(Rajya-labha Parva)
"Janamejaya said, 'O thou possessed of ascetic wealth, what did those high-
souled ones, my grandsires, the illustrious Pandavas, do, after obtaining
the kingdom of Indraprastha? How did their wife Draupadi obey them all?
How is it also that no dissensions arose amongst those illustrious rulers
of men, all attached to one wife, viz., Krishna? O thou of the wealth of
asceticism, I wish to hear everything in detail regarding the behaviour
towards one another of those rulers of men after their union with
Krishna.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Those scorchers of foes, the Pandavas, having
obtained their kingdom, at the command of Dhritarashtra, passed their days
in joy and happiness at Khandavaprastha with Krishna. And Yudhishthira.
endued with great energy and ever adhering to truth, having obtained the
sovereignty, virtuously ruled the land, assisted by his brothers. And the
sons of Pandu, endued with great wisdom and devoted to truth and virtue,
having vanquished all their foes, continued to live there in great
happiness. And those bulls among men, seated on royal seats of great value,
used to discharge all the duties of government. And one day, while all
those illustrious heroes were so seated, there came unto them the
celestial Rishi Narada, in course of his wanderings. Beholding the Rishi,
Yudhishthira offered him his own handsome seat. And after the celestial
Rishi had been seated, the wise Yudhishthira duly offered him the Arghya
with his own hands. And the king also informed the Rishi of the state of
his kingdom. The Rishi accepting the worship, became well-pleased, and
eulogising him with benedictions, commanded the king to take his seat.
Commanded by the Rishi, the king took his seat. Then the king sent word
unto Krishna (in the inner apartments) of the arrival of the illustrious
one. Hearing of the Rishi's arrival Draupadi, purifying herself properly,
came with a respectful attitude to where Narada was with the Pandavas. The
virtuous princess of Panchala, worshipping the celestial Rishi's feet,
stood with joined hands before him, properly veiled. The illustrious
Narada, pronouncing various benedictions on her, commanded the princess to
retire. After Krishna had retired, the illustrious Rishi, addressing in
private all the Pandavas with Yudhishthira at their head, said, "The
renowned princess of Panchala is the wedded wife of you all. Establish a
rule amongst yourselves so that disunion may not arise amongst you. There
were, in former days, celebrated throughout the three worlds, two brothers
named Sunda and Upasunda living together and incapable of being slain by
anybody unless each slew the other. They ruled the same kingdom, lived in
the same house, slept on the same bed, sat on the same seat, and ate from
the same dish. And yet they killed each for the sake of Tilottama.
Therefore, O Yudhishthira, preserve your friendship for one another and do
that which may not produce disunion amongst you."
"'On hearing this, Yudhishthira asked, "O great Muni, whose sons were
Asuras called Sunda and Upasunda? Whence arose that dissension amongst
them, and why did they slay each other? Whose daughter also was this
Tilottama for whose love the maddened brothers killed each other? Was she
an Apsara (water nymph) or the daughter of any celestial? O thou whose
wealth is asceticism, we desire, O Brahmana, to hear in detail everything
as it happened. Indeed, our curiosity hath become great."'"