01.176
Core-Pancharatra: Pandavas take a seat along with Brahmins.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evamuktāḥ prayātās te pāṇḍavā janamejaya। rājñā dakṣiṇapāñcālān drupadenābhirakṣitān ॥1-176-1॥
O Janamejaya, thus addressed, the Pāṇḍavas departed. The southern Pāñcālas were protected by King Drupada.
tataste taṃ mahātmānaṃ śuddhātmānamakalmaṣam। dadṛśuḥ pāṇḍavā rājanpathi dvaipāyanaṃ tadā ॥1-176-2॥
Then, O king, the Pāṇḍavas saw the great and pure-souled, sinless Vyāsa on the path.
tasmai yathāvat-satkāraṃ kṛtvā tena ca sāntvitāḥ। kathānte cābhyanujñātāḥ prayayur drupada-kṣayam ॥1-176-3॥
After showing him due honor and being consoled by him, at the end of the conversation and with his permission, they departed for Drupada's residence.
paśyanto ramaṇīyāni vanāni ca sarāṃsi ca। tatra tatra vasantas ca śanair jagmur mahārathāḥ ॥1-176-4॥
The great chariot-warriors slowly proceeded, seeing beautiful forests and lakes here and there, and staying at various places along the way.
svādhyāyavantaḥ śucayo madhurāḥ priyavādinaḥ। ānupūrvyeṇa samprāptāḥ pāñcālān kurunandanāḥ ॥1-176-5॥
The descendants of Kuru, who were devoted to self-study, pure, sweet-natured, and spoke agreeable words, arrived at the Pañcālas in due order.
te tu dṛṣṭvā puraṃ tac ca skandhāvāraṃ ca pāṇḍavāḥ। kumbhakārasya śālāyāṃ niveśaṃ cakrire tadā ॥1-176-6॥
But after seeing the city and that military camp, the Pāṇḍavas then made their settlement in the potter's house.
tatra bhaikṣaṃ samājahrur brāhmīṃ vṛttiṃ samāśritāḥ। tāṃś ca prāptāṃs tadā vīrāñ jajñire na narāḥ kvacit॥1-176-7॥
There, they adopted the Brahmanical way of life and collected alms together; at that time, no one anywhere recognized those heroes who had attained that state.
yajñasenasya kāmastu pāṇḍavāya kirīṭine। kṛṣṇāṃ dadyāmiti sadā na caitadvivṛṇoti saḥ ॥1-176-8॥
Yajñasena always wishes to give Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) to the crowned Pāṇḍava, but he never openly declares this.
so'nveṣamāṇaḥ kaunteyān pāñcālyo janamejaya। dṛḍhaṃ dhanur anāyamyaṃ kārayāmāsa bhārata ॥1-176-9॥
O Bhārata, Janamejaya, the son of Pāñcālī, searching for the sons of Kuntī, had a strong and hard-to-draw bow made.
yantraṃ vaihāyasaṃ cāpi kārayāmāsa kṛtrimam। tena yantreṇa sahitaṃ rājā lakṣyaṃ ca kāñcanam ॥1-176-10॥
The king had an artificial aerial machine constructed, and with that machine, he set up a golden target.
drupada uvāca॥
Drupada said.
idaṃ sajyaṃ dhanuḥ kṛtvā sajyenānena sāyakaiḥ। atītya lakṣyaṃ yo veddhā sa labdhā matsutāmiti ॥1-176-11॥
Whoever, having strung this bow and with these arrows, surpasses and pierces the target, he shall win my daughter—thus (it is declared).
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
iti sa drupado rājā sarvataḥ samaghoṣayat। tacchrutvā pārthivāḥ sarve samīyus tatra bhārata ॥1-176-12॥
Thus King Drupada had it proclaimed everywhere. Upon hearing this, all the kings gathered there, O Bhārata.
