The Mahabharata, of ,Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ,BOOK 2 (Digvijaya Parva), SECTION XLVII

  

  The Mahabharata, of ,Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa ,BOOK 2  (Digvijaya Parva), 

SECTION XLVII

"Sakuni said.--'O Duryodhana, thou shouldst not be jealous of

Yudhishthira. The sons of Pandu are enjoying what they deserve in

consequence of their own good fortune. O slayer of foes, O great king,

thou couldst not destroy them by repeatedly devising numberless plans,

many of which thou hadst even put to practice. Those tigers among men out

of sheer luck escaped all those machinations. They have obtained Draupadi

for wife and Drupada with his sons as also Vasudeva of great prowess as

allies, capable of helping them in subjugating the whole world. And O

king, having inherited the paternal share of the kingdom without being

deprived of it they have grown in consequence of their own energy. What

is there to make thee sorry for this? Having gratified Hustasana,

Dhananjaya hath obtained the bow Gandiva and the couple of inexhaustible

quivers and many celestial weapons. With that unique bow and by the

strength of his own arms also he hath brought all the kings of the world

under his sway. What is there to make thee sorry for this? Having saved

the Asura Maya from a conflagration, Arjuna, that slayer of foes, using

both his hands with equal skill, caused him to build that assembly house.

And it is for this also that commanded by Maya, those grim Rakshasas

called Kinkaras supported that assembly house. What is there in this to

make thee sorry? Thou hast said, O king, that thou art without allies.

This, O Bharata, is not true. These thy brothers are obedient to thee.

Drona of great prowess and wielding the large bow along with his son,

Radha's son Karna, the great warrior Gautama (Kripa), myself with my

brothers and king Saumadatti--these are thy allies. Uniting thyself with

these, conquer thou the whole of the earth.'

"Duryodhana said,--'O king, with thee, as also with these great warriors,

I shall subjugate the Pandavas, if it pleases thee. If I can now

subjugate them, the world will be mine and all the monarchs, and that

assembly house so full of wealth.'

"Sakuni replied,--'Dhananjaya and Vasudeva, Bhimasena and Yudhishthira,

Nakula and Sahadeva and Drupada with his sons,--these cannot be

vanquished in battle by even the celestials, for they are all great

warriors wielding the largest bows, accomplished in weapons, and

delighting in battle. But, O king, I know the means by which Yudhishthira

himself may be vanquished. Listen to me and adopt it.'

"Duryodhana said,--'without danger to our friends and other illustrious

men, O uncle, tell me if there is any way by which I may vanquish him.'

"Sakuni said,--'The son of Kunti is very fond of dice-play although he

doth not know how to play. That king if asked to play, is ill able to

refuse. I am skillful at dice. There is none equal to me in this respect

on earth, no, not even in the three worlds, O son of Kuru. Therefore, ask

him to play at dice. Skilled at dice, I will win his kingdom, and that

splendid prosperity of his for thee, O bull among men. But, O Duryodhana,

represent all this unto the king (Dhritarashtra). Commanded by thy father

I will win without doubt the whole of Yudhishthira's possessions.'

"Duryodhana said 'O son of Suvala, thou thyself represent properly all

this to Dhritarashtra, the chief of the Kurus. I shall not be able to do

so.

SECTION XLVIII

Vaisampayana said--"O king, impressed with the great Rajasuya sacrifice

of king Yudhishthira, Sakuni, the son of Suvala, having learnt before the

intentions of Duryodhana, while accompanying him in the way from the

assembly house, and desirous of saying what was agreeable to him,

approached Dhritarashtra endued with great wisdom, and finding the

monarch deprived of his eye seated (in his throne), told him these

words,--'Know, O great king, O bull of the Bharata race, that Duryodhana,

having lost colour, hath become pale and emaciated and depressed and a

prey to anxiety. Why dost thou not, after due enquiry, ascertain the

grief that is in the heart of thy eldest son, the grief that is caused by

the foe?'

