इदं हि रूपं प्रथमं तवानघे निरर्थकं केवलमद्य भामिनि । अधार्यमाणा स्नगिवोत्तमा शुभा न शोभसे सुन्दरि शोभना सती ।। 32
O flawless one, this beauty of yours is now wasted, lovely lady, for you do not wear the finest garments; you do not shine, beautiful one, though you are truly radiant.
त्यजामि दारान्मम ये पुरातना भवन्तु दास्यस्तव चारुहासिनि । अहं च ते सुन्दरि दासवत्स्थितः सदा भविष्ये वशगो वरानने ।। 33
I renounce my former wives; let them become your servants, O lovely-smiling one. And I, beautiful lady, shall always remain as your servant, entirely under your control.
एवमुक्ताऽनवद्याङ्गी कीचकेन दुरात्मना । द्रौपदी तमुवाचेदं सैरन्ध्रीवेषधारिणी ।। 1
Thus addressed by Kīcaka, the wicked one, the faultless-limbed Draupadī, disguised as a maidservant, replied to him as follows.
अप्रार्थनीयामिहं मां सूतपुत्राभिमन्यसे। निहीनवर्णां सैरेन्ध्रीं बीभत्सां केशकारिणीम् ।। 2
You, son of a sūta, desire me, though I am unworthy of such attention—low-born, a maidservant, repulsive, and with disheveled hair.
परदाराऽस्मि भद्रं ते न युक्तं तव सांप्रतम्। दयिताः प्राणिनां दारा धर्मं समनुचिन्तय ।। 3
I am another man's wife, may good come to you; it is not right for you now. Wives are dear to living beings—reflect on righteousness.
परदारे न ते बुद्धिर्जातु कार्या कथंचन । विवर्जनं ह्यकार्याणामेतत्सुपुरुषव्रतम् ।। 4
You should never set your mind on another man's wife; avoidance of what is improper is the vow of noble men.
मिथ्याभिगृध्नो हि नरः पापात्मा मोहमास्थितः । अयशः प्राप्नुयाद्धोरं महद्वा प्राप्नुयाद्भयम् ।। 5
A man who covets wrongly, with an evil mind and deluded, gains terrible disgrace and may also meet with great danger.
एवमुक्तस्तु सैरन्ध्र्या कीचकः काममोहितः। जानन्नपि सुदुर्बुद्धिः परदाराभिमर्शने ।। 6
Even after being thus addressed by Sairandhrī, Kīcaka, overcome by desire, though knowing better, persisted in his intention toward another man's wife.
दोषान्बहून्प्राणहरान्सर्वलोकविगर्हितान् । प्रोवाचेदं सुदुर्बुद्धिर्द्रौपदीमजितेन्द्रियः ।। 7
That man of exceedingly poor judgment, uncontrolled in his senses, spoke these many grievous, life-destroying faults, condemned by all people, to Draupadī.
नार्हस्येवं वरारोहे प्रत्याख्यातुं वरानने । मां मन्मथसमाविष्टं त्वत्कृते चारुहासिनि ।। 8
O lovely-faced one with charming smile, you ought not to reject me in this way, for I am seized by desire for you.
प्रत्याख्याय च मां भीरु वशगं प्रियवादिनम् । नूनं त्वमसितापाङ्गि पश्चात्तापं करिष्यसि ।। 9
And if you reject me, O timid one with dark eyes, though I am devoted and speak kindly, you will surely regret it later.
अहं हि सुभ्रु राज्यस्य कृत्स्नस्यास्य सुमध्यमे । प्रभुर्वासयिता चैव वीर्ये चाप्रतिमः क्षितौ ।। 10
O beautiful-browed one with slender waist, I am the lord of this entire kingdom, its sustainer, and unmatched in prowess on this earth.
पृथिव्यां मत्समो नास्ति कश्चिदन्यः पुमानिह । रूपयौवनसौभाग्यैर्भोगैश्चानुत्तमैः शुभैः ।। 11
There is no other man on earth equal to me in beauty, youth, good fortune, and the finest enjoyments.
सर्वकामसमृद्धेषु भोगेष्वनुपमेष्विह। भोक्तव्येषु च कल्याणि कस्माद्दास्ये रता ह्यसि ।। 12
O blessed one, when there are unparalleled pleasures here, filled with every desire, why are you devoted to servitude?
मया दत्तमिदं राज्यं स्वामिन्यसि शुभानने। भजस्व मां वरारोहे भुङ्क्ष्वं भोगाननुत्तमान् ।। 13
I have given you this kingdom, O lovely-faced mistress; accept me and enjoy the supreme pleasures.
