happy without mending matters in the
least. The desire that king Drupada hath all along cherished will be
accomplished for his handsome princess who beareth, I think, every
auspicious mark. None that is weak in strength could string that bow, and
none of mean birth and unaccomplished in arms could have shot down the
mark. It behoveth not, therefore, the king of the Panchalas to grieve for
his daughter today. Nor can anybody in the world undo that act of
shooting down the mark. Therefore the king should not grieve for what
must take its course.'

"While Yudhishthira was saying all this, another messenger from the king
of the Panchalas, coming thither in haste, said, 'The (nuptial), feast is
ready.'"

SECTION CLXLVI

(Vaivahika Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana continued, 'The messenger said, 'King Drupada hath, in view
of his daughter's nuptials prepared a good feast for the bride-groom's
party. Come ye thither after finishing your daily rites. Krishna's
wedding will take place there. Delay ye not. These cars adorned with
golden lotuses drawn by excellent horses are worthy of kings. Riding on
them, come ye into the abode of the king of the Panchalas.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then those bulls among the Kurus, dismissing
the priest and causing Kunti and Krishna to ride together on one of those
cars, themselves ascended those splendid vehicles and proceeded towards
Drupada's place. Meanwhile, O Bharata, hearing from his priest the words
that Yudhishthira had said, king Drupada, in order to ascertain the order
to which those heroes belonged, kept ready a large collection of articles
(required by the ordinance for the wedding of each of the four orders).
And he kept ready fruits, sanctified garlands, and coats of mail, and
shields, and carpets, and kine, and seeds, and various other articles and
implements of agriculture. And the king also collected, O monarch, every
article appertaining to other arts, and various implements and apparatus
of every kind of sport. And he also collected excellent coats of mail and
shining shields, and swords and scimitars, of fine temper, and beautiful
chariots and horses, and first-class bows and well-adorned arrows, and
various kinds of missiles ornamented with gold. And he also kept ready
darts and rockets and battle-axes and various utensils of war. And there
were in that collection beds and carpets and various fine things, and
cloths of various sorts. When the party went to Drupad