Mahabharata 1.157: saptapañcāśadadhika śatatamo'dhyāyaḥ

1.157.1

vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca |
vasatsu teṣu pracchannaṃ pāṇḍaveṣu mahātmasu |
ājagāmātha tāndraṣṭuṃ vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ || 1 ||

"Vaisampayana said, 'While the illustrious Pandavas were living disguised in the abode of the Brahmana, Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, once went to see them. Those chastisers of foes, beholding him coming rose up and stepped onward to receive him. Saluting him reverentially and worshipping him also the Pandavas stood in silence with joined hands. Thus worshipped by them the sage became gratified. He asked them to be seated, and cheerfully addressing them said, 'Ye slayers of foes, are ye living in the path of virtue and according to the scriptures? Do ye worship the Brahmanas? Ye are not, I hope, backward in paying homage unto those that deserve your homage?' The illustrious Rishi, after this, spoke many words of virtuous import, and after discoursing upon many topics of great interest, he said, 'An illustrious Rishi, living in a certain hermitage, had a daughter of tender waist, fair lips, and fine eye-brows, and possessing every accomplishment. As a consequence of her own acts (in a past life) the fair maid became very unfortunate. Though chaste and beautiful, the damsel obtained not a husband. With a sorrowful heart she thereupon began to practise ascetic penances with the object of obtaining a husband. She soon gratified by her severe asceticism the god Sankara (Mahadeva), who became propitious unto her and said unto that illustrious damsel, 'Ask thou the boon thou desirest! Blest be thou! I am Sankara prepared to give thee what thou wilt ask.' Desirous of benefiting herself, the maid repeatedly said unto the supreme lord, 'O give me, a husband endued with every accomplishment.' Then Isana (Mahadeva), that foremost of all speakers, replied unto her, saying, 'O blessed one, thou shall have five husbands from among the Bharata princes.' Thus told, the maiden said unto the god who had given her that boon, 'O lord, I desire to have only one husband through thy grace.' The god then addressed her again and said these excellent words, 'Thou hast, O girl, said full five times, 'Give me (a) husband.' Thou shalt, therefore, in another life have five husbands!' Ye princes of Bharata's line, that damsel of celestial beauty hath been born in the line of Drupada. The faultless Krishna of Prishata's line hath been appointed to be the wife of you all. Ye mighty ones, go therefore, to the capital of the Panchalas and dwell ye there. There is no doubt that having obtained her as wife ye shall be very happy.'

1.157.2

tamāgatamabhiprekṣya pratyudgamya paraṃtapāḥ |
praṇipatyābhivādyainaṃ tasthuḥ prāñjalayastadā || 2 ||

1.157.3

samanujñāpya tānsarvānāsīnānmunirabravīt |
prasannaḥ pūjitaḥ pārthaiḥ prītipūrvamidaṃ vacaḥ || 3 ||

1.157.4

api dharmeṇa vartadhvaṃ śāstreṇa ca paraṃtapāḥ |
api vipreṣu vaḥ pūjā pūjārheṣu na hīyate || 4 ||

1.157.5

atha dharmārthavadvākyamuktvā sa bhagavānṛṣiḥ |
vicitrāśca kathāstāstāḥ punarevedamabravīt || 5 ||

1.157.6

āsīttapovane kācidṛṣeḥ kanyā mahātmanaḥ |
vilagnamadhyā suśroṇī subhrūḥ sarvaguṇānvitā || 6 ||

1.157.7

karmabhiḥ svakṛtaiḥ sā tu durbhagā samapadyata |
nādhyagacchatpatiṃ sā tu kanyā rūpavatī satī || 7 ||

1.157.8

tapastaptumathārebhe patyarthamasukhā tataḥ |
toṣayāmāsa tapasā sā kilogreṇa śaṃkaram || 8 ||

1.157.9

tasyāḥ sa bhagavāṃstuṣṭastāmuvāca tapasvinīm |
varaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te varado'smīti bhāmini || 9 ||

1.157.10

atheśvaramuvācedamātmanaḥ sā vaco hitam |
patiṃ sarvaguṇopetamicchāmīti punaḥ punaḥ || 10 ||

1.157.11

tāmatha pratyuvācedamīśāno vadatāṃ varaḥ |
pañca te patayo bhadre bhaviṣyantīti śaṃkaraḥ || 11 ||

1.157.12

pratibruvantīmekaṃ me patiṃ dehīti śaṃkaram |
punarevābravīddeva idaṃ vacanamuttamam || 12 ||

1.157.13

pañcakṛtvastvayā uktaḥ patiṃ dehītyahaṃ punaḥ |
dehamanyaṃ gatāyāste yathoktaṃ tadbhaviṣyati || 13 ||

1.157.14

drupadasya kule jātā kanyā sā devarūpiṇī |
nirdiṣṭā bhavatāṃ patnī kṛṣṇā pārṣatyaninditā || 14 ||

1.157.15

pāñcālanagaraṃ tasmātpraviśadhvaṃ mahābalāḥ |
sukhinastāmanuprāpya bhaviṣyatha na saṃśayaḥ || 15 ||

1.157.16

evamuktvā mahābhāgaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ pitāmahaḥ |
pārthānāmantrya kuntīṃ ca prātiṣṭhata mahātapāḥ || 16 ||

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said so unto the Pandavas, the illustrious and blessed grandsire then bade them farewell. The great ascetic then left them and went to the place whence he had come.'"