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446 her birth in any other than an extraordinary way viz., from within the Earth, by virtue of the sacrificial rites ? Unto thee, O king. I cheerfully grant this other boon in the form of spiritual sight. Behold now the sons of Kunti endued with their sacred and celestial bodies of old I'

Vaisampayana continued."Saying this, that sacred Brahmana Vyasa of generous deeds, by means of his ascetic power, granted celestial sight unto the king. Thereupon the king beheld all the Pandavas endued with their former bodies. And the king saw them possessed of celestial bodies, with golden crowns and celestial garlands, and each resembling Indra himself, with complexions radiant as fire or the sun, and decked with every ornament, and handsome, and youthful, with broad chests and statures measuring about five cubits. Endued with every accomplishment, and decked with celestial robes of great beauty and fragrant garlands of excellent making the king beheld them as so many threeeyed gods (Mahadeva), or Vasus, or Rudras, or Adityas themselves. And observing the Pandavas in the forms of those Indras of old, and Arjuna also in the form of Indra sprung from Sakra himself, king Drupada was highly pleased. And the monarch wondered much on beholding that manifestation of celestial power under deep disguise. The king looking at his daughter, that foremost of women endued with great beauty, like unto a celestial damsel and possessed of the splendour of fire or the moon, regarded her as the worthy wife of those celestial beings, for her beauty. splendour and fame. And beholding that wonderful sight, the monarch touched the feet of Satyavati's son, ex. claming,-'O great Rishi, nothing is miraculous in thee!' The Rishi then cheerfully continued-'In a certain hermitage there was an illustrious Rishi's daughter, who, though handsome and chaste, obtained not a husband. The maiden gratified, by severe ascetic penances, the god Sankara (Mahadeva). The lord Sankara, gratified at her penances, told her himself, --Ask thou the boon thou desirest ...Thus addressed, the maiden repeatedly said unto the boon-giving Supreme Lord, I desire to obtain a husband possessed of every accomplishment !-Sankara, the chief of the gods gratified with her, gave her the boon she asked, saying. - Thou shalt have, amiable maiden, five husbands --The maiden, who had succeeded in gratifying the god, said again... Sankara, I desire to have from thee only one husband possessed of every virtue The god of gods, well pleased with her, spake again, saying.Thou hast, O maiden, addressed me five full times, repeating, Give me a husband

Therefore, O amiable one, it shall even be as thou hast asked. Blessed be thou hast asked. Blessed be thou. All this, however, will happen in a future life of thine -

"Vyasa continued,-'O Drupada, this thy daughter of celestial