And the monarch kept ready various costly articles as marriage
presents. Then he brought out his daughter Krishna, decked, after a bath,
with many jewels and pearls. Then there came to witness the wedding all
the friends and relatives of the king, ministers of state, and many
Brahmanas and citizens. And they all took their seats according to their
respective ranks. Adorned with that concourse of principal men, with its
yard decked with lotuses and lilies scattered thereupon, and beautified
with lines of troops, king Drupada's palace, festooned around with
diamonds and precious stones, looked like the firmament studded with
brilliant stars. Then those princes of the Kuru line, endued with youth
and adorned with ear-rings, attired in costly robes and perfumed with
sandal-paste, bathed and performed the usual religious rites and
accompanied by their priest Dhaumya who was possessed of the splendour of
fire, entered the wedding hall one after another in due order, and with
glad hearts, like mighty bulls entering a cow-pen. Then Dhaumya, well-
conversant with the Vedas, igniting the sacred fire, poured with due
mantras libations of clarified butter into that blazing element. And
calling Yudhishthira there, Dhaumya, acquainted with mantras, united him
with Krishna. Walking round the fire the bridegroom and the bride took
each other's hand. After their union was complete, the priest Dhaumya,
taking leave of Yudhishthira, that ornament of battles, went out of the
palace.
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