Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c5.250

v1.c5.250

in varied palaces, vying with one another . . . And on most exquisite tribunals the folk from the city and the country took their seats all round, that they might catch sight of Kṛṣṇā. Together with the Brahmans the sons of Pāṇḍu likewise took their seats, gazing at the incomparable wealth of the king of the Pañcālas. While now the assembly was being held, Draupadī, on a lovely day, the sixteenth, came up onto the platform, having bathed her limbs, and wearing a fair garment, decked with every kind of ornament, and bearing a golden, magnificently made wreath on her head. The house-priest of the Somakas, a pure Brahman, learned in mantras, strewed (kuça grass) about, and then offered up clarified butter in the fire after the holy precept. Having appeased the flame god, and bid the Brahmans utter the blessing, he ordered all the musical instruments around to stop. When now a silence had come on them, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, who had a voice like the trumpet of the clouds, took Kṛṣṇā by the hand after the precept, went into the middle of the platform, and spoke aloud with a thunder-deep voice these friendly, weighty, and most excellent words: ‘Here are the bow, the mark, and the arrows. Let all the herders of the earth, here gathered, be pleased to hear me. Shoot with the five sharp arrows, whistling through the air, shoot the mark through the hole in the machine. Whoso accomplishes this great task, and is endowed with noble blood, a handsome figure, and strength, the wife of him will this my sister Kṛṣṇā become to-day. I speak no lie.’”