So How Beautiful Was Draupadi ?

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Draupadi, the main female protagonist from Mahabharata was so beautiful people would stare at her in shock. They literally could not take their eyes away from her. And it is important to note that her skin was described as “black as night” and was given the title of Krishnaa, by Lord Krishna himself as she had the same blue-black skin colour like him.  So Draupadi being depicted as some fair-skinned maiden is utterly wrong. She had black skin, black hair and black eyes, and was considered an unparalleled beauty of her time.

Let’s see how various men from Mahabharata era described Draupadi

 “Having once seen Draupadi, other women now seem to me like so many monkeys. I having looked at her, she has captivated my heart.”

Jayadrath

“Eyes of Draupadi are like the petals of lotuses in the autumn. Her fragrance is like that of lotuses in the autumn. Her beauty serves that of lotuses in the autumn. Her beauty is like that of Shri herself. Such is her lack of cruelty, her wealth of beauty and the goodness of her conduct, that every man desires her for a wife. She retires to bed last and she is the first one to wake up. –Jayadrath

Yudhishthira

Draupadi looks after the cowherds and the shepherds. She knows everything about what should be done and what should not be done. When covered with sweat, her face looks like a lotus or a jasmine. Her waist is shaped like an altar. Her hair is long. Her eyes are copper-red.- Yudhishthira

Kichaka

“Thy beauty and gracefulness are of the very first order and the comeliness of thy features is unparalleled.. O thou of fair eye-brows, thy eyes are beautiful and large like lotus-petals. Thy speech also, O thou of beautiful limbs, resembles the notes of the cuckoo.”.-Kichaka.

Sudeshna

“You shall be my honoured guest, unless the king himself falls for your charm. All the ladies of this inner chamber are staring at you in rapt wonderment; how can one be sure that men would not be entranced by your comeliness? O enchanting lady, I fear that seeing your sensual beauty, King Virāṭa would abandon me and become entirely enamored of you.’ –Sudeshna (She feared that her husband, King Virata, might fall for her after seeing her)

Ved Vyasa

“Then a young maiden arose from the centre of the altar. She was blessed with good fortune and was known as Panchali. She was beautiful and her waist was shaped like an altar. She was dark. Her eyes were like the petals of lotuses. Her hair was dark blue and curled. She was truly a goddess born in human form. The sweet fragrance of blue lotuses emanated from her body, a full 2 miles away. Her form and supreme beauty were such that she had no equal on earth”- Ved Vyasa.

Draupadi Beauty Description as per Mahabharata

And there arose, after this from the Centre of the sacrificial platform, a daughter also, called Panchali, who, blest with great good fortune, was exceedingly beautiful . Her eyes were black, and large as lotus-petals, her complexion was dark, and her locks were blue and curly. Her nails were beautifully convex, and bright as burnished copper; her eye-brows were fair, and bosom was deep. Indeed, she resembled the veritable daughter of a celestial born among men. 

Her body gave out fragrance like that of a blue lotus, perceivable from a distance of full two miles. Her beauty was such that she had no equal on earth. Like a celestial herself, she could be desired (in marriage) by a celestial, a Danava, or a: Yaksha. When this girl of round hips was born an incorporeal voice said, ‘This dark-complexioned girl will be the first of all women, and she will be the cause of the destruction of many Kshatriyas. This slender-waisted one will, in time, accomplish the purpose of the gods, and along with her many will overtake the Kauravas.’

In her presence the tree leaves stilled for a moment; and, the fires flared but silently. She was a dream incarnated of gods and men alike. 

Source- Mahabharata (Adi Parva169.44-46; Sabha 65.33-37 )