01.199
Core-Pancharatra: Dhritarastra gives half the kingdom to Pandavas.
Drupada said.
O greatly wise one, just as you, Vidura and others, have spoken to me, I too feel supreme joy at the establishment of this relationship, O lord.
It is indeed proper for these great souls to go to their house; but it is not proper for me to say this much myself in words.
When the heroic son of Kuntī, Yudhiṣṭhira, considers (thus), Bhīmasena and Arjuna, as well as the two sons of Yama, the foremost among men, (are involved).
At that time, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, who are knowers of dharma, let the Pāṇḍavas go. These two, indeed the best among men, are devoted to the welfare and affection of these (Pāṇḍavas).
Yudhishthira said.
O king, we are all obedient followers of you; whatever you say to us with affection, we shall do accordingly.
Vaiśampāyana said.
Then Vāsudeva said, 'I am pleased to go, or as King Drupada, who knows all dharmas, thinks.'
Drupada said.
Just as the mighty-armed hero, Krishna, the best among men, thinks at the right time, so is my determined understanding.
Just as the greatly fortunate sons of Kuntī are now mine, so too the sons of Pāṇḍu belong to Vāsudeva—there is no doubt about this.
Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti and Dharma, does not contemplate that which Keśava, the tiger among men, considers to be the best for them.
Vaiśampāyana said.
Then, having received permission from the noble Drupada, the Pāṇḍavas, along with Kṛṣṇa and the wise Vidura, proceeded onward.
Having brought Draupadī (Kṛṣṇā), Kuntī, and the illustrious lady, they, along with their companions, happily proceeded to the city of Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura).
When Dhritarashtra, the Kaurava, heard that the heroes had arrived, he also sent the Kauravas to accept the Pandavas.
O Bhārata, Vikarna, the great archer Citraseṇa, Droṇa, the supreme archer Gautama, and Kṛpa were also there.
Then those shining heroes, the great chariot-warriors, surrounded by their followers, slowly entered the city of Hastinapura.
Out of curiosity, the city seemed to be in turmoil, where those heroic men, destroyers of sorrow and pain, were present.
The Pāṇḍavas heard those affectionate words, both high and low, spoken by those wishing to please, which touched their hearts.
This tiger among men, who is a knower of dharma, comes again. He protects our heirs as if they were his own, by righteousness.
Today, King Pāṇḍu, who is fond of the forest, has come from the forest, wishing to do what is dear to us; there is no doubt about it.
What is it that has not been done today for the supreme good of all of us, since our heroic husbands, the sons of Kuntī, have returned again?
If our gifts, sacrificial offerings, and austerities truly exist, then by their merit may the Pāṇḍavas remain in the city for a hundred years.
Then they offered salutations at the feet of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Bhīṣma, the great-souled, and others who were worthy of respect.
After making inquiries about everyone's well-being throughout the city, they entered the houses as per Dhṛtarāṣṭra's command.
The great-souled and mighty ones rested for some time; then they were summoned by Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the king, and Śāntanu's son.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said:
O son of Kunti, together with your brothers, listen to my words: Let there be no further conflict among you; go and enter Khandavaprastha.
No one will be able to trouble you while you dwell there, protected by Arjuna, just as the gods are protected by Indra. After obtaining half the kingdom, enter Khāṇḍavaprastha.
Vaiśampāyana said.
Having accepted the king's words, all the princes bowed to him and set out for the dreadful forest. After receiving half the kingdom, they entered Khāṇḍavaprastha.
Then the Pāṇḍavas, led by Kṛṣṇa, went there and made that city as splendid as heaven.
Then, in that sacred and auspicious place, after establishing peace, the great chariot-warriors, with Dvaipayana (Vyasa) at their head, built a city.
Adorned with moats like the ocean, surrounded by ditches, furnished with a rampart, and standing as if encompassing the sky.
That excellent city shone with nāgas, radiant like white clouds and resembling a heap of snow, just as Bhogavatī.
The gates, resembling the two-winged Garuda and appearing fearsome, were protected by towers that looked like masses of clouds and were comparable to the Mandara mountain.
It was surrounded by various, thoroughly pierced, weapon-bearing, and well-guarded (defenses), covered with spears and double-tongued serpents, and furnished with couches and those accustomed to them; it shone, protected by warriors.
That excellent city was adorned with sharp goads, hundred-killer weapons, networks of machines, and shone with iron and great wheels.
The city had well-divided great avenues, undisturbed by divine beings, and shone with various excellent white mansions.
That city of Indraprastha, shining like heaven itself, appeared as a mass of clouds grown in the sky and wrapped in lightning.
There, in that beautiful and auspicious place, the residence of Kauravya shone, filled with riches, resembling the treasury of the lord of wealth.
There, O king, the Brāhmaṇas who were foremost among all knowers of the Vedas, as well as those skilled in all languages, came and chose a place to reside.
At that time, merchants, seekers of wealth from all directions, and all skilled artisans came there to dwell.
All around the city there were beautiful gardens with mango, hog-plum, kadamba, ashoka, and champaka trees.
There were puṁnāga, nāgapuṣpa, lakuca, jackfruit, śāla, tāla, kadamba, bakula, and saketaka trees and flowers present there.
There were charming, blossoming trees, their branches bowed with the weight of fruit; ancient āmalaka, lodhra, and aṅkola trees, all abundantly in bloom.
The place was surrounded by rose-apple, trumpet-flower, kubjaka, atimuktaka, oleander, pārijāta, and many other kinds of trees.
It is always adorned with flowers and fruits, teeming with many kinds of birds, echoing with the cries of ecstatic peacocks and the songs of ever-sober cuckoos.
There were houses with spotless, mirror-like walls, various creeper houses, charming and variegated houses, as well as mountains on the ground, and ponds of many kinds filled with excellent water.
There were lakes that were exceedingly beautiful, fragrant with lotuses and water-lilies, filled with swans and ducks, and adorned by cakravāka birds.
There, beautiful and various lotus-ponds surrounded by forests, and also beautiful, large, and great ponds are found.
O great king, in the great kingdom inhabited by virtuous people, the affection among the Pāṇḍavas always increased.
There, after Bhīṣma and the king had established dharma, the Pāṇḍavas became the residents of Khāṇḍavaprastha.
That best of cities, endowed with those five great archers equal to Indra, shone like Bhogavatī with nāgas.
O king, having settled them, then the hero Keśava, along with Rāma and with the consent of the Pāṇḍavas, went to Dvāravatī at that time.
