यत्नेन तु स तं हर्षं सन्निगृह्य परंतपः। अनुरूपं तदा वाचा प्रत्युवाच युधिष्ठिरम्
But restraining that great joy with effort, the scorcher of foes then answered Yudhishthira with fitting words.
पप्रच्छ चैनं धर्मात्मा यथा ते प्रद्रुताः पुरात्। स तस्मै सर्वमाचख्यावानुपूर्व्येण पाण्डवः
And the righteous king asked him how they had fled before; and the son of Pandu recounted everything to him in order.
तच्छ्रुत्वा द्रुपदो राजा कुन्तीपुत्रस्य भाषितम्। विगर्हयामास तदा धृतराष्ट्रं नरेश्वरम्
Hearing the words of Kunti's son, King Drupada then reproached King Dhritarashtra.
आश्वासयामास च तं कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्। प्रतिजज्ञे च राज्याय द्रुपदो वदतां वरः
He comforted Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, and Drupada, best of speakers, pledged the kingdom to him.
ततः कुन्ती च कृष्णा च भीमसेनार्जुनावपि। यमौ च राज्ञा संदिष्टं विविशुर्भवनं महत्
Then Kunti and Krishna, as well as Bhimasena and Arjuna, and the twins, entered the great palace as instructed by the king.
तत्र ते न्यवसन्राजन्यज्ञसेनेन पूजिताः। प्रत्याश्वस्तस्ततो राजा सह पुत्रैरुवाच तम्
There they stayed, honored by King Yajnasena; and when they were reassured, the king spoke to him together with his sons.
गृह्णातु विधिवत्पाणिमद्यायं कुरुनन्दनः। पुण्येऽहनि महाबाहुरर्जुनः कुरुतां क्षणम्
Let the son of Kuru, mighty-armed Arjuna, take my daughter's hand according to custom on an auspicious day; let the moment be fixed.
तमब्रवीत्ततो राजा धर्मात्मा च युधिष्ठिरः। `ममापि दारसंबन्धः कार्यस्तावद्विशांपते
Then the righteous Yudhishthira said to the king: 'But my own marriage must also be arranged, O lord of men.'
भवान्वा विधिवत्पाणिं गृह्णातु दुहितुर्मम। यस्य वा मन्यसे वीर तस्य कृष्णामुपादिश
Let either you, O hero, take my daughter's hand according to custom, or give Krishna to whomever you think fit.
सर्वेषां महिषी राजन्द्रौपदी नो भविष्यति। एवं प्रव्याहृतं पूर्वं मम मात्रा विशांपते
O king, Draupadi will be queen to all of us; thus my mother spoke before, O lord of men.
अहं चाप्यनिविष्टो वै भीमसेनश्च पाण्डवः। पार्थेन विजिता चैषा रत्नभूता सुता तव
I too am yet unmarried, and so is Bhimasena, O son of Pandu; and your jewel-like daughter has been won by Partha.
एष नः समयो राजँल्लब्धस्य सह भोजनम्। न च तं हातुमिच्छामः समयं राजसत्तम
This is our agreement, O king: to share whatever is obtained, including food; and, best of kings, we do not wish to break this agreement.
अक्रमेण निवेशे च धर्मलोपो महान्भवेत्।' सर्वेषां धर्मतः कृष्णा महिषी नो भविष्यति। आनुपूर्व्येण सर्वेषां गृह्णातु ज्वलने करान्
If we act without order, there will be great loss of righteousness; so, let Krishna be the queen of all of us according to dharma, and let each in turn take her hand in the fire.
एकस्य बह्व्यो विहिता महिष्यः कुरुनन्दन। नैकस्या बहवः पुंसः श्रूयन्ते पतयः क्वचित्
Many wives are prescribed for one man of the Kuru line, but nowhere is it heard that one woman has many husbands.
सोऽयं न लोके वेदे वा जातु धर्मः प्रशस्ते।' लोकवेदविरुद्धं त्वं नाधर्मं धर्मविच्छुचिः। कर्तुमर्हसि कौन्तेय कस्मात्ते बुद्धिरीदृशी
Such a practice is never known in the world or in the Veda as righteous; you, pure in dharma, should not do what is against worldly and Vedic law. Why do you have such an idea, Kaunteya?
