Kichaka-Vadha Parva — Contempt of Draupadi

Kichaka said O fair one of beautiful tresses with curls at the end, you are welcome; very luckily for me the night has passed. I have got you as the mistress of my house, pray do what is good to me,

Let golden chains, couches, brilliant golden ear-rings of different countries, beautiful gems and jewels, silken garments and dcer skins be gathered for you.

I have a very fine bed prepared only for you; pray come there and drink with me the honeyed wine.

Draupadi said The princess has sent me to you for taking away wine; give it to me quickly, she said to ine she has a great thirst.

Kichaka said O gentle one, others will take the wine that has been wromised to the princess, Saying this the Suta's son seized her by the right arm.

Draupadi said As I have never acted faithlessly towards my husbands, even at heart through infatuation; by virtue of that truth, O sinful one, I shall behold you overpowered and completely hurled down on the ground.

Vaishampayana said Wishing thus to take hold of her Kichaka, seeing that large-eyed lady reproaching him in this wise, seized her by the end of her upper garment while she was about to run away.

But seized with great force the princess of excellent limbs began to pant and unable to put up with it, she, with a frame trembling in wrath, hurled him hard on the ground. Being thus thrown down by her that sinful one fell to the ground like a tree whose root has been cut.

Having thus thrown Kichaka down on the ground while seized by him she ran trembling to the court, where the king Yudhishthira was, to seek protection.

Kichaka seized her by the locks while she was running with speed and struck her down by a kick in the very presence of the king.

0 Bharata, the Rakshasa that was appointed by the sun-god for her protection, gave a push to Kichaka with as much force as that of the wind.

Then he, completely overpowered by the Rakshasa might, fell down on the ground, reeling and motionless like a tree whose root has been cut.

Both Bhimasena and Yudhishthira, who were seated there, beheld with unforgiving attitude, that outrage on Krishna committed by Kichaka.

Desiring the death of that wicked Kichaka the high-minded Bhima began to knash his teeth in wrath.

His eyes with their lashes upraised, assumed the aspect of smoky dark, and terrible wrinkles covered with sweat appeared on his forehead.

That slayer of hostile heroes rubbed his forehead with his hand and incensed with ire desired many times to rise up in haste.

The king Yudhishthira, apprehending discovery, pressed his thumb with his own and commanded Bhima to desist.

Yudhishthira forbade Bhimasena who looked like an infuriated elephant beholding a large tree.

O cook, do you behold trees for fuel? If you are in need of faggots better gather them up from the trees abroad.

The weeping daughter of Draupadi, endowed with excellent hips, approaching the entrance of the court and beholding her lords of melancholy mood, tenacious in keeping up the disguise observing the pledge they had already sworn, burning with flashing eyes, spoke to the king of the Matsya's.

The son of a Suta has kicked me the honored spouse of those whose enemies can never sleep even if they reside in regions of anchorites (what to speak of their living in a country of their own).

The son of a Suta has kicked me, the respected consort of those who are truthful, devoted to Brahmans and used to give away without asking any thing in gift.

The son of a Suta has kicked me the beloved wife of those, the sounds of whose drums and twangs of whose bow are constantly heard.

The son of a Suta has kicked me the respected wife of those who are endowed with energy, and power of self-control, and who are exceedingly mighty and highly dignified.

The son of a Suta has kicked me the honored wife of those who, if they had not been tied down by duty, could destroy the whole of this world.

Alas where do those mighty warriors ramble in disguise today who grant refuge to those that come to solicit it.

How do these inighty personages of exceeding energy quietly suffer, like eunuchs, their beloved and chaste wife to be thus outraged by the son of a Suta?

Ah, where is their wrath, the prowess and the energy when they cannot protect their wife from being thus insulted by a wretch.

What can I do in the city of Virata, the defiler of virtue, who coolly allows my innocent self thus to be insulted although he sees it (with his own eyes).

The king does not act like a king in the slightest degree towards Kichaka. O king, your conduct is like that of a robber and does not become the royal court.

O Matsya, it is highly unbecoming that I should thus be outraged by this villain in the very presence of yours. Let all the courtiers mark this laxity on the part of Kichaka.

Neither Kichaka is virtuous nor ever is Matsya. The courtiers who wait upon the king are also destitute of virtue.

Vaishampayana said With words like these the graceful Krishna, with eyes teeming with tears, rebuked the king of the Matsya.

Virata said I do not know anything of your quarrel that happened out of our light. How can there be any justice on that score unless I go through the true version of the case.

Vaishampayana said Then the courtiers, hearing everything, praised Krishna and repeatedly exclaimed “well done well done,” and reproached Kichaka.

The Courtiers said Surely the man, who has this lady of expansive eyes and of all-graceful limbs for his wife, possesses every thing that is valuable and shall on.no occasion have to indulge in grief.

Surely such a lady, of exceeding grace an perfectly faultless limbs, is hardly to be found among men. Indeed she seems in all wise to be a goddess to us.

Vaishampayana said While the courtiers, seeing Krishna, were praising her in this way, there came from ire the drops of perspiration on the forehead of Yudhishthira.

Then the chief of the Kurus addressed the princess, his beloved consort, saying "O Sairandhri, do not stay here, go to the apartment of Sudeshna.

The wives of heroes endure pain for the sake of their husbands; but undergoing trouble in waiting upon their lords they at last go to the regions where their husbands depart.

Me-seems your Gandharva husbands of sun-like effulgence do not consider this as a befitting opportunity of giving vent to their spleen, and therefore do not run on to your succour.

O Sairandhri, you are ignorant of opportunity and therefore weep like an actress; you are causing annoyance in the court of the Matsya's while they are diverting themselves with gaming.

Retire, O Sairandhri, the Gandharvas will do what is agreeable to you. They will dispel your sorrow and make away with him who has wronged you.

Sairandhri said I practise piety for their sake who are extremely kind. They, of whom the eldest is addicted to dice, are to be oppressed by all.

Vaishampayana said Having said this the fair Krishna with loosened hair and eyes reddened with wrath, rushed on towards the apartments of Sudeshna.

On her having wept so long her countenance appeared like the lunar disc in the sky freed from the clouds.

Sudeshana said O beautiful one of excellent hips, who has slighted you, why do you weep. O gentle one, whose happiness will come to an end this day? Who has done wrong to you?

Draupadi said As I went to fetch wine for you Kichaka struck me in the court in the very presence of the king as if in the midst of a lonely forest.

Sudeshana said 50. O you of tresses with curly ends, if it be your will, I shall cause Kichaka to be slain, who maddened with lust, has insulted you utterly incapable of being won by him.

Sairandhri said Others whom he has wronged will slay him; I think he will certainly go this very day to the region of Yama (Death).