Feb 09, 2013 — AUSTRALIA (SUN) —
This is a reply to Bhakta Greg's article, "How Men and Women Think". The episode mention from Srimad Bhagavatam actually shows us that Srimati Draupadi had the finest discrimination. She is the one teaching us the higher principle of religion. Arjuna had bound Asvatthama with ropes like an animal and Draupadi upon seeing his condition could not tolerate it, and demanded his immediate release because he was a brahmana. Her actions were not because she was a mere simple-hearted women with natural courtesy. On the contrary, she was a lady educated in shastra who thoroughly knew the principles of religion and who had fine discrimination even under great distress (having lost her five sons and heroic brother Drstadumya).
Lord Sri Krsna had condemned Asvattma to test Arjuna. Asvattama was a brahma bandhu and atatayi (attacker) and as stated in the Manu-Samitha, "an attacker should be killed". Arjuna had promised Draupadi that he would bring her Asvatthama's head, but Draupadi understood that Dronacarya was present in the form of the son Asvattama praja-rupena vartate and as stated in the Manu-Samitha, "a brahmana should never be killed".
Draupadi reminded Arjuna that by Dronacarya's grace he learnt the science of releasing and retracting the Brahmastra weapon, the later of which saved Arjuna's life, and now he had defeated and bound Asvattma with the knowledge he had received from the father.
So you have these two principles as given by Krsna through shastra. Draupadi knows the higher principle therefore she demanded that Asvattama be treated with the utmost respect for a brahmana. She also did not want Asvattma's mother Kripi to suffer as she had suffer by killing her son, this is her vama-svabhava (beautiful nature).
King Yuthisthira, who is Dharmaraj himself, fully supported the statements of Queen Draupadi, which were in accordance with the principles of religion. Everyone agreed, including Sri Krsna.
Draupadi was not being a sentimental mild-natured women who has no power of discrimination.
Now Arjuna is left with the decision of how to fulfill his promise to Draupadi and at the same time, not kill Asvatthama.
From this episode we can see that in Vedic times women were educated. Also of note is that Draupadi was free to speak openly and in front of men and men who were her seniors. She also did not keep her face or hair covered. The practice of purdah and the repression of women was introduced by the mleccha hoards that invaded Northern India during the last millennium.
Grantharaj dasa
