THE MAHABHARATA: A Modern Rendering by Ramesh Menon

Author:Ramesh Menon [Menon, Ramesh]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2012-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

NINE

Ballava’s night visitor

Back in her apartment in Sudeshna’s palace, Draupadi locked herself in and wept. She felt defiled. Tearing off her clothes, she made a pile of them and set them on fire. She went and bathed, long and sorrowfully. At last, feeling somewhat cleansed, though not in her mind, she came out and dressed. There was a knock at the door and, not bothering to wipe her tears, she went to open it. Sudeshna stood there.

The queen saw her sairandhri red-eyed and still crying. She took Draupadi’s hands and said, "What happened, my child? Why are you crying?"

With a sob, Draupadi pulled free and flashed at her, "How can you pretend to be so innocent? You sent me to your brother and you knew what he wanted. How can you ask me now why I am crying?"

She saw Sudeshna also had tears in her eyes. The queen sat down on the sairandhri’s bed and said in a low voice, "Tell me what happened, Malini. I swear I did not mean to hurt you. Only that my brother was frantic to meet you."

Sobbing, Draupadi described everything that happened. Sudeshna, who was terrified for Keechaka, tried her best to console her sairandhri. But the young woman ended viciously, "My gandharva husbands have heard what happened and your brother won’t live long."

Sudeshna rose and ran from the room. The sun set on the world outside. Still, Draupadi sat on her bed, staring glassily out of her window while shame and rage had their way with her. She must see Keechaka dead, nothing short of that would do. He dare lay his filthy hands on her, he dare kick her. He did not know her: she was a flame; she would consume him.

She did not eat. She did not sleep, or even lie down. She sat there like a fierce statue, plotting Keechaka’s death. Slowly, a plan formed in her mind. Near midnight, she rose and walked out of her apartment. Around her the palace slept. Like an avenging spirit on the prowl, she moved through the deserted passages, out into the mooned night and into the king’s palace through a back door. Grimly she headed for the kitchens and the room behind them where Ballava, the king’s cook, slept.

She glided into that room; seductive as moonlight, she went and lay beside him. With petal hands, she aroused him in his sleep. Smiling in his dream, Bheema reached for her. Then he opened his eyes. He gave a cry and sat bolt upright. "Panchali! You must be mad to come here. What if someone saw you?"

She stopped his mouth with a kiss. She stripped away his clothes and made such tender love to him. When it was over and he lay in a fine swoon, she said, "How can you sleep when your Panchali is in torment? Have you also become as hard-hearted as your brother? I cannot believe it of you. Of the others, yes, but not of my Bheema. How can

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