Chapter 210

“Janamejaya said, ‘O thou possessed of ascetic wealth, what did thosehigh-souled ones, my grandsires, the illustrious Pandavas, do, afterobtaining the kingdom of Indraprastha? How did their wife Draupadi obeythem all? How is it also that no dissensions arose amongst thoseillustrious rulers of men, all attached to one wife, viz., Krishna?

Othou of the wealth of asceticism, I wish to hear everything in detailregarding the behaviour towards one another of those rulers of men aftertheir union with Krishna.’

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Those scorchers of foes, the Pandavas, havingobtained their kingdom, at the command of Dhritarashtra, passed theirdays in joy and happiness at Khandavaprastha with Krishna. AndYudhishthira. endued with great energy and ever adhering to truth, havingobtained the sovereignty, virtuously ruled the land, assisted by hisbrothers. And the sons of Pandu, endued with great wisdom and devoted totruth and virtue, having vanquished all their foes, continued to livethere in great happiness. And those bulls among men, seated on royalseats of great value, used to discharge all the duties of government. Andone day, while all those illustrious heroes were so seated, there cameunto them the celestial Rishi Narada, in course of his wanderings.Beholding the Rishi, Yudhishthira offered him his own handsome seat. Andafter the celestial Rishi had been seated, the wise Yudhishthira dulyoffered him the Arghya with his own hands. And the king also informed theRishi of the state of his kingdom. The Rishi accepting the worship,became well-pleased, and eulogising him with benedictions, commanded theking 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 thearrival of the illustrious one. Hearing of the Rishi’s arrival Draupadi,purifying herself properly, came with a respectful attitude to whereNarada was with the Pandavas. The virtuous princess of Panchala,worshipping the celestial Rishi’s feet, stood with joined hands beforehim, properly veiled, The illustrious Narada, pronouncing variousbenedictions on her, commanded the princess to retire. After Krishna hadretired, the illustrious Rishi, addressing in private all the Pandavaswith Yudhishthira at their head, said, ‘The renowned princess of Panchalais the wedded wife of you all. Establish a rule amongst yourselves sothat disunion may not arise amongst you. There were, in former days,celebrated throughout the three worlds, two brothers named Sunda andUpasunda living together and incapable of being slain by anybody unlesseach slew the other. They ruled the same kingdom, lived in the samehouse, slept on the same bed, sat on the same seat, and ate from the samedish. And yet they killed each for the sake of Tilottama. Therefore, OYudhishthira, preserve your friendship for one another and do that whichmay not produce disunion amongst you.’

“On hearing this, Yudhishthira asked, ‘O great Muni, whose sons wereAsuras called Sunda and Upasunda? Whence arose that dissension amongstthem, and why did they slay each other? Whose daughter also was thisTilottama for whose love the maddened brothers killed each other? Was shean Apsara (water nymph) or the daughter of any celestial? O thou whosewealth is asceticism, we desire, O Brahmana, to hear in detail everythingas it happened. Indeed, our curiosity hath become great.'”