एवमुक्त्वा वरारोहा परिमृज्याननं शुभम्। केशान्विमुक्तान्संयम्य रुधिरेण समुक्षितान् ।। 58
Having spoken thus, the lovely-limbed woman wiped her beautiful face, gathered her loosened hair stained with blood.
पांसुकुण्ठितसर्वाङ्गी गजराजवधूरिव। प्रतस्थे नागनासोरूर्भर्तुराज्ञाय शासनम् ।। 59
Her whole body covered with dust, she moved like the queen of elephants, her thighs shaped like elephant trunks, obeying her husband's command.
विमुक्ता मृगशावाक्षी निरन्तरपयोधरा। प्रभा नक्षत्रराजस्य कालमेघैरिवावृता ।। 60
With fawn-like eyes and bare breasts, she shone like the light of the lord of stars veiled by dark clouds.
यस्यार्थे पाण्डवेयास्तु त्यजेयुरपि जीवितम्। तां ते दृष्ट्वा तथा कृष्णां क्षमिणो धर्मचारिणः। समयं नातिवर्तन्ते वेलामिव महोदधिः ।। 61
For whose sake the sons of Pandu would even give up their lives—seeing Krishna in such a state, those patient followers of dharma do not transgress their vow, like the ocean does not cross its shore.
सा प्रविश्य प्रवेपन्ती सुदेष्णाया निवेशनम्। रुदन्ती चारुसर्वाङ्गी तस्यास्तस्थावथाग्रतः ।। 62
Entering Sudeṣṇā's residence, trembling and weeping, the beautiful-limbed woman stood before her.
तामुवाच विराटस्य महिषी शाठ्यमास्थिता। किमिदं पद्मसंकाशं सुदन्तोष्ठाक्षिनासिकम् ।। 63
The queen of Virata, assuming a harsh tone, spoke to her: 'What is this, O one whose lips, eyes, and nose resemble a lotus?'
रुदन्त्या अवमृष्टास्रं पूर्णेन्दुसमवर्चसम्। बिम्बोष्ठं कृष्णताराभ्यामत्यन्तरुचिरप्रभम्। नयनाभ्यामजिह्याभ्यां मुखं ते मुञ्चते जलम् ।। 64
As you weep, tears fall from your eyes, shining like a full moon; your lips are red as a bimba fruit, your eyes dark as black stars, and from your mouth, water flows, making your face radiant.
कस्त्वाऽवधीद्वरारोहे कस्माद्रोदिषि शोभने। को विप्रयुज्यते दारैः सपुत्रैः सहबान्धवैः ।। 65
Who has harmed you, O beautiful one? Why do you cry, lovely lady? Who has been separated from wife, children, and kin?
कस्याद्य राजा कुपितो वधमाज्ञापयिष्यति। ब्रूहि किं ते प्रियं कर्म कं त्यजे घातयामि वा ।। 66
Whose anger will the king command to be punished today? Tell me, what do you desire? Whom should I abandon or slay for you?
तां निःश्वस्याब्रवीत्कृष्णा जानन्ती नाम पृच्छसि। भ्रातुस्त्वं मामनुप्रेष्य किमेवं हि विकत्थसे ।। 67
Krishna sighed and replied, 'You ask my name though you know it. You sent me by my brother, so why do you boast in this way?'
कीचको माऽवधीत्तत्र सुराहारीमितोगताम्। सभायां पश्यतो राज्ञो यथा वै निर्जने वने ।। 68
Kichaka did not kill me there, though he was intoxicated, as I entered the hall before the king, just as one might in a lonely forest.
घातयामि सुदन्तोष्ठि कीचकं यदि मन्यसे। भ्राता यद्येष मे व्यक्तं योऽतीतो धर्मचारिणीम्। यस्त्वां कामाभिभूतात्मा दुर्लभामवमन्यते ।। 69
If you wish, I will slay Kichaka, whose teeth are well-formed; if he is truly my brother, who has violated a woman of virtue, who, overcome by desire, has insulted you, so difficult to approach.
अद्यैव तं हनिष्यन्ति येषामागस्करो हि सः। मन्येऽहमद्य वा श्वो वा परलोकं गमिष्यति ।। 70
Today, those whose offense he has committed will kill him; I believe today or tomorrow he will depart for the next world.
भ्रातुः प्रयच्छ त्वरिता जीवच्छ्राद्धं त्वमद्य वै। सुहृष्टं कुरु वै चैनं नासून्मन्ये धरिष्यति ।। 71
Quickly offer the living funeral rites for your brother today; make him joyful, for I do not think he will keep his life.
तेषां हि मम भर्तॄणां पञ्चानां धर्मचारिणाम्। एको दुर्धषणोऽत्यर्थं बले चाप्रतिमो भुवि ।। 72
Of my five husbands, all righteous, one is especially fierce, unmatched in strength on earth.
