Let's Analyze the whole thing
Well the conclusion is that Krishna offering Draupadi is not only weird, contradictory, mismatch with the later and former verses but also against any sort of Dharma.
According to a majority of translators of the epic, Krishna did offered Karna to marry or have intercourse with Draupadi when he met Karna after the failure of peace mission.
This also gave rise to many speculation such as whether Karna was in love with Draupadi or vice versa.
There is folktale of Mango / Jambu episode which used to justify Krishna’s action on the ground that it was Draupadi who desired Karna.
Lets see what is the verse -
हिरण्मयांश्च ते कुम्भान् राजतान् पार्थिवांस्तथा। ओषध्यः सर्वबीजानि सर्वरत्नानि वीरुधः।।१४।। राजन्या राजकन्याश्चाप्यानयन्त्वाभिषेचनम्॥१५॥
षष्ठे त्वां च तथा काले द्रौपद्युपगमिष्यति।
As per translation by Kishor Mohan ganguli -
All the kings and princes, again, that have been assembled for the
Pandava-cause, and all the Andhakas and Vrishnis, will also embrace
thy feet. Let queens and princesses bring golden and silver and
earthen jars (full of water) and delicious herbs and all kinds of
seeds and gems, and creepers, for thy installation. During the sixth
period, Draupadi also will come to thee (as a wife). Let that best of
Brahmanas, Dhaumya, of restrained soul, pour libations of clarified
butter on the (sacred) fire, and let those Brahmanas regarding all the
four Vedas as authoritative (and who are acting as priests unto the
Pandavas), perform the ceremony of thy installation.
Ref - Udyoga Parva: Bhagwat Yana Parva: Section CXL
So KMG translation tells us - ‘During the sixth period, Draupadi also will come to thee (as a wife). ’
Here (as a wife) is KMG’s own interpretation.
Actual translated line is - ‘During the sixth period, Draupadi also will come to thee’.
As per Translation of the BORI Critical edition done by Bibek debroy -
The kings, the wives of kings and the daughters of kings will bring
gold, silver and earthen vessels, herbs, all kinds of seeds, all kinds
of gems and creepers for your anointment.4 At the sixth point in
time,5 Droupadi will have intercourse with you. Let the brahmanas who
are acquainted with the four Vedas consecrate you today, assisted by
the priest of the Pandavas,6 the five Pandava brothers who are bulls
among men, Droupadi’s five sons, the Panchalas and the Chedis. You
will be seated on the skin of a tiger.
Bibek Debroy. The Mahabharata: Volume 4 (pp. 504-505). Penguin Books
Ltd. Kindle Edition.
Where as Bibek debroy tells us - ‘At the sixth point in time,5 Droupadi will have intercourse with you’
I won’t tell that above translators translated wrongly.
Sanskrit words have various meaning depending on the contexts.
Theres one more translation!!!
Golden water pots as also silver and earthen ones (filled with water)
and medicinal herbs and all sorts of seeds and gems, let the kings and
daughters of kings bring for your anointment (in the kingship)at the
(Shashti kal)the sixth part of the day and Draupadi also will come to
you (and will take part in yhe coronation ceremony)
The analysis---
Both the verses speak about the coronation procedure. They are interlinked as they both are meant to elaborate the way it would happen.
What is Shashti Kaal?
Shukla Shashti is the name for the 6th Tithi (lunar day). It's the 6th Tithi of Shuklapaksha. It's nature is Yasha Prada,( offers fame) which can be interpreted as "one that gives fame".
It's good for following works: house, land; service social customs; market & marketing, trade, sale - purchase; art; painting of sculpture; wood work; war, deeds related to Pitris (ancestors); jewellery; clothes designing, oil massage; donation and welfare; actions related to water.
The most classical texts Jyotisha Ratnakara,Muhurta Chintamani, Poorva Kalamrita and Brihat Samhita tell the auspiciousness Of Shashti kaal.Karttikeya presides over this day. It is favorable for coronations, meeting new friends, festivities and enjoyment.
The other 2 translations doesn't fit into the narrative.
Before that sentence and after it, the whole narration is about coronation. To talk about Draupadi's intimacy with Karna in between that topic is absurd.
Even the first part of that verse talks about queens and princesses bringing various items for coronation.
So, how can that be followed suddenly by Draupadi 's approval of him as her husband?
KMG translates this as "During the sixth period, Draupadi will also come to thee (as a wife).”
