Adhyaya 268

Verse 1

वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--भारत! पूर्वोक्त प्रकारसे रथपर बैठे हुए उन सब राजाओंके पास जाकर कोटिकास्थने द्रौपदीके साथ उसकी जो-जो बातें हुई थीं

Vaiśampāyana said: “O Bhārata! Koṭikāsya went to those kings seated upon their chariots as described before, and related to them all that had passed in speech between him and Draupadī.” Thus, in the Śrī Mahābhārata, within the Vana Parva, in the section on Draupadī’s abduction, the two-hundred and sixty-seventh chapter—concerning the dialogue of Jayadratha and Draupadī—was completed. Vaiśampāyana said: With her voice shaken by anger and ardor, her eyes reddened, her brows alternately lowered and raised, and her face quivering, the daughter of Drupada spoke again to that king of a land of mighty warriors.

Verse 2

कोटिकास्यवच: श्रुत्वा शैब्यं सौवीरको<ब्रवीत्‌ । यदा वाचं व्याहरन्त्यामस्यां मे रमते मनः

Hearing the words of Koṭikāsya, the king of Sauvīra addressed Śaibya: “Whenever she speaks in this manner, my mind takes delight in her words.”

Verse 3

सीमन्तिनीनां मुख्यायां विनिवृत्त: कथं भवान्‌ । एतां दृष्ट्वा स्त्रियो मेडन्या यथा शाखामृगस्त्रिय:

Vaiśampāyana said: “How is it that you have turned back from the foremost among women? On seeing her, the women of the Meḍa country are stirred and drawn after her—like the females of tree-dwelling deer.”

Verse 4

प्रतिभान्ति महाबाहो सत्यमेतद्‌ ब्रवीमि ते । दर्शनादेव हि मनस्तया मे5पहतं भूशम्‌

Vaiśampāyana said: “O mighty-armed one, these things appear to me clearly; I tell you this truth. Indeed, from the very moment I beheld her, my mind has been utterly struck and overwhelmed by her.”

Verse 5

तां समाचक्ष्व कल्याणीं यदि स्याच्छैब्य मानुषी । कोटिकास्यकी बात सुनकर सौवीरनरेश जयद्रथने उससे कहा--“शैब्य! सुन्दरियोंमें सर्वश्रेष्ठ वह युवती जब तुमसे बातचीत कर रही थी

Koṭika said: “This indeed is Draupadī—Kṛṣṇā, the illustrious princess. Having met with her, O king of Sauvīra, proceed on your way facing toward Sauvīra.”

Verse 6

पज्चानां पाण्डुपुत्राणां महिषी सम्मता भृशम्‌ | सर्वेषां चैव पार्थानां प्रिया बहुमता सती

She is held in very high esteem as the chief queen of the five sons of Pāṇḍu; and indeed, among all the Pārthas she is beloved, greatly honored, and revered as a virtuous woman.

Verse 7

वैशग्पायन उवाच एवमुक्त: प्रत्युवाच पश्यामि द्रौपदीमिति

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Thus addressed, he replied, “I see Draupadī.”

Verse 8

स प्रविश्याश्रम॑ पुण्यं सिंहगोष्ठ वको यथा

Having entered that holy hermitage—like a wolf slipping into a lion’s den—he addressed Draupadī with feigned courtesy: “O fair-hipped lady, are you well? Are your husbands free from illness? And besides them, are all those whom you wish to see safe and thriving also healthy?”

Verse 9

आत्मना सप्तम: कृष्णामिदं वचनमत्रवीत्‌ । कुशल ते वरारोहे भर्तारस्ते5प्यनामया:

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: Then the seventh, speaking in his own person, addressed Kṛṣṇā with these words: “O fair-hipped lady, are you well? And are your husbands also safe and free from illness?”

Verse 10

द्रौपहुुवाच अपि ते कुशलं राजन्‌ राष्ट्र कोशे बले तथा

Draupadī said: “O King, are you yourself well? And is all well in your realm—your treasury and your military strength too?”

Verse 11

कच्चिदेक: शिबीनाब्यान्‌ सौवीरान्‌ सह सिन्धुभि: । अनुतिष्ठसि धर्मेण ये चान्ये विजितास्त्वया

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Are you, standing firm and undivided in purpose, governing in accordance with dharma the Śibi people, the Sauvīras together with the Sindhus, and all other lands that have been conquered by you?”

Verse 12

कौरव्य: कुशली राजा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । अहं च भ्रातरश्नास्य यांश्वान्यान्‌ परिपृच्छसि

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “O scion of the Kurus, King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī, is well. I too, and his brothers, and all the others about whom you inquire, are safe.”

Verse 13

जयद्रथ उवाच एहि मे रथमारोह सुखमाप्न॒हि केवलम्‌

Jayadratha said, “Come—mount my chariot. By doing so, you will attain comfort alone, without hardship.”

Verse 14

गतश्रीकांक्ष्युतान्‌ राज्यात्‌ कृपणान्‌ गतचेतस: । अरण्यवासिन: पार्थान्‌ नानुरोदधुं त्वमहसि

Jayadratha said: “You ought not to plead with the Pārthas—men who have fallen from royal fortune, been driven from their kingdom, become wretched and dispirited, and now live in the forest.”

