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44. VIRTUE VINDICATED
Draupadi was too shy to speak of this to
Sudeshna or to others. She gave out that
her husbands were Gandharvas who
would mysteriously kill those who tried to
dishonor her.
Her good conduct and lustre made every
one believe in her story about the
Gandharvas. But Kichaka was not to be
frightened so easily and he sought
persistently to seduce Draupadi.
His persecution became so intolerable that
at last she complained of it to Queen
Sudeshna, and implored her protection.
Kichaka, of course, had greater influence
over his sister, and he shamelessly
confided to her his unlawful passion for
her maid and sought her aid to compass
his wish.
He represented himself as dying of desire.
"I am so full of torment," he said, "that
from the time I met your maid, I do not
get any sleep or rest. You must save my
life by managing somehow to make her
receive my advances favorably." The
queen tried to dissuade him but Kichaka
would not listen. And finally Sudeshna
yielded. Both of them decided upon a plan
to entrap Draupadi.
One night, many sweetmeats and
intoxicating drinks were prepared in the
house of Kichaka and a great feast was
arranged. Sudeshna called Sairandhri to
her side and handing her a beautiful
golden jug bade her go and bring her a jug
of wine from Kichaka's house.
Draupadi hesitated to go to the house of
the infatuated Kichaka at that hour and
begged hard that someone else of her
many attendants might be sent, but
Sudeshna did not listen. She pretended to
be angry and said sharply: "Go, you must.
I can not send anyone else," and poor
Draupadi had to obey.
Draupadi's fears were justified. When she
reached Kichaka's house, that wretch,
maddened with lust and wine, began to
pester her with urgent entreaties and
solicitations.
She rejected his prayers and said: "Why
do you, who belong to a noble royal
family, seek me, born of a low caste?
Why do you take to the wrong path? Why
do you approach me, a married lady? You
will perish. My protectors, the
Gandharvas, will kill you in their anger."
When Draupadi would not yield to his
entreaties, Kichaka seized her by the arm
and pulled her about. But putting down
the vessel she carried, she wrenched
herself free and fled, hotly pursued by the
maddened Kichaka.
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