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440 from one lake into another. O king, thou art our reverend superior and chief refuge 1 I have told thee the whole truth !'

Vaisampayana continued.."Hearing those words, the king Drupada's eyes rolled in ecstasy. And filled with delight the king could not, for some moments answer Yudhishthira. Checking his emotion with great effort, that chastiser of foes at last replied unto Yudhishthira in proper words. The virtuous monarch enquired how the Pandavas bad escaped from the town of Varanavata. The son of Pandu told the monarch every particular in detail of their escape from the burning palace of lac. Hearing everything that the son of Kunti said, king Drupada censured Dhritarashtra, that ruler of men. And the monarch gave every assurance unto Yudhishtbira the son of Kunti. And that foremost of eloquent men then and there vowed to restore Yudbishthira to his paternal throne.

"Then Kunti and Krishna and Bhima and Arjuna and the twins, commanded by the king, all took up their quarters in a palace. They continued, O king, to reside there, treated by Yajnasena with due respect. Then king Drupada with his sons, assured by all that had happened, approaching Yudhishthira, said.- thou of mighty arms, let the Kuru prince Arjuna take with due tites, the hand of my daughter on this auspicious day, and let him, therefore, perform the usual initia. tory rites of marriage.

Vaisampayana continued.--"Hearing these words of Drupada, the virtuous king Yudhishthira replied, saying, -'O great king. I also shall have to marry!' Hearing him, Drupada said, 'It it pleaseth thee, take thou the hand of my daughter thyself with due rites! Ot, give Krishna in marriage unto whomsoever of thy brothers thou likest! Yudhishthira said. "Thy daughter, O king, shall be the common wife of us all! Even thus it hath been ordered, O monarch, by our mother! I am unmarried still, and Bhima also is so amongst the sons of Pandu. This thy jewel of a daughter hath been won by Arjuna. This, o king, is the rule with us; to ever enjoy equally a jewel that we may obtain ! O best of monarchs, that rule of conduct we cannot now abandon ! . Krishna, therefore, shall become the wedded wife of us all. Let her take our hands, one after another be fore the fire.

. 'Drupada answered, -'O scion of Kuru's race, it bath been directed that one man may have many wives. But it hath never been heard that one woman may have many husbands ! O son of Kunti as thou art. pure and acquainted with the rules of morality, it behoveth thee not to commit an act that is sinful and opposed both to usage and the Vedas! Why, O.prince, hath thy understanding become so ? Yudhishthira said in reply.--'O monarch, morality is subtle. We do