Week 9 Story: Nalayani the Rishi Patni

Arjuna wins Draupadi. Source: Wikimedia

Nalayani arose the same as she does each morning. She took a deep breath, reciting the morning prayers to Indra and Shiva. She sat up straight, stretching her toes and feeling her body awaken for the day. It was brighter than usual this morning and the air was warm on the hot summer day. She looked to her left and on the cot resided her husband, the Rishi Maudgalya. Rishi Maudgalya was a stubborn man. He was never satisfied by Nalayani's efforts nor her love. She did her best, however. She bathed him, fed him, walked him, and still loved him with every ounce of her being. She looked to him and smiled. She felt a bliss that was like no other. Serving him was her life, in fact, as he suffered from leprosy and was slowly deteriorating like the walls of their mud-made hut.

Nalayani was devoted. She was dedicated. Her love was, unfortunately, unrequited nonetheless. She gave her all, but her love for her husband was never reciprocated. It was dangerously to the point where she would do anything to satisfy him, and he would ask her of anything to take advantage of this. One night, Rishi Maudgalya was more irritable than before. He could not bear to sit still, but he could not move himself to do so. He became increasingly irate and asked Nalayani to fulfill his needs.

"Nalayani, I need you to do something for me," he declared.

"Anything, my sage. What do you ask for?" she responded gently.

"I need you to carry me in your basket to the house of the call-girl," he demanded.

Nalayani complied. She got the basket ready, filling it with blankets and lining it so that the corners of the basket would not pinch his frail skin and damage what was left of his bones. This task, although undesirable, was done with great care by Nalayani because of her undying love for the Rishi. She carried him on her head to the house of the call-girl and allowed him to satisfy whatever needs he may have been lacking. She waited nearby with the basket so she could carry him home. It was an unfortunate sight, as passers gazed and laughed at how silly this woman was for carrying her own husband to his adulteress. It was a sight no doubt, but she had done so to relieve him of his pain, stress, and helplessness. His leprosy was a curse of its own, so she never took his words to heart and continued to serve him day and night.

As she carried him back to their home, she mistakenly brushed him against the dangling feet of a punished man at the stake. He cursed her that she would lose her husband, since she caused him pain in this time of punishment. She cursed him back to never let the sun rise again.

Well, Surya did not rise the next morning and Indrani, Indra's wife, and Indra were concerned as to why Surya was hiding. They asked Surya what he was hiding his rays for, and he explained that it was due to Nalayani's curse. The Gods took to their own and came to Earth to convince Nalayani to rescind her curse. She only did so if the Gods would cure her husband. They obliged and gave Rishi Maudgalya blood to drink from his right hand. He drank the drops of blood and was his handsome self again. He praised Nalayani and told her to ask him of any boon. Nalayani asked her husband to take five forms so that they may reconnect their love.

Rishi Maudgalya did as he was asked, but Nalayani gave him a taste of his own medicine and was never satisfied. For years they reconnected and had a beautiful love, but she continued to be unsatisfied. Rishi Maudgalya cursed her and said to her with great frustration, "May your next life be with five husbands so that they can satisfy your need for love."

So, this curse was granted, although it was quite unnecessary as she had dealt with his nonsense for years. Thus, Draupadi was born from the fire and married the Pandava brothers as she fulfilled her destiny and this curse.

Authors Note: I loved the story of how Draupadi came to marry all five Pandava brothers. However the story I told was not the one that is presented in many books and sources. Most sources describe Draupadi as Nalayani. However, she asks Shiva for her husband back five times. This is why she receives the boon of five husbands in her next life with the 14 qualities that she desires. However, the story I wrote was one I came across elsewhere. These stories are retold in so many various ways, so it is unsurprising that the story was changed up a bit in the end. This was a fun story to write, and I hope that it adds to the knowledge of Draupadi.

Bibliography:

Amar Chitra Katha: Draupadi by Anand Pai. Literary Source.
Nalyani: The Rishi Patni by Vaidyanathan Pushpagiri. Web source.