The Sarala Mahabharata of Odisha presents an entirely different account of the infamous episode of Draupadi’s disrobing in the court of Hastinapura. According to the Sanskrit Mahabharata composed by Vyasa, when Draupadi was on the verge of being disrobed in the presence of the Kauravas and Pandavas, including their gurus, kith and kin, ministers, and attendants, she prayed to Bhagavan Sri Krishna for protection. In response to her prayer, Krishna Bhagavan miraculously provided her with an inexhaustible supply of sarees, thereby protecting her from disgrace.
Sarala Das, however, makes a significant alteration to this episode. In the Sarala Mahabharata, Surya Deva assumes the role that is traditionally attributed to Sri Krishna in the Sanskrit Mahabharata. According to Sarala Das, when Draupadi found herself in distress, she first prayed to Narayana to save her from disgrace. Narayana then advised her to pray to Surya Deva and, in turn, instructed Surya Deva to protect her. Responding to this divine appeal, Surya Deva provided Draupadi with an unending supply of sarees, thereby preventing her from being publicly disrobed and saving her from humiliation.
In her prayers and invocations, Draupadi extols the greatness and divine attributes of Surya Deva. She describes him as ‘the one without beginning’ (Anadi Purusa), ‘the one who can see the past and the future’ (Bhuta Bhabisyatara Drsta), ‘the master of earth, water, fire, and wind’ (jala, sthala, patala, prithvi, ap, tej, bayu o marut ra karta), ‘the Lord of meditation’ (Jogeswar), ‘the one without form or shape’ (anakar), ‘the indestructible one’ (abyay), ‘the knower of the inner self’ (antaryami), and ‘the one beyond death’ (akshaya purusha).’ These epithets elevate Surya from merely a celestial deity to a supreme, all-knowing, and all-pervading divine presence.
The poet also employs several names and epithets such as Aditya, Gaganabihari, Dibakar, and Bhaskar to refer to Surya or the Sun. Particularly significant is Draupadi’s invocation of Surya as the deity ‘who killed the demon in the land of the Sun on the bank of the Chandrabhaga for the well-being of the world.’ This reference appears to connect Surya Deva with the sacred tradition surrounding the Sun Temple at Konark and the mythological association of Surya with the destruction of a demon. Thus, Sarala Das not only places Surya Deva in the role of Draupadi’s divine protector but also presents him as a powerful cosmic deity who destroys forces of evil for the welfare of the world.
The substitution of Sri Krishna with Surya Deva is therefore not merely a minor narrative variation. It reflects the distinctive religious and cultural milieu of medieval Odisha, where the worship of Surya held a particularly important place. By making Surya Deva the deity who responds to Draupadi’s prayer and protects her honour, Sarala Das gives the episode a distinctly Odia theological and cultural character.