The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (Translator)

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"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.'"

SECTION CLXLIX

(Vaivahika Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Vyasa continued, 'In days of yore, the celestials had
once commenced a grand sacrifice in the forest of Naimisha. At that
sacrifice, O king, Yama, the son of Vivaswat, became the slayer of the
devoted animals. Yama, thus employed in that sacrifice, did not (during
that period), O king, kill a single human being. Death being suspended in
the world, the number of human beings increased very greatly. Then Soma
and Sakra and Varuna and Kuvera, the Sadhyas, the Rudras, the Vasus, the
twin Aswins,--these and other celestials went unto Prajapati, the Creator
of the universe. Struck with fear for the increase of the human population
of the world they addressed the Master of creation and said, 'Alarmed, O
lord, at the increase of human beings on earth, we come to thee for relief.
Indeed, we crave thy protection.' Hearing those words the Grandsire said,
'Ye have little cause to be frightened at this increase of human beings.
Ye all are immortal. It behoveth you not to take fright at human beings.'
The celestials replied, 'The mortals have all become immortal. There is no
distinction now between us and them. Vexed at the disappearance of all
distinction, we have come to thee in order that thou mayest distinguish us
from them.' The Creator then said, 'The son of Vivaswat is even now
engaged in the grand sacrifice. It is for this that men are not dying. But
when Yama's work in connection with the sacrifice terminates, men will
again begin to die as before. Strengthened by your respective energies,
Yama will, when that time comes, sweep away by thousands the inhabitants
on earth who will scarcely have then any energy left in them.'

"Vyasa continued, 'Hearing these words of the first-born deity, the
celestials returned to the spot where the grand sacrifice was being
performed. And the mighty one sitting by the side of the Bhagirathi saw a
(golden) lotus being carried along by the current. And beholding that
(golden) lotus, they wondered much. And amongst them, that foremost of
celestials, viz., Indra, desirous of ascertaining whence it came,
proceeded up along the course of the Bhagirathi. And reaching that spot
whence the goddess Ganga issues perennially, Indra beheld a woman
possessing the splendour of fire. The woman who had come there to take
water was washing in the stream, weeping all the while. The tear-drops
she shed, falling on the stream, were being transformed into golden
lotuses. The wielder of the thunderbolt, beholding that wonderful sight,
approached the woman and asked her, 'Who art thou, amiable lady? Why dost
thou weep? I desire to know the truth. O, tell me everything.'

"Vyasa continued, 'The woman thereupon answered, 'O Sakra, thou mayest
know who I am and why, unfortunate that I am, I weep, if only, O chief of
the celestials, thou comest with me as I lead the way. Thou shall then see
what it is I weep for." Hearing these words of the lady, Indra followed
her as she led the way. And soon he saw, not far off from where he was, a
handsome youth with a young lady seated on a throne placed on one of the
peaks of Himavat and playing at dice. Beholding that youth, the chief of
the celestials said, 'Know, intelligent youth, that this universe is under
my sway.' Seeing, however, that the person addressed was so engrossed in
dice that he took no notice of what he said, Indra was possessed by anger
and repeated, 'I am the lord of the universe.' The youth who was none else
than the god Mahadeva (the god of the gods), seeing Indra filled with
wrath, only smiled, having cast a glance at him. At that glance, however,
the chief of the celestials was at once paralysed and stood there like a
stake. When the game at dice was over, Isana addressing the weeping woman
said, 'Bring Sakra hither, for I shall soon so deal with him that pride
may not again enter his heart.' As soon as Sakra was touched by that woman,
the chief of the celestials with limbs paralysed by that touch, fell down
on the earth. The illustrious Isana of fierce energy then said unto him,
'Act not, O Sakra, ever again in this way. Remove this huge stone, for thy
strength and energy are immeasurable, and enter the hole (it will
disclose) where await some others possessing the splendour of the sun and
who are all like unto thee.' Indra, then, on removing that stone, beheld a
cave in the breast of that king of mountains, within which were four
others resembling himself. Beholding their plight, Sakra became seized
with grief and exclaimed, 'Shall I be even like these?' Then the god
Girisha, looking full at Indra with expanded eyes, said in anger, 'O thou
of a hundred sacrifices, enter this cave without loss of time, for thou
hast from folly insulted me.' Thus addressed by the lord Isana, the chief
of the celestials, in consequence of that terrible imprecation, was deeply
pained, and with limbs weakened by fear trembled like the wind-shaken leaf
of a Himalayan fig. And cursed unexpectedly by the god owning a bull for
his vehicle, Indra, with joined hands and shaking from head to foot,
addressed that fierce god of multi-form manifestations, saying, 'Thou art,
O Bhava, the over-looker of the infinite Universe!' Hearing these words
the god of fiery energy smiled and said, 'Those that are of disposition
like thine never obtain my grace. These others (within the cave) had at
one time been like thee. Enter thou this cave, therefore, and lie there
for some time. The fate of you all shall certainly be the same. All of you
shall have to take your birth in the world of men, where, having achieved
many difficult feats and slaying a large number of men, ye shall again by
the merits of your respective deeds, regain the valued region of Indra. Ye
shall accomplish all I have said and much more besides, of other kinds of
work.' Then those Indras, of their shorn glory said, 'We shall go from our
celestial regions even unto the region of men where salvation is ordained
to be difficult of acquisition. But let the gods Dharma, Vayu, Maghavat,
and the twin Aswins beget us upon our would-be mother. Fighting with men
by means of both celestial and human weapons, we shall again come back
into the region of Indra.'

