Which Kaurava attempted to disrobe Draupadi?

Dushasana was the Kaurava who attempted to disrobe Draupadi in the royal assembly. Acting at the command of his elder brother Duryodhana, he dragged her into the court after Yudhishthira lost a dice game.

The episode follows the Pandavas’ disastrous gambling match against Shakuni, who played on Duryodhana’s behalf. After Yudhishthira lost his wealth, kingdom, brothers, and himself, Draupadi was summoned and treated as a prize. Dushasana seized her by the hair and tried to remove her clothing before the assembled elders and kings.

In many popular tellings, Krishna protected Draupadi by making her sari endless, so Dushasana could not strip her. Scholarly discussions note that this miraculous detail varies among textual versions, but Dushasana’s role in dragging Draupadi to the court and attempting her disrobing is central to the story.

The outrage led Bhima to vow revenge. During the Kurukshetra War, Bhima killed Dushasana and fulfilled his oath. Karna and Duryodhana also contributed to the humiliation, but Dushasana was the Kaurava who physically attempted the disrobing.