In the rich wisdom traditions of India, the bond between Krishna and Draupadi is an outstanding example of divine friendship and trust*. One day Draupadi posed a question to Lord Krishna about something that was deeply troubling her. She asked “You are my Sakha. And I have complete trust in you. You protected my honor in the assembly of the Kauravas when no one else came to my rescue. But I have one complaint”.
“What is it?”, asked Lord Krishna affectionately.
“Why did you take so long to come to my aid?”
Krishna, with a gentle smile responded, “I came as soon as you called me.”
Draupadi, still puzzled, pressed on, “Yes, I am grateful that you came to my aid, but why did you delay your intervention? Why did you let me suffer such humiliation?”
Krishna patiently repeated, “I came as soon as you called me.”
Draupadi was perplexed.
Krishna explained — “When Dushasana dragged you into the court, your first instinct was to place hope in your relatives. You thought, ‘Surely, the elders will not remain silent at this shameful act.’ But when you reached the assembly, they averted their eyes, their heads bowed in shame. Then, you turned to your husbands, thinking, ‘They are mighty warriors; they will not tolerate this indignity.’ Yet, they, too, were powerless, having lost everything, including you, in a game of dice.”
Krishna continued, “In your desperation, you tried to save yourself, clutching your sari with your teeth. But when Dushasana forcibly pulled it away, you finally abandoned hope in everything and everyone else. It was at that moment, with no other refuge, that you called upon me with true earnestness.”
“Until then, you had not truly called on me — you were looking for support elsewhere. When you surrendered completely and called upon me from the depths of your heart, I came.”
Source: Power of Prayer, Raghbir Singh ji Bir. Discourse by Giani Pinderpal Singh ji.
*For those unfamiliar with Indian mythology, this story is part of the Mahabharata, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandava brothers, was subjected to a humiliating ordeal when her husbands lost her in a game of dice to their cousins, the Kauravas. As part of the wager, the Kauravas dragged Draupadi into their assembly, intent on dishonoring her publicly. This scene, where she is humiliated and dragged by her hair, is one of the most complex moments in the epic, symbolizing the depths of human cruelty and the struggle for justice.
The Sabad Project - Wisdom stories 
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