"Vyasa continued, 'Hearing these words of the former Indras, the wielder
of the thunderbolt once more addressed that foremost of gods, saying,
'Instead of going myself, I shall, with a portion of my energy, create
from myself a person for the accomplishment of the task (thou assignest)
to form the fifth among these!' Vishwabhuk, Bhutadhaman, Sivi of great
energy, Santi the fourth, and Tejaswin, these it is said were the five
Indras of old. And the illustrious god of the formidable bow, from his
kindness, granted unto the five Indras the desire they cherished. And he
also appointed that woman of extraordinary beauty, who was none else than
celestial Sri (goddess of grace) herself, to be their common wife in the
world of men. Accompanied by all those Indras, the god Isana then went
unto Narayana of immeasurable energy, the Infinite, the Immaterial, the
Uncreate, the Old, the Eternal, and the Spirit of these universes without
limits. Narayana approved of everything. Those Indras then were born in
the world of men. And Hari (Narayana) took up two hairs from his body, one
of which hairs was black and the other white. And those two hairs entered
the wombs of two of the Yadu race, by name Devaki and Rohini. And one of
these hairs viz., that which was white, became Valadeva. And the hair that
was black was born as Kesava's self, Krishna. And those Indras of old who
had been confined in the cave on the Himavat are none else than the sons
of Pandu, endued with great energy. And Arjuna amongst the Pandavas,
called also Savyasachin (using both hands with equal dexterity) is a
portion of Sakra.'

