The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 2 SABHA PARVA SECTION VI

  The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa BOOK 2

SABHA PARVA

SECTION VI

"Vaisampayana said,--At the conclusion of Narada's words, king

Yudhishthira the just worshipped him duly; and commanded by him the

monarch began to reply succinctly to the questions the Rishi had asked.

"Yudhishthira said--'O holy one, the truths of religion and morality thou

hast indicated one after another, are just and proper. As regards myself,

I duly observe those ordinances to the best of my power. Indeed, the acts

that were properly performed by monarchs of yore are, without doubt, to

be regarded as bearing proper fruit, and undertaken from solid reasons

for the attainment of proper objects. O master, we desire to walk in the

virtuous path of those rulers that had, besides, their souls under

complete control."

"Vaisampayana continued,--"Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, possessed of

great glory, having received with reverence the words of Narada and

having also answered the Rishi thus, reflected for a moment. And

perceiving a proper opportunity, the monarch, seated beside the Rishi,

asked Narada sitting at his ease and capable of going into every world at

will, in the presence of that assembly of kings, saying,--'Possessed of

the speed of mind, thou wanderest over various and many worlds created in

days of yore by Brahma, beholding everything. Tell me, I ask thee, if

thou hast, O Brahmana, ever beheld before anywhere an assembly room like

this of mine or superior to it!' Hearing these words of Yudhishthira the

just, Narada smilingly answered the son of Pandu in these sweet accents,--

"Narada said,--'O child, O king I did neither see nor hear of ever before

amongst men, any assembly room built of gems and precious stones like

this of thine, O Bharata. I shall, however, describe unto thee the rooms

of the king of the departed (Yama), of Varuna (Neptune) of great

intelligence, of Indra, the King of Gods and also of him who hath his

home in Kailasha (Kuvera). I shall also describe unto thee the celestial

Sabha of Brahma that dispelleth every kind of uneasiness. All these

assembly rooms exhibit in their structure both celestial and human

designs and present every kind of form that exists in the universe. And

they are ever worshipped by the gods and the Pitris, the Sadhyas,

(under-deities called Gana), by ascetics offering sacrifices, with souls

under complete command, by peaceful Munis engaged without intermission in

Vedic sacrifices with presents to Brahmanas. I shall describe all these

to you if, O bull of the Bharata race, thou hast any inclinations to

listen to me!'"

"Vaisampayana continued,--"Thus addressed by Narada, the high-souled king

Yudhishthira the just, with his brothers and all those foremost of

Brahmanas (seated around him), joined his hands (in entreaty). And the

monarch then asked Narada, saying,--'Describe unto us all those assembly

rooms. We desire to listen to thee. O Brahmana, what are the articles

with which each of the Sabhas are made of? What is the area of each, and

what is the length and breadth of each? Who wait upon the Grandsire in

that assembly room? And who also upon Vasava, the Lord of the celestials

and upon Yama, the son of Vivaswana? Who wait upon Varuna and upon Kuvera

in their respective assembly rooms. O Brahmana Rishi, tell us all about

these. We all together desire to hear thee describe them. Indeed, our

curiosity is great.' Thus addressed by the son of Pandu, Narada replied,

saying,--'O monarch, hear ye all about those celestial assembly rooms one

after another."

SECTION VII

"Narada said,--the celestial assembly room of Sakra is full of lustre. He

hath obtained it as the fruit of his own acts. Possessed of the splendour

of the sun, it was built, O scion of the Kuru race, by Sakra himself.

