choice viands and delicious drinks and many and various kinds of meat of
different degrees of excellence. And when all this had been done, that
gentle lady Sudeshna, as previously counselled by Kichaka, desired her
Sairindhri to repair to Kichaka's abode, saying, 'Get up, O Sairindhri
and repair to Kichaka's abode to bring wine, for, O beauteous lady, I am
afflicted with thirst.' Thereupon the Sairindhri replied, 'O princess, I
shall not be able to repair to Kichaka's apartments. Thou thyself
knowest, O queen, how shameless he is. O thou of faultless limbs, O
beauteous lady, in thy palace I shall not be able to lead a lustful life,
becoming faithless to my husbands. Thou rememberest, O gentle lady, O
beautiful one, the conditions I had set down before entering thy house. O
thou of tresses ending in graceful curls, the foolish Kichaka afflicted
by the god of desire, will, on seeing me, offer me insult. Therefore, I
will not go to his quarters. Thou hast, O princess, many maids under
thee. Do thou, good betide thee, send one of them. For, surely, Kichaka
will insult me.' Sudeshna said, 'Sent by me, from my abode, surely he
will not harm thee.' And having said this, she handed over a golden
vessel furnished with a cover. And filled with apprehension, and weeping,
Draupadi mentally prayed for the protection of the gods, and set out for
Kichaka's abode for fetching wine. And she said, 'As I do not know
another person save my husbands, by virtue of that Truth let Kichaka not
be able to overpower me although I may approach his presence.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "And that helpless damsel then adored Surya for
a moment. And Surya, having considered all that she urged, commanded a
Rakshasa to protect her invisibly. And from that time the Rakshasa began
to attend upon that blameless lady under any circumstances. And beholding
Krishna in his presence like a frightened doe, the Suta rose up from his
seat, and felt the joy that is felt by a person wishing to cross to the
other shore, when he obtains a boat."

SECTION XVI

"Kichaka said, 'O thou of tresses ending in beautiful curls, thou art
welcome. Surely, the night that is gone hath brought me an auspicious
day, for I have got thee today as the mistress of my house. Do what is
agreeable to me. Let golden chains, and conchs and bright ear-rings made
of gold, manufactured in various countries, and beautiful rubies and
gems, and silken robes and deer-skins, be brought for thee