SECTION CLXLVIII
(Vaivahika Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the Pandavas
and the illustrious king of the Panchalas and all others there present stood up
and saluted with reverence the illustrious Rishi Krishna (Dwaipayana). The
high-souled Rishi, saluting them in return and enquiring after their welfare,
sat down on a carpet of gold. And commanded by Krishna (Dwaipayana) of
immeasurable energy, those foremost of men all sat down on costly seats. A
little after, O monarch, the son of Prishata in sweet accents asked the
illustrious Rishi about the wedding of his daughter. And he said, 'How, O
illustrious one, can one woman become the wife of many men without being
defiled by sin? O, tell me truly all about this.' Hearing these words Vyasa
replied, 'This practice, O king, being opposed to usage and the Vedas, hath
become obsolete. I desire, however, to hear what the opinion of each of you is
upon this matter.'
"Hearing these words of the Rishi, Drupada
spoke first, saying, 'The practice is sinful in my opinion, being opposed to
both usage and the Vedas. O best of Brahmanas, nowhere have I seen many men
having one wife. The illustrious ones also of former ages never had such a
usage amongst them. The wise should never commit a sin. I, therefore, can never
make up mind to act in this way. This practice always appeareth to me to be of
doubtful morality.
"After Drupada had ceased, Dhrishtadyumna
spoke, saying 'O bull amongst Brahmanas, O thou of ascetic wealth, how can, O
Brahmana, the elder brother, if he is of a good disposition, approach the wife
of his younger brother? The ways of morality are ever subtle, and, therefore,
we know them not. We cannot, therefore, say what is conformable to morality and
what not. We cannot do such a deed, therefore, with a safe conscience. Indeed,
O Brahmana, I cannot say, 'Let Draupadi become the common wife of five
brothers.'
"Yudhishthira then spoke, saying, 'My tongue
never uttereth an untruth and my heart never inclineth to what is sinful. When
my heart approveth of it, it can never be sinful. I have heard in the Purana
that a lady of name Jatila, the foremost of all virtuous women belonging to the
race of Gotama had married seven Rishis. So also an ascetic's daughter, born of
a tree, had in former times united herself in marriage with ten brothers all
bearing the same name of Prachetas and who were all of souls exalted by
asceticism. O foremost of all that are acquainted with the rules of morality,
it is said that obedience to superior is ever meritorious. Amongst all
superiors, it is well-known that the mother is the foremost. Even she hath
commanded us to enjoy Draupadi as we do anything obtained as alms. It is for
this, O best of Brahmanas, that I regard the (proposed) act as virtuous.'
"Kunti then said, 'The act is even so as the
virtuous Yudhishthira hath said. I greatly fear, O Brahmana, lest my speech
should become untrue. How shall I be saved from untruth?'
"When they had all finished speaking, Vyasa
said, 'O amiable one, how shall thou be saved from the consequence of untruth?
Even this is eternal virtue! I will not, O king of the Panchalas, discourse on
this before you all. But thou alone shalt listen to me when I disclose how this
practice hath been established and why it is to be regarded as old and eternal.
There is no doubt that what Yudhishthira hath said is quite conformable to
virtue.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the
illustrious Vyasa--the master Dwaipayana--rose, and taking hold of Drupada's
hand led him to a private apartment. The Pandavas and Kunti and Dhrishtadyumna
of Prishata's race sat there, waiting for the return of Vyasa and Drupada.
Meanwhile, Dwaipayana began his discourse with illustrious monarch for
explaining how the practice of polyandry could not be regarded as
sinful.'"
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