Capable of going everywhere at will, this celestial assembly house is

full one hundred and fifty yojanas in length, and hundred yojanas in

breadth, and five yojanas in height. Dispelling weakness of age, grief,

fatigue, and fear, auspicious and bestowing good fortune, furnished with

rooms and seats and adorned with celestial trees, it is delightful in the

extreme. There sitteth in that assembly room, O son of Pritha, on an

excellent seat, the Lord of celestials, with his wife Sachi endowed with

beauty and affluence. Assuming a form incapable of description for its

vagueness, with a crown on his head and bright bracelets on the upper

arms, attired in robes of pure white and decked with floral wreaths of

many hues, there he sitteth with beauty, fame, and glory by his side. And

the illustrious deity of a hundred sacrifices is daily waited upon. O

monarch, in that assembly by the Marutas in a body, each leading the life

of a householder in the bosom of his family. And the Siddhyas, celestial

Rishis, the Sadhyas in all, the gods, and Marutas of brilliant complexion

and adorned with golden garlands,--all of them in celestial form and

decked in ornaments, always wait upon and worship the illustrious chief

of the immortals, that mighty represser of all foes. And O son of Pritha,

the celestial Rishis also, all of pure souls, with sins completely washed

off and resplendent as the fire, and possessed of energy, and without

sorrow of any kind, and freed from the fever of anxiety, and all

performers of the Soma sacrifice, also wait upon and worship Indra. And

Parasara and Parvata and Savarni and Galava; and Sankha, and the Muni,

Gaursiras, and Durvasa, and Krodhana and Swena and the Muni Dhirghatamas;

and Pavitrapani, Savarni, Yajnavalkya and Bhaluki; and Udyalaka,

Swetaketu, and Tandya, and also Bhandayani; and Havishmat, and Garishta,

and king Harischandra; and Hridya, Udarshandilya. Parasarya, Krishivala;

Vataskandha, Visakha, Vidhatas and Kala. Karaladanta, Tastri, and

Vishwakarman, and Tumuru; and other Rishis, some born of women and others

living upon air, and others again living upon fire, these all worship

Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, the lord of all the worlds. And

Sahadeva, and Sunitha, and Valmiki of great ascetic merit; and Samika of

truthful speech, and Prachetas ever fulfilling their promises, and

Medhatithi, and Vamadeva, and Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu; and Maruta and

Marichi, and Sthanu of great ascetic merit; and Kakshivat, and Gautama,

and Tarkhya, and also the Muni Vaishwanara; and the Muni Kalakavrikhiya

and Asravya, and also Hiranmaya, and Samvartta, and Dehavya, and

Viswaksena of great energy; and Kanwa, and Katyayana, O king, and Gargya,

and Kaushika;--all are present there along with the celestial waters and

plants; and faith, and intelligence, and the goddess of learning, and

wealth, religion, and pleasure; and lightning. O son of Pandu; and the

rain-charged clouds, and the winds, and all the loud-sounding forces of

heaven; the eastern point, the twenty seven fires conveying the

sacrificial butter, Agni and Soma, and the fire of Indra, and Mitra, and

Savitri, and Aryaman; Bhaga, Viswa the Sadhyas, the preceptor

(Vrihaspati), and also Sukra; and Vishwavasu and Chitrasena, and Sumanas,

and also Taruna; the Sacrifices, the gifts to Brahmanas, the planets, and

the stars, O Bharata, and the mantras that are uttered in sacrifices--all

these are present there. And, O King, many Apsaras and Gandharvas, by

various kinds of dances and music both instrumental and vocal, and by the

practice of auspicious rites, and by the exhibition of many feats of

skill, gratify the lord of the celestials--Satakratu--the illustrious

slayer of Vala and Vritra. Besides these, many other Brahmanas and royal

and celestial Rishis, all resplendent as the fire, decked in floral

wreaths and ornaments, frequently come to and leave that assembly, riding

on celestial cars of various kinds. And Vrihaspati and Sukra are present

there on all occasions. These and many other illustrious ascetics of

rigid wows, and Bhrigu and the seven Rishis who are equal, O king, unto

Brahma himself, come to and leave that assembly house, riding on cars

beautiful as the car of Soma, and themselves looking as bright therein as

Soma himself. This, O mighty armed monarch, is the assembly house, called

Pushkaramalini, of Indra of a hundred sacrifices that I have seen. Listen

now to the account of Yama's assembly house."

