Draupadi Wakes Bhima
Virata Chapter 17
Virata parva is the story of the Pandavas thirteenth year in exile from their kingdom.
https://crackpot.substack.com/t/virata
As It Rhymes
1.
Vaisampayana said,
Krishnaa sought to kill the reviled Suta’s son’s reputation.
Krishnaa hatched a murderous plot to unburden the evil military commander of his earthly station.
2.
Drupada’s daughter returned to her dwelling to re-tool.
Krishnaa’s bruised body felt defiled by the fool.
3.
Krishnaa scrubbed her limbs with pumice.
Krishnaa soaked her garment in a wash tub.
Krishnaa sobbed with menace.
4.
Krishnaa thought,
What do I do?
Where do I go?
What can I do?
What will I become?
Then Bhima came to mind.
5.
No one is as dear to me as sweet Bhima.
I will visit Bhima tonight like a dream.
6.
Draupadi crept to Bhima’s crib under the moon.
Draupadi arrived in a foul mood.
7.
Sairandhri said,
‘While that wicked army commander draws breath my body burns in anguish.
You sleep sound while I perish.’
8.
Vaishampayana said,
Draupadi whispered her pained prayer.
While Bhima snored like a lion in his lair.
9.
Draupadi’s effervescence lit up Bhima’s kitchen bar.
Draupadi’s blazed like a black star.
10.
Draupadi approached Bhimasena where he lay.
Draupadi stalked Bhima like forest prey.Â
11.
Panchali entwined her arms and legs around Bhima like a vine.
Panchali’s scent sent shivers down Bhima’s spine.
12.
Panchali reveled in mad lust with Pandu’s second son.
Panchali held Bhima snug with her arms and sung.
13.
Draupadi climbed Bhima’s mountain like Durga mounts a lion.
Bhimasena and Draupadi wrestled like two elephants under canopy.
14.
Panchali tripped a Vina symphony.
Panchali dripped Bhima’s honey.
15.
‘Get up! Rise up! Stand up! Please!
Bhimasena - that creep still breathes!’
16.
The princess rousted Bhima from sleep.
Bhima sat up in bed and thought deep.
17.
Bhima said,
‘My love buffalo. Who needs to go?
What bit do I need to swallow or spit?
18.
You look stressed and ashen.
You look stretched thin.
19.
Be it love or hate, be it joy or misery.
Explain your miserable state to me.
20.
Krishnaa, make your ask plain.
I will break ball and chain.
21.
Quick - tell me what to do.
Then quit to bed before others catch wind of what we’ve been up to.
Notes
[1] Vaishampayana, ibid.
Krishnaa is Draupadi.
[7] Sairandhri is Draupadi's alias in Virata
[12] Bhima is Pandu's second son. Arjuna is third. Yudhishthira is first born.
[14] A vina is a stringed instrument.
Panchali is Draupadi.