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 the 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 the 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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