common feature shared by Part V: Five Holy Virgins, Five Sacred Myths all the five panchkanyas is A“motherlessness.” The births of , , and are unnatural; none have a mother. is born of Living by Their Own Norms an Adrika who is turned into Unique Powers of the Panchkanyas a fish by a curse. In emerging from the elements, Tara, Ahalya, Pradip Bhattacharya Mandodari and Draupadi resemble the ocean-born . We know nothing of Pritha-’s mother. Motherless Gandhakali-Satyavati In the earlier instalments we have, first, considered the three kanyas and Pritha are given away by their of the —Ahalya, Tara and Mandodari—followed, in the fathers Uparichara Vasu and Shura second instalment, by Satyavati who shares many features that in childhood. Kunti finds no foster- distinguish her grand daughter-in-law Kunti whose remarkable mother and her only succour is an character and deeds were examined in the third part. In the last old midwife. Matsyagandha- issue we looked at Kunti’s daughter-in-law, Draupadi. In this Satyavati does not even have that. concluding piece we seek to find answers to the question with As adolescents, both are left by their foster-fathers, the Dasa chief and which we began: why are these five women termed ‘Kanyas’ Kuntibhoja, to the mercies of two “(virgins)” and what is the secret of their being celebrated as having eccentric sages and become unwed redemptive qualities. mothers with no option but to discard their first-borns. Indeed, scholars beginning with Chitrangada’s Babhruvahana— If Draupadi had hoped to find her Bankimchandra over a hundred years Draupadi’s five sons are nothing more missing mother in her mother-in-law, ago, have questioned the very fact than names and might have been she is tragically deceived, as Kunti of her maternity since, unlike the interpolated. The South Indian thrusts her into a polyandrous other progeny— Draupadi cult specifically states that marriage that exposes her to Hidmimba’s , ’s her sons were not products of coitus salacious gossip reaching a , ’s and but were born from drops of blood horrendous climax in declaring that fell when, in her terrifying her a whore whose being clothed or form, her nails pierced ’s hand.1 naked is immaterial. As if that were Draupadi is a sterile Shri, like not enough, Kunti urges her to take Jyeshtha or Alakshmi. Her special care of her fifth husband, solitariness as a kanya is stressed , as a mother! No other explicitly after the war when woman has had to face this peculiar tells that the predicament of dealing with five are exterminated, leaving husbands now as spouse, then as only a kanya as their remainder: elder or younger brother-in-law (to “pancalah subhrisham kshinah be treated like a father or as a son kanyamatra vasheshitah”.2 respectively) in an endless cycle. Ahalya and Satyavati are also not Draupadi’s motherlessness seems known for maternal qualities. to be carried forward into her own has not a word to say about the lack of maternal feelings. Her five mother-son relationship between sons are not even nurtured by her. Ahalya and Shatananda. Ahalya’s She sends them to and son abandons her and lives follows her husbands into exile to comfortably in ’s court, ensure that the wounds of injustice expressing relief that she is finally and insult inflicted upon them and Ahalya with Ram acceptable in society following herself remain ever fresh. ’s visit. is abandoned by

No.145 30 both parents and attributes his at least one more wife. She never has survival to chance (see issue 143). for herself, as he marries These kanyas remain Ulupi, Chitrangada and has Subhadra quintessentially virgins and, except as his favourite. Yudhishthira pledges for Kunti, hardly ever assume the her like chattel at dice. Finally, they persona of mother. leave her to die alone on the This feature of being rejected- mountainside at the mercy of wild and-rejecting-in-turn that is a beasts, like a pauper, utterly rikta, recurring leit motif with the kanya is drained in every sense.4 not just of antiquary interest. It In her long poem “” recurs in one of the most significant Amreeta Syam conveys the angst of explorations of the Bengali woman’s Panchali, born unasked for, bereft of struggle to step into the modern age father, brothers, sons and her beloved by experimenting with new ways of sakha : motherhood: Ashapurna Debi’s “Draupadi has five husbands—but trilogy Pratham Pratisruti, she has none— Subarnalata and Bakul Katha. The She had five sons—and was never a heroine, significantly named mother… Satyabati, is “abandoned” by her Sivadas of Kalamandalam enacting The have given father who gives her away in child- the role of Draupadi Draupadi… marriage at the age of eight. When No joy, no sense of victory and is a social outcast. Kunti loses she gives birth to her son, she No honour as wife her parents and then