[1-195] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Dhrishtdyumn told everything to his father what he saw and heard and by whom Krishnaa was won. He said - "Soon who shot the mark was surrounded by Braahman and was admired by them. Krishnaa also followed him holding his deer skin. Some kings rose to fight but he defeated them all. Then they went to a potter's house. there was a lady in potter's house. They touched her feet and they asked Krishnaa too to do the same. Then they left Krishnaa with that lady and went around for alms. When they came back, Krishnaa took one portion of that offered to God and gave another portion to Braahman, and whatever remained she gave a part of that to that lady and then rest to the five young men. She took only a little and ate it in the last. Then they all laid down on Kush grass, that lady along their heads and Krishnaa along their feet. Then they talked for long time. From their talk I made out that they were neither Shoodra, nor Vaishya, nor Braahman. They were certainly Kshatriya because they were talking about military. I hope we are successful, because I have heard that Paandav have escaped that Laakshaa palace. The way they behaved, the way that youth shot the mark, the way they fought with kings, the way they were talking among themselves, it seems sure that they are Kuntee and her sons wandering in disguise."

Hearing all this Drupad got exceedingly happy, he immediately sent his priest to find out who were they. The Priest went there and asked them their introduction. He said to Paandav - "Paandu was a good friend of Drupad, and Drupad always wanted to give his daughter to Paandu as his daughter-in-law. You are perfectly faultless, but Drupad always wanted to marry his daughter to Arjun. So seeing him shooting the mark he is very happy." Hearing this Yudhishthir asked Bheem to wash his feet because he was Drupad's Priest that was why he was worthy to be worshipped. Bheem obeyed his brother. Yudhishthir said - "Drupad has married his daughter according to his condition, not freely, so there is no question of family or race. He should not regret it. In fact he has answered all the queries by shooting the mark. King's desire should be accomplished. No weak person could string the bow and nobody of a low birth could have shot the mark. Tell the king Drupad that he should not regret for what is happening because shooting the mark cannot be reverted." While Yudhishthir was saying this to Drupad's Priest, another messenger came from Drupad saying that the marriage feast was ready."

Paandav are Recognized

[1-196] Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "The messenger said - "King Drupad has prepared a good feast for the bridegroom's party, please come there after finishing your daily chores, the King has arranged a feast in the honor of the groom and his party. Krishnaa's wedding will be celebrated there today. He has sent these adorned bgolden chariots also for you to come there." So Paandav bade farewell to the Priest, asked Kuntee and Draupadee to ascend on one of those chariots and they themselves ascended on others and set off towards Drupad's palace. In the meantime, Drupad had got articles ready for the four Varn along with garlands, fruits, dresses, shields, carpets, cows, beds etc etc. The ladies of Drupad's palace worshipped Kuntee. Paandav were still wearing their deer skin. Seeing them all became very happy. Food was served and after eating Paandav looked at the war materials with interest. Seeing this Drupad and his people understood that they were of royal blood."

[1-197] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Drupad then asked - "Are we to know you as Kshatriya or Braahman or celestials who have come here in disguise of Braahman to take Krishnaa? Tell us the truth, then I will make the arrangements of wedding according to your order (Varn)." Yudhishthir said - "O King, Be happy, Your long cherished desire has been fulfilled. We are Kshatriya and are Paandu's sons. I am the eldest one Yudhishthir, and they are Bheem and Arjun who have won your daughter from amidst the kings; and the twins and Kuntee are waiting with Krishnaa. We are Kshatriya, so your lotus like daughter has been transferred only from one lake to another. This is the whole truth."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Hearing this Drupad got extremely happy, he could not speak for a few moments. When he had gathered himself, he asked them how they escaped from Baaranaavat Laakshaa Grih. Yudhishthir told them everything in detail. Hearing this Drupad rebuked Dhritraashtra and promised to regain their paternal kingdom.

Then Kuntee, Paandav and Krishnaa lived there. Then Drupad said - "Let Arjun marry my daughter with due rites of marriage ceremony." Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Yudhishthir said - "I also have to marry her." Drupad said - "If it pleases you you may take her with due rites, or give her to any of your brother you like." Yudhishthir replied - "Your daughter will be our common bride, as our mother has said. I am still unmarried, and Bheem too. Draupadee has been won by Arjun, but this is our rule that a jewel must be enjoyed by all. We cannot abandon this rule. So let us take her hands one by one."

