with every ornament, sport thou, O sweet damsel, with me to thy fill. O
thou of the gait of an elephant in rut, deserving as thou art of
happiness though deprived of it now, it behoveth thee not to dwell here
in misery. Let unrivalled weal be thine. Drinking various kinds of
charming and delicious and ambrosial wines, and sporting at thy pleasure
in the enjoyment of diverse objects of delight, do thou, O blessed lady,
attain auspicious prosperity. This beauty of thine and this prime of thy
youth, O sweet lady, are now without their use. For, O beauteous and
chaste damsel, endued with such loveliness, thou dost not shine, like a
graceful garland lying unused and unworn. I will forsake all my old
wives. Let them, O thou of sweet smiles, become thy slaves. And I also,
O fair damsel, will stay by thee as thy slave, ever obedient to thee, O
thou of the most handsome face.' Hearing these words of his, Draupadi
replied, 'In desiring me, a female servant of low extraction, employed
in the despicable office of dressing hair, O _Suta's_ son, thou desirest
one that deserves not that honour. Then, again, I am the wife of others.
Therefore, good betide thee, this conduct of thine is not proper. Do
thou remember the precept of morality, viz., that persons should take
delight only in their wedded wives. Thou shouldst not, therefore, by any
means bend thy heart to adultery. Surely abstaining from improper acts
is ever the study of those that are good. Overcome by ignorance sinful
men under the influence of desire come by either extreme infamy or
dreadful calamity.'"

[13] _Bhuti, Hri, Sri, Kirti_ and _Kanti_ are respectively the
feminine embodiments of Prosperity, Modesty, Beauty, Fame and
Loveliness.

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by the _Sairindhri_, the wicked
Kichaka losing control over his senses and overcome by lust, although