Verse 15

नैव प्राज्ञा गतश्रीकं भर्तारमुपयुञ्जते । युञ्जानमनुयुञ्जीत न श्रिय: संक्षये वसेत्‌

Jayadratha said: “A wise woman does not attach herself to a husband whose fortune has departed. Rather, she should align herself with one who is actively striving; she should not remain where prosperity is in decline.”

Verse 16

जयद्रथने कहा--आओ चलो

Jayadratha said: “Come—mount my chariot and enjoy unbroken pleasure. The Pāṇḍavas have no wealth now; their kingdom has been taken away, and they have become wretched and dispirited. It does not befit you to follow these sons of Kuntī who live as forest-dwellers. Wise women, he claims, do not serve a husband who is destitute: one should remain with a lord only so long as Fortune stays with him; when his prosperity is destroyed, one should not stay there at all. The Pāṇḍu princes, he adds, have been bereft of royal splendor and sovereignty for many years—there is no need for you to endure hardship out of devotion to them.”

Verse 17

भार्या मे भव सुश्रोणि त्यजैनान्‌ सुखमाप्न॒हि । अखिलान्‌ सिन्धुसौवीरानाप्ठुहि त्वं मया सह

Jayadratha said: “Become my wife, O fair-hipped lady. Abandon these Pāṇḍavas and attain happiness. Living with me, O beautiful one, you will obtain the entire realms of Sindhu and Sauvīra and enjoy the status of a queen.”

Verse 18

वैशम्पायन उवाच इत्युक्ता सिन्धुराजेन वाक्‍्यं हृदयकम्पनम्‌ | कृष्णा तस्मादपाक्रामद्‌ देशात्‌ सभ्रुकुटीमुखी

Vaiśampāyana said: When she heard from the Sindhu king those words that made the heart tremble, Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) withdrew from that place. Her face tightened with anger, her brows drawn together—signaling indignation at the affront and the moral danger implicit in his speech.

Verse 19

अवमत्यास्य तद्‌ वाक्यमाक्षिप्य च सुमध्यमा । मैवमित्यब्रवीत्‌ कृष्णा लज्जस्वेति च सैन्धव

Scorning his proposal and casting aside those words, Kṛṣṇā, slender-waisted Draupadī, rebuked him sharply: “Not so! Never again let such speech pass your lips. O Saindhava, you ought to have felt shame.”

Verse 20

सा काड्क्षमाणा भर्तृणामुपयातमनिन्दिता । विलोभयामास पर वाक्यैर्वाक्यानि युड्जती

Draupadī, the blameless and devoted wife, longing for her husbands to arrive, began to keep the other man engaged—stringing words against words—using persuasive speech so as to detain him.

Verse 63

तया समेत्य सौवीर सौवीराभिमुखो व्रज । कोटिक बोला--सौवीरनरेश! यह यशस्विनी राजकुमारी ट्रुपदपुत्री कृष्णा ही है

Having met with her, O king of Sauvīra, proceed facing toward Sauvīra—take the road to your own country after paying her due regard. The instruction underscores proper conduct: one should honor a virtuous and revered lady—especially one held in esteem by the righteous—before continuing one’s journey.

Verse 76

पति: सौवीरसिन्धूनां दुष्टभावो जयद्रथ: । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! कोटिकास्यके ऐसा कहनेपर सौवीर और सिन्धु आदि देशोंके स्वामी जयद्रथने मनमें दुर्भावना लेकर उसे उत्तर दिया--'अच्छा

Vaiśampāyana said: Jayadratha, the ruler of the Sauvīras and the Sindhus, harbored a wicked intention. In response, he spoke with corrupt resolve—implying that he too would seek an illicit encounter with Draupadī.

Verse 93

येषां कुशलकामासि ते5पि कच्चिदनामया: । उसने अपने छ: भाइयोंके साथ स्वयं सातवाँ बनकर द्रौपदीके पवित्र आश्रममें प्रवेश किया

Vaiśampāyana said: “Are those for whose welfare you are concerned also free from illness and safe?” (In the narrative, the intruder enters Draupadī’s sacred hermitage with his six brothers—making himself the seventh—like a wolf slipping into a lion’s den, and with feigned courtesy asks after her well-being, the health of her husbands, and the safety of all others she wishes to see secure.)

Verse 123

पाद्य॑ प्रतिगृहाणेदमासनं च नृपात्मज । मेरे पति कुरुकुलरत्न कुन्तीकुमार राजा युधिष्ठिर सकुशल हैं। मैं

Vaiśampāyana said: “Prince, accept this water for washing your feet, and accept this seat. My husband—Yudhiṣṭhira, the Kuntī-born king, jewel of the Kuru line—is safe and well. I too, his four brothers, and all the others about whom you ask are likewise in good health. Take this water for the washing of your feet, and sit here upon this seat.”

Verse 267

(द्रौपदु॒वाच नैवं वद महाबाहो न्याय्य॑ं त्वं न च बुध्यसे ।।

Jayadratha said: “Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī), you do not understand the dharma of kings. For the wise declare that in this world women and jewels are ‘common’—objects open to appropriation.”