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Shri Datta Swami

Posted on: 06 Apr 2021

               

Can You explain how Draupadi was born from fire?

[An online spiritual discussion was conducted on March 06, 2021, in which several devotees participated. Some of the questions of devotees answered by Swāmi are given below.]

[Smt. Sudha Rani asked: Padanamaskaram Swami! Thanks for your grace on me who is an ignorant soul. Swami, You have redefined the word yajñam. Actually, You have refined the meaning of yajñam. How do I understand yajñaṅgi Draupadi’s birth event? She is said to have risen from the ritual fire altar (yajña kuṇdam) as a child to King Drupada.]

Swāmi replied: The birth of Draupadi from the fire altar does not mean that ghee and food were poured in the fire altar, as shown in movies. The fire altar was lit and ghee-fried food was prepared on the fire altar. The food was distributed to the deserving participants participating in the seminar arranged by king Drupada. The participants were scholars and devotees of God. When God was pleased with the knowledge and devotion of the participants, God did a miracle for Drupada. Draupadi miraculously emerged from the fire altar at the end of the sacrifice. The sacrifice means the donation of food and dakṣiṇā (money offering) to the deserving participants of the spiritual discussion (satsaṅga). Sacrifice does not mean burning food in the physical fire. The use of the physical fire (laukikāgni or bhautikāgni) is only to cook the food. The cooked food is then to be ‘burnt’ in the divine fire (Devatāgni or Vaiśvānara agni), which is the fire of hunger existing in the stomachs of the scholarly devoted persons who are hungry.

 
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