasa used the word Patni wife for Draupadi.

A new trend has started where Draupadi is acknowledged as Yudhishtir's wife whom he shared with his brothers.

I would like like to ask who is he to share Draupadi..
She belonged to Arjun. He shared his wife with his brothers. But point to be noted he did not suggest it. He just told Yudhishtir to do that what is agreeable to them and to Drupad

"Arjuna, hearing this, replied, 'O king, do not make me a participator in sin. Thy behest is not conformable to virtue. That is the path followed by the sinful. Thou shouldst wed first, then the strong- armed Bhima of inconceivable feats, then myself, then Nakula, and last of all, Sahadeva endued with great activity. Both Vrikodara and myself, and the twins and this maiden also, all await, O monarch, thy commands. When such is the state of things, do that, after reflection, which would be proper, and conformable virtue, and productive of fame, and beneficial unto the king of Panchala. All of us are obedient to thee. O, command us as thou likest.'

. And Drupada always favoured Arjun and strived hard to get him as his son in law.
Arjuna never asked Yudhishtir to marry Draupadi. He just said he would marry only after Yudhishtir and Bhima married.
Did Kunti ask Yudhishtir only to marry Draupadi...No..
By the time Draupadi walked to the hut she is
Arjun's wife. Shared...but not Yudhishtir s ...Who has no right over his brother's wife.
I differ with those who say she is Yudhishtir's Sri...
Sri always resides with Arjun.

Yatra yogiswarah krishno Yatra Partho dhanurdharah
tatra sri,Vijayorbhutih dhruva nitirmatirmama.
I even disagree with those who say Yudhishtir is her first husband. No way.
in ancient days even Gandharva vivah Rakshas vivah also existed. They are not done with Vaidik rites.

Similarly swayamvar in those days is very prominent and popular especially among Kshatriyas.

I disagree with those who give Bheeshma's Example of bringing Ambika and Ambalika for Vichitravirya. He abducted them.He was not garlanded by them. So he got them married to his brother.

Here the case is different. Drupad took an oath that he will offer his daughter to the winner. Arjun won the contest. Draupadi accepted him by garlanding him. She became his wife...only the vaidic rites are to be done.

Just because Yudhishtir married first doesn't give him the right of being her first husband. The whole swayamvara system is ridiculed if Arjuna is not considered her husband first.

Hence it is Arjun only Draupadi's First Husband not Yudhishtir.

Lakshmi telidevara.