SECTION VIII

"Narada said,--'O Yudhisthira, I shall now describe the assembly house of

Yama, the son of Vivaswat, which, O son of Pritha, was built by

Viswakarma. Listen now to me. Bright as burnished gold, that assembly

house, O monarch, covers an area of much more than a hundred yojanas.

Possessed of the splendour of the sun, it yieldeth everything that one

may desire. Neither very cool nor very hot, it delighteth the heart. In

that assembly house there is neither grief nor weakness of age, neither

hunger nor thirst. Nothing disagreeable findeth a place there, nor any

kind of evil feelings there. Every object of desire, celestial or human,

is to be found in that mansion. And all kinds of enjoyable articles, as

also of sweet, juicy, agreeable, and delicious edibles in profusion that

are licked, sucked, and drunk, are there, O chastiser of all enemies. The

floral wreaths in that mansion are of the most delicious fragrance, and

the trees that stand around it yield fruits that are desired of them.

There are both cold and hot waters and these are sweet and agreeable. In

that mansion many royal sages of great sanctity and Brahmana sages also

of great purity, cheerfully wait upon, O child, and worship Yama, the son

of Vivaswat. And Yayati, Nahusha, Puru, Mandhatri, Somaka, Nriga; the

royal sage Trasadasyu, Kritavirya, Sautasravas; Arishtanemi, Siddha,

Kritavega, Kriti, Nimi, Pratarddana, Sivi, Matsya, Prithulaksha,

Vrihadratha, Vartta, Marutta, Kusika, Sankasya, Sankriti, Dhruva,

Chaturaswa, Sadaswormi and king Kartavirya; Bharata and Suratha, Sunitha,

Nisatha, Nala, Divodasa, and Sumanas, Amvarisha, Bhagiratha; Vyaswa,

Vadhraswa, Prithuvega, Prithusravas, Prishadaswa, Vasumanas, Kshupa, and

Sumahavala, Vrishadgu, and Vrishasena, Purukutsa, Dhwajin and Rathin;

Arshtisena, Dwilipa, and the high-souled Ushinara; Ausinari, Pundarika,

Saryati, Sarava, and Suchi; Anga, Rishta, Vena, Dushmanta, Srinjaya and

Jaya; Bhangasuri, Sunitha, and Nishada, and Bahinara; Karandhama,

Valhika, Sudymna, and the mighty Madhu; Aila and the mighty king of earth

Maruta; Kapota, Trinaka, and Shadeva, and Arjuna also. Vysawa; Saswa and

Krishaswa, and king Sasavindu; Rama the son of Dasaratha, and Lakshmana,

and Pratarddana; Alarka, and Kakshasena, Gaya, and Gauraswa; Rama the son

of Jamadagnya, Nabhaga, and Sagara; Bhuridyumna and Mahaswa, Prithaswa,

and also Janaka; king Vainya, Varisena, Purujit, and Janamejaya;

Brahmadatta, and Trigarta, and king Uparichara also; Indradyumna,

Bhimajanu, Gauraprishta, Nala, Gaya; Padma and Machukunda, Bhuridyumna,

Prasenajit; Aristanemi, Sudymna, Prithulauswa, and Ashtaka also; a

hundred kings of the Matsya race and hundred of the Vipa and a hundred of

the Haya races; a hundred kings of the name of Dhritarashtra, eighty

kings of the name of Janamejaya; a hundred monarchs called Brahmadatta,

and a hundred kings of the name of Iri; more than two hundred Bhishmas,

and also a hundred Bhimas; a hundred Prativindhyas, a hundred Nagas, and

a hundred Palasas, and a hundred called Kasa and Kusa; that king of kings

Santanu, and thy father Pandu, Usangava, Sata-ratha, Devaraja,

Jayadratha; the intelligent royal sage Vrishadarva with his ministers;

and a thousand other kings known by the name of Sasa-vindu, and who have

died, having performed many grand horse-sacrifices with large presents to

the Brahmanas--these holy royal sages of grand achievements and great

knowledge of the Sastras, wait upon, O King, and worship the son of

Vivaswat in that assembly house. And Agastya and Matanga, and Kala, and

Mrityu (Death), performers of sacrifices, the Siddhas, and many Yogins;

