Maha-bharata. Anonymous

with bow and arrow and with lion's lordly gait,

       He is helmet-wearing Arjun! greatest warrior midst the great,

      Mark his mate, with tree uprooted how he meets the suitor band,

       Save the tiger-waisted Bhima none can claim such strength of hand!

      And the youth with eyes like lotus, he who left the court erewhile,

       He is pious-souled Yudhishthir, man without a sin or guile,

      And the others by Yudhishthir, Pandu's twin-born sons are they,

       With these sons the righteous Pritha 'scaped where death and danger lay,

      For the jealous, fierce Duryodhan darkly schemed their death by fire,

       But the righteous sons of Pandu 'scaped his unrelenting ire!”

      Krishna rose amidst the monarchs, strove the tumult to appease,

       And unto the angry suitors spake in words of righteous peace,

      Monarchs bowed to Krishna's mandate, left Panchala's festive land,

       Arjun took the beauteous princess, gently led her by the hand.

BOOK III

       Table of Contents

RAJASUYA

       Table of Contents

      (The Imperial Sacrifice)

      A curious incident followed the bridal of Draupadi. The five sons of Pandu returned with her to the potter's house, where they were living on alms according to the custom of Brahmans, and the brothers reported to their mother that they had received a great gift on that day. “Enjoy ye the gift in common,” replied their mother, not knowing what it was. And as a mother's mandate cannot be disregarded, Draupadi became the common wife of the five brothers.

      The real significance of this strange legend is unknown. The custom of brothers marrying a common wife prevails to this day in Thibet and among the hill-tribes of the Himalayas, but it never prevailed among the Aryan Hindus of India. It is distinctly prohibited in their laws and institutes, and finds no sanction in their literature, ancient or modern. The legend in the Maha-bharata, of brothers marrying a wife in common, stands alone and without a parallel in Hindu traditions and literature.

      Judging from the main incidents of the Epic, Draupadi might rather be regarded as the wife of the eldest brother Yudhishthir. Bhima had already mated himself to a female in a forest, by whom he had a son, Ghatotkacha, who distinguished himself in war later on. Arjun too married the sister of Krishna, shortly after Draupadi's bridal, and had by her a son, Abhimanyu, who was one of the heroes of the war. On the other hand, Yudhishthir took to him self no wife save Draupadi, and she was crowned with Yudhishthir in the Rajasuya or Imperial Sacrifice. Notwithstanding the legend, therefore, Draupadi might be regarded as wedded to Yudhishthir, though won by the skill of Arjun, and this assumption would be in keeping with Hindu customs and laws, ancient and modern.

      The jealous Duryodhan heard that his contrivance to kill his cousins at Varanavata had failed. He also heard that they had found a powerful friend in Drupad, and had formed an alliance with him. It was no longer possible to keep them from their rightful inheritance. The Kuru kingdom was accordingly parcelled; Duryodhan retained the eastern and richer portion with its ancient capital Hastina-pura on the Ganges; and the sons of Pandu were given the western portion on the Jumna, which was then a forest and a wilderness. The sons of Pandu cleared the forest and built a new capital Indra-prastha, the supposed ruins of which, near modern Delhi, are still pointed out to the curious traveller.

      Yudhishthir, the eldest of the five sons of Pandu, and now king of Indra-prastha, resolved to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice, which was a formal assumption of the Imperial title over all the kings of ancient India. His brothers went out with troops in all directions to proclaim his supremacy over all surrounding kings. Jarasandha, the powerful and semi-civilised king of Magadha or South Behar, opposed and was killed; but other monarchs recognised the supremacy of Yudhishthir and came to the sacrifice with tributes. King Dhrita-rashtra and his sons, now reigning at Hastina-pura, were politely invited to take a share in the performance of the sacrifice.

      The portion translated in this Book forms Sections xxxiii. To xxxvi. and Section xliv. of Book ii. of the original.

      I

      The Assemblage of Kings

      Ancient halls of proud Hastina mirrored bright on Ganga's wave!

       Thither came the son of Pandu, young Nakula true and brave,

      Came to ask Hastina's monarch, chief of Kuru's royal race,

       To partake Yudhishthir's banquet and his sacrifice to grace.

      Dhrita-rashtra came in gladness unto Indra-prastha's town,

       Marked its new-built tower and turret on the azure Jumna frown,

      With him came preceptor Kripa, and the ancient Bhishma came,

       Elders of the race of Kuru, chiefs and Brahmans known to fame.

      Monarchs came from distant regions to partake the holy rite,

       Warlike chiefs from court and castle in their arms accoutred bright,

      Kshatras came with ample tribute for the holy sacrifice,

       Precious gems and costly jewels, gold and gifts of untold price.

      Proud Duryodhan and his brothers came in fair and friendly guise,

       With the ancient Kuru monarch and Vidura, good and wise,

      With his son came brave Suvala from Gandhara's distant land,

       Car-borne Salya, peerless Karna, came with bow and spear and brand.

      Came the priest and proud preceptor Drona skilled in arms and lore,

       Jayadratha famed for valour came from Sindhu's sounding shore,

      Drupad came with gallant princes from Panchala's land of fame,

       Salwa lord of outer nations to the mighty gathering came.

      Bhagadatta came in chariot from the land of nations brave,

       Prag-jyotisha, where the red sun wakes on Brahma-putra's wave,

      With him came untutored mlechchas who beside the ocean dwell, Uncouth chiefs of dusky nations from the lands where mountains swell,

      Came Virata, Matsya's monarch, and his warlike sons and bold,

       Sisupala, king of Chedi, with his son bedecked in gold.

      Came the warlike chiefs of Vrishni from the shores of Western Sea,

       And the lords of Madhya-desa, ever warlike ever free!

      II

      Feast and Sacrifice

      Jumna's dark and limpid waters laved Yudhishthir's palace walls

       And to hail him Dharma-raja, monarchs thronged his royal halls,

      He to honoured kings and chieftains with a royal grace assigned

       Palaces with sparkling waters and with trees umbrageous lined,

      Honoured thus, the mighty monarchs lived in mansions milky white,

       Like the peaks of famed Kailasa lifting proud their snowy height!

      Graceful walls that swept the meadows circled round the royal halls,

       Nets of gold belaced the casements, gems bedecked the shining walls,

      Flights of steps led