Drupad said - "It has been heard that a man can have many wives but it has never been heard that a woman has several husbands. Since you know all rules of morality, you should not commit any act of immorality." Yudhishthir said - O King, Morality is very subtle. We do not know its course, so let us follow the path our elders have followed. I have never spoken any lie, even my heart has ever set on any sinful act. My mother commanded it and my heart approves it, that is why it is conformable to virtue, so do accordingly and do not fear at all." Drupad said - "Your mother Kuntee, my son Dhrishtdyumn and you yourself settle the matter and tell me about it tomorrow. I will do whatever is proper." So all three sat down to consider the matter, that Vyaas Jee also came there wandering around."

[1-198] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "All greeted Vyaas Jee and after he had seated comfortably on a golden carpet, Drupad asked him about his daughter's marriage - "How can a woman become wife of many without being attached to sin?" Vyaas Jee said - "This practice has been opposed both by Ved and the usage, and so has become obsolete. I want to hear you all on this issue." First of all Drupad spoke - "In my opinion it is sinful. I have never heard even the old people doing this." Then Dhrishtdyumn spoke - "O Rishi, How can an elder brother go to the wife of a younger brother? The paths of morality are always subtle that is why we do not know them. We cannot say what is conformable to morality and what is not, so we should always choose the most common path. That is why I cannot say that Draupadee should be the wife of five brothers."

Yudhishthir said - "I never tell lies, and my heart never sets on sins. It is said in Puraan that a lady named Jatilaa married seven Rishi. So also a daughter of an ascetic, born from a tree, married 10 brothers - Prachetaa Gan. Who know the rules of morality, obedience of elders is always good for them. And among elders the mother is the most superior. She has commended us to enjoy her as we enjoy our alms, that is why I regard this act virtuous." Kuntee said - "I fear the untruth, how can I be saved from speaking untruth?"

When all finished speaking Vyaas Jee said - "How can you be saved from speaking untruth? Even this is eternal virtue. Just listen that what Yudhishthir has said is conformable to virtue." Then he took Drupad inside and discoursed him on why polyandry is not a sin.

Why Draupadee Should Have Five Husbands?

[1-199] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Vyaas Jee said - "In olden days, once the celestials performed a great sacrifice in Naimish Aranya. At that sacrifice Yam, the son of Vivaswaan, became the slayer of sacrificial animals. He did not kill even a single human being during that period, so the number of people on the earth increased a lot. Som, Sakra, Varun, Ashwinee Kumaar, Kuber, Saadhya, Rudra etc went to Brahmaa Jee and told about this increase. Brahmaa Jee said - "You need not to worry about this increase. You all are immortal." They said - "But the mortals have also become immortals. Now there is no difference between them and us. We have come to you to make the distinction between us." Brahmaa Jee said - "In fact Yam is also engaged in sacrifice now a days that is why people are not dying, but when this sacrifice is over, people again will start dying - in thousands."

Vyaas Jee continued - "Hearing this from the first-born, the celestials came back to the place of sacrifice. At that time Indra sitting near Bhaageerathee saw a golden lotus floating on her waters. Seeing it he wondered much and out of curiosity he proceeded up the course of Bhaageerathee to know its origin. There he saw a woman weeping and washing herself in the stream. Her tears were falling in the stream and were turning into golden lotus. Seeing this Indra was more surprised. He asked her - "Who are you? Why do you weep? I want to know, please tell me everything."

Vyaas Jee said - "The woman said - "O Sakra, You know me that who I am and why do I weep. It is unfortunate that I weep. Come with me and see for yourself that why do I weep." So Indra followed her. Soon they came to a place where a young man was sitting with a young woman on a throne on a peak of Himaalaya. They were playing dice.

Indra said to him - "This universe is under my control." But he was so engrossed in playing that he didn't listen to him. Indra repeated his statement with a little anger. Now the youth was Mahaadev. He smiled at him and cast a glance at him. That glance made Indra immediately paralyzed and he remained standing there only. When the dice game was over Mahaadev asked the weeping woman to bring Indra to him so that he will not be proud any more. As soon as that woman touched Indra, he fell down on the ground. Mahaadev said - "Never ever act in this way again. Remove this stone, because you are very powerful, and enter the hole, then you will see that there are many like you." Indra did this and saw four others like himself in that cave. He got very sad seeing their plight and exclaimed - "Shall I be like these?" Shiv Jee said - "O Sakra, Enter this cave immediately because you have foolishly insulted me." Hearing and seeing this Indra said - "You take care of the universe." Shiv Jee said - "People like you can never get my grace. These who are in the cave were also like you at one time. Therefore you enter the cave and lie down there for some time. All will have the same fate - to take birth in the human world where you will face many difficulties and slay a large number of people. You will then regain your meritorious position again according to your Karm." At this all those four Indra said - "There salvation is difficult. It will be better if five of us take birth there through Dharm, Pavan, Maghaavat, and Ashwinee Kumaar. We will fight with normal and Divine weapons and will come back again to Indra Lok."

