Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 13
Svargārohaṇa-parva, Adhyāya 4 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Vision of the Celestial Assembly
Recognition and Explanation
'युधिष्ठिर! ये जो लोककमनीय विग्रहसे युक्त पवित्र गन्धवाली देवी दिखायी दे रही हैं, साक्षात् भगवती लक्ष्मी हैं। ये ही तुम्हारे लिये मनुष्यलोकमें जाकर अयोनिसम्भूता द्रौपदीके रूपमें अवतीर्ण हुई थीं ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
yudhiṣṭhira! ye yā lokakamanīya-vigrahāḥ sa-yuktāḥ pavitra-gandha-vālinī devī dṛśyate, sā sākṣād bhagavatī lakṣmīḥ | eṣā hi tubhyaṁ manuṣya-loke gatvā ayoni-sambhūtā draupadī-rūpeṇa avatīrṇā āsīt ||
raty-arthaṁ bhavatāṁ hy eṣā nirmitā śūla-pāṇinā |
drupadasya kule jātā bhavad-dhiśvopajīvitā ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O Yudhiṣṭhira, ang maningning na diyosang nakikita mo—may anyong kaibig-ibig sa mga daigdig at mabango sa kadalisayan—ay walang iba kundi si Bhagavatī Lakṣmī mismo. Alang-alang sa iyo, bumaba siya sa daigdig ng tao, lumitaw bilang Draupadī, na hindi isinilang mula sa sinapupunan. Tunay nga, upang maging kasama ninyo, siya’y nilikha ni Śiva, ang may hawak ng trisula; at isinilang sa angkan ni Drupada, upang maging sandigan ng inyong kagalingan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames Draupadī’s presence as divinely purposed: prosperity and auspiciousness (Lakṣmī) accompany righteous kings, and human relationships in the epic can be instruments of a larger dharmic design rather than merely personal choice.
During the ascent toward heaven, Yudhiṣṭhira is shown a radiant goddess; Vaiśampāyana identifies her as Lakṣmī and explains that she previously descended to earth as the womb-unborn Draupadī, created by Śiva and born in Drupada’s line for the Pāṇḍavas’ sake.