“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Hearing these words of Vidura, Drupada said, ‘O
Vidura of great wisdom, it is as you have said. Respected one, I too have been
exceedingly happy in consequence of this alliance. It is highly proper that
these illustrious princes (Pandavas)
should return to their ancestral kingdom. But it is not proper for me to say
this myself. If the brave son of Kunti viz., Yudhishthira, if Bhima and Arjuna,
if these bulls among men, viz., the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), themselves desire to go and if Rama (Balarama) and (Sri) Krishna, both familiar with every rule of Dharma, be of the same mind,
then let the Pandavas go there. For these tigers among men (Balarama and Sri
Krishna) are ever engaged in doing what
is agreeable and beneficial to the Pandavas.’
“Hearing this, Yudhishthira said, ‘O monarch (Drupada), we are now with all our younger brothers,
dependent on you. We shall cheerfully do what you are pleased to command.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Then Vaasudeva (Sri Krishna) said, ‘I am of opinion that the Pandavas
should go. But we should all abide by the opinion of king Drupada who is knowledgeable
with every rule of Dharma.’
“Drupada then spoke, ‘I certainly agree with what this foremost of men (Sri
Krishna), thinks, having regard to the circumstances.
For the illustrious Pandavas, now are to me as they are, without doubt, to Vaasudeva
(Sri Krishna). Kunti’s son
Yudhishthira himself does not seek the welfare of the Pandavas so seriously as,
Keshava (Sri Krishna), that tiger
among men.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘O king (Janamejaya), commanded by the illustrious Drupada, the Pandavas, then and (Sri) Krishna and Vidura, taking with them
Krishna (Draupadi), the daughter of
Drupada, and the famous Kunti, journeyed towards the city called after the
elephant (Hastinapura), stopping at
various places along the way for purposes of pleasure and enjoyment. King
Dhritarashtra, hearing that those heroes (Veera in Sanskrit) had neared the capital sent out the
Kauravas to receive them. O Bharata (Janamejaya), they who were thus sent out were, Vikarna of the great bow,
Chitrasena, Drona – that foremost of warriors, and Kripa of (Maharishi) Gautama’s (family) line.
“Surrounded by these, those mighty heroes, their splendour enhanced by
that crowd slowly entered the city of Hastinapura. The whole city became
radiant, as it were, with the cheerful crowd of sight-seers excited by
curiosity. Those tigers among men (Pandavas) gladdened the hearts of all who saw them. The Pandavas, dear to the
hearts of the people, as they proceeded, heard various exclamations of the
citizens loudly uttered, (who are) ever
desirous of obeying the wishes of those princes. Some exclaimed, ‘Here returns
that tiger among men, knowledgeable with all the rules of Dharma and who always
protects us as if we were his nearest relatives.’ Elsewhere they said, ‘It
seems that king Pandu – the beloved of his people – returns today from the
forest, doubtless to do what is agreeable to us.’ There were some that said, ‘What
good is not done to us today, when the heroic sons of Kunti come back to our
town? If we have ever given away in charity, if we have ever poured offerings
of clarified butter on the Agni, if we have any merit of Tapas, let the
Pandavas, by virtue of all those acts stay in our town for a hundred years.’
“At last the Pandavas, on arriving at the place, worshipped the feet of
(King) Dhritarashtra, as also those
of the illustrious Bhishma. They also worshipped the feet of everybody else
that deserved that honour. They enquired after the welfare of every citizen (there
present). At last, at the command of
Dhritarashtra they entered the chambers that had been assigned to them.
“After they had rested there for some time, they were summoned (to
the court) by king Dhritarashtra and
Bhishma, the son of Shantanu. When they came, king Dhritarashtra addressing
Yudhishthira, said, ‘Listen, O son of Kunti, with your brothers, to what I say.
You travel to Khandavaprastha so that no difference may arise again (between
you and your cousins). If you take up
your quarters there, no one will be able to do you any injury. Protected by Paartha
(Arjuna), like the Devas by the Vajra,
you reside at Khandavaprastha, taking half of the kingdom.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘Agreeing to what Dhritarashtra said, those
bulls among men (Pandavas) worshipping
the king (Dhritarashtra) set out
from Hastinapura. Satisfied with half the kingdom, they moved to
Khandavaprastha, which was in unreclaimed desert. Then those heroes (Veera
in Sanskrit) of unfading splendour,
viz., the Pandavas, with (Sri) Krishna
at their head, arriving there, beautified the place and made it a second
heaven.
