The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section CCX

SECTION CCX

( Rajya-labha Parva )

Janamejaya said, -"O thou possessed of ascetic wealth, what did those high-souled ones, my grandsires, the illustrious Pandavas, do, after obtaining the kingdom of Indraprastha ? How did their wedded wife Draupadi obey them all ? How is it also that no dissensions arose amongst those illustrious rulers of men, all attached to one wife, < Krishna ? O thou of the wealth of asceticism, I wish to hear everything in detail regarding the behaviour towards one another of those rulers of men after their union with Krishna I" Vaisampayana said, "Those scorchers of foes, the Pandavas, having obtained their kingdom, at the command of Dhritarashtra, passed their days in joy and happiness at Khandavaprastha with Krishna. And Yudhishthira, endued with great energy and ever adhering to truth, having obtained the sovereignty, virtuously ruled the land, assisted by his brothers. And the sons of Pandu, endued with great wisdom and devoted to truth and virtue, having vanquished all their foes, continued to live there in great happiness. And those bulls among men, seated on royal seats of great value, used to dischage all the duties of government. And one day, while all those illustrious heroes were so seated, there came unto them the celestial Rishi Narada, in course of his wanderings. Beholding the Risfii, Yudhishthira offered him his own handsome seat. And after the celestial Rishi had been seated, the wise Yudhishthira duly offered him the Argh>a with his own hands. And the king also informed the RisKi of the state of his kingdom. The Rishi accepting the worship, became well pleased, and eulogising him with benedictions, commanded the king to take his seat. Commanded by the Rishi, the king took his seat. Then the king sent word unto Krishna (in the inner apartments) of the arrival of the illustrious one. Hearing of the RisHi's arrival Draupadi, purifying herself properly, came with a respectful attitude to where Narada was with the Pandavas. Tne virtuous princess of Panchala, worshipping the celestial Rishi's feet, stood with joined hands before him, properly veiled. The illustrious Narada, pronouncing various benedictions on her, commanded the princess to retire. After Krishna had retired, the illusrious Rishi, addressing in private all the Pandavas with Yudhishthira at their head, said, The renowned princess of Panchala is the wedded wife of you all. Establish a rule amongst yourselves so that disunion may not arise amongst you. There were, in former days, celebrated throughout the three worlds, two brothers named Sunda and Upasunda living together and incapable of being slain by anybody unless each slew the other. They ruled the same kingdom, lived in the same house, slept on the same bed, sat on the same seat, and ate from the same dish. And yet they killed each other for the shake of Tilottama. Therefore, O Yudhishthira, preserve your friendship for one another and do that which may not produce disunion amongst you !' 'On hearing this, Yudhishthira asked, O great Muni, whose sons were Asuras called Sunda and Upasunda ? Whence arose that dissension amongst them, and why did they slay each other ? Whose daughter also was this Tilottama for whose love the maddened brothers killed each other ? Was she an Apsara (water nymph) or the daughter of any celestial ? O thou whcse wealth is asceticism, we desire, O Brahmana, to hear in detail everything as it happened ! Indeed, our curiosity hath become great !"

Thus ends the two hundred and tenth section in the Rajya-labha Parva of the Adi Parva.