वैवाहिक पर्व — पुरोहित र युधिष्ठिरको संवाद

Vulshanipayana said : Having been thus addressed, that foremost of the lunar race, the prince Dhrishtaduymna, cheerfully said to his father all that had happened and by whom Krishna (Draupadi) had been won.

Dhrishtaduymna said : The Youth with large and red eyes, who was attired in back deer skin and looked like a celestials in beauty, who stringed the foremost of bows and brought down on earth the mark set on high, was soon surrounded by all the foremost of Brahmanas, who offered him their homage for the feat he had achieved. Incapable of bearing the sight of the foes and endued with great activity, he(the youth) displayed his prowess. Surrounded by the Brahinanas he resembled like the celestials and the Rishis.

As a female elephant follows the leader of a herd so Krishna cheerfully followed him, catching hold of his deer skin. Being unable of bearing that sight the assembled kings rose up in anger and advanced to fight.

O king, then there rose in the arena another hero, who tore up a large tree and rushed against the kings (felling them right and left), as angry Yama smites down all living creatures.

O king, the assembled kings stood motionless looking at these two best of heroes among men. While they, resembling like the sun and the moon, took Krishna with them and went away to a potter's house (situated) outside the city.

There (in the potter's house) sat a lady, as effulgent as a flame of fire, who I believe, is their mother. Around her also sat three foremost of men, each of when was like a fire.

Coming to her, the two heroes paid homage to her feet and asked Krishna "To do homage to her.” Keeping Krishna there, those foremost of men all went out in their begging tour.

(When they returned), Krishna took from them the food (that they had obtained in alms) and offered a portion to the gods and gave away another portion to the Brahmanas. She gave a portion to that venerable lady and distributed the rest to those foremost of men; she herself ate last of all.

O king, they then all laid themselves down for sleep, Krishna lying like their nether pillow. The bed on which they lay was made of Kusha grass, on which they spread their deer skins.

They talked on various subjects in voices deep as those heroes were such that neither Vaishyas, nor Shudras, nor Brahmanas could talk in that way.

O king, there is no doubt that they are foremost of Kshatriyas, their conversations being on all military subjects. Our hope has been fulfilled. We have heard that the sons of Pritha escaped from the conflagration.

From the way in which the mark was shot down by the youth, the strength with which the bow was stringed by him and the manner in which they talked to one another, it is certain they are the sons of Pritha wandering in disguise.

Vaishampayana said : Thereupon the king Drupada became exceedingly pleased and he sent to then his priest, directing him to ascertain who they were and whether they were (really) the sons of the illustrious Pandu.

As directed by the king, the priest went to them; and applauding them all, he told them duly in detail all that he was commanded by the monarch to say.

The Priest said: O men that deserve first worship, the boon giving king of the earth, the lord of Panchala, (Drupada) is desirous to know who you are. Seeing this (hero) who has shot down the mark, his joy knows no bound.

Giving us all particulars of your family and tribe, place your feet on the heads of your enemies and gladden the hearts of the Panchala king and his men and of mine also.

King Pandu was a dear friend of king Draupada who regarded him as his counter self. He had all along cherished the desire of bestowing his this daughter on that Kuru prince (Pandu) as his daughter-in-law.

O heroes of faultless features, it was the wish in the heart of the king Drupada that the long and strong armed Arjuna should marry in due religious form his this daughter.

If that has become possible, nothing could be better, nothing more beneficial and nothing more conductive to fame and virtue than that incident. Having said this, the priest became silent. The king (Yudhishthira) seeing him thus sitting with humility said, “Let water to wash his fact and the Arghya be offered to this Brahmana. He is king Drupada's priest and therefore he is worthy of our respect. We should worship him with more than ordinary reverence.”

O king, Bhima then did as directed. Accepting the worship thus offered to him, he (the priest) became exceedingly glad; and then Yudhishthira thus addressed that priest sitting in comfort.

Yudhishthira said: By fixing a special kind of dower the Panchala king, has given away his daughter according to the practice of his order. He has not done it freely. Therefore, he has nothing to say in regard to the race, tribe, family and character of him who has performed the feat. This hero has won the princess by satisfying the demand of the king Drupada. All his queries have been answered by the stringing of the bow and the shooting down the mark.

It is by doing that which he had directed this illustrious hero has won Krishna in the assembly of kings. Under these circumstances, the king of the lunar race should not indulge in any regret which can only make him unhappy.

The desire that the king Drupada has all along entertained will (surely) be fulfilled, for O Brahmana, I believe this princess in endued with all auspicious marks.

None that is weak in strength could string that bow and none of low birth or unaccomplished in arms could have shot down the mark.

It is, therefore, not proper for the Panchala king to grieve today for his daughter. There is no man in the world who can (now) undo that act of shooting down the mark.

Vaishampayana said : While Yudhishthira was saying all this, the king of Panchala, another messenger came in haste and said “The feast is ready."