SECTION 200
(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 Vyasa, addressing Yudhishthira,
said, 'This day is an auspicious day, O son of Kunti! 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 heart. Then Dhaumya, igniting the sacred fire, poured with due mantras
libations of clarified butter into that blazing element. And calling
Yudhishthira there, Dhaumya, 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 the others took the hand Krishna, day by
day in succession, aided by that priest. O king, the Rishi told me of a very
wonderful and extraordinary thing in connection with these marriages, 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 them 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 monarch gave unto each of those, making
the sacred fire a witness of his gifts, much wealth and many costly robes and
ornaments of great splendour. The sons of Kunti, 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, in the capital of the king of
the Panchalas,'"
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