Draupadi- the Tale of an Empress

by Saiswaroopa Iyer

  Sudeshna nodded. ‘Fine, once you are rested, seek Kanka Bhattaraka in the afternoon. Feel free to tell him that I recommended his expertise to you.’

  Malini bowed thankfully and left. She still had to meet Brihannala before she left to meet Kanka Bhattaraka.

  Kanka Bhattaraka had not expected Malini’s arrival. Her expression told him the situation was grave. He sent his attendants away from the room. ‘Astrological predictions and remedies are highly confidential,’ he told the guards. ‘Overhearing someone else’s details might anger the gods as well as the planets. Make sure that nobody overhears what I tell Malini, for their own good.’

  The instruction was enough to ensure privacy. ‘What is the matter, Draupadi?’ Yudhishtira leaned forward, still putting up the act of opening a bundle of tala leaves.

  Draupadi told him about Keechaka, being as discreet as she could. ‘If the king is being a clandestine supporter to his brother-in-law’s overtures, we should take matters into our own hands, Samrat!’

  ‘The king is helpless, Draupadi,’ Yudhishtira pointed out.

  ‘If you heard the predicament of the maids, and the story of the woman who was in my place before, you would act, Samrat.’

  He knew that Draupadi would not be satisfied with anything less than Keechaka’s death. But the circumstances were too tricky to carry out even a covert killing. Keechaka’s palace was more heavily guarded than the king’s. Even the enemies of Matsya knew that it was the commander who was the de facto ruler of Matsya.

  ‘I shall lure him and bring him out of his “fortress” to somewhere more convenient,’ Draupadi leaned forward.

  ‘It is more complicated than that. Anything done in the shadows also has the danger of being noticed and reported to Duryodhana in Hastinapura,’ Yudhishtira pondered. An idea struck him. It could work. He looked at Draupadi and then shook his head. ‘No, not that way.’

  ‘Not which way?’ Draupadi persisted, moving closer. ‘Your strategy cannot go wrong, Yudhishtira.’

  ‘It has to be known in the open that Keechaka lusted after you despite your warning about the Gandharvas protecting you. The killing, only then, would be attributed to the Gandharvas. Any other covert operation that causes his death is sure to raise alarms everywhere,’ Yudhishtira paused after every sentence and that made Draupadi feel even more restless. He felt her hand upon his knee, convincing him to be more specific about her role in the plan.

  Yudhishtira cringed at the idea that had struck him. ‘If you can make him lust after you and try bringing it to the notice of the king, in the presence of all the courtiers, it is sure to send the message to everyone that Keechaka played with fire, inviting the wrath of celestial beings. Later, he can be tricked into coming to a convenient location, and his death soon after will come as no surprise, Draupadi. There is still some risk in outing yourself as the wife of five husbands. But…’

  ‘This sounds promising, Yudhishtira,’ Draupadi rose. ‘Even with the risk associated, I am sure by the time our enemies figure it out, the year would have passed.’ She turned to leave but stopped when Yudhishtira caught her arm.

  ‘The court…I mean…are you sure you want to do this, Draupadi?’

  An unaffected smile and a nod were her only responses. Gently removing his hand from hers, Draupadi left the room.

  Thirty-two

  Keechaka

  As expected, the guards blocked her way. Malini stood her ground. ‘I have the queen’s permission.’ She dismissed the guard with an air of authority. Glancing at the empty entrance, she raised her pitch. ‘Don’t you know that, as a sairandhri, I have the permission to check on all the gardens of the royal family and fetch the seasonal blossoms that will please Queen Sudeshna? Your commander cannot be immune to the queen’s orders.’ Malini tried forcing her way in and was promptly shoved out by the other guard. She raised a hue and cry. It continued until she saw an intimidating figure emerge from the grand entrance.

  ‘What’s the matter, you fools?’ Keechaka thundered. ‘Can’t a tired commander get some quiet…’ he paused, seeing the beautiful woman. ‘Who are you?’ His gaze lingered on her lithe form, highlighted by a thoughtful combination of bead jewellery.

  ‘Malini, the sairandhri of Queen Sudeshna.’

