**Padmapalashakshi Draupadi - Pooja Sharma's AT**#15[DT Note - Page67] - Page 41

Draupadi was speaking breathlessly and Arjuna heard her in rapt attention, almost mesmerized by her flawless word flow.

"He is the beholder of an extremely pious heart, a heart superior to all of us and as pristine as the water of Manasarovar...a heart so transparent that you can watch the sky reflect in it...a sky that appears auburn...What you call miracles is his transparency...sheer lucidity of his heart..."

"Yajnaseni , you analyze circumstances and personalities so clairvoyantly and articulate your thoughts just as efficiently..."

"It is the influence of Sakha...whatever I am is the result of his infinite affection..."

"Only him?" there was a twinge of envy in Arjuna's sharp tone..."A result of only his infinite affection...? So what about us? Who are we, Yajnaseni? The husbands who failed to protect you at the Rajyasabha, who sent you on a twelve-year exile...?" Arjuna cast his eyes down!

"You are also the one to present me with Indraprasth?" There was tenderness in Draupadi's voice. Very affectionately, she places both her arms on Arjuna's bare chest.

"Are you envious of Sakha? She asked looking him directly in the eye...there was so much warmth...compassion in her voice that Arjuna did not repent his query. But when Draupadi very gently, without causing the slightest hurt posed a counter question to Arjuna, his expression gave him away.

"Me? Can I ever be envious of Sakha..? How can you even suggest so Yajnaseni? He is my life...I breathe because he exists...If I eat it's because he is there...I am alive because he lives...I'm his reflection, a part of his being..." Draupadi looked into Arjuna's eyes. He was speaking the truth...

"Then what made you ask this question? Don't you know that all of us are what we are because of Sakha?"

"Yajnaseni, my beloved, I'm aware that all of us are alive today because of Sakha...If he wasn't with us in the battle of Kurukshetra then perhaps...Of course I'm aware of it all and I understand you...him...but sometimes, when I witness your intense love for him I turn restless...It's as it is difficult to share you with my four brothers and now this..."