Sixth period means sixth part of the day, dusk (1.dawn, 2.morning, 3.noon, 4.afternoon, 5.evening, 6.dusk, 7.night). And dusk is considered the most auspicious time for activities like coronation.
So, Krishna was merely mentioning that Draupadi along with other queens and princesses would come to Karna's coronation.
Krishna ascertains Draupadi's presence because she is the First Lady of Pandava Family.
The animosity between her and Karna during dyutsabha may make Karna apprehensive of her reaction if he enters as the Eldest and King to be.
the word - ‘उपगम’. It has several meaning -
Agreement, Approach, Intercourse, Veneration, Approaching respectfully, promise, undergoing etc.
[Ref - Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit]
So we have to pick the word contextually.
Now if you look at KMG or Bibek debroy translation the 3rd translation is actually right in saying -
“Before that sentence and after it, the whole narration is about coronation. To talk about Draupadi's intimacy with Karna in between that topic is absurd. ”
For example take the Debory’s translation -
“The kings, the wives of kings and the daughters of kings will bring
gold, silver and earthen vessels, herbs, all kinds of seeds, all kinds
of gems and creepers for your anointment.
At the sixth point in time,Droupadi wistrong textll have intercourse with you.
Let the brahmanas who are acquainted with the four Vedas consecrate
you today, assisted by the priest of the Pandavas,6 the five Pandava
brothers who are bulls among men, Droupadi’s five sons, the Panchalas
and the Chedis. You will be seated on the skin of a tiger.”
The first line and the third line speaks on coronation of Karna where as in middle it speaks on Draupadi having intercourse with Karna.
So the translation done by Debroy even if correct in line by line translation, It misfits if some one see it contextually.
Now before going to We also need to understand few things -
Karna was grandfather when the meeting was happening -
He got the brahmanas to name me Vasushena. O Keshava! When I attained
youth, he had me married to wives. O Janardana! I have given birth to
sons and grandsons through them. O Krishna! My heart is tied with
bonds of affection to them.
Bibek Debroy. The Mahabharata: Volume 4 (p. 506). Penguin Books Ltd.
Kindle Edition.
On the other hand Abhimanyu was like son to Draupadi got married to Uttara just before that.
At that point of time both parties were staring at war knowing fully that it’s going to cause immense destruction.
Krishna’s mission was fully political.
If he was there to forge a romantic angle he could have done it long back.
Neither Karna or Draupadi expressed any desire for each other in entire canonical text of Sanskrit epic.
If we say Krishna said that because Draupadi gave the consent to Krishna, then you are pretty wrong in assessing the whole thing.
There was no indication in Mahabharata that Krishna took Draupadi’s consent before offering such thing.
In case Krishna really wanted Karna to marry Draupadi, the consent of Kunti, Vyas, Yudisthira or Drupada was the actually needed.
Second point is - Krishna didn’t made only that offer. He made many offer to Karna and lets see those offers -
Holding the white chamara in his hand for fanning, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, would ride on the same car behind him.
After his installation is over, the mighty Bhimasena, would hold the white umbrella over his head.
Arjuna then would then drive his car furnished with a hundred tinkling bells, its sides covered with tiger-skins, and with white steeds harnessed to it.
Nakula and Sahadeva, and the five sons of Draupadi, and the Panchalas with that mighty car-warrior Sikhandin, all would proceed behind him.
Krishna himself, with all the Andhakas and the Vrishnis, would walk behind him.
Now shall we say Krishna took consent of Yudisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva, Abhimanyu, Satyaki or five sons of Draupadi before making the above statement?
Or they secretly wanted to do above thing?
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**
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- As far as Draupadi was concerned, she took Karna’s name thrice altogether in the epic.
**
**
Out of them two before war and another was after war.
Lets see those statements -
My grief at Karna's ridicule is incapable of being assuaged! On these
grounds I deserve to be ever protected by thee, O Kesava, viz., our
relationship, thy respect (for me), our friendship, and thy lordship
(over me)
Ref - Vana Parva: Arjunabhigamana Parva: Section XII
Another time she took Karna’s name to make a point to Yudisthira why he shouldn’t forgive his enemies -
Having brought thee who deservest to enjoy every happiness and never
such woe, into such distress, alas, that wicked-minded and sinful
wretch joyeth with his friends! O Bharata, when dressed in deer-skin
thou hast set out for the woods, only four persons, O monarch, viz.,
Duryodhana, Karna, the evil-minded Sakuni, and Dussasana that bad and
fierce brother of Duryodhana, did not shed tears! With the exception
of these, O thou best of the Kurus, all other Kurus filled with sorrow
shed tears from their eyes!