“Those mighty chariot-warriors, selecting with Dwaipayana’s (Maharishi
Vyasa’s) assistance a sacred and
auspicious region, performed certain propitiatory (Shaanti in Sanskrit) ceremonies and measured out a piece of
land for their city. Then surrounded by a trench wide as the sea and by walls
reaching high up to the heavens and white as the feathery clouds or the rays of
the Moon, that foremost of cities looked magnificient like Bhogavati (Capital
of the Naagaa kingdom) decorated with
the Naagaas. It stood adorned with palatial mansions and numerous gates, each (door) furnished with a couple of panels
resembling the out-stretched wings of Garuda. It was protected with gateways
looking like the clouds and high as the Mandara mountains.
“Well-furnished with numerous weapons of attack the missiles (Astra
in Sanskrit) of the enemies could not
make slightest impression on them. They were almost covered with arrows and
other missiles like double-tongued snakes. The turrets (turret – small tower
on top of large tower) along the walls
were filled with armed men in course of training; and the walls were lined with
numerous warriors along their whole length. There were thousands of sharp hooks
and Shataaghnis (machines slaying a century of warriors) and numerous other machines on the
battlements. There were also large iron wheels planted on them. With all these
was that foremost of cities adorned. The streets were all wide and laid out
excellently; and there was no fear in them of accident. Decorated with
innumerable mansions, the city became like to Amaravati (capital of
Indraloka) and came to be called
Indraprastha (meaning – like to Indra’s city). In a delightful and auspicious part of the city rose the palace of
the Pandavas filled with every kind of wealth and like to the mansion of the
celestial treasurer (Lord Kubera)
himself. It looked like a mass of clouds charged with lightning.
“O king (Janamejaya), when
the city was built, there came numerous Brahmanas well-acquainted with all the
Vedas and knowledgeable with every language, wishing to stay there. There also came
to that town numerous merchants (Vanija in Sanskrit) from every direction, in the hope of earning wealth. There also came
numerous persons well-skilled in all the arts, wishing to take up their abode
there.
“Around the city were laid out many delightful gardens adorned with
numerous trees bearing both fruits and flowers. There were Aamras (mango
trees), Aamaratakas, Kadambas (Botanical
name is Neolamarckia cadamba), Ashokas (Botanical
name is Saraca asoca), Champakas (Botanical
name is Magnolia champaca); Punnaagas (Botanical
name is Calophyllum inophyllum), Naagas (Botanical
name is Couroupita guianensis), Lakuchas
(Botanical name is Artocarpus lacucha),
Panasas (Botanical name is Artocarpus heterophyllus); Shaalas (Botanical name is Shorea robusta), Taalas (palm trees),
Tamalas (Botanical name is Cinnamomum tamala), Bakulas (Botanical name is Mimusops elengi), Ketakas (Screw-pine) with
their fragrant loads; beautiful and blossoming and grand Aamalakas (Botanical
name is Phyllanthus emblica) with
branches bent down with the weight of fruits, Lodhras (Botanical name is Symplocos
racemosa) and blossoming Ankolas (Botanical
name is Alangium salviifolium); Jambus (blackberry
trees), Paatalas (Botanical name is
Stereospermum suaveolens), Kubjakas,
Atimuktas (Botanical name is Hiptage benghalensis); Karaveeras (Botanical name is Nerium indicum) and Paarijaatas (Botanical name is Nyctanthes arbortristis) and numerous other kinds of trees always
adorned with flowers and fruits and alive with feathery creatures of various
species.
“Those greeny groves always resounded with the notes of maddened
peacocks and Kokilas (blackbirds). There
were various pleasure-houses, bright as mirrors, and numerous bowers of
creepers, charming and artificial small hills, and many lakes full to the brim
of crystal water, and delightful tanks fragrant with lotuses and lilies and
adorned with swans, ducks and chakravaakaas. There were many delicious pools
overgrown with fine aquatic plants. There were also various ponds of great
beauty and large dimension. O king (Janamejaya), the joy of the Pandavas increased from day to day, in consequence of
their residence in that large kingdom that was peopled with men of Dharma.
“Thus in consequence of the Dharmic behaviour of Bhishma and king
Dhritarashtra towards them, the Pandavas took up their residence in
Khandavaprastha. Adorned with those five mighty warriors, each equal to (Lord) Indra Himself, that foremost of cities
looked like Bhogavati (the capital of the Naagaa kingdom) adorned with the Naagaas. O monarch (Janamejaya), having settled the Pandavas there, the
heroic (Sri) Krishna, obtaining
their leave, came back with (Bala) Rama
to Dwaravati (present-day Dwaraka, Gujarat, India).’”
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