ṛṣayaś ca mahātmānaḥ svayaṃvaradidṛkṣayā। duryodhanapurogāś ca saskarṇāḥ kuravo nṛpa ॥1-176-13॥
O king, seers and great-souled ones came to witness the svayaṃvara, and the Kurus, led by Duryodhana and accompanied by Karṇa, were also present.
brāhmaṇāś ca mahābhāgā deśebhyaḥ samupāgaman। te'bhyaṛcitā rājagaṇā drupadena mahātmanā ॥1-176-14॥
Brāhmaṇas and other greatly fortunate ones from various regions assembled together. The groups of kings, having been honored by the noble Drupada, were received with respect.
tataḥ paurajanāḥ sarve sāgaroddhūtaniḥsvanāḥ। śiśumārapuraṃ prāpya nyaviśaṃste ca pārthivāḥ ॥1-176-15॥
Then all the citizens, accompanied by the sound raised by the ocean, reached the city of Śiśumāra, and the kings also settled there.
prāguttareṇa nagarādbhūmibhāge same śubhe। samājavāṭaḥ śuśubhe bhavanaiḥ sarvato vṛtaḥ ॥1-176-16॥
To the northeast of the city, in a level and auspicious plot of land, the assembly-garden stood out, surrounded on all sides by buildings.
prākāraparikhopeto dvāratoraṇamaṇḍitaḥ। vitānena vicitreṇa sarvataḥ samavastṛtaḥ ॥1-176-17॥
It was furnished with ramparts and moats, decorated with gateways and arches, and was entirely covered everywhere with a splendid canopy.
tūryaughaśatasaṅkīrṇaḥ parārdhyāgurudhūpitaḥ। candanodakasiktaśca mālyadāmaiśca śobhitaḥ ॥1-176-18॥
It was filled with the sounds of hundreds of musical instruments, perfumed with the finest aloeswood incense, sprinkled with sandalwood water, and beautifully decorated with garlands and strings.
kailāsaśikharaprakhyair nabhastalavilekhibhiḥ। sarvataḥ saṁvṛtair naddhaḥ prāsādaiḥ sukṛtocchritaiḥ ॥1-176-19॥
He was surrounded on all sides by lofty, well-built mansions, resembling the peaks of Kailāsa and piercing the sky.
suvarṇajālasaṃvītair maṇikuṭṭimabhūṣitaiḥ। sukhārohaṇasopānair mahāsanaparicchadaiḥ ॥1-176-20॥
Adorned with golden netting, jewel-inlaid floors, comfortable stairways, and grand seat furnishings.
agrāmyasamavacchannair agurūttamavāsitaiḥ। haṃsācchavarṇair bahubhir āyojana-sugandhibhiḥ ॥1-176-21॥
Covered evenly with the best aloeswood perfume, not unrefined, and filled with many swan-white, fragrant things whose scent extended for a yojana.
asambādhaśatadvāraiḥ śayanāsanaśobhitaiḥ। bahudhātupinaddhāṅgairhimavacchikharairiva ॥1-176-22॥
With a hundred uncrowded doors, adorned with beds and seats, with many parts encrusted with various minerals, like the peaks of the Himalaya.
tatra nānāprakāreṣu vimāneṣu swalaṅkṛtāḥ। spardhamānās tad anyonyaṃ niṣeduḥ sarvapārthivāḥ ॥1-176-23॥
There, all the kings, well-adorned, sat in various kinds of aerial cars, competing with one another.
tatropaviṣṭāndadṛśurmahāsattvaparākrāmān। rājasiṃhānmahābhāgānkṛṣṇāguru-vibhūṣitān ॥1-176-24॥
There they saw the great, valiant, and highly fortunate royal lions seated, adorned with black agallochum.
mahāprasādān brahmaṇyān svarāṣṭra-parirakṣiṇaḥ। priyān sarvasya lokasya sukṛtaiḥ karmabhiḥ śubhaiḥ ॥1-176-25॥
They are greatly gracious, devoted to Brahman, protectors of their own kingdom, and dear to all the world because of their virtuous and auspicious actions.
