''Jambhul Aakhyan'' is a popular folk tale from the Indian state of Maharashtra. It describes how Draupadi confesses love for

Karna Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: ''Karṇa''), also known as Vasusena, Anga-raja, and Radheya, is one of the main protagonists of the Hindu epic '' Mahābhārata''. He is the son of the sun god Surya and princess Kunti (mother of the ...

. The tale is not a part of the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

epic of

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...

Synopsis

During 13 years of exile, Draupadi once picks a ''jambhul'' (''jamun'') fruit. A ''rishi'' or in some versions

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

in disguise as ''rishi'' or Krishna himself stopped Draupadi to eat fruit and alerts him about ''rishi'' and his curse. Draupadi asked for help. Krishna tells her that if she can reattach the fruit to the tree, no curse will be placed on her and

Pandavas The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledge ...

. When she asks how it is possible, Krishna says that if she and her husband reveal their deepest secret, the fruit will attach itself. Then one by one Pandavas reveal their deepest secrets and Draupadi confesses her feelings for

and so the fruit was reattached.

Adaptation

''Jambhul Akhyan'' is popularly performed by Indian folk singer

Vitthal Umap Vitthal Umap (15 July 1931 – 27 November 2010) was an Indian folk singer, shahir and social worker from Maharashtra state. Umap was an Ambedkarite and Buddhist. To illustrate B. R. Ambedkar's philosophy to the people, he wrote the song-books ...

References

{{reflist Folk poetry