निर्मनुष्यमिमं लोकं कुर्यात्क्रुद्धो निशामिमाम्। न स संक्रुध्यते तावद्गन्धर्वः कामरूपधृत् ।। 73
If angered, he could make this world devoid of people in a single night; but the Gandharva, who takes any form he wishes, does not become angry yet.
नूनं ज्ञास्यति यावद्वै ममैतत्पादघातनम्। तत्क्षणात्कीचकः पापः सपुत्रभ्रातृबान्धवः। विनशिष्यति दुष्टात्मा यथा दुष्कृतकर्मकृत् ।। 74
Surely, when he learns of this blow to my foot, at that moment, the wicked Kichaka, along with his sons, brothers, and kin, will perish, just as one who has committed evil deeds.
अपि चैतत्पुरा प्रोक्तं निपुणैर्मनुजोत्तमैः। एकस्तु कुरुते पापं कालपाशवशं गतः। नीचेनात्मापराधेन कुलं तेन विनश्यति ।। 75
Indeed, it has been said before by wise and noble men: when one commits evil, bound by the noose of fate, his whole family is destroyed by his own wrongdoing.
सुदेष्णामेवमुक्त्वा तु सैरन्ध्री दुःखमोहिता। कीचकस्य वधार्थाय व्रतदीक्षामुपागमत् ।। 76
Having spoken thus to Sudeshna, Sairandhri, overwhelmed by sorrow, undertook a vow for the purpose of Kichaka's death.
अभ्यर्थिता च नारीभिर्मानिता च सुदेष्णया। न च स्नाति न चाश्नाति न पांसून्परिमार्जति। रुधिरक्लिन्नवदना बभूव मृदितेक्षणा ।। 77
Requested by the women and honored by Sudeshna, she neither bathed nor ate, nor cleaned herself; her face was stained with blood, her eyes bruised.
तां तथा शोकसन्तप्तां दृष्ट्वा प्ररुदितां स्त्रियः। कीचकस्य वधं सर्वा मनोभिश्च शशंसिरे ।। 78
Seeing her so afflicted by grief and weeping, the women wished in their hearts for Kichaka's death.
अहो दुःखतरं प्राप्ता कीचकेन पदा हता। पतिव्रता महाभागा द्रौपदी योषितांवरा ।। 1
Alas, Draupadi, the most fortunate and virtuous among women, has suffered greater sorrow, struck by Kichaka's foot.
दुःशलां स्मारयन्ती सा भर्तॄणां भगिनीं शुभाम्। नाशपत्सिन्धुराजं सा बलात्कारेण वाहिता ।। 2
She recalls Duhshala, the noble sister of her husbands, who was carried away by the king of Sindhu by force.
किमर्थमिह संप्राप्ता कीचकेन दुरात्मना । नाशपत्तं महाभागा कृष्णा पादेन ताडिता ।। 3
Why has the noble Krishna come here, struck by the wicked Kichaka's foot, though she is most blessed?
तेजोराशिरियं देवी धर्मज्ञा सत्यवादिनी । केशपांशे परामृष्टा मर्षयन्ती ह्यशक्तवत् ।। 4
This goddess, a treasury of energy, knower of righteousness, and speaker of truth, endured being seized by the hair, bearing it as one powerless.
नैतत्कारणमल्पं हि श्रोतुकामोऽस्मि सत्तम। कृष्णायास्तु परिक्लेशान्मनो मे दूयते भृशम् ।। 5
This is not a trivial matter; I wish to hear the reason, O noble one. My heart is greatly troubled by the hardships Kṛṣṇā has endured.
कस्य वंशे समुद्भूतः स च दुर्ललितो मुने । बलोन्मत्तः कथं चासीत्स्यालो मात्स्यस्य कीचकः ।। 6
In what lineage was that difficult-to-control Kīcaka born, O sage? How did he, intoxicated by strength, become the brother-in-law of the Matsya king?
दृष्ट्वापि तां प्रियां भार्यां सूतपुत्रेण ताडिताम् । नैव चुक्षुभिरे वीराः किमकुर्वन्त तं प्रति ।। 7
Even after seeing their beloved wife struck by the charioteer's son, the heroes did not become agitated; what did they do in response to him?
त्वदुक्तोऽयमनुप्रश्नः कुरूणां कीर्तिवर्धनः। एतत्सर्वं यथा वक्ष्ये विस्तरेणेह पार्थिव ।। 8
This question you have asked, which increases the fame of the Kurus, I shall explain to you fully, O king, just as it happened.
ब्राह्मण्यां क्षत्रियाञ्जातः सूतो भवति पार्थिव । प्रातिलोम्येन जातानां स ह्येको द्विज एव तु ।। 9
When a charioteer is born from a Kṣatriya father and a Brāhmaṇa mother, O king, he is the only twice-born among those born from mixed unions.