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
tataḥ sudeṣṇām anumantṛya kīcakaḥ satataḥ samabhyetya narādhipātmajām | uvāca kṛṣṇām abhisāntvayaṃs tadā mṛgendrakanyām iva jambuko vane ||
Pagkaraan, si Kīcaka, matapos makuha ang pagsang-ayon ni Reyna Sudeṣṇā, ay paulit-ulit na lumapit sa anak na babae ng hari (Draupadī). Noon, sinikap niyang pagaanin at akitin si Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) sa pamamagitan ng mapanlinlang na pananalita—na wari’y isang asong-gubat sa kagubatan na nagnanais dayain ang anak ng isang leonang babae.
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.