"Dhritarashtra said,--'Duryodhana, what is the reason of thy great

affliction. O son of the Kuru race? If it is fit for me to hear it, then

tell me the reason. This Sakuni here says that thou hast lost colour,

become pale and emaciated, and a prey to anxiety. I do not know what can

be the reason of the sorrow. This vast wealth of mine is at thy control.

Thy brothers and all our relations never do anything that is disagreeable

to thee. Thou wearest the best apparel and eatest the best food that is

prepared with meat. The best of horse carries thee. What it is,

therefore, that hath made thee pale and emaciated? Costly beds, beautiful

damsels, mansions decked with excellent furniture, and sport of the

delightful kind, without doubt these all wait but at thy command, as in

the case of the gods themselves Therefore, O proud one, why dost thou

grieve, O son, as if thou wert destitute.'

"Duryodhana said,--'I eat and dress myself like a wretch and pass my time

all the while a prey to fierce jealousy. He indeed is a man, who

incapable of bearing the pride of the foe, liveth having vanquished that

foe with the desire of liberating his own subjects from the tyranny of

the foe. Contentment, as also pride, O Bharata, are destructive of

prosperity; and those other two qualities also, viz., compassion and

fear. One who acteth under the influence of these, never obtaineth

anything high. Having beheld Yudhishthira's prosperity, whatever I enjoy

brings me no gratification. The prosperity of Kunti's son that is

possessed of such splendour maketh me pale. Knowing the affluence of the

foe and my own destitution, even though that affluence is not before me,

I yet see it before me. Therefore, have I lost colour and become

melancholy, pale and emaciated. Yudhishthira supporteth eighty-eight

thousand Snataka Brahmanas leading domestic lives, giving unto each of

them thirty slave-girls. Beside this, thousand other Brahmanas daily eat

at his palace the best of food on golden plates. The king of Kambhoja

sent unto him (as tribute) innumerable skins, black, darkish, and red, of

the deer Kadali, as also numberless blankets of excellent textures. And

hundreds and thousands and thousands of she-elephants and thirty thousand

she-camels wander within the palace, for the kings of the earth brought

them all as tribute to the capital of the Pandavas. And, O lord of earth,

the kings also brought unto this foremost of sacrifices heaps upon heaps

of jewels and gems for the son of Kunti. Never before did I see or hear

of such enormous wealth as was brought unto the sacrifice of the

intelligent sons of Pandu. And, O king, beholding that enormous

collection of wealth belonging to the foe, I can not enjoy peace of mind.

Hundreds of Brahmanas supported by the grants that Yudhishthira hath

given them and possessing wealth of kine, waited at the palace gate with

three thousands of millions of tribute but were prevented by the keepers

from entering the mansion. Bringing with them clarified butter in

handsome Kamandalus made of gold, they did not obtain admission into the

palace, and Ocean himself brought unto him in vessels of white copper the

nectar that is generated within his waters and which is much superior to

that which flowers and annual plants produce for Sakra. And Vasudeva (at

the conclusion of the sacrifice) having brought an excellent conch bathed

the Sun of Pritha with sea water brought in thousand jars of gold, all

well adorned with numerous gems. Beholding all this I became feverish

with jealousy. Those jars had been taken to the Eastern and the Southern

oceans. And they had also been taken on the shoulders of men to the

Western ocean, O bull among men. And, O father, although none but birds

only can go to the Northern region Arjuna, having gone thither, exacted

as tribute a vast quantity of wealth. There is another wonderful incident

also which I will relate to thee. O listen to me. When a hundred thousand

Brahmanas were fed, it had been arranged that to notify this act every

day conches would be blown in a chorus. But, O Bharata, I continually

heard conches blown there almost repeatedly. And hearing those notes my

hair stood on end. And, O great king, that palatial compound, filled with

innumerable monarchs that came there as spectators, looked exceedingly

handsome like the cloudless firmament with stars. And, O king of men, the

monarchs came into that sacrifice of the wise son of Pandu bringing with

them every kind of wealth. And the kings that came there became like

Vaisyas the distributors of food unto the Brahmanas that were fed. And O

king, the prosperity that I beheld of Yudhishthira was such that neither

the chief himself of the celestials, nor Yama or Varuna, nor the lord of

the Guhyakas owneth the same. And beholding that great prosperity of the

son of Pandu, my heart burneth and I cannot enjoy peace.