mañceṣu ca parārdhyeṣu paurajānapadā janāḥ। kṛṣṇādarśanatuṣṭyarthaṃ sarvataḥ samupāviśan ॥1-176-26॥
The citizens and country people gathered from all sides and sat together on the excellent platforms, eager for the satisfaction of seeing Kṛṣṇa.
brāhmaṇais te ca sahitāḥ pāṇḍavāḥ samupāviśan। ṛddhiṃ pāñcālarājasya paśyantas tām anuttamām ॥1-176-27॥
The Pāṇḍavas, along with the Brāhmaṇas, sat down, beholding the unparalleled prosperity of the king of the Pāñcālas.
tataḥ samājo vavṛdhe sa rājan divasān bahūn। ratnapradānabahulaḥ śobhito naṭanartakaiḥ ॥1-176-28॥
Then, O king, the assembly flourished for many days, being rich in the distribution of jewels and splendid with actors and dancers.
vartamāne samāje tu ramaṇīye' hni ṣoḍaśe। āplutāṅgī suvasanā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā ॥1-176-29॥
But in the present society, on the beautiful sixteenth day, she was bathed, well-dressed, and adorned with all ornaments.
vīrakāṃsyam upādāya kāñcanaṃ samalaṅkṛtam। avatīrṇā tato raṅgaṃ draupadī bharatarṣabha ॥1-176-30॥
O bull among the Bharatas, Draupadī, having taken the hero's bell-metal and the well-adorned gold, then descended to the arena.
purohitaḥ somakānāṃ mantravidbrāhmaṇaḥ śuciḥ। paristīrya juhāvāgnimājyena vidhinā tadā ॥1-176-31॥
The chief priest of the Somakas, a brāhmaṇa skilled in mantras and pure, then performed the ritual by spreading the kuśa grass and offering ghee into the fire according to the prescribed method.
sa tarpayitvā jvalanaṃ brāhmaṇān svasti vācya ca। vārayāmāsa sarvāṇi vāditrāṇi samantataḥ ॥1-176-32॥
Having satisfied the fire and the Brāhmaṇas, and after auspicious words were spoken, he ordered all the musical instruments everywhere to cease.
niḥśabde tu kṛte tasmin dhṛṣṭadyumno viśāṃ pate। raṅgamadhyagatas tatra meghagambhīrayā girā॥ vākyam uccair jagādedam ślakṣṇam arthavad uttamam॥1-176-33॥
When silence fell, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, O lord of the people, entered the center of the arena and, with a voice deep as a cloud, loudly spoke these gentle, meaningful, and excellent words.
idaṃ dhanurlakṣyam ime ca bāṇāḥ; śṛṇvantu me pārthivāḥ sarva eva। yantracchidreṇābhyatikramya lakṣyaṃ; samarpayadhvaṃ khagamair daśārdhaiḥ ॥1-176-34॥
This is the bow-target and these are the arrows; let all the kings listen to me. Whoever surpasses the target through the machine's hole, let them offer with ten arrows.
etatkartā karma suduṣkaraṃ yaḥ; kulena rūpeṇa balena yuktaḥ। tasyādya bhāryā bhaginī mameyaṃ; kṛṣṇā bhavitri na mṛṣā bravīmi ॥1-176-35॥
He who has accomplished this very difficult deed, endowed with noble lineage, beauty, and strength—today, my sister Kṛṣṇā will become his wife; I do not speak falsely.
tānevamuktvā drupadasya putraḥ; paścād idaṃ draupadīm abhyuvāca. nāmnā ca gotreṇa ca karmaṇā ca; saṅkīrtayaṃs tān nṛpatīn sametān ॥1-176-36॥
After saying this to them, Drupada's son then addressed Draupadī. He recited the names, lineages, and deeds of those assembled kings.
