Complete dependence on Krishna, not worldly relations, is the essence of true renunciation and spiritual perfection.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.50 — December 27, 1973, Los Angeles 731227SB-LOS ANGELES [40:00 Minutes] SB-01.15.50_731227SB-LOS ANGELES Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [leads chanting of verse] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] draupadī ca tadājñāya patīnām anapekṣatām vāsudeve bhagavati hy ekānta-matir āpa tam [SB 1.15.50] [break]
Prabhupāda: All right. Pradyumna: draupadī—Draupadī (the wife of the Pāṇḍavas); ca—and; tadā—at that time; ājñāya—knowing Lord Kṛṣṇa fully well; patīnām—of the husbands; anapekṣatām—who did not care for her; vāsudeve—unto Lord Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa); bhagavati—the Personality of Godhead; hi—exactly; eka-anta—absolutely; matiḥ—concentration; āpa—got; tam—Him (the Lord). [03:15] Translation: "Draupadī also saw that her husbands, without caring for her, were leaving home. She knew well about Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead.
Both she and Subhadrā became absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa and attained the same results as their husbands." Prabhupāda: Hmm. So, draupadī-patīnām. Patīnām is plural number. So she had five husbands, all the brothers.
We should not imitate that. This is possible by Draupadī, not by others. So although she had five husbands, the Pāṇḍavas—Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva—but at the time of retirement, they did not care what will happen to their wife. The same husbands, when they saw that their wife was insulted in the assembly of the Kurus...
Draupadī was insulted because they lost Draupadī in gambling. Just see. Gambling is so dangerous. The bet was the wife. The Pāṇḍavas and the Kurus were playing on chess, and they lost their kingdom, they lost their wife, then they were ordered to be banished for twelve years and one year incognito.
The condition was, "Now the betting is that if you lose the game, then you will be banished for twelve years in the forest. And one year you have to remain incognito. Nobody will know where you are. If you are," I mean to say, "picked up, if somebody knows you, recognizes you, 'Here are the Pāṇḍavas,' then again twelve year." This is the previous condition of the Battle of Kurukṣetra.
The whole idea was to reject the five Pāṇḍavas and enthrone Duryodhana and his brothers. That was the diplomacy. So when they were living incognito—nobody could know where the Pāṇḍavas were at—they attempted to gain Draupadī in the dress of brāhmaṇas. Draupadī's father made a bet, that "This is the condition of my daughter being given to a boy." The condition was that on the ceiling a fish was hanging, and the boy who will be victorious in piercing the eyes of the fish by arrow... Not directly looking, but there was a waterpot, the reflection; he has to fix up his point by seeing the reflection down, and then he has to pierce the eye.