the Prtris (belonging to the classes--called Agniswattas, Fenapa,

Ushampa, Swadhavat, and Verhishada), as also those others that have

forms; the wheel of time, and the illustrious conveyer himself of the

sacrificial butter; all sinners among human beings, as also those that

have died during the winter solstice; these officers of Yama who have

been appointed to count the allotted days of everybody and everything;

the Singsapa, Palasa, Kasa, and Kusa trees and plants, in their embodied

forms, these all, O king, wait upon and worship the god of justice in

that assembly house of his. These and many others are present at the

Sabha of the king of the Pitris (manes). So numerous are they that I am

incapable of describing them either by mentioning their names or deeds. O

son of Pritha, the delightful assembly house, moving everywhere at the

will of its owner, is of wide extent. It was built by Viswakarma after a

long course of ascetic penances. And, O Bharata, resplendent with his own

effulgence, it stands glorified in all its beauty. Sannyasis of severe

ascetic penance, of excellent vows, and of truthful speech, peaceful and

pure and sanctified by holy deeds, of shining bodies and attired in

spotless robes, decked with bracelets and floral garlands, with ear-rings

of burnished gold, and adorned with their own holy acts as with the marks

of their order (painted over their bodies), constantly visit that Sabha

(Assembly). Many illustrious Gandharvas, and many Apsaras fill every part

of that mansion with music; both instrumental and vocal and with sounds

of laughter and dance. And, O son of Pritha, excellent perfumes, and

sweet sounds and garlands of celestial flowers always contribute towards

making that mansion supremely blest. And hundreds of thousands of

virtuous persons, of celestial beauty and great wisdom, always wait upon

and worship the illustrious Yama, the lord of created beings in that

assembly house. Such, O monarch, is the Sabha, of the illustrious king of

the Pitris! I shall now describe unto the assembly house of Varuna also

called Pushkaramalini!"

SECTION IX

'Narada said--O Yudhishthira, the celestial Sabha of Varuna is

unparalleled in splendour. In dimensions it is similar to that of Yama.

Its walls and arches are all of pure white. It hath been built by

Viswakarma (the celestial architect) within the waters. It is surrounded

on all sides by many celestial trees made of gems and jewels and yielding

excellent fruits and flowers. And many plants with their weight of

blossoms, blue and yellow, and black and darkish, and white and red, that

stand there, or excellent bowers around. Within those bowers hundreds and

thousands of birds of diverse species, beautiful and variegated, always

pour forth their melodies. The atmosphere of that mansion is extremely

delightful, neither cold nor hot. Owned by Varuna, that delightful

assembly house of pure white consists of many rooms and is furnished with

many seats. There sitteth Varuna attired in celestial robe, decked in

celestial ornaments and jewels, with his queen, adorned with celestial

scents and besmeared with paste of celestial fragrance. The Adityas wait

upon and worship the illustrious Varuna, the lord of the waters. And

Vasuki and Takshaka, and the Naga called Airavana; Krishna and Lohita;

