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(Vaivahika Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Drupada, on hearing
this, observed, O great Rishi, it was only when I had not heard this from thee
that I had sought to act in the way I told thee of. Now, however, that I know
all, I cannot be indifferent to what hath been ordained by the gods. Therefore
do I resolve to accomplish what thou hast said. The knot of destiny cannot be
untied. Nothing in this world is the result of our own acts. That which had been
appointed by us in view of securing one only bridegroom hath now terminated in
favour of many. As Krishna (in a former life) had repeatedly said, 'O, give me
a husband!' the great god himself even gave her the boon she had asked. The god
himself knows the right or wrong of this. As regards myself, when Sankara hath
ordained so, right or wrong, no sin can attach to me. Let these with happy
hearts take, as ordained, the hand of Krishna with the rites.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the
illustrious Vyasa, addressing Yudhishthira the just, said, 'This day is an
auspicious day, O son of Pandu! This day the moon has entered the constellation
called Pushya. Take thou the hand of Krishna today, thyself first before thy
brothers!' When Vyasa had said so, king Yajnasena and his son made preparations
for the wedding. And the monarch kept ready various costly articles as marriage
presents. Then he brought out his daughter Krishna, decked, after a bath, with
many jewels and pearls. Then there came to witness the wedding all the friends
and relatives of the king, ministers of state, and many Brahmanas and citizens.
And they all took their seats according to their respective ranks. Adorned with
that concourse of principal men, with its yard decked with lotuses and lilies
scattered thereupon, and beautified with lines of troops, king Drupada's
palace, festooned around with diamonds and precious stones, looked like the
firmament studded with brilliant stars. Then those princes of the Kuru line,
endued with youth and adorned with ear-rings, attired in costly robes and
perfumed with sandal-paste, bathed and performed the usual religious rites and
accompanied by their priest Dhaumya who was possessed of the splendour of fire,
entered the wedding hall one after another in due order, and with glad hearts,
like mighty bulls entering a cow-pen. Then Dhaumya, well-conversant with the
Vedas, igniting the sacred fire, poured with due mantras libations of clarified
butter into that blazing element. And calling Yudhishthira there, Dhaumya,
acquainted with mantras, united him with Krishna. Walking round the fire the
bridegroom and the bride took each other's hand. After their union was
complete, the priest Dhaumya, taking leave of Yudhishthira, that ornament of
battles, went out of the palace. Then those mighty car-warriors,--those
perpetuators of the Kuru line,--those princes attired in gorgeous dresses, took
the hand of that best of women, day by day in succession, aided by that priest.
O king, the celestial Rishi told me of a very wonderful and extraordinary thing
in connection with these marriages, viz., that the illustrious princess of
slender waist regained her virginity every day after a previous marriage. After
the weddings were over, king Drupada gave unto those mighty car-warriors
diverse kinds of excellent wealth. And the king gave unto them one hundred cars
with golden standards, each drawn by four steeds with golden bridles. And he
gave them one hundred elephants all possessing auspicious marks on their
temples and faces and like unto a hundred mountains with golden peaks. He also
gave them a hundred female servants all in the prime of youth and clad in
costly robes and ornaments and floral wreaths. And the illustrious monarch of
the Lunar race gave unto each of those princes of celestial beauty, making the
sacred fire a witness of his gifts, much wealth and many costly robes and
ornaments of great splendour. The sons of Pandu endued with great strength,
after their wedding were over, and after they had obtained Krishna like unto a
second Sri along with great wealth, passed their days in joy and happiness,
like so many Indras, in the capital of the king of the Panchalas,'"
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