After the Kurukshetra war, Draupadī — though a queen again — remained deeply sorrowful. Her smile, once radiant, vanished. In some tellings, this was not just grief but a divine curse:
A sage (sometimes Narada, sometimes a forest hermit) cursed her that as long as her heart was divided in love — between her five husbands, especially between Arjuna and Bhima — her smile would fade, and peace would elude her.
This curse symbolized emotional imbalance, the tension between desire and dharma.
🌊 Bhīma’s Vow and the Blue Lotus
To break the curse, Bhīma (Vim in your story’s spelling) was told by a divine messenger — sometimes Krishna, sometimes a celestial voice — that:
“Only the fragrance of the neel kamal, the blue lotus that blooms beyond the mortal world, can bring back the Queen’s lost smile.”
Bhīma, always the most emotional and devoted among the Pandavas, took it as a personal mission. He journeyed through forests, mountains, and even underworld realms to find that mystical flower.
💙 The Symbolism of the Blue Lotus
The blue lotus (neel kamal) is an ancient symbol of:
Transcendent love — love purified of jealousy or ego. Spiritual awakening — rising unstained from muddy waters. Inner peace — Draupadī’s smile represents serenity restored.
Thus, when Bhīma finally brings the flower, it’s not merely an act of love but of atonement. He proves his devotion is not possession but liberation — freeing her from pain, and himself from guilt.