The Brahmana spake to them of various countries and shrines and (holy)
rivers, of kings and many wonderful provinces and cities. And after this
narration was over, that Brahmana, O Janamejaya, also spoke of the
wonderful self-choice of Yajnasena's daughter, the princes of Panchala,
and of the births of Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandi, and of the birth,
without the intervention of a woman, of Krishna (Draupadi) at the great
sacrifice of Drupada.
"Then those bulls among men, the Pandavas, hearing of these extraordinary
facts regarding that illustrious monarch (Drupada), and desiring to know
the details thereof, asked the Brahmana, after his narration was concluded,
to satisfy their curiosity. The Pandavas said, 'How, O Brahmana, did the
birth of Dhrishtadyumna the son of Drupada, take place from the
(sacrificial) fire? How also did the extraordinary birth of Krishna take
place from the centre of the sacrificial platform? How also did Drupada's
son learn all weapons from the great bowman Drona? And, O Brahmana, how
and for whom and for what reason was the friendship between Drona and
Drupada broken off?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus questioned, O monarch, by those bulls among
men, the Brahmana narrated all the particulars about the birth of
Draupadi.'"
SECTION CLXVIII
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"The Brahmana said, 'At that region where the Ganga entered the plains
there lived a great Rishi, devoted to the austerest of penances.
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