Author(s): Monalisa Barik, Pratikshya Priyadarshini Nath, Bikash Kumar Pal

Abstract: In the chronicles of Indian culture and literature, Draupadi transcends her status as a mere mythical figure; she stands as a formidable emblem of women's empowerment and unyielding social defiance. This research treatise delivers a penetrating comparative dissection of the psychological metamorphosis in Draupadi's character, commencing from Sage Byasa's primordial Mahabharata, traversing Sudramuni Sarala Das's Sarala Mahabharata, and culminating in Pratibha Ray's Yajnaseni. Where Byasa's Draupadi emerges as an indomitable "Agnismbhaba" (fire-born) warrior who brazenly confronts patriarchal dominion, Sarala Das weaves her essence into the earthy fabric of Odisha's soil, rustic existence, and profound human sensitivities, bestowing a starkly realistic incarnation. In contemporary times, Dr. Pratibha Ray, through her novel Yajnaseni, elevates Draupadi to an autonomous sovereign self, wielding a feminist lens to bring society's entrenched patriarchal ethos into critical scrutiny. Across epochs, Odia literature has masterfully channelled Draupadi's archetype to portray the intricate tapestry of women's existential struggle, their awakened claim to sovereignty, and the raw contours of societal realities with remarkable subtlety.

Keywords: Byasa Mahabharata, Sarala Mahabharata, Pratibha Ray Yajnaseni, Draupadi, Female Characters, Odia Culture, Patriarchal, Evolution

Article Info: Received: 27 Jan 2026; Received in revised form: 25 Feb 2026; Accepted: 28 Feb 2026; Available online: 05 Mar 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.112.2