Ref - Vana Parva: Arjunabhigamana Parva: Section XXVII
In fact she asked Yudisthira to kill his enemies -
“That Kshatriya, O son of Pritha, who discovereth not his energy when
the opportunity cometh, is ever disregarded by all creatures!
Therefore, O king, thou shouldst not extend thy forgiveness to the
foe. Indeed, with thy energy, without doubt, thou, mayst slay them
all! So also, O king, that Kshatriya who is not appeased when the time
for forgiveness cometh, becometh unpopular with every creature and
meeteth with destruction both in this and the other world!”
Ref - Vana Parva: Arjunabhigamana Parva: Section XXVII
When Krishna was leaving for Peace Mission, Draupadi spoke the following words to Krishna -
O Dasharha! You know what Yudhishthira told Sanjaya. You have heard
everything. ‘O immensely radiant one!23 O father! O mighty-armed one!
Give us five villages—Kushasthala, Vrikasthala, Masandi, Varanavata
and whichever other village you decide as the fifth and the last, for
us to live in.’ O Keshava! Duryodhana and his advisers were to be
addressed in these words. O Krishna! O Dasharha! Yudhishthira was
modest and desired peace. But though he heard these words, Suyodhana
did not comply.24 O Krishna! If Suyodhana desires peace without
returning the kingdom, there is no point in going there to strive for
peace. O mighty-armed one! Together with the Srinjayas, the Pandavas
are capable of withstanding the terrible and angry forces of
Dhritarashtra’s son. Our objectives are incapable of being obtained
through conciliation and generosity. O Madhusudana! Therefore, you
should not show any compassion towards them. O Krishna! If we wish to
save our lives, enemies who cannot be pacified through conciliation
and generosity should be chastised through the staff. O Achyuta! O
mighty-armed one! Therefore, swiftly hurl a mighty staff at them,
together with the Pandavas and the Srinjayas. The Parthas are capable
of doing this and it will bring you fame. O Krishna! Do what will
bring happiness to the kshatriyas. O Dasharha! If a kshatriya follows
his own dharma, he should kill a kshatriya who has become avaricious,
and even a non-kshatriya.
Bibek Debroy. The Mahabharata: Volume 4 (pp. 374-375). Penguin Books
Ltd. Kindle Edition.
- As far as Arjuna was concerned, Krishna himself stated the below thing -
“Then in that hall, while Krishna stood, the charioteer's son
addressed her in the presence of her fathers-in-law saying, 'O
Daughter of Drupada thou hast no refuge. Better betake thyself as a
bond-woman to the house of Dhritarashtra's son.Thy husbands, being
defeated, no longer exist. Thou hast a loving soul, choose some one
else for thy lord.' This speech, proceeding from Karna, was a wordy
arrow, sharp, cutting all hopes, hitting the tenderest parts of the
organisation, and frightful. It buried itself deep in Arjuna's heart.”
[Ref - Udyoga Parva: Section XXIX]
also note that Arjuna had vow to kill Karna.
- As far as Yudisthira is concern, he makes an important statement when he comes to know about Karna identity -
“If I had both Karna and Arjuna for aiding me, I could have vanquished
Vasudeva himself. ”
Ref - Santi Parva: Rajadharmanusasana Parva: Section I
Well it doesn’t seems to be like Yudisthira speaking of giving up
throne even after coming to know about Karna’s identity.
Therefore it could be easily proven that angle of consent for what
Krishna spoke to Karna doesn’t even appears any where.
So it would be pretty ridiculous to think any romantic angle at that
point of time given the context of the situation.
Krishna promised Draupadi the following thing -
Vaisampayana continued, 'In that assembly of heroes Vasudeva then
spake unto the weeping Draupadi as follows, 'O fair lady, the wives of
those with whom thou art angry, shall weep even like thee, beholding
their husbands dead on the ground, weltering in blood and their bodies
covered with the arrows of Vivatsu! Weep not, lady, for I will exert
to the utmost of my powers for the sons of Pandu! I promise thou shalt
(once more) be the queen of kings!
Ref - Vana Parva: Arjunabhigamana Parva: Section XXVII
Here Krishna makes a clear cut promise that her enemies would die and Draupadi would be queen of King again.
Now there was few options for Karna - He has to write off himself
from the list of enemies of Pandavas.
Which means either he has to stay back or join Pandavas.
If he backs off from war people would definitely say him a coward.
Or he has to fight and die.
