SECTION CLXLV
(Vaivahika Parva)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed
Dhrishtadyumna, that foremost of the Lunar princes, cheerfully said unto his
father all that had happened and by whom Krishna had been won. And the prince
said, 'With large, red eyes, attired in deer-skin, and resembling a celestial
in beauty, the youth who strung that foremost of bows and brought down to the
ground the mark set on high, was soon surrounded by the foremost of Brahmanas
who also offered him their homage for the feat he had achieved. Incapable of
bearing the sight of a foe and endued with great activity, he began to exert his
prowess. And surrounded by the Brahmanas he resembled the thunder-wielding
Indra standing in the midst of the celestials, and the Rishis. And like a
she-elephant following the leader of a herd, Krishna cheerfully followed that
youth catching hold of his deer-skin. Then when the assembled monarchs
incapable of bearing that sight lose up in wrath and advanced for fight, there
rose up another hero who tearing up a large tree rushed at that concourse of
kings, felling them right and left like Yama himself smiting down creatures
endued with life. Then, O monarch, the assembled kings stood motionless and
looked at that couple of heroes, while they, resembling the Sun and the Moon,
taking Krishna with them, left the amphitheatre and went into the abode of a
potter in the suburbs of the town, and there at the potter's abode sat a lady
like unto a flame of fire who, I think, is their mother. And around her also
sat three other foremost of men each of whom was like unto fire. And the couple
of heroes having approached her paid homage unto her feet, and they said unto
Krishna also to do the same. And keeping Krishna with her, those foremost of
men all went the round of eleemosynary visits. Some time after when they
returned, Krishna taking from them what they had obtained as alms, devoted a
portion thereof to the gods, and gave another portion away (in gift) to
Brahmanas. And of what remained after this, she gave a portion to that
venerable lady, and distributed the rest amongst those five foremost of men. And
she took a little for herself and ate it last of all. Then, O monarch, they all
laid themselves down for sleep, Krishna lying along the line of their feet as
their nether pillow. And the bed on which they lay was made of kusa grass upon
which was spread their deer-skins. And before going to sleep they talked on
diverse subjects in voices deep as of black clouds. The talk of those heroes
indicated them to be neither Vaisyas nor Sudras, nor Brahmanas. Without doubt,
O monarch, they are bulls amongst Kshatriyas, their discourse having been on
military subjects. It seems, O father, that our hope hath been fructified, for
we have heard that the sons of Kunti all escaped from the conflagration of the
house of lac. From the way in which the mark was shot down by that youth, and
the strength with which the bow was strung by him, and the manner in which I
have heard them talk with one another proves conclusively, O monarch, that they
are the sons of Pritha wandering in disguise.'
"Hearing these words of his son, king
Drupada became exceedingly glad, and he sent unto them his priest directing him
to ascertain who they were and whether they were the sons of the illustrious
Pandu. Thus directed, the king's priest went unto them and applauding them all,
delivered the king's message duly, saying, 'Ye who are worthy of preference in
everything, the boon-giving king of the earth--Drupada--is desirous of
ascertaining who ye are. Beholding this one who hath shot down the mark, his
joy knoweth no bounds. Giving us all particulars of your family and tribe,
place ye your feet on the heads of your foes and gladden the hearts of the king
of Panchala mid his men and mine also. King Pandu was the dear friend of
Drupada and was regarded by him as his counterself. And Drupada had all along
cherished the desire of bestowing this daughter of his upon Pandu as his
daughter-in-law. Ye heroes of features perfectly faultless, king Drupada hath
all along cherished this desire in his heart that Arjuna of strong and long
arms might wed this daughter of his according to the ordinance. If that hath
become possible, nothing could be better; nothing more beneficial; nothing more
conducive to fame and virtue, so far as Drupada is concerned.'
"Having said this, the priest remained
silent and humbly waited for an answer. Beholding him sitting thus, the king
Yudhishthira commanded Bhima who sat near, saying, 'Let water to wash his feet
with and the Arghya be offered unto this Brahmana. He is king Drupada's priest
and, therefore, worthy of great respect. We should worship him with more than
ordinary reverence.' Then, O monarch, Bhima did as directed. Accepting the
worship thus offered unto him, the Brahmana with a joyous heart sat at his
ease. Then Yudhishthira addressed him and said, 'The king of the Panchalas
hath, by fixing a special kind of dower, given away his daughter according to
the practice of his order and not freely. This hero hath, by satisfying that
demand, won the princess. King Drupada, therefore, hath nothing now to say in
regard to the race, tribe, family and disposition of him who hath performed
that feat. Indeed, all his queries have been answered by the stringing of the
bow and the shooting down of the mark. It is by doing what he had directed that
this illustrious hero hath brought away Krishna from among the assembled
monarchs. In these circumstances, the king of the Lunar race should not indulge
in any regrets which can only make him unhappy without mending matters in the
least. The desire that king Drupada hath all along cherished will be
accomplished for his handsome princess who beareth, I think, every auspicious
mark. None that is weak in strength could string that bow, and none of mean
birth and unaccomplished in arms could have shot down the mark. It behoveth
not, therefore, the king of the Panchalas to grieve for his daughter today. Nor
can anybody in the world undo that act of shooting down the mark. Therefore the
king should not grieve for what must take its course.'
"While Yudhishthira was saying all this,
another messenger from the king of the Panchalas, coming thither in haste,
said, 'The (nuptial), feast is ready.'"
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