  The words were melodious, matching the grace of her curves. Keechaka had to think his words carefully. ‘You could have easily said you were a damsel from the heavens and I would have believed you!’ he quipped, coming closer, unmindful of the guards.

  Malini smiled, ‘Had I been a celestial damsel, would I be arguing with your guards instead of magically appearing in your garden and plucking the choicest flowers?’

  Keechaka dismissed the guards and attempted to hold her by her waist. Malini skilfully moved away, towards a creeper that caught her eye. Keechaka had not even noticed the presence of a blooming creeper in his own garden. ‘I do see that you have an eye for true beauty!’ he chuckled, covering the distance between them. ‘A quality you share with me.’

  Malini bowed again at the flattery and went about plucking the blossoms. Keechaka kept staring at her. He had seen professional seductresses, well below thirty springs of age, and even their bodily charm had not kept him satisfied for long. The woman who claimed to be his sister’s sairandhri was much older. But she was the epitome of charm, probably the only woman who had dared to tread into his gardens. He had to continue the conversation. ‘Share the truth with me, woman. A ravishing beauty like you would not be working as a mere sairandhri without a reason.’

  Malini paused and looked at him. He was, as she had expected, drunk with lust. But his observation was so close to the truth. She frowned. ‘Many women, forced by circumstances to live away from their husbands, have taken up this profession, Lord Commander. I, Malini, the wife of five powerful Gandharvas by names, Jaya, Jayesha, Vijaya, Jayatsena and Jayadbala, am no different from them.’

  Keechaka now overtook her and blocked her way. ‘You mean to say, those are the names of the unfortunate beings who don’t value the boon that is your beauty?’

  Malini looked at her basket, half-filled with the seasonal blossoms from Keechaka’s garden. ‘This unfortunate phase of separation is not their fault, Lord Commander. My husbands love me with all their hearts,’ she smiled and walked towards the exit, leaving him stupefied.

  Why would she smile and encourage conversation with him if she was that loyal to her husbands?

  Keechaka shrugged. Like any woman endowed with beauty, she possibly sought more attention. Possibly, she preferred some initiative. He saw her cross the gates and walk towards the queen’s mansion. Keechaka rushed after her and caught Malini’s arm, unmindful of the stares of the other palace folk.

  To his surprise, Malini pushed him away like he was a poisonous reptile. ‘Lord Commander!’ she thundered, stunning the onlookers, and strode towards the queen’s mansion.

  Keechaka, though stunned by her abrupt spurning, was angrier that she had done so in the presence of lowly palace guards and maids. He had to show her who was in control. Grunting, he pursued and caught her again, this time, in a rougher and firmer grip. ‘Playing with me, aren’t you?’

  Malini glared at him, considering the changes that Keechaka had undergone from the time she had met him. Drunk with power, arrogance and lust, the commander had even lost the idea of what his behaviour did to his own image. Left to his whims, he would force himself upon any woman of Matsya, irrespective of her consent!

  ‘Stay away, Keechaka!’ she warned in a level tone.

  Keechaka smirked at her words. ‘You amuse me, sairandhri. Are you this wild even in bed? Wait, why don’t I see for myself?’

  The basket of flowers fell from her hands at the tussle that followed. Keechaka was proving more than a handful. His brute strength was difficult to overcome. But she had to lead him towards the court before he could do anything worse. The stupefied onlookers, Malini gathered, would not lift a finger in her defence.

  Goddess Ambika, the guar
dian of Virata! Lord Surya, the eternal witness! Don’t remain mere onlookers!

  With an extraordinary effort, Malini shoved Keechaka away from her and rushed towards the court. Alerting the soldiers and guards on the way, she knew, was a futile exercise, but she continued to do so, as Yudhishtira wished everyone to be aware of Keechaka’s overtures.

  After being nearly caught by him twice, Malini managed to reach the entrance of the court. ‘King of Matsya! Pray, save my honour!’ she screamed when Keechaka finally caught up with her. The courtiers sat, their limbs frozen at the very sight of the commander. ‘Are the women who serve the royal family doomed to succumb to the lusty overtures of this brute?’