her husband simultaneously receives news of her No respect as mother — twice over (first to and then mother’s death. She struggles to Only the status of a Queen… when he dies in Madri’s arms). educate her children in a new urban But they have all gone Satyavati is abandoned by milieu of a nuclear family. In her And I’m left with a lifeless jewel after he has enjoyed her, loses her absence, her daughter Subarna is And an empty crown… husband , both royal sons also married off at the age of eight. my baffled motherhood and one grandson (), while Thereupon Satyabati physically Wrings its hands and strives to another is blind and the third cannot turns away from the wedding, weep.”5 be king because her daughter-in-law abandoning her daughter on the deceived her and sent in her The Unique Ahalya threshold of motherhood, repeating low-caste maid to Vyasa. The Among the five, Ahalya remains the desertion she herself had kingdom, for which she manoeuvred unique because of the nature of her experienced. The pattern repeats Devavrata into becoming , daring and its consequence. Her itself when Subarna, receiving news slips through her fingers like sand. single transgression, for having done of her mother’s death, finds herself Seeing her great grandchildren at what her femininity demanded, calls unable to think of her own daughter. each other’s throats, she realises the down an awful curse. Because of her It is a patriarchal society’s tradition grim truth of Vyasa’s warning, “the of enforced motherlessness that the unflinching acceptance of the green years of the earth are gone” sentence, both and novels seek to challenge at the cost and leaves for the forest, so as not to of the heroines being regarded as Valmiki glorify her. Rajan, witness the suicide of her race another sensitive poet of today, aberrant mothers. Ashapurna Debi (I.128.6, 9). Strangely, her son Vyasa catches the psychological nuances: questions the traditional concept of tells us nothing of her end. motherhood which confines woman Mandodari loses husband, sons, “Gautama cursed his impotence and to the role of a biological parent with kith and kin in the great war with raged… no hand in shaping the future of the Rama. Tara loses her husband to she stood petrified girl child. This is precisely what we Rama’s arrow shot from hiding. Both uncomprehending 3 notice in the case of the five kanyas. have to marry their younger brothers- in stony silence Theme of Loss in-law who are responsible for their withdrawn into the secret cave The theme of loss is common to husbands’ deaths (see issue 141). of her inviolate inner self… all the five kanyas. Ahalya has no Draupadi finds her five husbands she had her shelter parents, loses both husband and son discarding her repeatedly. Each takes sanctuary

No.145 31 benediction ways the kanyas are treated. agree that, like this passionate within, perfect, inviolate hides behind Tara and uses her to heroine of , millions in the one-ness of spirit calm the raging . of women are publicly humiliated and with rock rain and wind Kuntibhoja uses Kunti to please even raped as a punishment for with flowing tree . Draupadi is used first by challenging the male will or for and ripening fruit to take revenge on ‘talking back’ at a man. Many men and seed that falls silently by securing the alliance of the are known to use violence against in its time Pandavas, and then by Kunti and the wives merely because they ‘back- into the rich dark earth.”6 Pandavas to win their kingdom thrice answer’!”15 Draupadi made the A very different evocation of over (through marriage; in the first unforgivable ‘mistake’ of publicly dice game; and as their incessant refusing to accept Karna as a suitor Ahalya was done by Rabindranath goad on the path to victory).8 and of laughing at (as Tagore in a lovely poem7: Unknown to her, even sakha Krishna he laments to his father ) “What were your dreams, Ahalya, throws her in as the ultimate when he made a fool of himself in when you passed temptation in Karna’s way, assuring ’s magical palace, Long years as stone, rooted in earth, him that Draupadi will come to him in capping this with refusing to obey prayer the sixth part of the day, shashthe ca Duryodhana’s summons to appear in And ritual gone, sacred fire extinct tam tatha kale the dice-game assembly unless her In the dark, abandoned forest- draupadyupagamisyati.9 This is question was answered. She had to ashram? … followed by Kunti urging Karna to be taught a lesson. Today you shine enjoy (bhunkshva) Yudhishthira’s Patriarchal Myth Making Like a newly woken princess, calm Shri (another name for Draupadi) that A telling example of patriarchal re- and pure. was acquired by Arjuna.10 There is writing occurs in Kashiram Das’ early You stare amazed at the dawn world. an unmistakable harking back to 18th century version of the