Chapter 15: The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely

When flying an airplane in outer space, one cannot take care of other planes. Everyone has to take care of his own plane, and if there is any danger, no other plane can help another in that condition. Similarly, at the end of life when one has to go back to home, back to Godhead, everyone has to take care of himself without help rendered to another. The help is, however, offered on ground before flying in space. Similarly, the spiritual master, the father, the mother, the relatives, the husband, etc., can all render help during one’s lifetime, but while crossing the sea one has to take care of himself and utilize the instructions formerly received. Draupadī had five husbands, and no one asked Draupadī to come, but Draupadī had to take care of herself without waiting for her great husbands. And because she was already trained up, she at once took to the concentration of the lotus feet of Lord Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The wives also got the same result as their husbands in the same manner, that is to say that without changing the body they reached the destination of back to Godhead. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākur suggests that both Draupadī and Subhadrā, although her name is not mentioned herein, got the same result. None of them had to quit the body.