SECTION CLXXXVII
(Swayamvara Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by the
Brahmanas, the Pandavas, O Janamejaya, proceeded towards the country of the
southern Panchalas ruled over by the king Drupada. And on their way those
heroes beheld the illustrious Dwaipayana--that Muni of pure soul, and perfectly
sinless. And duly saluting the Rishi and saluted by him, after their
conversation was over, commanded by him they proceeded to Drupada's abode. And
those mighty chariot-fighters proceeded by slow stages staying for some time
within those beautiful woods and by fine lakes that they beheld along their
way. Devoted to study, pure in their practices, amiable, and sweet-speeched,
the Pandavas at last entered the country of the Panchalas. And beholding the
capital, as also the fort, they took up their quarters in the house of a
potter, Adopting the Brahmanical profession, they began to lead an eleemosynary
life. And no men recognised those heroes during their stay in Drupada's
capital.
"Yajnasena always cherished the desire of
bestowing his daughter on Kiriti (Arjuna), the son of Pandu. But he never spoke
of it to anybody. And, O Janamejaya, the king of Panchala thinking of Arjuna
caused a very stiff bow to be made that was incapable of being bent by any
except Arjuna. Causing some machinery to be erected in the sky, the king set up
a mark attached to that machinery. And Drupada said, 'He that will string this
bow and with these well-adorned arrows shoot the mark above the machine shall
obtain my daughter.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'With these words
king Drupada proclaimed the Swayamvara. On hearing of them, O Bharata, the
kings of other lands came to his capital. And there came also many illustrious
Rishis desirous of beholding the Swayamvara. And there came also, O king,
Duryodhana and the Kurus accompanied by Kama. There also came many superior
Brahmanas from every country. And the monarchs who came there were all received
with reverence by the illustrious Drupada. Desirous of beholding the
Swayamvara, the citizens, roaring like the sea, all took their seats on the
platforms that were erected around the amphitheatre. The monarch entered the
grand amphitheatre by the north-eastern gate. And the amphitheatre which itself
had been erected on an auspicious and level plain to the north-east of
Drupada's capital, was surrounded by beautiful mansions. And it was enclosed on
all sides with high walls and a moat with arched doorways here and there. The
vast amphitheatre was also shaded by a canopy of various colours. And
resounding with the notes of thousands of trumpets, it was scented with black
aloes and sprinkled all over with water mixed with sandal-paste and decorated
with garlands of flowers. It was surrounded with high mansions perfectly white
and resembling the cloud-kissing peaks of Kailasa. The windows of those
mansions were covered with net works of gold; the walls were set with diamonds
and precious costly carpets and cloths. All those mansions adorned with wreaths
and garlands of flowers and rendered fragrant with excellent aloes, were all
white and spotless, like unto the necks of swans. And the fragrance therefrom
could be perceived from the distance of a Yojana (eight miles). And they were
each furnished with a hundred doors wide enough to admit a crowd of persons;
they were adorned with costly beds and carpets, and beautified with various
metals; they resembled the peaks of the Himavat. And in those seven-storied
houses of various sizes dwelt the monarchs invited by Drupada whose persons
were adorned with every ornament and who were possessed with the desire of
excelling one another. And the inhabitants of the city and the country who had
come to behold Krishna and taken their seats on the excellent platforms erected
around, beheld seated within those mansions those lions among kings who were
all endued with the energy of great souls. And those exalted sovereigns were
all adorned with the fragrant paste of the black aloe. Of great liberality,
they were all devoted to Brahma and they protected their kingdoms against all
foes. And for their own good deeds they were loved by the whole world.
"The Pandavas, too, entering that
amphitheatre, sat with the Brahmanas and beheld the unequalled affluence of the
king of the Panchalas. And that concourse of princes, Brahmanas, and others,
looking gay at the performances of actors and dancers (large presents of every
kind of wealth being constantly made), began to swell day by day. And it
lasted, O king, several days, till on the sixteenth day when it was at its
full, the daughter of Drupada, O thou bull of the Bharata race, having washed
herself clean entered the amphitheatre, richly attired and adorned with every
ornament and bearing in her hand a dish of gold (whereon were the usual
offerings of Arghya) and a garland of flowers. Then the priest of the lunar
race--a holy Brahmana conversant with all mantras--ignited the sacrificial fire
and poured on it with due rites libations of clarified butter. And gratifying
Agni by these libations and making the Brahmanas utter the auspicious formula
of benediction, stopped the musical instruments that were playing all around.
And when that vast amphitheatre, O monarch, became perfectly still,
Dhrishtadyumna possessed of a voice deep as the sound of the kettledrum or the clouds,
taking hold of his sister's arm, stood in the midst of that concourse, and
said, with a voice loud and deep as the roar of the clouds, these charming
words of excellent import, 'Hear ye assembled kings, this is the bow, that is
the mark, and these are the arrows. Shoot the mark through the orifice of the
machine with these five sharpened arrows. Truly do I say that, possessed of
lineage, beauty of persons, and strength whoever achieveth this great feat
shall obtain today this my sister, Krishna for his wife.' Having thus spoken
unto the assembled monarchs Drupada's son then addressed his sister, reciting
unto her the names and lineages and achievements of those assembled lords of
the earth.'"
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