epic in … Kunti’s command to her sons to Bengali rhyme.16 During the forest You gaze; your heart swings back enjoy (bhunkteti) what they had exile Draupadi prides herself on her from the far past, brought together when Bhima and fame as a exceeding that of any Traces its lost steps. In a sudden Arjuna had announced their arrival ruler. Krishna crushes her pride by rush, with Draupadi as alms. No wonder creating an unseasonal mango that All round, your former knowledge of Draupadi laments that she has none she craves for and has Arjuna pluck life returns… to call her own, when even her sakha for her. Krishna warns that this is the Like first unhesitatingly uses her as bait! We only food of a terrible ascetic, whose Created dawn, you slowly rise from cannot but agree with Naomi Wolf’s anger will turn all of them into ashes, the blue condemnation of masculine culture’s and that only if they confess their efforts to “punish the slut” in one Sea of forgetfulness. You stare secret desires will the mango be re- way or another, the sexually entranced; fixed to its branch. The mango almost The world, too, is speechless; face independent woman who crosses the touches the tree as the brothers state ambiguous lakshmana-rekha to face what obsesses each of them, but falls separating “good” from “bad”.11 Beside a sea of mystery none can down when Draupadi states that Vimla Patil, editor of Femina, cross revenge is her sole desire. Arjuna writes, “Most Indian women would You know afresh what you have threatens to kill her, and then she always known.” has to confess that having Karna Symbols of Reselience as her sixth husband has been her None of these maidens breaks secret wish. Bhima—her down in the face of personal invariable rescuer—upbraids her tragedy. Each continues to live unmercifully for her evil nature. out her life with head held high. Here we have evidence of a This is one of the characteristics male backlash expressed through that set the kanya apart from other inventive myth-making. This women. attitude is well reflected in a report There is an aspect of in the newspaper The Hindu of a exploitation that we notice in the Tara in stone carving from Kurudmale temple discourse by a lady, Jaya

No.145 32 Srinivasan, echoing the patriarchal reality, I think, so they did not dare response12: to say anything against her or burn “It is indeed extremely difficult to the Mahabharata or write nastily control the mind as reflected in all about her. For the marginalized scriptural texts. Even sensory would have protested in a big organs may be kept quiet for some way…Even after becoming time, but not the mind. It is in this legends, it is Draupadi who remains background that the Ahalya a threat to the political animal and episode in the Ramayana should so he will not touch even the fringe be viewed. Born in a family of of her pallu, as he knows what culture and having married a sage happened when Duhshasana rose of distinction, her mind faltered for to disrobe Draupadi! Not so . a moment and she committed a Either the legend will not fight back grave sin and incurred a curse. or it is so compassionate the Why should she commit this political animal can get away with mistake? There lie the lessons for its desecration and be forgiven others. However on expressing her too.”19 regret over the fault, the curse was Contrast with Sita lifted when the dust particles from Curiously, it is women scholars the feet of Rama fell on her. The and Draupadi: Ravi Varma who cannot seem to agree on this. message from her life gives us This insight from a Tamil scholar is great hope to secure His grace if protectors of the protagonists, giving contradicted by Dr. Nabaneeta Dev only we hold on to the feet of the a new currency to the epic Sen from . Studying the folk Lord… What Ahalya did was lore.13 songs of Telugu, Tamil, Maithili and unpardonable and Sage Gautama, Intriguingly, where the so-called Bengali on Sita, she states, naturally enraged at her “Dravidian” political backlash “No, a revengeful woman cannot misconduct, condemned her.” against “Aryan” hegemony targeted win…Draupadi is too dramatic to (Emphasis in the original) traditional icons like Rama and Sita be a role model for the weak and Cults of Draupadi and even burnt copies of the the exploited. Women cannot There is, however, a feature that Ramayana, not a word was said or identify with Draupadi, with all her sets Draupadi quite apart from her written against Draupadi and her five husbands, and with Lord fellow kanyas. Between the 12th and temples. Analysing the reasons, the Krishna for a personal friend. With 15th centuries she became the central eminent scholar Dr. Prema her unconventional lifestyle and figure in a number of bardic epics. Nandakumar draws a perceptive thirst for vengeance, Draupadi Draupadi is the only kanya to whom