Shloka 11
Adhyāya 14: Sudēṣṇā Sends Sairandhrī to Kīcaka’s House (सुदेष्णा–सैरन्ध्री–कीचक संवादः)
तत:ः सुदेष्णामनुमन्त्रय कीचक- सतत: समभ्येत्य नराधिपात्मजाम् | उवाच कृष्णामभिसान्त्वयंस्तदा मृगेन्द्रकन्यामिव जम्बुको वने,तदनन्तर रानी सुदेष्णाकी सम्मति ले कीचक राजकुमारी द्रौपदीके पास आकर उसे सान्त्वना देता हुआ बोला; मानो वनमें कोई सियार किसी सिंहकी कनन््याको फुसला रहा हो
tataḥ sudeṣṇām anumantṛya kīcakaḥ satataḥ samabhyetya narādhipātmajām | uvāca kṛṣṇām abhisāntvayaṃs tadā mṛgendrakanyām iva jambuko vane ||
त्यानंतर कीचकाने राणी सुदेष्णेची संमती घेऊन वारंवार राजकन्या द्रौपदीकडे येत, कृष्णेला (द्रौपदीला) सांत्वन देण्याच्या बहाण्याने फुसलवत बोलू लागला—जणू वनात एखादा कोल्हा सिंहिणीच्या कन्येला भुलवू पाहत आहे।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns predatory persuasion disguised as consolation: when a powerful man uses influence (even the queen’s assent) to pressure a virtuous woman, it is ethically base. The jackal–lioness simile highlights cowardice, impropriety, and the mismatch between Kīcaka’s character and Draupadī’s dignity.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Kīcaka, after securing Queen Sudeṣṇā’s consent, repeatedly goes to Draupadī and speaks to her in a coaxing, ‘comforting’ manner. The narrator frames his approach as deceitful and ignoble through the image of a jackal trying to entice a lioness’s daughter in the forest.