एवमुक्ता तु सा साध्वी कीचकेनाशुभं वचः। कीचकं प्रत्युवाचेदं गर्हयन्त्यस्य तद्वचः ।। 14
Thus addressed with evil words by Kīcaka, that virtuous lady reproached his speech and replied to him.
मा सूतपुत्र मुह्यस्व माऽद्य त्यक्ष्यस्व जीवितम्। जानीहि पञ्चभिर्घोरैर्नित्यं मामभिरक्षिताम् ।। 15
Do not lose your senses, son of a sūta, do not throw away your life today; know that I am always protected by five fierce men.
न चाप्यहं त्वया लभ्या गन्धर्वाः पतयो मम। ते त्वां निहन्युः कुपिताः साध्वलं मा व्यनीनशः ।। 16
Nor am I attainable by you; the Gandharvas are my husbands—if angered, they would slay you, whether openly or secretly.
अशक्यरूपं पुरुषैरध्वानं गन्तुमिच्छसि ।। 17
You wish to tread a path that no man is able to walk.
यथा निश्चेतनो बालः कूलस्थः कूलमुत्तरम्। तर्तुमिच्छति मन्दात्मा तथा त्वं कर्तुमिच्छसि ।। 18
Just as a senseless child standing on the bank wishes to cross to the other side, so do you, with a dull mind, wish to act.
अन्तर्महीं वा यदि वोर्ध्वमुत्पतेः समुद्रपारं यदि वा प्र तथापि तेषां न विमोक्षमर्हसि प्रमाथिनो देवसुता हि खेचराः
Even if you were to enter the earth or fly up, or cross beyond the ocean, still you would not escape them; for those sons of gods, moving in the sky, are destroyers.
त्वं कालरात्रीमिव कश्चिदातुरः किं मां दृढं पार्थयसेऽद्य किं मातुरङ्के शयितो यथा शिशुश्चन्द्रं जिघृक्षुरिव मन्यस
Why do you so persistently desire me today, as a sick man might long for the night of death, or as a child lying in its mother’s lap wishes to grasp the moon?
तेषां प्रियां प्रार्थयतो न ते भुवि गत्वा दिवं वा शरणं भ न वर्तते कीचक ते दृशा शुभं या तेन संजीवनमर्थयेत सा ।। 2
Kīcaka, for one who seeks the beloved of those men, there is no refuge on earth or in heaven; the one who would seek life by such a deed finds no safety.
प्रत्याख्यातश्च पाञ्चाल्या कीचकः काममोहितः। प्रविश्य राजभवनं भगिन्या अग्रतः स्थितः ।। 1
Rejected by Pāñcālī, Kīcaka, overcome by desire, entered the royal palace and stood before his sister.
सोभिवीक्ष्य सुकेशान्तां सुदेष्णां भगिनीं प्रियाम् । अमर्यादेन कामेन घोरेणाभिपरिप्लुतः ।। 2
Seeing his dear sister Sudeshnā, with her beautiful hair, he was overwhelmed by unrestrained, terrible passion.
स तु मूर्ध्र्यञ्जलिं कृत्वा भगिन्याश्चरणावुभौ । संमोहाभिहतस्तूर्णं वातोद्धृत इवार्णवः ।। 3
He then, with hands joined on his head, touched both feet of his sister, seized by bewilderment, like an ocean stirred by the wind.
स प्रोवाच सुदुःखार्तो भगिनीं निश्वसन्मुहुः । अव्यक्तमृदुना साम्ना शुष्यता च पुनःपुनः ।। 4
He, deeply distressed, spoke to his sister, sighing repeatedly, his words faint, gentle, and often breaking from dryness.
यथा सुदेष्णे सैरन्ध्र्या संगच्छेयं सकामया । तथा शीघ्रं कुरुष्वाद्य माऽहं प्राणान्प्रहासिषम् ।। 5
Arrange quickly today, so that I may meet Sairandhri with her willing consent, O Sudeṣṇā; otherwise, I may lose my very life.
यदीयमनवद्याङ्गी न मामद्यापि काङ्क्षते । चेतसाऽभिप्रसन्नेन गतोस्मि यमसादनम् ।। 6
If this flawless woman does not desire me even now, with a heart truly inclined, then I have already reached the abode of Yama.
तमुवाच परिष्वज्य सुदेष्णा भ्रातरं प्रियम्। भ्रातुर्जीवितरक्षार्थं समाश्वास्यासितेक्षणा ।। 7
Sudeṣṇā, with dark eyes, embraced her dear brother, and to protect his life, comforted him with gentle words.