सूक्ष्मो धर्मो महाराज नास्य विद्मो वयं गतिम्। पूर्वेषामानुपूर्व्येण यातं वर्त्माऽनुयामहे
Dharma is subtle, O great king, and we do not know its course; let us follow the path trodden by the ancients, step by step.
न मे वागनृतं प्राह नाधर्मे धीयते मतिः। एवं चैव वदत्यम्बा मम चैतन्मनोगतम्
My speech does not utter falsehood, nor is my mind inclined toward unrighteousness; and my mother speaks likewise, and this is what I hold in my heart.
आश्रमे रुद्रनिर्दिष्टाद्व्यासादेतन्मया श्रुतम्।' एष धर्मो ध्रुवो राजंश्चरैनमविचारयन्। मा च शङ्का तत्र ते स्यात्कथंचिदपि पार्थिव
In the hermitage designated by Rudra, I heard this from Vyasa; this is the firm dharma, O King—practice it without hesitation, and let no doubt arise in you regarding it.
त्वं च कुन्ती च कौन्तय धृष्टद्युम्नश्च मे सुतः। कथयन्त्विति कर्तव्यं श्वः काल्ये करवामहे
You, O son of Kunti, Kunti herself, and my son Dhrishtadyumna, should discuss this; tomorrow morning we shall act accordingly.
ते समेत्य ततः सर्वे कथयन्ति स्म भारत। अथ द्वैपायनो राजन्नभ्यागच्छद्यदृच्छया
Then, having gathered together, all of them spoke, O Bharata; at that moment, Dvaipayana Vyasa arrived by chance, O King.
ततस्ते पाण्डवाः सर्वे पाञ्चाल्यश्च महायशाः। प्रत्युथाय महात्मानं कृष्णं सर्वेऽभ्यवादयन्
Then all the Pandavas and the illustrious Panchali rose to greet the great-souled Krishna, and all paid him their respects.
प्रतिनन्द्य स तां पूजां पृष्ट्वा कुशलमन्ततः। आसने काञ्चने शुद्धे निषसाद महामनाः
Having acknowledged their homage and inquired after their welfare, the great-minded Krishna sat upon a pure golden seat.
अनुज्ञातास्तु ते सर्वे कृष्णेनामिततेजसा। आसनेषु महार्हेषु निषेदुर्द्विपदां वराः
Permitted by Krishna of immeasurable energy, all those best among men sat upon seats of great value.
ततो मुहूर्तान्मधुरां वाणीमुच्चार्य पार्षतः। पप्रच्छ तं महात्मानं द्रौपद्यर्थं विशांपते
After a short while, Parshata, speaking sweetly, questioned that great soul for the sake of Draupadi, O lord of the people.
कथमेका बहूनां स्यान्न च स्याद्धर्मसंकरः। एतन्मे भगवान्सर्वं प्रब्रवीतु यथातथम्
How can one woman belong to many men without causing a confusion of dharma? Let the venerable one declare all this to me as it truly is.
अस्मिन्धर्मे विप्रलब्धे लोकवेदविरोधके। यस्य यस्य मतं यद्यच्छ्रोतुमिच्छामि तस्य तत्
In this matter where dharma is violated and opposed to worldly custom and scripture, I wish to hear the opinion of each person.
अधर्मोऽयं मम मतो विरुद्धो लोकवेदयोः। न ह्येका विद्यते पत्नी बहूनां द्विजसत्तम
This, in my view, is unrighteous and contrary to worldly custom and scripture; for, O best of twice-born, there is not found a wife of many men.
न चाप्याचरितः पूर्वैरयं धर्मो महात्मभिः। न चाप्यधर्मो विद्वद्भिश्चरितव्यः कथंचन
Nor has this dharma been practiced by the great ones of old; nor should the learned ever practice unrighteousness in any way.
ततोऽहं न करोम्येनं व्यवसायं क्रियां प्रति। धर्मः सदैव संदिग्धः प्रतिभाति हि मे त्वयम्
Therefore, I do not undertake this action; for dharma always appears doubtful to me in this matter.
यवीयसः कथं भार्यां ज्येष्ठो भ्राता द्विजर्षभ। ब्रह्मन्समभिवर्तेत सद्वृत्तः संस्तपोधन
How can the elder brother, O best of Brahmins, approach the wife of the younger? One who is virtuous and devoted to austerity should not do so.