"Vyasa continued, 'Thus, O king, they who have been born as the Pandavas
are none else than those Indras of old. And the celestial Sri herself who
had been appointed as their wife is this Draupadi of extraordinary beauty.
How could she whose effulgence is like that of the sun or the moon, whose
fragrance spreads for two miles around, take her birth in any other than
an extraordinary way, viz., from within the earth, by virtue of the
sacrificial rites? Unto thee, O king, I cheerfully grant this other boon
in the form of spiritual sight. Behold now the sons of Kunti endued with
their sacred and celestial bodies of old!'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, that sacred Brahmana Vyasa of
generous deeds, by means of his ascetic power, granted celestial sight
unto the king. Thereupon the king beheld all the Pandavas endued with
their former bodies. And the king saw them possessed of celestial bodies,
with golden crowns and celestial garlands, and each resembling Indra
himself, with complexions radiant as fire or the sun, and decked with
every ornament, and handsome, and youthful, with broad chests and statures
measuring about five cubits. Endued with every accomplishment, and decked
with celestial robes of great beauty and fragrant garlands of excellent
making the king beheld them as so many three-eyed gods (Mahadeva), or
Vasus, or Rudras, or Adityas themselves. And observing the Pandavas in the
forms of those Indras of old, and Arjuna also in the form of Indra sprung
from Sakra himself, king Drupada was highly pleased. And the monarch
wondered much on beholding that manifestation of celestial power under
deep disguise. The king looking at his daughter, that foremost of women
endued with great beauty, like unto a celestial damsel and possessed of
the splendour of fire or the moon, regarded her as the worthy wife of
those celestial beings, for her beauty, splendour and fame. And beholding
that wonderful sight, the monarch touched the feet of Satyavati's son,
exclaiming, 'O great Rishi, nothing is miraculous in thee!' The Rishi then
cheerfully continued, 'In a certain hermitage there was an illustrious
Rishi's daughter, who, though handsome and chaste, obtained not a husband.
The maiden gratified, by severe ascetic penances, the god Sankara
(Mahadeva). The lord Sankara, gratified at her penances, told her himself,
'Ask thou the boon thou desirest.' Thus addressed, the maiden repeatedly
said unto the boon-giving Supreme Lord, 'I desire to obtain a husband
possessed of every accomplishment.' Sankara, the chief of the gods,
gratified with her, gave her the boon she asked, saying, 'Thou shall have,
amiable maiden, five husbands.' The maiden, who had succeeded in
gratifying the god, said again, 'O Sankara, I desire to have from thee
only one husband possessed of every virtue?' The god of gods, well-pleased
with her, spake again, saying, 'Thou hast, O maiden, addressed me five
full times, repeating, 'Give me a husband.' Therefore, O amiable one, it
shall even be as thou hast asked. Blessed be thou. All this, however, will
happen in a future life of thine!'

"Vyasa continued, 'O Drupada, this thy daughter of celestial beauty is
that maiden. Indeed, the faultless Krishna sprung from Prishata's race
hath been pre-ordained to become the common wife of five husbands. The
celestial Sri, having undergone severe ascetic penances, hath, for the
sake of the Pandavas, had her birth as thy daughter, in the course of thy
grand sacrifice. That handsome goddess, waited upon by all the celestials,
as a consequence of her own acts becomes the (common) wife of five
husbands. It is for this that the self-create had created her. Having
listened to all this, O king Drupada, do what thou desirest.'"

SECTION CC

(Vaivahika Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'Drupada, on hearing this, observed, O great Rishi, it
was only when I had not heard this from thee that I had sought to act in
the way I told thee of. Now, however, that I know all, I cannot be
indifferent to what hath been ordained by the gods. Therefore do I resolve
to accomplish what thou hast said. The knot of destiny cannot be untied.
Nothing in this world is the result of our own acts. That which had been
appointed by us in view of securing one only bridegroom hath now
terminated in favour of many. As Krishna (in a former life) had repeatedly
said, 'O, give me a husband!' the great god himself even gave her the boon
she had asked. The god himself knows the right or wrong of this. As
regards myself, when Sankara hath ordained so, right or wrong, no sin can
attach to me. Let these with happy hearts take, as ordained, the hand of
Krishna with the rites.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the illustrious Vyasa, addressing
Yudhishthira the just, said, 'This day is an auspicious day, O son of
Pandu! This day the moon has entered the constellation called Pushya. Take
thou the hand of Krishna today, thyself first before thy brothers!' When
Vyasa had said so, king Yajnasena and his son made preparations for the
wedding. And the monarch kept ready various costly articles as marriage
presents. Then he brought out his daughter Krishna, decked, after a bath,
with many jewels and pearls. Then there came to witness the wedding all
the friends and relatives of the king, ministers of state, and many
Brahmanas and citizens. And they all took their seats according to their
respective ranks. Adorned with that concourse of principal men, with its
yard decked with lotuses and lilies scattered thereupon, and beautified
with lines of troops, king Drupada's palace, festooned around with
diamonds and precious stones, looked like the firmament studded with
brilliant stars. Then those princes of the Kuru line, endued with youth
and adorned with ear-rings, attired in costly robes and perfumed with
sandal-paste, bathed and performed the usual religious rites and
accompanied by their priest Dhaumya who was possessed of the splendour of
fire, entered the wedding hall one after another in due order, and with
glad hearts, like mighty bulls entering a cow-pen. Then Dhaumya, well-
conversant with the Vedas, igniting the sacred fire, poured with due
mantras libations of clarified butter into that blazing element. And
calling Yudhishthira there, Dhaumya, acquainted with mantras, united him
with Krishna. Walking round the fire the bridegroom and the bride took
each other's hand. After their union was complete, the priest Dhaumya,
taking leave of Yudhishthira, that ornament of battles, went out of the
palace. Then those mighty car-warriors,--those perpetuators of the Kuru
line,--those princes attired in gorgeous dresses, took the hand of that
best of women, day by day in succession, aided by that priest. O king, the
celestial Rishi told me of a very wonderful and extraordinary thing in
connection with these marriages, viz., that the illustrious princess of
slender waist regained her virginity every day after a previous marriage.
After the weddings were over, king Drupada gave unto those mighty car-
warriors diverse kinds of excellent wealth. And the king gave unto them
one hundred cars with golden standards, each drawn by four steeds with
golden bridles. And he gave them one hundred elephants all possessing
auspicious marks on their temples and faces and like unto a hundred
mountains with golden peaks. He also gave them a hundred female servants
all in the prime of youth and clad in costly robes and ornaments and
floral wreaths. And the illustrious monarch of the Lunar race gave unto
each of those princes of celestial beauty, making the sacred fire a
witness of his gifts, much wealth and many costly robes and ornaments of
great splendour. The sons of Pandu endued with great strength, after their
wedding were over, and after they had obtained Krishna like unto a second
Sri along with great wealth, passed their days in joy and happiness, like
so many Indras, in the capital of the king of the Panchalas,'"

