? Or, art thou the spouse of Viswakarma, or of the creative
Lord himself? Of these goddesses who art renowned in the celestial
regions, who art thou, O graceful one?'

"Draupadi replied, 'O auspicious lady, I am neither a goddess nor a
_Gandharvi_, nor a _Yakshi_, nor a _Rakshasi_. I am a maid-servant of
the _Sairindhri_ class. I tell thee this truly. I know to dress the
hair, to pound (fragrant substances) for preparing unguents, and also to
make beautiful and variegated garlands, O beauteous lady, of jasmines
and lotuses and blue lilies and _Champakas_. Formerly I served Krishna's
favourite queen Satyabhama, and also Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas
and the foremost beauty of the Kuru race. I wander about alone, earning
good food and dress; and as long as I get these, I continue to live in
the place where they are obtainable. Draupadi herself called me Malini
(maker of garlands).'

"Hearing this, Sudeshna said, 'I would keep thee upon my head itself, if
the doubt did not cross my mind that the king himself would be attracted
towards thee with his whole heart. Attracted by thy beauty, the females
of the royal household and my maids are looking at thee. What male
person then is there that can resist thy attraction? Surely, O thou of
well-rounded hips, O damsel of exquisite charms, beholding thy form of
superhuman beauty, king Virata is sure to forsake me, and will turn to
thee with his whole heart. O thou of faultless limbs, O thou that art
endued with large eyes casting quick glances, he upon whom thou wilt
look with desire is sure to be stricken. O thou of sweet smiles, O thou
that possessest a faultless form, he that will behold thee constantly,
will surely catch the flame. Even as a person that climbs up a tree for
compassing his own destruction, even as the crab conceives for her own
ruin, I may, O thou of sweet smiles, bring destruction upon myself by
harbouring thee.'

"Draupadi replied, 'O fair lady, neither Virata nor any other person
will be able to have me, for my five youthful husbands, who are
_Gandharvas_ and sons of a _Gandharva_ king of exceeding power, always
protect me. None can do me a wrong. It is the wish of my _Gandharva_
husbands that I should serve only such persons as will not give me to
touch food already partaken of by another, or tell me to wash their
feet. Any man that attempts to have me like any common woman, meeteth
with death that very night. No one can succeed in having me, for, O