distinction between the two great inspires awe. Sita is a figure closer a living cult is dedicated, with epic heroines: home…she is not part of the temples dotting the Gingee- “Sita is the patient compassionate elite…she laments but does not Pondicherry area of Tamil Nadu and mother whose fire remains veiled challenge Rama in the songs…Sita street plays held annually celebrating by her soft approach, but Draupadi is the one with infinite forbearance her greatness. By reincarnating as is quite different. Whereas Sita is and thus a winner even when she Bela in the Rajasthani Alha, and generally associated with the loses.”20 subsequently as Yakajoti, the Rani of upper caste (Aryan) hegemony, Dev Sen appears to be ignorant Raja Desing in the south, she Draupadi has always been the of the popularity of the Mahabharata completes her cycle of seven births goddess of the common people. A street plays, theru-koothu, and the as sati. In Yakajoti’s story, Hiltebeitel recent parallel would be the way Draupadi Cult celebrated exclusively points out, we encounter war cries Meera’s bhajans are sung by the by villagers. And, as Dr. Prema invoking Allah, Hari and Govinda marginalized and lower castes in Nandakumar points out apropos along with wedding chants calling on Rajasthan. The Dropadai Amman Draupadi being too dramatic: Allah and , showing the Festivals are quite well known and “any woman whom a huge hulk of Hindu-Islamic syncretism that had there are night-long dramas (theru- a fellow tries to disrobe in public developed by then. These oral epics koothu) on the Mahabharata. The while the entire Pandava- celebrate Dalit and Muslim political leaders knew this social ‘heroes’ look on (perhaps

No.145 33 leeringly?) doing nothing will why we won’t be told what to do by scream throughout her life and will our husbands. A woman can only do not speak in ambassadorial one thing…She must always be as accents across the table. The real her nature is. She must always be truth about the matter is that we maiden and always be mother. Before are both (Sita and Draupadi), we every love she is a maiden, after every need both, we identify with both love she is a mother.”24 (emphasis as the circumstances demand of mine) us.”21 We have only to recall the Draupadi is also the only kanya encounters of , , , to have become a symbol of the and Pandu with Kunti, of oppressed and grossly humiliated Parashara and Shantanu with Indian nation. While watching a Gandhakali, of Draupadi with her night long street play in the Draupadi husbands, of Ulupi with Arjuna, of Amman Festival,the great Tamil poet with Shantanu Indra with Ahalya, to realise the Subramania Bharati was struck by the profundity of this utterance. powerful appeal she had for common virgin, wife and mother—is found in Autonomy Inspires Awe folk and penned an epyllion, what an Abyssinian woman told C.G. Jung, while discussing the Draupadi Sapatham (“Draupadi’s Frobenius. In her words we find the phenomenon of the maiden describes Vow”) depicting her as the wronged reason for our kanyas remaining such her “as not altogether human in the princess, the nation-in-shackles, a an enigma to men throughout the usual sense; she is either of symbol of perfect surrender to the ages: unknown or peculiar origin, or she Divine and the representative of “How can a man know what a looks strange or undergoes strange womanhood subjugated for woman’s life is?…He is the same experiences”.25 This fits the kanyas millennia.22 before he has sought out a woman as a group. So long as a woman is An outstanding instance of how for the first time and afterwards. But content to be just a man’s woman, Draupadi’s character speaks the day when a woman enjoys her she is devoid of individuality and powerfully to oppressed womanhood first love cuts her in two…The man acts as a willing vessel for masculine today is vividly brought alive in spends a night by a woman and goes projections. On the other hand, the Mahasweta ’s remarkable short away. His life and body are always maiden uses the Anima of man to gain story, “Dopdi” in which this name is the same…He does not know the her natural ends (Bernard Shaw given to a tribal woman who refuses difference before love and after love, called it the Life Force). Amply do to succumb despite gang-rape and before motherhood and after we see in the cases of these maidens torture. motherhood…Only a woman can that, “The Anima lives beyond all The Cross of Lonliness know that and speak of that. That is categories, and can therefore The kanya, despite having husband and children, remains alone to the last. This is the loneliness at the top that great leaders bear as their cross. The absence of a mother’s nurturing, love, a mother who models and hands down tradition, leaves the kanya free to experiment, unbound by shackles of taught norms, to mould herself according to her inner light, to express and fulfil her femininity, achieving self- actualisation on her own terms. One is tempted to use a modern cliché to describe her: a woman of substance.23 An invaluable insight into what is so Draupadi being kicked by Kichaka in ’s court : painting by Ravi Varma very special in being a woman—

