(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said. 'The large-eyed daughter of Kuntibhoja, Pritha by name,
was endued with beauty and every accomplishment. Of rigid vows, she was
devoted to virtue and possessed of every good quality. But though endued
with beauty and youth and every womanly attribute, yet it so happened that
no king asked for her hand. Her father Kuntibhoja seeing this, invited, O
best of monarchs, the princes and kings of other countries and desired his
daughter to select her husband from among her guests. The intelligent
Kunti, entering the amphitheatre, beheld Pandu--the foremost of the
Bharatas--that tiger among kings--in that concourse of crowned heads.
Proud as the lion, broad-chested, bull-eyed, endued with great strength,
and outshining all other monarchs in splendour, he looked like another
Indra in that royal assemblage. The amiable daughter of Kuntibhoja, of
faultless features, beholding Pandu--that best of men--in that assembly,
became very much agitated. And advancing with modesty, all the while
quivering with emotion, she placed the nuptial garland about Pandu's neck.
The other monarchs, seeing Kunti choose Pandu for her lord, returned to
their respective kingdoms on elephants, horses and cars, as they had come.
Then, O king, the bride's father caused the nuptial rites to be performed
duly. The Kuru prince blessed with great good fortune and the daughter of
Kuntibhoja formed a couple like Maghavat and Paulomi (the king and queen
of the celestials). And, O best of Kuru monarchs, king Kuntibhoja, after
the nuptials were over, presented his son-in-law with much wealth and sent
him back to his capital. Then the Kuru prince Pandu, accompanied by a
large force bearing various kinds of banners and pennons, and eulogised by
Brahmanas and great Rishis pronouncing benedictions, reached his capital.
And after arriving at his own palace, he established his queen therein.'"