Padma and Chitra endued with great energy; the Nagas called Kamvala and

Aswatara; and Dhritarashtra and Valahaka; Matimat and Kundadhara and

Karkotaka and Dhananjaya; Panimat and the mighty Kundaka, O lord of the

Earth; and Prahlada and Mushikada, and Janamejaya,--all having auspicious

marks and mandalas and extended hoods;--these and many other snakes. O

Yudhishthira, without anxiety of any kind, wait upon and worship the

illustrious Varuna. And, O king, Vali the son of Virochana, and Naraka

the subjugator of the whole Earth; Sanghraha and Viprachitti, and those

Danavas called Kalakanja; and Suhanu and Durmukha and Sankha and Sumanas

and also Sumati; and Ghatodara, and Mahaparswa, and Karthana and also

Pithara and Viswarupa, Swarupa and Virupa, Mahasiras; and Dasagriva,

Vali, and Meghavasas and Dasavara; Tittiva, and Vitabhuta, and Sanghrada,

and Indratapana--these Daityas and Danavas, all bedecked with ear-rings

and floral wreaths and crowns, and attired in the celestial robes, all

blessed with boons and possessed of great bravery, and enjoying

immortality, and all well of conduct and of excellent vows, wait upon and

worship in that mansion the illustrious Varuna, the deity bearing the

noose as his weapon. And, O king, there are also the four oceans, the

river Bhagirathee, the Kalindi, the Vidisa, the Venwa, the Narmada of

rapid current; the Vipasa, the Satadu, the Chandrabhaga, the Saraswati;

the Iravati, the Vitasta, the Sindhu, the Devanadi; the Godavari, the

Krishnavenwa and that queen of rivers the Kaveri; the Kimpuna, the

Visalya and the river Vaitarani also; the Tritiya, the Jeshthila, and the

great Sone (Soane); the Charmanwati and the great river Parnasa; the

Sarayu, the Varavatya, and that queen of rivers the Langali, the

Karatoya, the Atreyi, the red Mahanada, the Laghanti, the Gomati, the

Sandhya, and also the Trisrotasi--these and other rivers which are all

sacred and are world-renowned places of pilgrimage, as also other rivers

and sacred waters and lakes and wells and springs, and tanks, large or

small, in their personified form, O Bharata, wait upon and worship the

lord Varuna. The points of the heavens, the Earth, and all the Mountains,

as also every species of aquatic animals, all worship Varuna there. And

various tribes of Gandharvas and Apsaras, devoted to music, both vocal

and instrumental, wait upon Varuna, singing eulogistic hymns unto him.

And all those mountains that are noted for being both delightful and rich

in jewels, wait (in their personified forms) in that Sabha, enjoying

sweet converse with one another. And the chief minister of Varuna,

Sunabha by name, surrounded by his sons and grandsons, also attend upon

his master, along with (the personified form) of a sacred water called

go. These all, in their personified forms, worship the deity. O bull of

the Bharata race, such is the assembly room of Varuna seen by me before,

in the course of my wanderings. Listen now to the account I give of the

assembly room of Kuvera.'"

SECTION X

"Narada said,--'Possessed of great splendour, the assembly house of

Vaisravana, O king, is a hundred yojanas in length and seventy yojanas in

breadth. It was built, O king, by Vaisravana himself using his ascetic

power. Possessing the splendour of the peaks of Kailasa, that mansion

eclipses by its own the brilliance of the Moon himself. Supported by

Guhyakas, that mansion seems to be attached to the firmament. Of

celestial make, it is rendered extremely handsome with high chambers of

gold. Extremely delightful and rendered fragrant with celestial perfumes,

it is variegated with numberless costly jewels. Resembling the peaks of a

mass of white clouds, it seems to be floating in the air. Painted with

colours of celestial gold, it seems to be decked with streaks of

lightning. Within that mansion sitteth on an excellent seat bright as the

sun and covered with celestial carpets and furnished with a handsome

footstool, king Vaisravana of agreeable person, attired in excellent

robes and adorned with costly ornaments and ear-rings of great

brilliance, surrounded by his thousand wives. Delicious and cooling

breezes murmuring through forests of tall Mandaras, and bearing fragrance

of extensive plantations of jasmine, as also of the lotuses on the bosom

of the river Alaka and of the Nandana-gardens, always minister to the

pleasure of the King of the Yakshas. There the deities with the

Gandharvas surrounded by various tribes of Apsaras, sing in chorus, O

king, notes of celestial sweetness. Misrakesi and Rambha, and Chitrasena,

and Suchismita; and Charunetra, and Gritachi and Menaka, and

Punjikasthala; and Viswachi Sahajanya, and Pramlocha and Urvasi and Ira,

and Varga and Sauraveyi, and Samichi, and Vududa, and Lata--these and a

thousand other Apsaras and Gandharvas, all well-skilled in music and

dance, attend upon Kuvera, the lord of treasures. And that mansion,

always filled with the notes of instrumental and vocal music, as also

with the sounds of dance of various tribes of Gandharvas, and Apsaras

hath become extremely charming and delicious. The Gandharvas called

Kinnaras, and others called Naras, and Manibhadra, and Dhanada, and

Swetabhadra and Guhyaka; Kaseraka, Gandakandu, and the mighty Pradyota;