No.145 34 dispense with blame as well as with Sati Versus However, also visits the praise.”14 The Anima is characterised In this context, the mystic and Vriddhakanya teertha celebrated for by “a secret knowledge, a hidden poet Nolini Kanta Gupta’s study of an old spinster who had to learn that, wisdom…something like a hidden these maidens tallies quite remarkably unless she married she could not, as a purpose, a superior knowledge of life’ with the Jungian insight into the mere brahmacharini, attain heaven!19 laws”15 which we see in this group of meaning of being a virgin. He points The Age of Freedom epic women. That is why Shantanu, out, “In these five maidens we get a In Mahabharata, we find Bhishma, Dhritarashtra, Pandu, the hint or a shade of the truth that woman evidence of the freedom enjoyed by Kaunteyas, Sugriva can never quite is not merely sati but predominantly women in the past. In the Adi Parva come to grips with Satyavati, Kunti, and fundamentally she is Shakti”.18 Pandu tells Kunti: Draupadi and Tara and are ever in awe He notes how the epics had to labour “in the past, women of them. at establishing their greatness in the were not restricted to the house, Each kanya’s unique feature is that teeth of the prejudice that woman must dependent on family members; she, as much as the sati, has the power never be independent, but always be they moved about freely, to pronounce a curse. Devayani a sati, known for her absolute, they enjoyed themselves freely. unquestioning devotion to her curses Kacha that he will be unable to They slept with any men they liked husband. This he describes as the use the he has learnt from her from the age of puberty; subjugation of Prakriti to Purusha, father Shukracharya by her favour. they were unfaithful to their typical of the Middle Ages. The most curses Arjuna to lose his husbands, ancient relationship, he says, was the virility because he refuses to respond and yet not held sinful… converse: under the feet of his the greatest have praised to her advances. , another goddess-consort. this tradition-based custom;… apsara, curses with death In the Mahabharata we find the northern Kurus still practise it… should he rape any female in future. confirmation of this paradigm shift. In the new custom is very recent.”20 curses Ravana that she will the course of his pilgrimage, Balarama Pandu narrates the story of be the cause of his death. turns comes to the Plaksha Prasravana Uddalaka explaining to his outraged herself into Bhishma’s nemesis. teertha where a brahmacharini, a son Shvetaketu, when a takes Ganga, turned down by Pratipa, celibate female ascetic, obtained the his mother away in their presence, enchants his son Shantanu: highest heaven and the supreme yoga “This is the Sanatana Dharma. “He stood there, as well as the fruit of a horse sacrifice. All women of the four castes Entranced, are free to have relations All his body with any man. And the men, In horripilation. well, they are like bulls.”21 With both eyes He drank in her beauty Ulupi and Urvashi’s And wanted behaviour with Arjuna and To drink more.”17 Ganga’s with Pratipa and Shantanu—all approaching the Jung pinpoints the men with frank sexual desymbolised world we live in demands—are instances of the now, in which man struggles to type of freedom characterising relate to his Anima “outside” the kanya’s nature. In these himself by projecting her on kanyas, we find the validation of numerous women although, Naomi Wolf’s celebration of paradoxically, she is the psyche women as “sexually powerful within that he must commune magical beings”.22 By the time of with. That, perhaps, is the Pandu, however, the Aryans message hidden behind the hint settled around the Sarasvati- to keep ever fresh the memory of region had started the five maidens so that we looking down upon their become conscious of the Anima- Northern brethren and even Draupdi with Sairandhri projection. classed them—such as the

