01.188
Pancharatra: Doubt regarding a woman marrying many.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tataste pāṇḍavāḥ sarve pāñcālyaśca mahāyaśāḥ। pratyutthāya mahātmānaṃ kṛṣṇaṃ dṛṣṭvābhyapūjayan ॥1-188-1॥
Then all the Pāṇḍavas and the illustrious son of Pāñcāla, upon seeing the noble-hearted Kṛṣṇa, rose to greet and honor him.
pratinandya sa tānsarvān pṛṣṭvā kuśalamantataḥ। āsane kāñcane śubhre niṣasāda mahāmanāḥ॥1-188-2॥
He greeted all of them, inquired about their well-being, and finally, the great-minded one sat down on the bright golden seat.
anujñātās tu te sarve kṛṣṇenāmitatejasā। āsaneṣu mahārheṣu niṣedur dvipadāṃ varāḥ॥1-188-3॥
But all of them, having been permitted by Kṛṣṇa of immeasurable brilliance, the best among men sat down on the most excellent seats.
tato muhūrtān madhurāṃ vāṇīm uccārya pārṣataḥ। papraccha taṃ mahātmānaṃ draupady-arthe viśāṃ patiḥ॥1-188-4॥
Then, after a moment, Pārṣata, having spoken sweet words, asked that great-souled lord of men about Draupadī.
kathamekā bahūnāṃ syānna ca syāddharmasaṅkaraḥ। etanno bhagavānsarvaṃ prabravītu yathātatham ॥1-188-5॥
How can one woman belong to many, and how can there not be a mixture of dharmas? O Lord, please explain all this to us exactly as it is.
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said.
asmin dharme vipralambhe loka-veda-virodhake। yasya yasya mataṃ yadyac chrotum icchāmi tasya tat ॥1-188-6॥
In this matter of dharma, which involves deception and is opposed to both worldly and Vedic norms, I wish to hear whatever opinion each person holds.
drupada uvāca॥
Drupada said.
adharmo'yaṃ mama mato viruddho lokavedayoḥ। na hyekā vidyate patnī bahūnāṃ dvijasattama ॥1-188-7॥
This is unrighteous, in my view, and contrary to both worldly custom and the Veda. Indeed, O best of twice-born, one wife does not exist for many men.
na cāpy ācaritaḥ pūrvair ayaṃ dharmo mahātmabhiḥ। na ca dharmo'py anekasthaś caritavyaḥ sanātanaḥ ॥1-188-8॥
This dharma has not been practiced by the great souls of the past. And even an eternal dharma should not be practiced in many different ways.
ato nāhaṃ karomyevaṃ vyavasāyaṃ kriyāṃ prati। dharmasaṃdehasaṃdigdhaṃ pratibhāti hi mām idam ॥1-188-9॥
Therefore, I do not make such a decision towards action, for this appears to me as uncertain due to doubt in dharma.
dhṛṣṭadyumna uvāca॥
Dhṛṣṭadyumna said.
yavīyasaḥ kathaṁ bhāryāṁ jyeṣṭho bhrātā dvijarṣabha। brahmansamabhivarteta sadvṛttaḥ saṁstapodhana ॥1-188-10॥
O best of twice-born, O Brāhmaṇa, how should the elder brother of good conduct behave towards the wife of the younger brother, O possessor of austerity?
na tu dharmasya sūkṣmatvād gatiṃ vidmaḥ kathañcana। adharmo dharma iti vā vyavasāyo na śakyate॥1-188-11॥
But because dharma is so subtle, we cannot know its true course in any way. It is not possible to definitively determine, 'this is adharma, this is dharma.'
kartum asmad-vidhair brahman tato na vyavasāmy aham। pañcānāṃ mahiṣī kṛṣṇā bhavatv iti kathaṃcana ॥1-188-12॥
O Brahman, I do not resolve to do this by those like me; therefore, let Kṛṣṇā be the chief wife of the five, in any way.
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
na me vāganṛtaṃ prāha nādharme dhīyate matiḥ। vartate hi mano me'tra naiṣo'dharmaḥ kathañcana ॥1-188-13॥
My speech has not uttered falsehood, nor is my mind set on unrighteousness. Indeed, my mind is present here; this is by no means unrighteous.
śrūyate hi purāṇe'pi jaṭilā nāma gautamī। ṛṣīn adhyāsitavatī sapta dharmabhṛtāṃ vara ॥1-188-14॥
It is said in the Purāṇa that Jaṭilā, also known as Gautamī, lived among the seven sages, the foremost upholders of righteousness.
guroś ca vacanaṃ prāhur dharmaṃ dharmajña-sattama। gurūṇāṃ caiva sarveṣāṃ janitrī paramo guruḥ ॥1-188-15॥
O best among those who know dharma, the command of the teacher is considered dharma. Among all teachers, the mother is regarded as the highest guru.
sā cāpyuktavatī vācaṃ bhaikṣavadbhujyatāmiti। tasmādetadahaṃ manye dharmaṃ dvijavarottama ॥1-188-16॥
She said, "Let it be eaten as a beggar would." Therefore, O best of the twice-born, I think this is righteousness.
kuntyuvāca॥
Kunti said.
evam etad yathāha ayaṃ dharmacārī yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। anṛtān me bhayaṃ tīvraṃ mucyeya anṛtāt katham ॥1-188-17॥
"It is so, as this dharma-abiding Yudhishthira has said. How can I be freed from my intense fear of untruth?"
vyāsa uvāca॥
Vyāsa said.
anṛtān mokṣyase bhadre dharmaś caiṣa sanātanaḥ। na tu vakṣyāmi sarveṣāṃ pāñcāla śṛṇu me svayam॥1-188-18॥
O blessed one, you will be freed from untruth; this is the eternal dharma. But I will not declare it to everyone—O Pāñcāla, listen to me yourself.
yathāyaṃ vihito dharmo yataścāyaṃ sanātanaḥ। yathā ca prāha kaunteyastathā dharmo na saṃśayaḥ ॥1-188-19॥
Just as this dharma is established and because it is eternal, as Kaunteya has said, so indeed is dharma—there is no doubt about it.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tat utthāya bhagavān vyāsaḥ dvaipāyanaḥ prabhuḥ। kare gṛhītvā rājānam rājaveśma samāviśat ॥1-188-20॥
Then, the venerable Vyāsa, son of Dvaipayana, rose and, taking the king by the hand, entered the royal palace.
pāṇḍavāś cāpi kuntī ca dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca pārṣataḥ। vicetasas te tatraiva pratīkṣante sma tāv ubhau ॥1-188-21॥
The Pāṇḍavas, Kuntī, and Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the son of Pṛṣata, all bewildered, were waiting there for those two.
tato dvaipāyanas tasmai narendrāya mahātmane। ācakhyau tadyathā dharmo bahūnām ekapatnitā ॥1-188-22॥
Then Vyāsa narrated to the noble king how Dharma, for many, is the practice of having only one wife.
