भर्तृशोकपरीताङ्गी भर्तृसब्रह्मचारिणी । विचरामि महीं दुर्गां यत्र सायंनिवेशना ।। 49
Afflicted in body by grief for my husband, and observing chastity for his sake, I roam this difficult earth, seeking a place to rest at night.
वीरपत्नी यदा देवी चरमाणेषु भर्तृषु। साऽहं विवत्सा विधिना गन्धमादनपर्वतात्। शृणोमि तव सौशील्यं भर्तुर्मधुरभाषिणि ।। 50
When the goddess, wife of a hero, wanders after her husband, I, left alone by fate on Mount Gandhamadana, heard of your noble character, O sweet-spoken wife.
माहात्म्यं च ततः श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणानां समीपतः। त्वामुपस्थातुमिच्छामि ततश्चाहमिहागता ।। 51
Having heard of your greatness from the Brahmanas, I wished to approach you, and thus I have come here.
गुरवो मम धर्मश्च वायुः शक्रस्तथाऽश्विनौ । तेषां प्रसादाच्च न मां कश्चिद्धर्षयते पुमान् ।। 52
My teachers, my duty, the Wind, Indra, and the Ashvins—all these protect me by their grace, so that no man dares to harm me.
एवमुक्त्वा सुदेष्णां तां कृताञ्जलिपुटा स्थिता। साऽब्रवीद्विस्मयाविष्टा द्रौपदीं योषितां वराम् ।। 53
Having spoken thus to Sudeshna, she stood with joined palms; then, filled with wonder, she addressed Draupadi, the best of women.
न भरेयमहं भद्रे संशयो मम विद्यते। राजा त्वयं हि त्वां दृष्ट्वा मतिं पापां करिष्यति ।। 54
O gentle lady, I am uncertain whether I can bear this; for when the king sees you, he will surely be seized by evil intent.
साऽहं त्वां न क्षमां मन्ये वसन्तीमिह वेश्मनि। एष दोषोस्ति सुश्रोणि कथं वाभीरु मन्यसे ।। 55
Therefore, I do not think it proper for you to stay here in my house; this is the fault, O lovely-hipped one—how do you, timid woman, consider it?
स्थिता राजकुले नार्यो याश्चेमा मम वेश्मनि। त्वामेवैकां निरीक्षन्ते विस्मयाद्वरवर्णिनि ।। 56
The women who dwell in the royal household and those in my own palace all gaze at you alone in astonishment, O woman of excellent complexion.
वृक्षांश्चोपस्थितान्पश्य य इमे मम वेश्मनि। विनमन्ते हि त्वां दृष्ट्वा पुमांसं कं न लोभयेः ।। 57
See even the trees standing here in my house—they bow down when they see you; what man would not be tempted by you?
बिभर्षि परमं रूपमतिमानुषमद्भुतम्। तिर्यग्योनिगताश्चापि निरीक्षन्ते सविस्मयाः । तव रूपमनिन्द्याङ्गि किं पुनर्मानवा भुवि ।। 58
You possess supreme beauty, wondrous and beyond human; even creatures of other births look upon you in amazement. O faultless one, what then of men on earth?
राजा विराटः सुश्रोणि दृष्ट्वा ते परमं वपुः। मां विहाय वरारोहे त्वां गच्छेत्सर्वचेतसा ।। 59
O lovely-hipped one, if King Virata sees your supreme form, he will abandon me, O beautiful one, and turn to you with all his heart.
यं हि त्वमनवद्याङ्गी नरमायतलोचने। सुप्रसन्ना हि वीक्षेथाः स कामवरागो भवेत् ।। 60
O flawless-limbed, wide-eyed lady, any man upon whom you cast a gracious glance becomes filled with passionate longing.
सुस्नाताऽलंकृता हि त्वं यमीक्षेथा हि मानुषम्। ग्लानिर्न तस्य दुःखं वा न तन्द्रिर्न पराजयः ।। 61
If you, having bathed and adorned yourself, should look upon a man, neither weariness nor sorrow nor fatigue nor defeat will befall him.
न शोको न च सन्तापो न क्रोधो नानृतं वदे। यं त्वं सर्वातवद्याङ्गि भजेथाः समलंकृता ।। 62
No grief, no distress, no anger, nor falsehood will touch the one whom you, O faultless-limbed lady, choose to favor while adorned.
न व्याधिर्न जरा तस्य न तृष्णा न क्षुधा भवेत्। यस्य त्वं वशगा सुभ्रु भवेरङ्कगता सती ।। 63
No illness, no old age, no thirst, nor hunger will arise for him in whose power you, O beautiful-browed one, remain, seated upon his lap.