An objection can be raised that Krishn promised that Draupadi will become queen again and it is possible by màrying her to Karna and making him King. Even though I already mentioned that Yudhishthira showing any sign of giving up the throne waas noit mentioned even after knowing the identity but still lets say that Krishna offered Draupadi
But again the counter question may rise in the case of marriage between Karna and Draupadi -
Can an elder brother marry wife of Younger brother???
Lets see
57. The wife of an elder brother is for his younger (brother) the wife of a Guru; but the wife of the younger is declared (to be) the
daughter-in-law of the elder.
An elder (brother) who approaches the wife of the younger, and a younger (brother who approaches) the wife of the elder, except in
times of misfortune, both become outcasts, even though (they were
duly) authorised.
On failure of issue (by her husband) a woman who has been authorised, may obtain, (in the) proper (manner prescribed), the
desired offspring by (cohabitation with) a brother-in-law or (with
some other) Sapinda (of the husband). [Niyoga - Rule]
Note this-- The relation between Karna and Draupadi was of Father and daughter-in-law. Any relation between them was highly prohibited!!! Expect in the case of Niyog. And the situation was far-far-away from Niyog.
So as per law clear that relation between woman her elder brother in
law as father in law and vice - versa.
Niyoga allows an elder brother in law to have sex with younger sister
in law for saving the family line. But that has many conditions and
has to go through many rites.
Now does this rule has scriptual proof??
In Ramayana one of the reason to kill bali was this.
न च ते मर्षये पापम् क्ष्त्रियो अहम् कुलोद्गतः | औरसीम् भगिनीम् वा अपि
भार्याम् वा अपि अनुजस्य यः || ४-१८-२२ प्रचरेत नरः कामात् तस्य दण्डो
वधः स्मृतः |
"As a Kshatriya emerged from a best dynasty I do not tolerate your
wrongdoing, and the punishment to the one who lustfully indulges with
his daughter, or with his sister, or with the wife of his younger
brother is his elimination, as recalled from scriptures (Dhrama-Shastras).
Kunti’s statement calling Dritarastra as Father in Law -
O brave one! You have to bear the burden of the Kuru lineage now. I
will dwell in the forest now and devote myself to serving my
father-in-law and mother-in-law.65 I will dwell with Gandhari, cover
myself with filth and devote myself to austerities.”
The Mahabharata: Volume 10 (Kindle Locations 9568-9570). Penguin Books
Ltd. Kindle Edition.
--- Credit goes to the researchers inc.me 😅🥲
Well there are many more points bot i think its more than sufficient to say that Krishna offering Draupadi is not only weird, contradictory, mismatch with the later and former verses but also against any sort of Dharma.
Hence my honest conclusion is that he didn't offered anything to Karna.
Well no one knows what actually shri krishna wanted to say. One may even say that the it was upto the Karna what he extract and its upto.
Shri Krishna was offering nothing to the Karna!!!
Maybe not even throne--
Question- How you can say so!!
Answer- Karna had no roght over throne. Karna becoming the heir would have been full of challenging.
Question-But wasnt Karna the eldest.
Ans-Yes.
But Karna was never entitled for throne— He was Konteya not Pandav.
Pandavas' claim to the throne was derived from Pandu not Kunti, through the act of Niyoga. A man if rendered incapable to reproduce because of death or other reasons( in this case the reason being that inconvenient curse put on Pandu) can adopt a son of his wife by another. The child will have rights to all his adoptive father's incomes and lands.
The most important thing is consent by the adoptive father. If that father is dead, as in the case of Vichitraveer, then the decision has to be made collectively by his wives and his family members. Kunti was not even queen when she brought forth Karna, so how does he have any claim to Pandu’s throne? And Pandu never adopted Karna.
Hence, he had no right over Throne.
This is again proved by the words of Yudhisthira“If I had both Karna and Arjuna for aiding me, I could have vanquished Vasudeva himself.
Shri Krishna was just playing mind games with the Karna.
Doesn't matter whether Karna say Yes or No. Nothing will change.
Sanjay had clearly said that pandavas are the intrument to kill Adharama. Karna was the incarnation of a evil asura-- mentioned in Mahabharata and he was meant to be killed by Nara. Arjuna was reincarnation of Nara.
It is very well mentioned in Mahabharata that Krishna can destroy everything with his mind alone. That good tactician was Shri Krishna.
The visit of Krishna to hastinapura was a beautiful depiction of that where he played with the mind of everyone😂😂
Thats it!!!
