The Mahabharata/Book 2: Sabha Parva/Section XXXIV

SECTION XXXIV

(Rajasuyika Parva continued)

Vaisampayana said, "The ever-victorious Nakula, the son of Pandu, having reached Hastinapura, formally invited Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. The elder of the Kuru race with the preceptor at their head, invited with due ceremonies, came with joyous hearts to that sacrifice, with Brahmanas walking before them. And, O bull of the Bharata race, having heard of king Yudhishthira's sacrifice, hundreds of other Kshatriyas acquainted with the nature of the sacrifice, with joyous hearts came there from various countries, desiring to behold king Yudhishthira the son of Pandu and his sacrificial mansion, and brought with them many costly jewels of various kinds. And Dhritarashtra and Bhishma and Vidura of high intelligence ; and all Kaurava brothers with Duryyodhana at their head; and Suvala the king of Gandhara and Sakuni endued with great strength ; and Achala, and Vrishaka, and Kama that foremost of all charioteers ; and Salya endued with great might and the strong Valhika ; and Somadatta, and Bhuri of the Kuru race, and Bhurisravas and Sala ; and Aswatthama, Kripa.Drona, and Jayadratha, the ruler of Sindhu ; and Yajnasena with his sons, and Salya that lord of earth and that great car warrior king Bhagadattaof Pragjyotisha accompanied by all Mlechcha tribes inhabiting the marshy regions on the sea-shore ; and many mountain kings, and king Vrihadvala ; and Vasudeva the king of the Paundrayt, and the kings of Vanga and Kalinga ; and Akastha and Kuntala and the kings of the Malavas and the Andhrakas ; and the Dravidas and ths Singhalas and the king of Kashmira, and king Kuntibhoja of great energy and king Gauravahana, and all the other heroic kings of Valhika ; and Virata with his two sons, and Mavella endued with great might ; and various kings and princes ruling in various countries ; and, O Bharata, king Sisupala endued with great energy and invincible in battle accompainied by his son all of them came to the sacrifice of the son of Pandu. And Rama and Aniruddha and Kanaka and Sarana ; and Gada, Pradyumna, Shamva, and Charudeshna of great energy ; and Ulmuka and Nishatha and the brave Angavaha ; and innumerable other Vrishnis all mighty car-warriors came there.

"These and many other kings from the middle country came, O monarch, to that great Rajasuya sacrifice of the son of Pandu. And, O king, at the command of king Yudhishthira the just, mansions were assigned to all those monarchs, that were full of various kinds of edibles and adorned with tanks and tall trees. And the son of Dharma worshipped all those illustrious monarchs as they deserved. Worshipped by the king they retired to mansions that were assigned to them. Those mansions were (white and high) like the cliffs of Kailasa, and delightful to behold, and furnished with every kind of furniture. They were enclosed on all sides with well-built and high white-washed walls ; their windows were covered with net-works of gold and their interiors were furnished with rows of pearls. Their flights of stairs were easy of ascent and the floors were all laid over with costly carpets. They were all hung over with garlands of flowers and perfumed with excellent aloes. White as snow or the moon, they looked extremely handsome even from the distance of a yojana. Their doors and entrances were set uniformly and were wide enough to admit a crowd of persons. Adorned with various costly articles and built with various metals, they looked like peaks of the Himavat. Having rested awhile in those mansions the monarchs beheld king Yudhishthira the just surrounded by numerous Sadasyas (sacrificial priests) and ever performing sacrifices distinguished by large gifts to Brahmanas. That sacrificial mansion wherein were present the kings and Brahmanas and great Rishis looked, O king, as handsome as heaven itself crowded with the gods !"

Thus ends the thirty-fourth section in the Rajasuyika Parva of the Sabha Parva.