Dynamics of Power: A Comparative Study of the Portrayal of Draupadi in Vyasa’s Mahabharata and Pratibha Ray’s Yajnaseni
Author : Soniya Augur and Dr. Gurpreet Kour
Abstract :
This paper examines the portrayal of Draupadi in Vyasa’s Mahabharata and Pratibha Ray’s Yajnaseni, exploring how the character is constructed, deconstructed, and reimagined across classical and contemporary narratives. By comparing the epic's traditional framing with Ray’s feminist retelling, the study foregrounds how shifts in narrative voice, cultural context, and authorial intent radically reshape perceptions of power, agency, and gender. While Vyasa’s Draupadi functions within a patriarchal moral framework, primarily as a symbol of virtue and sacrifice, Ray’s Yajnaseni empowers Draupadi with introspection and dissent, revealing the emotional and psychological costs of patriarchal expectations. The paper argues that Ray’s text not only restores Draupadi’s voice but also challenges the silencing mechanisms of epic tradition, making a compelling case for the transformative potential of feminist revisionist literature.
Keywords :
Draupadi, Mahabharata, Yajnaseni, feminist retelling, Pratibha Ray, Vyasa, gender and power, polyandry, narrative voice, Indian epic, patriarchy, reimagination of myth, symbolic body, spiritual transcendence.
