04.023
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
te dṛṣṭvā nihatān sūtān rājñe gatvā nyavedayan। gandharvair nihatā rājaṁ sūta-putrāḥ paraḥ-śatāḥ॥04-23-1॥
Having seen the slain charioteers, they went to the king and informed him: "O king, hundreds of charioteers' sons have been slain by the Gandharvas." (04-23-1)
yathā vajreṇa vai dīrṇaṁ parvatasya mahacchiraḥ। vinikīrṇaṁ pradṛśyeta tathā sūtā mahītale ॥04-23-2॥
Just as the great summit of a mountain split by the thunderbolt is seen scattered, so was Sūta on the ground. (04-23-2)
sairaṃdhrī ca vimuktāsau punar āyāti te gṛham। sarvaṃ saṃśayitaṃ rājannagaraṃ te bhaviṣyati॥04-23-3॥
Sairandhrī, having been released, will return again to your house; O king, your entire city will become suspicious. (04-23-3)
tathā-rūpā hi sairandhrī gandharvāś ca mahā-balāḥ। puṁsām iṣṭaś ca viṣayaḥ maithunāya na saṁśayaḥ॥04-23-4॥
Indeed, Sairandhrī of such a form and the mighty Gandharvas are, for men, a desired object of union; there is no doubt. (04-23-4)
yathā sairandhriveṣeṇa na te rājan-idaṃ puram। vināśam-eti vai kṣipram tathā nītir-vidhīyatām ॥04-23-5॥
Just as the city, through the guise of Sairandhri, does not quickly reach destruction for you, O king, so should policy be established. (04-23-5)
teṣāṃ tadvacanaṃ śrutvā virāṭo vāhinīpatiḥ। abravītkriyatāmeṣāṃ sūtānāṃ paramakriyā ॥04-23-6॥
Having heard those words of theirs, Virāṭa, the commander of the army, said: "Let the highest funeral rites be performed for these charioteers." (04-23-6)
ekasminn eva te sarve susamiddhe hutāśane। dahyantāṃ kīcakāḥ śīghraṃ ratnair gandhaiś ca sarvaśaḥ॥04-23-7॥
Let all your Kīcakas be quickly burned entirely with jewels and perfumes on the same well-kindled fire. (04-23-7)
sudeṣṇāṃ cābravīdrājā mahiṣīṃ jātasādhvasaḥ. sairandhrīmāgatāṃ brūyā mamaiva vacanādidam ॥04-23-8॥
The king, being filled with fear, said to Queen Sudeshna: 'Tell Sairandhri, who has come, this on my behalf.' (4-23-8)
gaccha sairandhri bhadraṃ te yathākāmaṃ carābale। bibheti rājā suśroṇi gandharvebhyaḥ parābhavāt ॥04-23-9॥
Go, Sairandhri, may you fare well. Do as you wish, O gentle lady. The king, O beautiful-hipped one, fears being defeated by the Gandharvas. (04-23-9)
na hi tām utsahe vaktum svayam gandharva-rakṣitām। striyaḥ tvad-doṣāḥ tām vaktum atas tvām prabravīmi aham॥04-23-10॥
Indeed, I am not able to speak about her myself, as she is protected by Gandharvas. Because of your fault, I speak to you about her.
atha muktā bhayāt kṛṣṇā sūtaputrān nirasya ca। mokṣitā bhīmasenena jagāma nagaraṃ prati॥04-23-11॥
Then Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī), released from fear after Bhīmasena drove away the Sūta's sons and freed her, went towards the city. (04-23-11)
trāsiteva mṛgī bālā śārdūlena manasvinī। gātrāṇi vāsasī caiva prakṣālya salilena sā ॥04-23-12॥
She, high-minded like a young doe frightened by a tiger, washed her limbs and clothes with water. (04-23-12)
tāṃ dṛṣṭvā puruṣā rājan prādravanta diśo daśa। gandharvāṇāṃ bhayatrastāḥ kecid dṛṣṭīr nyamīlayan ॥04-23-13॥
Seeing her, O King, the men ran away in all ten directions, and some of the Gandharvas, stricken with fear, closed their eyes. (04-23-13)
tato mahānasadvāri bhīmasenam avasthitam। dadarśa rājan pāñcālī yathā mattaṃ mahādvipam ॥04-23-14॥
Thereafter, O king, Pāñcālī saw Bhīmasena standing at the kitchen door, just like a great intoxicated elephant. (04-23-14)
taṃ vismayantī śanakaiḥ saṃjñābhir idam abravīt. gandharvarājāya namo yenāsmi parimocitā ॥04-23-15॥
Astonished, she slowly said with gestures: “Obeisance to the king of the Gandharvas, by whom I have been set free.” (04-23-15)
bhīmasena uvāca॥
Bhimasena said.