No.145 35 Madras—with Mlecchas, non- strictures of their orthodox patriarchal Aryans. When Karna lashes back at society that undermines women such for abusing him, he criticises as the Maharis.27 the loose morals of Madra women On the other hand, for Vimla Patil because they enjoy themselves with Draupadi’s personality personifies fish, beef and wine, express their fire, while Sita (whom she emotions uninhibitedly and mix freely incongruously includes in the group with men.23 instead of Kunti) is the daughter of Mode of Elements the earth. Ahalya “for her forbearance One interpretation of why the is likened to the freshness and active epithet kanya is applied to these nature of the wind”; Tara (all the three women is because they were not women of that name, that is, engendered in the usual way “but Harishchandra’s queen, ’s wife were created from various elements and Brihaspati’s wife who is which compose the universe thereby Queen Draupadi by Chandra’s beloved) is associated establishing that their sanctity and “with space and has the quality of morning in a Sanskrit shloka to chastity is not bound by physical intelligence, compassion and large- remind them of the power they bodies…Ahalya, Sita, Draupadi, Tara heartedness”; Mandodari “with the symbolised because of their spiritual and Mandodari are the epitome of element of water, turbulent on the strength…in truth, every Indian chastity and purity but were surface yet deep and silent in her woman has shades of all the punished for no fault of theirs. Given spiritual quest.” Pointing out that the panchkanyas within her soul!”25 the precarious situations they were Pancha Kanya are living role models This is a modern restatement of a in, these women still came out for Indian women, she writes, traditional belief that is part of the unscathed and set examples of being “Like their icons, they have dual Mahari dance tradition in which the ideal women.”24 Vimla Patil, former personalities. They are bound by Oriya verse goes:26 editor of Femina, links each kanya the strictest norms of society, on the to one of the elements: Pancha bhuta khiti op tejo maruta one hand; yet, on the other hand, “Are you an ‘earth’ woman? Do byomo they are left free to prolifically use you feel an affinity to the element Pancha sati nirjyasa gyani bodho the chinks in the armour of social of ‘fire’ because of your passionate gomyo and traditional laws made by a nature? Do you flow serenely Ahalya Draupadi Kunti Tara staunchly male-oriented pecking through life like “water’? Is your Mandodari totha order. Within the scope of social spirit free and elusive like the Pancha kanya... boundaries, they can still express ‘wind’? Or do you dream of being Five elements, earth, water, fire, wind, their personalities and design their light as air and vast like ‘space’? ether own life-graphs…The life-graph of As an Indian woman, it is likely that Are in essence the five satis. This the each of these women is somehow you have a little of all these wise know replicated in the lives of millions of elements in you and that you Ahalya, Draupadi, Kunti, Tara and Indian women even today... The combine all qualities of the five Mandodari panchkanya theme has inspired elements. If this is so, you should Five virgins… Indian women for eons… Most not be surprised, for…all Indian Ahalya personifies water, Indian women believe that they women carry the legacy of their Draupadi represents fire, Kunti tolerate and accept the worst kind icons, the most celebrated symbolises mother earth, Tara of injustice like Sita and remain panchkanyas of mythology …In personifies wind and Mandodari steadfast in their duty and devotion fact, the five women have such a ether. However, Dr.Ratna Roy, leading to their husbands and families. Yet, powerful hold over the hearts of exponent of the Mahari surprisingly, like Draupadi, they also millions of Indians that they are dance, feels that this equation of each hide storms of anguish anger and called the panchkanyas (five element representing one of these revenge in their hearts. They believe women) whose very names ensure women cannot be substantiated. For that the curse of a virtuous, strong salvation and freedom from all evil. her the emphasis is on the purity of woman can ruin the most powerful It is not uncommon for devout these women because they did not of men. Like Mandodari, they live a to recite their names each break any humanistic codes, only the life of duality, with the turbulence

No.145 36 of varied experiences on the surface wider relation with another.”29 5 Amreeta Syam: Kurukshetra (Writers and a deep, silent core in their souls, It is the ability to distinguish the Workshop, Calcutta, 1991, pp. 38-9). Other notable interpretations of Draupadi’s where wisdom originates. Like masculine power of logos, the power lot are Dr. Pratibha Ray’s Oriya novel Mandodari, they have an inherent of words, of thought, of will and of (Englished by Pradip gift of distinguishing between right acting in the outside world, that makes Bhattacharya, Rupa, 1995), Dr. Chitra and wrong. In a crisis, they know the kanyas so significant to women Chaturvedi’s novel Mahabharati (Jnanpith Prakashan, 1986) and Dr. Dipak how to insist on doing what they today. From their lives we can learn Chandra’s Bengali novel Draupadi consider right. Like Ahilya, (sic.) how to integrate successfully the Chirontoni (Dey Books, Kolkata). they have a dormant power buried masculine in the feminine, without one 6 Chandra Rajan: Re-visions (Writers deep down in their psyches. They overwhelming the other. Each of them Workshop, Calcutta, 1987, p. 12). 