Kustumvuru, Pisacha, Gajakarna, and Visalaka, Varaha-Karna, Tamraushtica,

Falkaksha, and Falodaka; Hansachuda, Sikhavarta, Vibhishana, Pushpanana,

Pingalaka, Sonitoda and Pravalaka; Vrikshavaspa-niketa, and

Chiravasas--these O Bharata, and many other Yakshas by hundred and

thousands always wait upon Kuvera. The goddess Lakshmi always stayeth

there, also Kuvera's son Nalakuvera. Myself and many others like myself

often repair thither. Many Brahmana Rishis and celestial Rishis also

repair there often. Many Rakshasas, and many Gandharvas, besides those

that have been named, wait upon the worship, in that mansion, the

illustrious lord of all treasures. And, O tiger among kings, the

illustrious husband of Uma and lord of created things, the three-eyed

Mahadeva, the wielder of the trident and the slayer of the Asura called

Bhaga-netra, the mighty god of the fierce bow, surrounded by multitudes

of spirits in their hundreds and thousands, some of dwarfish stature,

some of fierce visage, some hunch-backed, some of blood-red eyes, some of

frightful yells, some feeding upon fat and flesh, and some terrible to

behold, but all armed with various weapons and endued with the speed of

wind, with the goddess (Parvati) ever cheerful and knowing no fatigue,

always waiteth here upon their friend Kuvera, the lord of treasures. And

hundreds of Gandharva chiefs, with cheerful hearts and attired in their

respective robes and Viswavasu, and Haha and Huhu; and Tumvuru and

Parvatta, and Sailusha; and Chitrasena skilled in music and also

Chitraratha,--these and innumerable Gandharvas worship the lord of

treasures. And Chakradhaman, the chief of the Vidyadharas, with his

followers, waiteth in that mansion upon the lord of treasures. And

Kinnaras by hundreds and innumerable kings with Bhagadatta as their

chief, and Druma, the chief of the Kimpurushas, and Mahendra, the chief

of the Rakshasas, and Gandhamadana accompanied by many Yakshas and

Gandharvas and many Rakshasas wait upon the lord of treasures. The

virtuous Vibhishana also worshippeth there his elder brother the lord

Kuvera (Croesus). The mountains of Himavat, Paripatra, Vindhya, Kailasa,

Mandara, Malaya, Durdura, Mahendra, Gandhamadana, Indrakila, Sunava, and

Eastern and the Western hills--these and many other mountains, in their

personified forms, with Meru standing before all, wait upon and worship

the illustrious lord of treasures. The illustrious Nandiswaras, and

Mahakala, and many spirits with arrowy ears and sharp-pointed mouths,

Kaksha, Kuthimukha, Danti, and Vijaya of great ascetic merit, and the

mighty white bull of Siva roaring deep, all wait in that mansion. Besides

these many other Rakshasas and Pisachas (devils) worship Kuvera in that

assembly house. The son of Pulastya (Kuvera) formerly used always to

worship in all the modes and sit, with permission obtained, beside the

god of gods, Siva, the creator of the three worlds, that supreme Deity

surrounded by his attendants. One day the exalted Bhava (Siva) made

friendship with Kuvera. From that time, O king, Mahadeva always sitteth

on the mansion of his friend, the lord of treasures. Those best of all

jewels, those princes of all gems in the three worlds, viz., Sankha and

Padma, in their personified forms, accompanied by all the jewels of the

earth (also in their personified forms) worship Kuvera."

"This delightful assembly house of Kuvera that I have seen, attached to

the firmament and capable of moving along it, is such, O king. Listen now

to the Sabha I describe unto thee, belonging to Brahma the Grandsire."