Chapter LXXXIII

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CHAPTER LXXXIII.

SHREE SHOOKDEO JEE said,--O great king! listen, whilst I gave an account of the conversations which passed between Dropudee and the wives of Shree Krishnù Chund Jee. One day the wives of the Kouruvùs and Panduvùs were sitting with the wives of Shree Krishnù Chund Jee, and were celebrating the exploits and good qualities of Krishnù; upon something being said in conversation, Dropudee said to Shree Rookmunee Jee, "Say, O beautiful Rookmunee! how didst thou obtain Shree Krishnù Chund Jee?" Shree Rookmunee replied, "Listen attentively, O Dropudee! how Krishnù carried his scheme into execution: my father's wish was to give his daughter to Shree Krishnù Chund, and my brother had set his mind upon giving me to Raja Sissoopal, who came with a marriage procession to celebrate the marriage; and I sent a brahmin and invited Shree Krishnù Chund Jee. On the marriage day, as I returned home after having offered adoration to Devee, Shree Krishnù Chund Jee having carried me off from the midst of the army of the demons, seated me on his chariot, and pursued his journey homewards. Having afterwards received intelligence of this event, the whole army of demons came and made a violent attack upon Huri, who easily slew and put them to flight, he then

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set out for Dwarka, taking me with him. On our arrival there, Rajas Oogursen, Soorsen and Basoodeo Jee married me to Shree Krishnù Chund, according to the prescribed injunctions of the Vedas; and, having heard the news of the marriage, my father gave me a most liberal dowry."

Having recited thus much, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to the Raja Pureechit,--O great king! Dropudee Jee made enquiries, similar to that she had made from Shree Rookmunee, from Sutbhama, Jamwutee, Kalindee, Bhudrù, Sutya, Mittrabinda, Luchmuna, and the sixteen thousand and eight hundred queens of Shree Krishnù Chund, and each explained all the circumstances and the history of her marriage.