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 you 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 the 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.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 187 ---------------------
