अध्याय १५ — कीचकस्य अत्याचारः, द्रौपद्याः सभाशरणगमनम्
Kīcaka’s coercion and Draupadī’s appeal in the assembly
न चाहमनवलद्याड्ि तव वेश्मनि भामिनि । कामवृत्ता भविष्यामि पतीनां व्यभिचारिणी,निर्दोष अंगोंवाली देवि! मैं आपके महलमें अपने पतियोंकी दृष्टिमें व्यभिचारिणी और स्वेच्छाचारिणी होकर नहीं रहूँगी
na cāham anavaladyāḍi tava veśmani bhāmini | kāmavṛttā bhaviṣyāmi patīnām vyabhicāriṇī ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó mulher de paixão ardente, não permanecerei em teu palácio de modo a parecer censurável. Não me tornarei uma mulher entregue ao próprio desejo, nem uma que seja tida por infiel a seus maridos.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse emphasizes dharma as moral self-restraint and the safeguarding of one’s reputation: a virtuous person refuses circumstances that could create suspicion of unfaithfulness or indulgence, even if no wrongdoing is intended.
In the Virāṭa episode, a woman speaks firmly about not staying in another’s palace in a manner that would make her appear sexually wayward or disloyal to her husbands, underscoring her commitment to marital fidelity and social propriety.