वैशम्पायन उवाच तत आहूय पाञ्चाल्यो राजपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्। परिग्रहेण ब्राह्मण परिगृह्य महाद्युतिः॥ पर्यपृच्छददीनात्मा कुन्तीपुत्रं सुवर्चसम्। कथं जानीम भवतः क्षत्रियान् ब्राह्मणानुत॥
Then the greatly effulgent Panchala king addressed prince Yudhishthira in the form applicable to Brahmanas; he cheerfully inquired of that illustrious son of Kunti, (saying). "Are we to know you as Kshatriyas or Brahmanas,
वैश्यान् वा गुणसम्पन्नानथवा शूद्रयोनिजान्। मायामास्थाय वा विप्रांश्चरतः सर्वतोदिशम्॥ कृष्णाहेतोरनुप्राप्ता देवा: संदर्शनार्थिनः। ब्रवीतु नो भवान् सत्यं संदेहो ह्यत्र नो महान्॥
Or accomplished Vaishyas or men born of Shudras? Or are we to know you as celestials who have assumed the disguise of Brahmanas by their power of Maya (delusion) and who are roaming over the earth and who have come here for the hand of Krishna? O Sir, tell us the truth, we are in great doubt.
अपि नः संशयस्यान्ते मनः संतुष्टिमावहेत्। अपि नो भागधेयानि शुभानि स्युः परंतप॥
Shall we not be happy when our doubts will be removed? O chastiser of foes, have the Fates been propitious to us?
इच्छया ब्रूहि तत् सत्यं सत्यं राजसु शोभते। इष्टापूर्तेन च तथा वक्तव्यमनृतं न तु॥
Tell us the truth willingly. Truth becomes monarchs better then sacrifices and dedications of tanks. Therefore, do not speak the untruth.
श्रुत्वा ह्यमरसंकाश तव वाक्यमरिंदम। ध्रुवं विवाहकरणमास्थास्यामि विधानतः॥
O celestials like hero, O chastiser of foes, hearing your reply, I shall then make arrangements for the marriage according to the order to which you belong.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच मा राजन् विमना भूस्त्वं पाञ्चाल्य प्रीतिरस्तु ते। ईप्सितस्ते ध्रुवः कामः संवृत्तोऽयमसंशयम्॥
Yudhishthira said : O Panchala king, be not cheerless. Be cheerful. There is no doubt, your desire has been fulfilled.
वयं हि क्षत्रिया राजन् पाण्डोः पुत्रा महात्मनः। ज्येष्ठं मां विद्धि कौन्तेयं भीसेनार्जुनाविमौ॥
O king, we are Kshatriyas and we are the sons of the illustrious Pandu. Know me to be the eldest of the sons of Kunti and these two to be Bhima and Arjuna.
आभ्यां तव सुता राजन् निर्जिता राजसंसदि। यमौ च तत्र कुन्ती च यत्र कृष्णा व्यवस्थिता॥
O king, your daughter was won by these two (heroes) in the assembly of kings. The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) and Kunti are there where Krishna is.
व्येतु ते मानसं दुःखं क्षत्रिया स्मो नरर्षभ। पद्मिनीव सुतेयं ते ह्रदादन्यह्रदं गता॥
O best of men, let grief be dispelled from your heart, we are Kshatriyas. Your daughter like a lotus has been transplanted from one lake to the other.
इति तथ्यं महाराज सर्वमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते। भवान् हि गुरुरस्माकं परमं च परायणम्॥
O great king, you are our revered superior and chief refuge. I have told all that is necessary to be told.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः स द्रुपदो राजा हर्षव्याकुललोचनः। प्रतिवक्तुं मुदा युक्तो नाशकत् तं युधिष्ठिरम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon the king Drupada had his eyes rolling in ecstasy and he was filled with delight; he could not for some time answer Yudhishthira.
यत्नेन तु स तं हर्षं संनिगृह्य परंतपः। अनुरूपं तदा वाचा प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरम्॥
Suppressing his joy with great effort, that chastiser of foes (Drupada) replied to Yudhishthira in proper words.
पप्रच्छ चैनं धर्मात्मा यथा प्रदुताः पुरात्। स तस्मै सर्वमाचख्यावानुपूर्वेण पाण्डवः॥
The virtuous minded (king) asked how they (the Pandavas) had escaped from the city (of Varanavata). The Pandava (Yudhishthira) narrated it all in detail.
तच्छ्रुत्वा दुपदो राजा कुन्तीपुत्रस्य भाषितम्। विगर्हयमास तदा धृतराष्ट्रं नरेश्वरम्॥
Hearing the narration of the son of Kunti, king Drupada censured that ruler of men, Dhritarashtra.
आश्वासयामास च तं कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्। प्रतिजज्ञे च राज्याय दुपदो वदतां वरः॥
The foremost of all eloquent men, Drupada, gave every assurance to the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira and vowed to restore him to his kingdom.