  Even though she had not expected the old King Virata to rise to the occasion and stand up to Keechaka, his lack of reaction dismayed her. The eerie resemblance to the ghastly assault by Dushasana at Hastinapura made her blood boil. She stared at Kanka Bhattaraka. His face was pale. But his eyes were full of concentration. His fists, though, remained curled. The situation had indeed turned riskier. But they knew they had to charge ahead!

  Keechaka laughed, this time, the contempt in his tone overriding his lust. ‘I pity you, sairandhri, if you put your hopes on this puppet to protect your “honour”.’

  He looked at the face of each courtier, meeting their gaze as they averted theirs. Keechaka laughed again. ‘Be wise, sairandhri, this sabha of eunuchs cannot save you from me even if I take you here, right now!’ He tried to pull her into an embrace.

  ‘Lord Commander Keechaka!’ Kanka spoke in a challenging tone that even surprised Malini. ‘I was examining your horoscope sometime back. Forcing yourself upon a married woman would cause your untimely death—I saw! Back away for your own good!’

  Keechaka looked at him, partly amused. It had to be some new entrant in the court who had dared to raise his voice against the powerful commander. Kanka’s appearance told him the man did not even deserve a reply.

  The old king finally found his voice, after multiple attempts to clear his throat. ‘Commander Keechaka, is there a dearth of willing pleasure girls in the palace that you need to demean yourself by lusting after a sairandhri?’ The sheer weakness in his voice made Malini feel angrier with him.

  The reminder of his stature seemed to work on Keechaka. He let go of Malini and pushed her to the ground. ‘Let it be a lesson to you, impudent woman. None, I repeat, none in Virata will be able to save you from my wrath. Come to terms with this and surrender to me before sunset tomorrow. Or else…’ He towered upon her, despite her angry glare. With a dismissive smirk, he strode out of the court.

  Malini looked at the old king. ‘Imbeciles of Virata! Forcing unwilling women is inviting the wrath of the gods! The days of your commander are numbered! The invincible Gandharvas will come for his blood!’

  Only Yudhishtira caught the tinge of sarcasm in Draupadi’s tone when she uttered the word ‘invincible’. He saw her rise and leave the court, leaving everyone shocked and aghast.

  ‘Why did your husbands not protect you?’ It was an innocent question, especially coming from the palace maids. But it hurt her. It hurt her despite the fact the she was playing to a script. Malini did not reply and turned to the other side of the bed. She badly wanted to lash out and say that Keechaka would be dead shortly. But something stopped her from defending the ‘five Gandharvas’.

  Let their actions speak from now on, not my words.

  Malini refused to eat, despite their words of consolation.

  ‘Send back the food to the royal kitchen!’ she thundered at the maid who came to serve their food. ‘And tell that cook that Malini will eat only after that lusty commander bites dust! He need not bother cooking food for me till then!’

  The fatigue of the day could not bring her the much-needed sleep. The more difficult part of the plan remained. Malini knew she had to gather herself and show utmost strength to face the next day.

  Waking up before anyone else the next day, after an elaborate bath, she dressed herself with care. She had a charade to play and did not want to give the other women an opportunity to drown her in unwanted advice.

  Helping Princess Uttara was a mellow affair. The princess of Matsya, for reasons Malini could only guess, remained quiet. An occasional tear or two fell from her eyes when she looked at Malini, full of unspoken emotions. After completing Uttara’s grooming, Malini turned to leave, only to have Uttara grab her arm. ‘Malini, I shall help you escape out of Matsya unnoticed. Don’t stay here anymore. Pray, leave as soon as you can.’

  Malini brushed Uttara’s curls, wearing an inscrutable smile, and shook her head.

  ‘My previous sairandhri. I loved her like an elder sister,’ Uttara continued, breaking into a sob or two. ‘I don’t want to lose you.’

  Malini wordlessly gathered her in her arms.

  You will not lose me, little one. Nor will you lose anyone else dear to you because of that monster!

  Determined, she extricated herself from Uttara’s hands and left for the queen’s mansion. She saw Sudeshna sitting on the couch, staring at nothing in particular. Sudeshna looked at her and cringed. ‘Malini, I relieve you of all your services. Leave Matsya now. If you delay, things will get out of my hands.’

