parva treats of the journey of the Pandavas towards Panchala, the acquisition of Draupadi in the midst of all the Rajahs, by Arjuna, after having successfully pierced the mark; and in the ensuing fight, the defeat of Salya, Karna, and all the other crowned heads, at the hands of Bhima and Arjuna of great prowess; the ascertainment by Balarama and Krishna at sight of these matchless exploits, that the heroes were the Pandavas, and the arrival of the two brothers at the house of the potter where the Pandavas were staying; the dejection of Drupada on learning that Draupadi was to be wedded to five husbands; the wonderful story of the five Indras related in consequence; the extraordinary and divinely-ordained wedding of Draupadi; the sending of Vidura by the sons of Dhrita-rashtra as envoy to the Pandavas; the arrival of Vidura and his sight of Krishna; the abode of the Pandavas in Khandava-prastha, and then their rule over one half of the kingdom; the fixing of turns by the sons of Pandu, in obedience to the injunctions of Narada, for connubial companionship with Krishnā. In like manner hath the history of Sunda and Upasunda been recited in this. This parva then treats of the departure of Arjuna for the forest according to the vow, he having seen Draupadi and Yudhish-thira sitting together as he entered the chamber to take out arms for delivering the kine of a certain Brahmana. This parva then describes Arjuna's meeting on the way with Ulupi, the daughter of a Naga (serpent); it then relates his visits to several sacred spots; the birth of Vabruvahana; the deliverance by Arjuna of the five celestial damsels who had been turned into alligators by the imprecation of a Brahmana; the meeting of Madhava and Arjuna on the holy spot called Pravhasa; the ravishment of Subhadra by Arjuna, incited thereto by her brother Krishna, in the wonderful car moving on land, water, and in mid air, according to the wish of the rider; the departure to Indra-prastha, with the dower; the birth in the womb of Subhadra of that prodigy of prowess Abhimanyu; Yajnaseni's giving birth to children; then follows the pleasure-trip of Krisna and Arjuna to the banks of the Jumna and the acquisition by them of the discus and the
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MAHABHARATA.
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