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.  When Kiriti, that slayer of foes, riding on his car, will, on my account, enter thy ranks, striking terror into every heart, he will consume everything around like fire consuming a stack of dry grass in summer.  The warring princes of the Andhaka and the Vrishni races, with Janardana at their head, and the mighty bowmen of the Kaikeya tribe, will all follow in my wake with great ardour.  The terrible arrows of Dhananjaya, shot from the string of the Gandiva and propelled by his arms fly with great force through the air, roaring like the very clouds.  And when thou wilt behold Arjuna shooting from the Gandiva a thick mass of mighty arrows like unto a flight of locusts, then wilt thou repent of thine own folly!  Bethink thyself of what thou wilt feel when that warrior armed with the Gandiva, blowing his conch-shell and with gloves reverberating with the strokes of his bowstring will again and again pierce thy breast with his shafts.  And when Bhima will advance towards thee, mace in hand and the two sons of Madri range in all directions, vomiting forth the venom of their wrath, thou wilt then experience pangs of keen regret that will last for ever.  As I have never been false to my worthy lords even in thought, so by that merit shall I now have the pleasure of beholding thee vanquished and dragged by the sons of Pritha.  Thou canst not, cruel as thou art, frighten me by seizing me with violence, for as soon as those Kuru warriors will espy me they will bring me back to the woods of Kamyaka.’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Then that lady of large eyes, beholding them ready to lay violent hands on her, rebuked them and said, ’Defile me not by your touch!’ And in a great alarm she then called upon her spiritual adviser, Dhaumya.  Jayadratha, however, seized her by her upper garment, but she pushed him with great vigour.  And pushed by the lady, that sinful wretch fell upon the ground like a tree severed from its roots.  Seized, however, once more by him with great violence, she began to pant for breath.  And dragged by the wretch, Krishna at last ascended his chariot having worshipped Dhaumya’s feet.  And Dhaumya then addressed Jayadratha and said, ’Do thou, O Jayadratha, observe the ancient custom of the Kshatriyas.  Thou canst not carry her off without having vanquished those great warriors.  Without doubt, thou shalt reap the painful fruits of this thy despicable act, when thou encounterest the heroic sons of Pandu with Yudhishthira the just at their head!’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Having said these words Dhaumya, entering into the midst of Jayadratha’s infantry, began to follow that renowned princess who was thus being carried away by the ravisher.”