The encounter thou speakest of with those two excellent
youths--the younger Pandavas--is like unto the act of a fool that
wantonly trampleth on the tails of two venomous black cobras with
bifurcated tongues. The bamboo, the reed, and the plantain bear fruit
only to perish and not to grow in size any further. Like also the crab
that conceiveth for her own destruction, thou wilt lay hands upon me who
am protected by these mighty heroes!'
"Jayadratha replied, 'I know all this, O Krishna, and I am well aware of
the prowess of those princes. But thou canst not frighten us now with
these threats. We, too, O Krishna, belong by birth to the seventeen high
clans, and are endowed with the six royal qualities.[49] We, therefore,
look down upon the Pandavas as inferior men! Therefore, do thou, O
daughter of Drupada, ride this elephant or this chariot quickly, for
thou canst not baffle us with thy words alone; or, speaking less
boastfully, seek thou the mercy of the king of the Sauviras!'
[49] The six acts of a king are peace, war, marching, halting,
sowing dissention, and seeking protection.
"Draupadi replied, 'Though I am so powerful, why doth the king of
Sauvira yet consider me so powerless. Well-known as I am, I cannot, from
fear of violence, demean myself before that prince. Even Indra himself
cannot abduct her for whose protection Krishna and Arjuna would together
follow, riding in the same chariot. What shall I say, therefore, of a
weak human being.
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