ye yasyā vicarantīha puruṣā vaśavartinaḥ। tasyāste vacanaṁ śrutvā anṛṇā vicarantyuta॥04-23-16॥
The men who move about here obedient to her, having heard her word, indeed wander free from any debt. (04-23-16)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ sā nartanāgāre dhanañjayam apaśyat। rājñaḥ kanyā virāṭasya nartayānaṃ mahābhujam ॥04-23-17॥
Then she saw Dhanañjaya in the dance hall — the mighty-armed dancer, daughter of King Virāṭa. (04-23-17)
tatastā naṛtanāgārād viniṣkramya sahārjunāḥ. kanyā dadṛśur āyāntīṃ kṛṣṇāṃ kliṣṭām anāgasam ॥04-23-18॥
Then, having left the dancing hall with Arjuna, the young women saw Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) approaching—distressed and without fault. (04-23-18)
kanyā ūcuḥ॥
The maidens said.
diṣṭyā sairandhri muktāsi diṣṭyāsi punarāgatā। diṣṭyā vinihatāḥ sūtā ye tvāṃ kliśyantyanāgasam ॥04-23-19॥
By good fortune, O Sairandhri, you have been freed; by good fortune, you have returned; and by good fortune, those charioteers who tormented you despite your innocence have been vanquished. (04-23-19)
bṛhannaḍovāca॥
Bṛhannaḍa said.
kathaṁ sairandhri muktāsi kathaṁ pāpāśca te hatāḥ। icchāmi vai tava śrotuṁ sarvameva yathātatham ॥04-23-20॥
How, O Sairandhri, were you freed? How were your evil-doers killed? I truly wish to hear everything from you exactly as it happened. (04-23-20)
sairandhry uvāca॥
Sairandhri said.
bṛhannade kiṃ nu tava sairandhryā kāryam adya vai। yā tvaṃ vasasi kalyāṇi sadā kanyāpure sukham ॥04-23-21॥
O Bṛhannadā, what is your purpose with Sairandhrī today? You, O auspicious one, always reside happily in the city of maidens. (04-23-21)
na hi duḥkhaṃ samāpnoṣi sairandhrī yad upāśnute। tena māṃ duḥkhitām evaṃ pṛcchase prahasann iva ॥04-23-22॥
Sairandhrī, you do not attain the sorrow that she does. Because of that, you ask me, who am sorrowful, in this way, as if smiling. (04-23-22)
bṛhannaḍovāca॥
Bṛhannaḍa said.
bṛhannadāpi kalyāṇi duḥkhamāpnotyanuttamam। tiryagyonigatā bāle na caināmavabudhyase ॥04-23-23॥
O virtuous girl, even a hermaphrodite experiences the greatest pain, having entered the womb of lower animals, yet you are not able to recognize her. (04-23-23)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataḥ sahaiva kanyābhir draupadī rājaveśma tat। praviveśa sudeṣṇāyāḥ samīpam apalāyinī ॥04-23-24॥
Then, together with the maidens, Draupadī entered that royal palace, approaching Sudeṣṇā without fleeing. (04-23-24)
tām abravīd rājaputrī virāṭa-vacanāt idam. sairandhri gamyatām śīghram yatra kāmayase gatim ॥04-23-25॥
The princess addressed her, saying, on the order of Virāṭa: "Sairandhri, quickly go wherever you wish to go." (04-23-25)
rājā bibheti bhadraṃ te gandharvebhyaḥ parābhavāt। tvaṃ cāpi taruṇī subhru rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi ॥04-23-26॥
The king is afraid, wishing you safety, of defeat at the hands of the Gandharvas; and you too, young lady with lovely eyebrows, are unmatched in beauty on earth. (04-23-26)
sairandhry-uvāca॥
Sairandhri said;
trayodaśāhamātraṁ me rājā kṣamatu bhāmini। kṛtakṛtyā bhaviṣyanti gandharvāste na saṁśayaḥ॥04-23-27॥
O beautiful lady, let the king forgive me for only thirteen days; these gandharvas will undoubtedly have accomplished their purpose. (04-23-27)
tato māṃ te'paneṣyanti kariṣyanti ca te priyam। dhruvaṃ ca śreyasā rājā yokṣyate saha bāndhavaiḥ ॥04-23-28॥
After that, they will take me away and do what is pleasing for you. Certainly, the king will prosper and be united with his relatives. (04-23-28)
