She had been Nalayani, married to Moudgalya, a sage who suffered from leprosy. He was very ugly and repelled everyone who saw him. He was very irritable and had dreadful habits. But Nalayani was a very devoted wife. She showed absolutely no disgust for his deformity or anger at his behaviour. She served him faithfully, obeying him, putting up with everything without grumbling. Many years went by like this. One day her husband, touched by her devotion and service, told her to ask for a boon. She said she wanted to see him in five beautiful forms, all of them actually one person, who was her husband. Moudgalya was changed as she wished and they lived happily, but since she had been such a devoted wife, the gods gave her, as Draupadi, five husbands with great qualities in her next life.
Draupadi’s Past Life