पञ्चत्वमपि संप्राप्तं यं च त्वं परिपस्वजेः। बाहुभ्यामनुरूपाभ्यां स जीवेदिति मे मतिः ।। 64
Even if someone has reached death's door, if you embrace him with your fitting arms, I believe he would live on.
यस्य हि त्वं भवेर्भार्या यं च हृष्टा परिष्वजेः । अतिजीवेस्य सर्वेषु देवेष्विव पुरन्दरः ।। 65
He for whom you become a wife, whom you joyfully embrace, would surpass all others in longevity, like Indra among the gods.
अध्यारोहेद्यथा वृक्षं यथा वाऽऽरुह्य तक्षति। राजवेश्मनि वामोरु ननु स्यास्त्वं तथा मम ।। 66
Just as one climbs a tree or descends to carve it, so, O slender-thighed one, should you be in the royal palace for me.
यथा कर्कटकी गर्भमाधत्ते मृत्युमात्मनः। तथाविधमहं मन्ये तव सुभ्रु समागमम् ।। 67
Just as the female scorpion carries within her the seed of her own destruction, so, O beautiful-browed one, I consider union with you to be of that kind.
अनुमानये त्वां सैरन्ध्रि नावमन्ये कथंचन। भर्तृशीलभयाद्भद्रे तव वासं न रोचये ।। 68
I suspect you, Sairandhri, but do not fully trust you; out of fear for your husband's character, O gentle one, I do not desire your presence.
नाहं शक्या विराटेन यद्वा चान्येन केनचित्। देवगन्धर्वयक्षैर्वा द्रष्टुं दुष्टेन चेतसा ।। 69
Neither King Virata nor anyone else, not even gods, Gandharvas, or Yakshas with evil intent, are able to look upon me.
गन्धर्वाः पालयन्ते मां सुकुलाः पञ्च सुव्रताः । पुत्रा देवादिदेवानां सूर्यपावकवर्चसः ।। 70
Five noble Gandharvas, sons of the foremost gods, radiant as the sun and fire, protect me, steadfast in their vows.
यश्च दुःशीलवान्मर्त्यो मां स्पृशेद्दुष्टचेतसा। स तामेव निशां शीघ्रं शयीत मुसलैर्हतः ।। 71
Any man of wicked conduct who touches me with evil intent will swiftly meet his end that very night, struck down by clubs.
यस्यापि हि शतं पूर्णं बान्धवानां भवेदपि। सहस्रं वा विशालाक्षि कोटिर्वापि सहस्रिका । दुष्टचित्तश्च मां ब्रूयान्न स जीवेत्तवाग्रतः ।। 72
Even if someone has a hundred, a thousand, or even a crore of relatives, O wide-eyed one, if he addresses me with evil intent, he will not live before you.
न तस्य त्रिदशा देवा नासुरा न च पन्नगाः। तेभ्यो गन्धर्वराजेभ्यस्त्राणं कुर्युरसंशयम् ।। 73
Neither the gods of the thirty-three, nor the Asuras, nor the serpents, nor even the kings of the Gandharvas could protect such a one, without doubt.
सुदेष्णे विश्वस त्वं मां स्वजने बान्धवेऽपि वा । नाहं शक्या नरैर्द्रष्टुं न च मे वृत्तमीदृशम् ।। 74
O Sudeshna, trust me, whether among your own people or relatives; no man can look upon me, nor is my conduct of such a kind.
यो मे न दद्यादुच्छिष्टं न च पादौ प्रधावयेत्। प्रीयेरंस्तेन वासेन गन्धर्वाः पतयो मम ।। 75
If anyone does not offer me his leftovers or wash my feet, my Gandharva husbands would be pleased with such a residence.
यो हि मां पुरुषो गृद्ध्येद्यथाऽन्याः प्राकृतस्त्रियः। तामेव स इमां रात्रिं प्रविशेदपरां तनुम् ।। 76
If any man should covet me as ordinary men do other women, that very night he would enter another body.
न चाप्यहं चालयितुं शक्या केनचिदङ्गने। दुःखशीलाश्च गन्धर्वास्त इमे बलिनः प्रियाः । एवं निवसमानायां मयि मा ते भयं हि भूत् ।। 77
Nor can any woman move me from my resolve; these Gandharvas, my beloveds, are fierce by nature and strong. While I dwell here, let there be no fear for you.
एवमुक्ता तु सैरन्ध्र्या सुदेष्णा वाक्यमब्रवीत्। वसेह मयि कल्याणि यदि ते वृत्तमीदृशम् ।। 78
Thus addressed by Sairandhri, Sudeshna spoke these words: 'Stay here with me, O blessed one, if your conduct is truly so.'