  Malini looked at the queen. The darkness under Sudeshna’s eyes told her that the queen had not slept even a wink the last night. ‘Maharani, how can you have the heart to abandon me after months of faithful service?’

  Sudeshna rose to her feet like one possessed. ‘You can’t question the queen, sairandhri. Either leave Matsya and save yourself or fetch me wine from my brother Keechaka’s mansion. Keechaka protects the borders of Matsya from our enemies. I have to think about the safety of my subjects over that of one woman.’

  Though overcome with pity for the queen, Malini laughed within at her strange priorities.

  How can Matsya maintain the façade of being ‘safe’ from the enemy’s hands when its very commander preyed upon the modesty of non-consenting women?

  With a smile that displayed a mixture of contempt and pity, Malini grabbed the jar of wine.

  ‘Malini!’

  Draupadi did not look back. She did not want Sudeshna to display more helplessness or break down. She had no use for empty sympathy either. It was time for action. Action that would evaporate the fear the women of Matsya faced. Tracing her footsteps back to Keechaka’s den, she thought of Goddess Ambika again. The guards did not stop her this time. In their eyes, she saw a mixture of fear and pity—none of which were of any use in front of the internal danger their kingdom faced.

  Entering the grand hall of the mansion, she found Keechaka sprawled on a lavish couch, relishing the service of slave girls who applied sandalwood paste on him. Malini’s grip tightened on the bronze jar when she announced herself.

  Keechaka had expected her arrival, but not this early. With a hurried wave of his hand, he dismissed the slave girls and rose from the couch. But something about her piercing gaze intrigued him.

  ‘Welcome, Malini. I see that the sunrise dispelled your delusion,’ he smirked, approaching her. But Malini surprised him by not rushing out of his reach. He stared at her as she walked up to the main throne and seated herself, betraying no fear.

  ‘For a commander of a vast army, I expected better discretion from you, Keechaka. And you…’ she sighed, prolonging the pause and enjoying the cluelessness in his eyes, ‘turned out to be such a disappointment.’ Leaning majestically against the lavish backrest, she raised her brows. ‘Have you ever encountered a Gandharva? I bet not,’ she spoke, giving him no chance to reply. ‘If they want to keep a watch on you, the sun himself becomes their spy. And you did not think twice before challenging them in open daylight!’

  Keechaka frowned and sat on the couch again. ‘You intrigue me, Malini. Do you mean to say you don’t want your husbands to know about my seeking you out?’ When he saw the graceful tilt of her head which he interpreted for a nod, Keechaka laughed carelessly. ‘You underestimate me, Malini. Your
Gandharvas will not be able to harm me.’

  Malini shrugged. ‘That will be proven only upon an encounter with one or more of my husbands. Keechaka, even if I risk trusting your valour, what is the proof that you…’ she brought her brows together suggestively, ‘can delight me like they did?’

  Keechaka beamed, compelled to rise to his feet and approach her. ‘You have crossed all possible limits and committed all the transgressions that the commander of Matsya can brook. Still…’ he walked behind the throne and leaned forward, trying to inhale the fragrance of the flowers woven in her hair, ‘something about you makes me feel you are worth this trouble. So, when would you like me to show you how I can delight you?’ he added in a lower tone.

  Malini remained unmoved for a long moment, playing with one of the strings of seasonal blossoms. ‘As I said, the sun is the ally of Gandharvas. But the moon,’ she smiled, turning towards Keechaka, ‘is a friend of lovers!’ Rising to her feet, almost startling Keechaka, she backed away.

  ‘This full moon, at the Nartanashala. It is always empty at night.’

  Thirty-three

  Killing of Keechaka

  The dancing hall of Virata was built most aesthetically. Draupadi entered the richly carved threshold soon after the guards had left. The number of night guards was minimal, considering the premises were generally empty after sunset. Keeping a close watch on them for a week had proved useful for Draupadi in spotting a convenient interval to slip in. The lamps were on the brink of dying out. Entering the main hall, Draupadi blew out the last lamp. The moonlight still shone through the multiple windows.

  Surveying the hall, Draupadi felt a hand on her shoulder.

  ‘Bhima!’

  ‘Will he come?’ the gruffness could be heard in his voice even when he whispered.