01.176
Core-Pancharatra: Pandavas take a seat along with Brahmins.
Vaiśampāyana said.
O Janamejaya, thus addressed, the Pāṇḍavas departed. The southern Pāñcālas were protected by King Drupada.
Then, O king, the Pāṇḍavas saw the great and pure-souled, sinless Vyāsa on the path.
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.
The great chariot-warriors slowly proceeded, seeing beautiful forests and lakes here and there, and staying at various places along the way.
The descendants of Kuru, who were devoted to self-study, pure, sweet-natured, and spoke agreeable words, arrived at the Pañcālas in due order.
But after seeing the city and that military camp, the Pāṇḍavas then made their settlement in the potter's house.
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.
Yajñasena always wishes to give Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī) to the crowned Pāṇḍava, but he never openly declares this.
O Bhārata, Janamejaya, the son of Pāñcālī, searching for the sons of Kuntī, had a strong and hard-to-draw bow made.
The king had an artificial aerial machine constructed, and with that machine, he set up a golden target.
Drupada said.
Whoever, having strung this bow and with these arrows, surpasses and pierces the target, he shall win my daughter—thus (it is declared).
Vaiśampāyana said.
Thus King Drupada had it proclaimed everywhere. Upon hearing this, all the kings gathered there, O Bhārata.
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.
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.
Then all the citizens, accompanied by the sound raised by the ocean, reached the city of Śiśumāra, and the kings also settled there.
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.
It was furnished with ramparts and moats, decorated with gateways and arches, and was entirely covered everywhere with a splendid canopy.
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.
He was surrounded on all sides by lofty, well-built mansions, resembling the peaks of Kailāsa and piercing the sky.
Adorned with golden netting, jewel-inlaid floors, comfortable stairways, and grand seat furnishings.
Covered evenly with the best aloeswood perfume, not unrefined, and filled with many swan-white, fragrant things whose scent extended for a yojana.
With a hundred uncrowded doors, adorned with beds and seats, with many parts encrusted with various minerals, like the peaks of the Himalaya.
There, all the kings, well-adorned, sat in various kinds of aerial cars, competing with one another.
There they saw the great, valiant, and highly fortunate royal lions seated, adorned with black agallochum.
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.
The citizens and country people gathered from all sides and sat together on the excellent platforms, eager for the satisfaction of seeing Kṛṣṇa.
The Pāṇḍavas, along with the Brāhmaṇas, sat down, beholding the unparalleled prosperity of the king of the Pāñcālas.
Then, O king, the assembly flourished for many days, being rich in the distribution of jewels and splendid with actors and dancers.
But in the present society, on the beautiful sixteenth day, she was bathed, well-dressed, and adorned with all ornaments.
O bull among the Bharatas, Draupadī, having taken the hero's bell-metal and the well-adorned gold, then descended to the arena.
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.
Having satisfied the fire and the Brāhmaṇas, and after auspicious words were spoken, he ordered all the musical instruments everywhere to cease.
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.
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.
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.
After saying this to them, Drupada's son then addressed Draupadī. He recited the names, lineages, and deeds of those assembled kings.