7 Ahalya http://www.kundu.u-net.com/ have the strength to move like the is a telling example of this, perhaps radice1.htm by wind and the compassion to forgive Kunti most of all. We have seen it in translated by William Radice. wrongs done to them. Like Tara, her ability to take the toughest 8 The Bengali tele-serial Draupadi dwells upon they seek a special lustre of their decisions, her using the story of this issue. 9 , 134.16 (pointed out by Dr. own. They seek a sacred place— Vidula, her building a special Nrisingha Prasad Bhaduri in “Draupadi”, which is their right—in the vastness relationship with and, above Barttaman, annual number1396 B.S.). of space. From this niche, they all, in her farewell, “calm of mind, all 10 ibid. 135.8. 11 spread their compassion and passion spent” for, “The Animus Naomi Wolf, best-selling feminist author and advisor to the American President and tenderness. It is for every woman power…makes possible the Vice-President, in Promiscuities quoted in to study the life-graphs and development of a spiritual attitude TIME, 8.11.1999, p. 25. personalities of the panchkanyas which sets us free from the limitation 12 The Hindu(www.hinduonnet.com/2002/ and decide which element they and imprisonment of narrowly 09/30/stories/2002093003240900.htm) 28 30 Sept. 30, 2003. empathise with.” personal standpoint.” 13 Alf Hiltebeitel: Rethinking ’s Oral Attempts at Sanitisation Emma Jung sums up the crucial and Classical Epics University of Chicago importance of integrating the feminine Press, 1999. Nolini Kanta Gupta makes an 14 and the masculine that the five kanyas C.G. Jung: The Archetypes and the extremely perceptive comment on how Collective Unconscious, Routledge, p. 28- the patriarchal system has sought to represent uniquely: “In our time, when 29. sanitise the kanyas’ dangerous such threatening forces of cleavage are 15 ibid. p. 31. 16 independence by projecting them as at work, splitting peoples, individuals, http://www.iskcon.org/gallery/002/ and atoms, it is doubly necessary that 006.htm painting by Puskar Das (Matthew satis instead: Goldman) “We moderns also, instead of those which unite and hold together 17 Ibid. 1.97.28. looking upon the five maidens as should become effective; for life is 18 Mother India, June 1995, pp. 439-443. 19 Mahabharata IX.53.4-8 and 50.51-24 maidens, have tried with some founded on the harmonious interplay of masculine and feminine forces, quoted in A. Hiltebeitel, Rethinking the manipulation to remember them as Mahabharata, University of Chicago Press, sati. We cannot easily admit that there within the individual human being as 2001, p.145. 31 20 was or could be any other standard of well as without.” That is why the Mahabharata 1.122.4-8. exhortation to recall the five virgin 21 Ibid.1.122.13-14. woman’s greatness beside 22 maidens is so relevant now. The past Gupta op.cit. chastity…Their souls did neither 23 Mahabharata, , 26-28, 37 42: does indeed hold the future in its accept the human idea of that time or “Women mix freely with men known and womb. thereafter as unique, nor admit the unknown…They eat fish, beef, drink wine, cry, laugh, sing and talk wildly and indulge dharma-adharma of human ethics as Endnotes in promiscuity.” 1 the absolute provision of life. Their A. Hiltebeitel Cult of Draupadi, University 24 Deccan Herald, 27.4.2003, “Panchakanya of Chicago Press, 1988, vol. I, p. 293. ballet today” referring to danseuse Vani beings were glorified with a greater 2 Mahabharata, 15.44.32. Ganapathy’s performance. 3 and higher capacity. Matrimonial Indira Chowdhury: “Rethinking 25 The Tribune online edition 27.10.2002, sincerity or adultery became irrelevant Motherhood, Reclaiming a Politics”, www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20021027/ in that glory…Woman will take resort Economic & Political Weekly, XXXIII.44, herworld.htm#1 31.10.1998, pp. WS-47 to 52. 26 Dr. Ratna Roy, personal communication. to man not for chastity but for the 4 Shaonli Mitra has Bhima come up to her 27 Personal communication. Also see touch and manifestation of the gods, at the end and ask, “Are you in much pain, www.olywa.net/ratna-david to have offspring born under divine Panchali?” She answers, “In the next birth, panchakanya.htm influence… a person used to follow be mine alone, Bhima, so that I may rest a 28 Vimla Patil op.cit. little, my head in your lap.” Nathaboti 29 Gupta op.cit. the law of one’s own being, one’s own Anathabot M.C. Sirkar & Sons, Calcutta, 30 Ibid. p.40. path of truth and establish a freer and 1990, p.69. 31 ibid. 

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