SECTION CCI

(Vaivahika Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'King Drupada, after his alliance with the Pandavas,
had all his fears dispelled. Indeed, the monarch no longer stood in fear
even of the gods. The ladies of the illustrious Drupada's household
approached Kunti and introduced themselves unto her, mentioning their
respective names, and worshipped her feet with heads touching the ground.
Krishna also, attired in red silk and her wrists still encircled with the
auspicious thread, saluting her mother-in-law with reverence, stood
contentedly before her with joined palms. Pritha, out of affection,
pronounced a blessing upon her daughter-in-law endued with great beauty
and every auspicious mark and possessed of a sweet disposition and good
character, saying, 'Be thou unto thy husband as Sachi unto Indra, Swaha
unto Vibhavasu, Rohini unto Soma, Damayanti unto Nala, Bhadra unto
Vaisravana, Arundhati unto Vasishtha, Lakshmi unto Narayana! O amiable one,
be thou the mother of long-lived and heroic children, and possessed of
everything that can make thee happy! Let luck and prosperity ever wait on
thee! Wait thou ever on husbands engaged in the performance of grand
sacrifices. Be thou devoted to thy husbands. And let thy days be ever
passed in duly entertaining and reverencing guests and strangers arrived
at thy abode, and the pious and the old; children and superiors. Be thou
installed as the Queen of the kingdom and the capital of Kurujangala, with
thy husband Yudhishthira the just! O daughter, let the whole earth,
conquered by the prowess of thy husbands endued with great strength, be
given away by thee unto Brahmanas at horse-sacrifice! O accomplished one
whatever gems there are on earth possessed of superior virtues, obtain
them, O lucky one, and be thou happy for a full hundred years! And, O
daughter-in-law, as I rejoice today beholding thee attired in red silk, so
shall I rejoice again, when, O accomplished one, I behold thee become the
mother of a son!'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'After the sons of Pandu had been married, Hari
(Krishna) sent unto them (as presents) various gold ornaments set with
pearls and black gems (lapis lazuli). And Madhava (Krishna) also sent unto
them costly robes manufactured in various countries, and many beautiful
and soft blankets and hides of great value, and many costly beds and
carpets and vehicles. He also sent them vessels by hundreds, set with gems
and diamonds. And Krishna also gave them female servants by thousands,
brought from various countries, and endued with beauty, youth and
accomplishments and decked with every ornament. He also gave them many
well-trained elephants brought from the country of Madra, and many
excellent horses in costly harness, cars drawn by horses of excellent
colours and large teeth. The slayer of Madhu, of immeasurable soul, also
sent them coins of pure gold by crores upon crores in separate heaps. And
Yudhishthira the just, desirous of gratifying Govinda, accepted all those
presents with great joy.'"

