(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 rose 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 ye
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 ye 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."'"