ततः कुन्ती च कृष्णा च भीमसेनार्जुनावपि। यमौ च राज्ञा संदिष्टं विविशुर्भवनं महत्॥ ते
At the request of the king, Kunti, Krishna, Bhima, Arjuna and the twins took up their quarters in a palace.
तत्र ते न्यवसन् राजन् यज्ञसेनेन पूजिताः। प्रत्याश्वस्तस्ततो राजा सह पुत्रैरुवाच तम्॥
O king, they continued to reside there, treated by Yajnasena (Drupada) with every respect. The king (Drupada) with his sons assured by all that had happened, thus spoke (to Yudhishthira).
गृह्णतु विधिवत् पाणिमद्यायं कुरुनन्दनः। पुण्येऽहनि महाबाहुरर्जुनः कुरुतां क्षणम्॥
Drupada said : O mighty armed hero, let the Kuru prince Arjuna take today the hand of my daughter with all due rites. Today is an auspicious day.
वैशम्पायन उवाच तमब्रवीत् ततो राजा धर्मात्मा च युधिष्ठिरः। ममापि दारसम्बन्धः कार्यस्तावद् विशाम्पते॥
Vaishampayana said : Thereupon the virtuous minded king Yudhishthira replied, “O great king, I shall also have to marry.
दुपद उवाच भवान् वा विधिवत् पाणिं गृहणतु दुहितुर्मम्। यस्य वा मन्यसे वीर तस्य कृष्णामुपादिश॥
Drupada said : O hero, take the hand of my daughter you yourself in all due rites. Or give Krishna in marriage to him whom you please.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच सर्वेषां महिषी राजन् द्रौपदी नो भविष्यति। एवं प्रव्याहृतं पूर्वं मम मात्रा विशाम्पते॥
Yudhishthira said: O king, Draupadi shall be the queen of all of us. O great king, it has been thus ordered by our mother.
अहं चाप्यनिविष्टिो वै भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः। पार्थेन विजिता चैषा रत्नभूता सुता तव॥
I am still unmarried, so is the Pandavas Bhimasena. Your jewel of a daughter has been won by Partha.
एष नः समयो राजन् रत्नस्य सह भोजनम्। न च तं हातुमिच्छामः समयं राजसत्तम।॥
O king, this is our rule that we must equally enjoy a jewel that we obtain. O excellent king, we are not willing now to break that rule.
सर्वेषां धर्मतः कृष्णा महिषी नो भविष्यति। आनुर्पूव्र्येण सर्वेषां गृहणतु ज्वलने करान्॥
Krishna shall be the wedded queen of all of us. Let her take our hands before the fire one after the other according to our age.
दुपद उवाच एकस्य बढ्यो विहिता महिष्य कुरुनन्दन। नैकस्या बहवः पुंसः श्रूयन्ते पतयः क्वचित्॥
Drupada said : O descendant of Kuru, it is ordained that a husband can have many wives, but we have never heard that a wife can have many husbands.
लोकवेदविरुद्धं त्वं नाधर्मं धर्मविच्छुचिः। कर्तुमर्हसि कौन्तेय कस्मता ते बुद्धिरीदृशी॥
O son of Kunti, pure as you are and acquainted with the rules of morality, you should not commit an act that is sinful and opposed both to the Vedas and usage. Why has your understanding come to be so?
युधिष्ठिर उवाच सूक्ष्मो धर्मो महाराज नास्य विद्मो वयं गतिम्। पूर्वेषामानुपूर्येण यातं वानुयामहे॥
Yudhishthira said : O great king, morality is subtle, we do not know its course. Let us therefore follow the path trod by the illustrious men of former ages.
न मे वागनृतं प्राह नाधर्मे धीयते मतिः। एवं चैव वदत्यम्बा मम चैतन्मनोगतम्॥
My tongue never utters an untruth; my mind never turns to that which is sinful. It has been commanded by our mother and my mind also approves of it.
एष धर्मो धर्मो ध्रुवो राजंश्चरैनमविचारयन्। मा च शङ्का तत्र ते स्यात् कथंचिदपि पार्थिव॥
O king, it is certainly comfortable to virtue. Therefore, act accordingly without any scruple. O king, do not entertain any fear in this matter.
द्रुपद उवाच त्वं च कुन्ती च कौन्तेय धृष्टद्युम्नश्च मे सुतः। कथयन्त्विति कर्तव्यं श्वः काले करवामहे॥
Drupada said : O son of Kunti, my son Dhrishtaduymna, Kunti and you yourself, these three settle amongst yourselves as to what should be done. I shall do what is proper tomorrow.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ते समेत्य ततः सर्वे कथयन्ति स्म भारत। अथ द्वैपायनो राजन्नभ्यागच्छद् यदृच्छया।॥
Vaishampayana said : o descendant of Bharata, o king, thereupon those three (Kunti, Yudhishthira and Dhrishtaduymna) discoursed on this matter; and at that very time Dvaipayana came there (wandering over the world) at pleasure.