http://www.dollsofindia.com/library/sita-draupadi/
According to different treatises on Hindu mythology, Draupadi was said to be an incarnation of many different Devis. As per The Garuda Purana, she was the incarnation of Bharati Devi, the consort of Lord Vayu. The Narada and Vayu Puranas portray Draupadi as the composite avatar of Goddesses Shyamala (wife of Dharma), Bharati (wife of Vayu), Sachi (wife of Indra) and Usha (wife of Ashwinis). They state that Draupadi married the earthly counterparts of these demigods, who had manifested in the form of the five Pandavas.
SHAKTI |
Enraged at a jest by Parvati, Shyamala, Sachi and Usha, Brahma cursed them to be born on earth as human beings. Parvati deemed that they would be born as one woman, Draupadi, and share her earthly body for a smaller period of time. The deities also requested Bharati to join them in this human birth.
Draupadi's fight against injustice reflects Parvati or her Shakti aspect. She also showed shades of Kali. At other times, Draupadi was docile and tame and waited to be rescued from her attackers, thereby exhibiting qualities of goddesses like Sachi and Usha. Sometimes, Draupadi was also the picture of astuteness, in hiding her true identity and asking Bhima to kill the evil Keechaka like Goddess Bharati would.
Draupadi was also avatar of Goddess Shree or Wealth who was the wife to five Indras in their mortal manifestation, that is, the five Pandavas. She was born many times for imprisoning the Indras. Her first birth was as Vedavati (the avatar of Swaha, Agni's wife) who cursed Ravana. She then came again as Maya-Sita, especially to take revenge from Ravana, while Agni hid the real Sita. The third birth was partial - she was both Damayanti and her daughter Nalayani. She married Sage Mudgala. Her fifth avatar was that of Draupadi herself. Hence, it could be said that Draupadi was a composite avatar of all the eight goddesses, namely, Kali, Parvati, Sachi, Shyamala, Usha, Bharati, Shree and Swaha.
In Rajasthan, we have the story of Barbareek, also known as Khatu Shyamji, told with slight variations in different places. According to local legends, Krishna and Arjuna, dressed as ascetics, were roaming in search of warriors who could fight on their side in the Mahabharata war. It was while they were resting under a peepal tree that they came across a powerfully built young man on a horse. Asked who he was, he told them he was Barbareek, the grandson of Bheema [according to another version, he is the son of Bheema himself and the Naga maiden Ahilavati], and was on his way to join the Mahabharata war, as asked by his mother. They enquire on whose side he would fight and he says on the side of those who lose - that is the instruction he had been given by his mother. Krishna asks him what he can do and he demonstrates his skill with arrows by tying up all the leaves of the peepal tree with a single arrow shot from his bow. The tale also tells us that Krishna hid one fallen peepal leaf under his foot and that the arrow, after piercing all other leaves and threading them together, approached Krishna's foot and hovered over it until Krishna lifted his foot and the arrow succeeded in piercing and collecting that leaf too, after which the arrow went back to Barbareek's quiver.
Sensing how dangerous Barbareek could be if he joined the Kaurava side, Krishna, as a monk, asks for bhiksha, alms: Barbareek's head. Barbareek readily gives it, and requests for a return favour. He should be allowed to see the war. His head should be placed on the top of the peepal tree from where he would be able to see the Kurukshetra battle. Krishna does so and Barbareek's head watches the entire war from atop the tree.
Legend also says that when the battle was over the Pandavas argued among themselves about who was responsible for victory and Krishna suggested that they ask Barbareek - after all, he had seen the entire war from the tree top. Barbareek answers that he saw only two things in the entire war: Krishna's Sudarshana wheel slaughtering Kaurava warriors and Draupadi drinking up all the blood, having transformed herself into Mahakali.
http://creative.sulekha.com/krishna-human-limitations-of-incarnated-god_263339_blog
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