Vaishampayana said : Thereupon all the Pandavas and the illustrious Panchala king and all others stood up; and they saluted the illustrious Krishna (Dvaipayana).

The high-souled (Rishi) saluted them in return and inquired after their welfare; he then sat down on a holy carpet made of gold.

Commanded by the immeasurable energetic Krishna (Dvaipayana), those foremost of men all sat down on costly seats.

Thereupon a moment after the son of Prishata in sweet words asked that illustrious man about the marriage of Draupadi.

Drupada said : O illustrious one, how can one women become the wife of many men without being defiled by sin. Tell me truly all this in detail.

Vyasa said : O king, this, being opposed to both usage and the Vedas, has become obsolete. I desire to hear what is the opinion of each of you in this matter.

Drupada said : In my opinion this practice is sinful, because it is opposed to both the usage and the Vedas. O best of the twice born, there is nowhere a wife with many husbands.

The illustrious men of former ages had never such an usage amongst them. The wise should never commit a sin,

I can therefore never make up my mind to act in this way. The practice appears to me to be of doubtful morality.

Dhristadyumna said : O best of the twice born, O ascetic Rishi, O Brahmana, how can the elder brother, if he is at all of good character, can approach the wife of his younger brother?

The ways of morality are always subtle. Therefore, we do not know them. We cannot, therefore, say what is comfortable to virtue and what is not.

We cannot therefore perform such an act with a safe mind. O Brahmana, I can never say, "Let Krishna be the wife of five (husbands).

Yudhishthira said : My tongue never utters an untruth and my heart never turns to sin. When my heart approves it, it can never be sinful.

I have heard in the Puranas that a lady of the Gautama race named Jatila, the foremost of all virtuous women, married seven Rishis (all together.)

So also the daughter of an ascetic married ten brothers, all of them bearing the same name of Prachetas and all of their souls were exalted by asceticism.

O foremost of all men learned in the precepts of virtue, it is a cardinal virtue. Of all superiors the mother is the foremost.

She has commanded us, saying “Enjoy all of you that which you have obtained.” O best of the twice born, it is therefore I consider this act to be virtuous.

Kunti said: It is so as the virtuous Yudhishthira has said. I am in great fear lest my words become untrue. How shall I be saved from untruth?

Vyasa said: O amiable one, you shall be saved from untruth. This is eternal virtue. O Panchala king, I will not talk on this matter before you all. You alone will hear it.

(I shall tell you) how this practice has been established and why it is to be regarded as old and eternal. There is no doubt that what the son of Kunti, Yudhishthira, has said is quite conformable to virtue.

Vaishampayana said : Thereupon rose the illustrious Vyasa, the lord Dvaipayana; and taking hold of Drupada's hand he went into the palace.

The Pandavas, Kunti and the descendant of Prishata Dhrishtaduymna, waited in that place for those two (Vyasa and Drupada).

Thereupon Dvaipayana explained to that illustrious king how the marriage of one wife with many husbands is conformable to virtue.