Hare Krsna
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Once during the Sankranti Festival, Draupadi happened to be in Lord Krishna's residence. Lord Krishna was enjoying and sharing with them fresh sugar cane of the season. While cutting a piece of cane, his little
finger got injured. Blood began to ooze out.
The queens ran to their apartments and started frantically searching their wardrobes for a piece of
coarse cloth to bandage the wound. But Draupadi, who was seated at the Lotus Feet of the Lord, at once tore a piece off her sari and bandaged the wound. The queens returned with pieces of cloth only to find that the wound had already been attended to by Draupadi.
Years rolled on and Draupadi was being humiliated by Dusssana in the court of Dhritarashtra at Hastinapur. He was trying to disrobe her. She cried out in the open assembly for help and prayed to Lord Krishna to come immediately to her rescue and save her honor.
Lord Krishna who was then at Dwaraka hundreds of miles away, readily responded to her sincere prayer. He shook the little finger, the self same finger that was bandaged by a piece of cloth torn from her sari by
Draupadi.
Yards and yards of cloth flowed into the court covering the body of Draupadi. Thus Draupadi's small
act of service and sacrifice brought to her later on, the Lord's Grace and protection in her great calamity
from which none of the her heroic husbands, the Pandavas, could save her.
Reflection
A good act is a Godly act for which God rewards at the appropriate time. Before desiring anything one must make himself worthy of it.
Comments
Agreed!
For what reason then dost thou yet regard her as not won? Or, if thou thinkest that bringing her hither attired in a single piece of cloth, is an action of impropriety, listen to certain excellent reasons I will give. O son of the Kuru race, the gods have ordained only one husband for one woman. This Draupadi, however, hath many husbands. Therefore, certain it is that she is an unchaste woman. To bring her, therefore, into this assembly attired though she be in one piece of cloth--even to uncover her is not at all an act that may cause surprise. Whatever wealth the Pandavas had--she herself and these Pandavas themselves,--have all been justly won by the son of Suvala. O Dussasana, this Vikarna speaking words of (apparent) wisdom is but a boy. Take off the robes of the Pandavasas also the attire of Draupadi. Hearing these words the Pandavas, O Bharata, took of their upper garments and throwing them down sat in that assembly. Then Dussasana, O king, forcibly seizing Draupadi's attire before the eyes of all, began to drag it off her person."
Vaisampayana continued,--"When the attire of Draupadi was being thus dragged, the thought of Hari, (And she herself cried aloud, saying), 'O Govinda, O thou who dwellest in Dwaraka, O Krishna, O thou who art fond of cow-herdesses (of Vrindavana). O Kesava, seest thou not that the Kauravas are humiliating me. O Lord, O husband of Lakshmi, O Lord of Vraja (Vrindavana), O destroyer of all afflictions, O Janarddana, rescue me who am sinking in the Kaurava Ocean. O Krishna, O Krishna, O thou great yogin, thou soul of the universe, Thou creator of all things, O Govinda, save me who am distressed,--who am losing my senses in the midst of the Kurus.' Thus did that afflicted lady resplendent still in her beauty, O king covering her face cried aloud, thinking of Krishna, of Hari, of the lord of the three worlds. Hearing the words of Draupadi, Krishna was deeply moved. And leaving his seat, the benevolent one from compassion, arrived there on foot. And while Yajnaseni was crying aloud to Krishna, also called Vishnu and Hari and Nara for protection, the illustrious Dharma, remaining unseen, covered her with excellent clothes of many hues. And, O monarch as the attire of Draupadi was being dragged, after one was taken off, another of the same kind, appeared covering her. And thus did it continue till many clothes were seen. And, O exalted on, owing to the protection of Dharma, hundreds upon hundreds of robes of many hues came off Draupadi's person. And there arose then a deep uproar of many many voices. And the kings present in that assembly beholding that most extraordinary of all sights in the world, began to applaud Draupadi and censure the son of Dhritarashtra. And Bhima then, squeezing his hands, with lips quivering in rage, swore in the midst of all those kings a terrible oath in a loud voice.
Hare Krishna,
In the Mahabharata, a dice game got the Pandavas into trouble.
Draupadi was unfortunately one of the prizes won.
The Mahabharata, Book 2: Sabha Parva: Sisupala-badha Parva: Section...
I cannot find reference to Sri Krsna cutting his finger and getting a bandage.
If I find that, I will post.
Here is a nice Wikipedia article which makes for easier reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draupadi
Hare Krishna,
Please share the source of this story in which text it is described??