Chapter 265

Vaisampayana said, “O Bharata, Kotikakhya related to those princes whohad been waiting, all that had passed between him and Krishna. Andhearing Kotikakhya’s words, Jayadratha said to that scion of the race ofSivi, ‘Having listened only to her speech, my heart has been lovinglyinclined towards that ornament of womankind. Why therefore, hast thoureturned (thus unsuccessful)? I tell thee truly, O thou of mighty arms,that having once seen this lady, other women now seem to me like so manymonkeys. I having looked at her, she has captivated my heart. Do tell me,O Saivya, if that excellent lady is of the human kind.’ Kotika replied,’This lady is the famous princess Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, andthe celebrated wife of the five sons of Pandu. She is the much esteemedand beloved and chaste wife of the sons of Pritha. Taking her with thee,do thou proceed towards Sauvira!'”

Vaisampayana continued, ‘Thus addressed, the evil-minded Jayadratha, theking of Sindhu, Sauvira and other countries, said, ‘I must see Draupadi.’And with six other men he entered that solitary hermitage, like a wolfentering the den of a lion. And he said unto Krishna, ‘Hail to thee,excellent lady! Are thy husbands well and those, besides, whoseprosperity thou always wishest.’ Draupadi replied, ‘Kunti’s son kingYudhishthira of the race of Kuru, his brothers, myself, and all those ofwhom thou hast enquired of, are well. Is everything right with thykingdom, thy government, exchequer, and thy army? Art thou, as soleruler, governing with justice the rich countries of Saivya, Sivi, Sindhuand others that thou hast brought under thy sway? Do thou, O prince,accept this water for washing thy feet. Do thou also take this seat. Ioffer thee fifty animals for thy train’s breakfast. Besides these,Yudhishthira himself, the son of Kunti, will give thee porcine deer andNanku deer, and does, and antelopes, and Sarabhas, and rabbits, and Rurudeer, and bears, and Samvara deer and gayals and many other animals,besides wild boars and buffaloes and other animals of the quadrupedtribe.’ Hearing this Jayadratha replied, saying, ‘All is well with me. Byoffering to provide our breakfast, thou hast in a manner actually doneit. Come now and ride my chariot and be completely happy. For it becomesnot thee to have any regard for the miserable sons of Pritha who areliving in the woods, whose energies have been paralysed, whose kingdomhath been snatched and whose fortunes are at the lowest ebb. A woman ofsense like thee doth not attach herself to a husband that is poor. Sheshould follow her lord when he is in prosperity but abandon him when inadversity. The sons of Pandu have for ever fallen away from their highstate, and have lost their kingdom for all time to come. Thou hast noneed, therefore, to partake of their misery from any regard for them.Therefore, O thou of beautiful hips, forsaking the sons of Pandu, behappy by becoming my wife, and share thou with me the kingdoms of Sindhuand Sauvira.'”

Vaisampayana continued, “Hearing these frightful words of the king ofSindhu, Krishna retired from that place, her face furrowed into a frownowing to the contraction of her eye-brows. But disregarding his wordsfrom supreme contempt, the slender-waisted Krishna reproving said untothe king of Sindhu, ‘Speak not thus again! Art thou not ashamed? Be onthy guard!’ And that lady of irreproachable character anxiously expectingthe return of her husband, began, with long speeches, to beguile himcompletely.”