Vyaas Jee continued - "Hearing the four former Indra, Indra said - "Instead of going myself on Prithvi, I will create a fifth one to accomplish your task with my own energy." So it is said that Vishwabhook, Bhootdaman, Shibi, Shaanti and Tejaswee - these were the five old Indra. Shiv Jee granted to all the five Indra their desires and he appointed that weeping woman who was Shree Herself, to be their common wife of all. Then Shiv Jee went away along with those five Indra to Naaraayan and Naaraayan approved everything. Those Indra then were born on Prithvi. After that Hari took two hair strands from his body, one black and one white, and inserted them in the wombs of Devakee and Rohinee. The white hair became Baladev and the black hair became Keshav Himself. Thus these Paandav are none other than those five Indra from that cave and Draupadee is Shree Herself. And among them Arjun, also called Savyasuchi (who can handle his bow with both hands) is the portion of Sakra."

Vyaas Jee continued - "So O King, These Paandav are those five Indra and Draupadee is Shree Herself who has been appointed as their common wife. How can any other take birth in this way? from within the Earth by virtue of sacrificial rites? That is why I permit for this marriage. I grant you the boon to see those old Indra in these Paandav."

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "And Vyaas Jee gave Divine sight to Drupad to see all this in Paandav. And the King saw them possessing celestial bodies resembling Indra himself and Draupadee as Shree Herself, and Arjun sprung from Sakra himself. Seeing all this Drupad got very pleased. He saw Draupadee also with splendor like a goddess and considered her worthy to be married to those Devtaa. Drupad held Vyaas Jee's feet and said - "There is nothing miraculous for you."

The Rishi then continued - "In a certain hermitage there was a Rishi's daughter, who, though handsome and chaste, could not obtain a husband. She gratified Shiv by severe ascetic penances. Shankar Jee said to her himself. "Ask for any boon you desire." The maiden repeatedly said to the Lord, 'I desire to obtain one husband possessing of every accomplishment." Shankar gratified with her, gave her the boon she asked for, saying - "You will have, five husbands." The maiden, said again, "O Shankar, I desire to have only one husband possessed of every virtue?" Shiv Jee well-pleased with her spoke again, - "You have, addressed me five full times, repeating, "Give me a husband, Give me a husband." Therefore, you will have what you have asked for. Bless you. All this, however, will happen in your future life."

Vyaas Jee continued - "O Drupad, Thus this your daughter is that maiden. Indeed, the faultless Krishnaa's birth in Prishat's race has been pre-ordained to become the common wife of five husbands as the consequence of her own actions. The celestial Shree has taken birth as thy daughter. It is for this that the Self-Creator had created her. Having listened to all this, now what do you desire to know?"

[1-200] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Drupad said - "I said all this till I have not heard all this from you. Since I have known all this, I cannot disobey it if this has been the order of the celestials? This is her Destiny, we cannot do anything. Nothing is in our own hands. If Krishnaa asked her Var five times and and got five husband in this life, and Shankar has given her that boon, whether it is right or wrong, no sin is attached to me. Let all these take Krishnaa's hand and be happy."

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Then Vyaas Jee said to Yudhishthir - "This day is very auspicious - today the Moon has entered the Pushya Nakshatra. You marry her first then your brothers will follow you." Hearing this Drupad and his son made the arrangements of Draupadee's marriage. His palace was decorated in various ways. Dhaumya Rishi performed their marriage rites - first of Yudhishthir, then of other princes day by day. O King Janamejaya, I heard a very strange thing regarding this marriage that Draupadee regained her virginity every day after her previous marriage. Drupad gave them 100 chariots, each with golden standards and driven by four horses, 100 elephants, 100 young female servants all clad in costly robes and adorned with gold ornaments. After the wedding was over, Paandav passed their days there in joy and happiness with Krishnaa.

[1-201] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After marrying Draupadee to Paandav, Drupad had become fearless even from Devtaa. Women of Drupad's house introduced themselves to Kuntee and Draupadee also touched Kuntee's feet with her hands still tied with auspicious thread. Kuntee blessed Draupadee with good children and long life.

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "After Paandav got married, Hari sent costly gems, various clothes, blankets and hides, thousands of female servants, hundreds of vessels, elephants from Madra Desh, gold coins by heaps etc to them; and Yudhishthir accepted everything with great joy."

1-Aadi Parv - Vaivaahik Parv Ends Here