SECTION CCII

(Viduragamana Parva)

"Vaisampayana said, 'The news was carried unto all the monarchs (who had
come to the Self-choice of Draupadi) by their trusted spies that the
handsome Draupadi had been united in marriage with the sons of Pandu. And
they were also informed that the illustrious hero who had bent the bow and
shot the mark was none else than Arjuna, that foremost of victorious
warriors and first of all wielders of the bow and arrows. And it became
known that the mighty warrior who had dashed Salya, the king of Madra, on
the ground, and who in wrath had terrified the assembled monarchs by means
of the tree (he had uprooted), and who had taken his stand before all foes
in perfect fearlessness, was none else than Bhima, that feller of hostile
ranks, whose touch alone was sufficient to take the lives out of all foes.
The monarchs, upon being informed that the Pandavas had assumed the guise
of peaceful Brahmanas, wondered much. They even heard that Kunti with all
her sons had been burnt to death in the conflagration of the house of lac.
They, therefore, now regarded the Pandavas in the light of persons who had
come back from the region of the dead. And recollecting the cruel scheme
contrived by Purochana, they began to say, 'O, fie on Bhishma, fie on
Dhritarashtra of the Kuru race!'

"After the Self-choice was over, all the monarchs (who had come thither),
hearing that Draupadi had been united with the Pandavas, set out for their
own dominions. And Duryodhana, hearing that Draupadi had selected the
owner of white steeds (Arjuna) as her lord, became greatly depressed.
Accompanied by his brothers, Aswatthaman, his uncle (Sakuni), Karna and
Kripa the prince set out with a heavy heart for his capital. Then
Duhsasana, blushing with shame, addressed his brother softly and said, 'If
Arjuna had not disguised himself as a Brahmana, he could never have
succeeded in obtaining Draupadi. It was for this disguise, O king, that no
one could recognise him as Dhananjaya. Fate, I ween, is ever supreme.
Exertion is fruitless; fie on our exertions, O brother! The Pandavas are
still alive!' Speaking unto one another thus and blaming Purochana (for
his carelessness), they then entered the city of Hastinapura, with
cheerless and sorrowful hearts. Beholding the mighty sons of Pritha,
escaped from the burning house of lac and allied with Drupada, and
thinking of Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin and the other sons of Drupada all
accomplished in fight, they were struck with fear and overcome with
despair.

"Then Vidura, having learnt that Draupadi had been won by the Pandavas and
that the sons of Dhritarashtra had come back (to Hastinapura) in shame,
their pride humiliated, became filled with joy. And, O king, approaching
Dhritarashtra, Kshattri said, 'The Kurus are prospering by good luck!'
Hearing those words of Vidura, the son of Vichitravirya, wondering, said
in great glee, 'What good luck, O Vidura! What good luck!' From ignorance,
the blind monarch understood that his eldest son Duryodhana had been
chosen by Drupada's daughter as her lord. And the king immediately ordered
various ornaments to be made for Draupadi. And he commanded that both
Draupadi and his son Duryodhana should be brought with pomp to Hastinapura.
It was then that Vidura told the monarch that Draupadi had chosen the
Pandavas for her lords, and that those heroes were all alive and at peace,
and that they had been received with great respect by king Drupada. And he
also informed Dhritarashtra that the Pandavas had been united with the
many relatives and friends of Drupada, each owning large armies, and with
many others who had come to that self-choice.

"Hearing these words of Vidura, Dhritarashtra said, 'Those children are to
me as dear as they were to Pandu. Nay, more. O listen to me why my
affection for them now is even greater! The heroic sons of Pandu are well
and at ease. They have obtained many friends. Their relatives, and others
whom they have gained as allies, are all endued with great strength. Who
amongst monarchs in prosperity or adversity would not like to have Drupada
with his relatives as an ally?'