“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 beautiful lady, O thou of sweet smiles, those beloved Gandharvas, possessed of great energy and mighty strength always protect me secretly.’

“Sudeshna said, ’O thou that bringest delight to the heart, if it is as thou sayest, I will take thee into my household.  Thou shalt not have to touch food that hath been partaken of by another, or to wash another’s feet.’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed by Virata’s wife, O Janamejaya, Krishna (Draupadi) ever devoted to her lords, began to live in that city.  Nor could anyone ascertain who in reality she was!”

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