Draupadi Charitram - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Draupadi Charitram" by Shubhshil Gani:

Book Title: Draupadi Charitram Author: Shubhshil Gani Publisher: Shravak Hiralal Hansraj

Overall Theme: The "Draupadi Charitram" is a Jain narrative that retells the story of Draupadi, a central figure from the Mahabharata, through a Jain lens. It emphasizes the Jain principles of karma (actions and their consequences), samyak darshan (right faith), samyak gnana (right knowledge), and samyak charitra (right conduct), highlighting how past actions influence present circumstances and ultimately lead to liberation (moksha). The text aims to demonstrate that even characters with complex stories can achieve spiritual merit and eventual salvation through adherence to Jain dharma.

Summary of the Narrative:

Introduction of Draupadi and the Challenge: The story begins with Draupadi, the beautiful and accomplished daughter of King Drupada of Kampilya. King Drupada is faced with the dilemma of finding a suitable husband for his daughter. He announces a swayamvara (self-choice ceremony) where any prince who can successfully pierce the eye of a rotating fish through its reflection in oil will win Draupadi's hand.
Arjuna's Victory and the Unexpected Marriage: Many princes attempt the difficult feat but fail. Arjuna, one of the Pandava princes, successfully pierces the fish's eye. However, when Draupadi attempts to garland Arjuna, the garland, by divine chance or perhaps due to past karma, falls onto the necks of all five Pandava brothers: Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva. This event causes confusion and consternation among the kings present.
The Explanation of Past Karma (The Core Jain Teaching): King Drupada, perplexed by this unusual outcome, seeks an explanation from a wise Charana Shramana (a type of enlightened ascetic). The ascetic reveals that Draupadi's current predicament is a direct result of her past actions (purva karma).
- Past Life of Nagashri: The ascetic recounts the story of Nagashri, the wife of Somadeva, who lived in Champa city. One day, while preparing a meal, she accidentally cooked bitter gourd. Not wanting to waste the ingredients used, she gave this bitter gourd dish to a Jain monk named Dharmaruci, who was on his parana (breaking a fast).
- Monk Dharmaruci's Compassion and Sacrifice: The monk Dharmaruci, upon realizing the bitterness, was instructed by his guru to dispose of it carefully to avoid harming any living beings. Fearing that discarding it would harm insects, he chose to consume the bitter food himself, thereby sacrificing his life to prevent harm to others. He died shortly after, attaining the highest heaven (Sarvarthasiddhi).
- Nagashri's Negative Karma: Nagashri, who harbored a dislike for Jain monks, was reborn in the sixth hell (naraka). After her hellish existence, she underwent numerous rebirths, including several as a fish, experiencing great suffering.
- The Predicament of Sukumarika: In a later life, Nagashri's soul was reborn as Subhadra, the daughter of Sagaradatta, a wealthy merchant. She was married to Jinadatta's son, Sagar. However, Sagar was repulsed by her touch, finding it like burning embers. Despite his aversion, his father-in-law, Sagaradatta, insisted that he accept her. When Sagar refused to accept her, Sagaradatta offered her to a poor youth, who also found her touch unbearable and fled. Sagaradatta then advised his daughter, Sukumarika, to practice charity and penance to overcome her karma.
Sukumarika's Spiritual Journey and the Crucial Vow: Sukumarika, deeply affected by her suffering and rejection, eventually took initiation as a nun (sadhvi) under the guidance of her preceptor. While practicing penance, she observed a courtesan being attended by five men. This sight inspired her to make a vow (nidana): she wished that as a result of her penance, she might become the wife of five husbands in her next life, like the courtesan was served by multiple men.
Draupadi's Rebirth and Fulfillment of the Vow: Due to this nidana (a vow made with attachment to worldly desires), after her life as Sukumarika, she was reborn as a goddess in the Saudharmaloka heaven. Upon falling from that celestial realm, she was reborn in Kampilya as Draupadi, the daughter of King Drupada. Her vow to be the wife of five husbands was fulfilled when the garland meant for Arjuna fell on all five Pandavas, making her their common wife.
Draupadi's Virtues and Further Trials: Despite being married to five husbands, Draupadi is described as a mahasati (great chaste woman). The narrative continues to describe her later life. The King of Padmottara in another land, Dhataki Khanda, hears of Draupadi's beauty from the sage Narada and abducts her. The Pandavas, unable to find her, seek the help of Krishna. Krishna, with his divine powers, rescues Draupadi, defeating King Padmottara. This event is also marked by a unique interaction between Krishna and Vasudeva Kapila through the blowing of conch shells across a vast ocean.
Renunciation and Liberation: Upon their return to Dwarika, Lord Neminatha, the twenty-second Tirthankara, preaches the Jain Dharma. Draupadi, along with the Pandavas and Kunti, accepts the twelve vows of a lay follower (shravaka). Later, the Pandavas and Draupadi take monastic vows. Draupadi, as a nun, performs severe penances (tapas). After a life dedicated to spiritual practices, she attains the fifth heaven (Devloka) and is destined to achieve moksha (liberation) in a few more lives.

Key Jain Principles Highlighted:

Karma Theory: The entire narrative revolves around the concept that present circumstances are a direct consequence of past actions. Draupadi's unique marital situation is explained as the ripening of her past karma, particularly the nidana made by Sukumarika.
Importance of Right Conduct: The text emphasizes the path of renunciation, penance, and devotion to the Five Supreme Beings (Panch Parameshti) as the means to overcome negative karma and attain spiritual merit.
Detachment from Desires: While Draupadi's vow was driven by a desire for worldly experience (being a wife to five husbands), her ultimate spiritual progress comes when she eventually transcends these desires and embraces the monastic life.
The Path to Moksha: The story illustrates that through dedicated adherence to Jain principles, even individuals born into complex situations and carrying the weight of past karma can ultimately achieve liberation.

In essence, the "Draupadi Charitram" uses the familiar figure of Draupadi to illustrate the profound workings of Jain karma and the transformative power of following the Jain path to spiritual enlightenment.