"Hearing these words of Duryodhana, Sakuni replied,--'Hear how thou

mayest obtain this unrivalled prosperity that thou beholdest in the son

of Pandu, O thou that hast truth for thy prowess. O Bharata, I am an

adept at dice, superior to all in the world. I can ascertain the success

or otherwise of every throw, and when to stake and when not. I have

special knowledge of the game. The Son of Kunti also is fond of dice

playing though he possesseth little skill in it. Summoned to play or

battle, he is sure to come forward, and I will defeat him repeatedly at

every throw by practising deception. I promise to win all that wealth of

his, and thou, O Duryodhana, shalt then enjoy the same.'"

Vaisampayana continued,--"King Duryodhana, thus addressed by Sakuni,

without allowing a moment to elapse, said unto Dhritarashtra,--'This,

Sakuni, an adept at dice, is ready to win at dice, O king, the wealth of

the sons of Pandu. It behoveth thee to grant him permission to do so.'

"Dhritarashtra replied,--'I always follow the counsels of Kshatta, my

minister possessed of great wisdom. Having consulted with him, I will

inform thee what my judgment is in respect of this affair. Endued with

great foresight, he will, keeping morality before his eyes, tell us what

is good and what is proper for both parties, and what should be done in

this matter.'

"Duryodhana said,--'If thou consultest with Kshatta he will make thee

desist. And if thou desist, O king, I will certainly kill myself. And

when I am dead, O king, thou wilt become happy with Vidura. Thou wilt

then enjoy the whole earth; what need hast thou with me?'"

Vaisampayana continued,--"Dhritarashtra, hearing these words of

affliction uttered by Duryodhana from mixed feeling, himself ready to

what Duryodhana had dictated, commanded his servant, saying,--'Let

artificers be employed to erect without delay a delightful and handsome

and spacious palace with an hundred doors and a thousand columns. And

having brought carpenters and joiners, set ye jewels and precious stones

all over the walls. And making it handsome and easy of access, report to

me when everything is complete. And, O monarch, king Dhritarashtra having

made this resolution for the pacification of Duryodhana, sent messengers

unto Vidura for summoning him. For without taking counsel with Vidura

never did the monarch form any resolution. But as regards the matter at

hand, the king although he knew the evils of gambling, was yet attracted

towards it. The intelligent Vidura, however, as soon as he heard of it,

knew that the arrival of Kali was at hand. And seeing that the way to

destruction was about to open, he quickly came to Dhritarashtra. And

Vidura approaching his illustrious eldest brother and bowing down unto

his feet, said these words:

'O exalted king, I do not approve of this resolution that thou hast

formed. It behave thee, O king, to act in such a way that no dispute may

arise between thy children on account of this gambling match.'

Dhritarashtra replied,--'O Kshatta, if the gods be merciful unto us,

assuredly no dispute will ever arise amongst my sons. Therefore,

auspicious or otherwise, beneficial or otherwise, let this friendly

challenge at dice proceed. Even this without doubt is what fate hath

ordained for us. And, O son of the Bharata race, when I am near, and

Drona and Bhishma and thou too, nothing evil that even Fate might have

ordained is likely to happen. Therefore, go thou on a car yoking thereto

horses endued with the speed of the wind, so that thou mayest reach

Khandavaprastha even today and bring thou Yudhishthira with thee. And, O

Vidura, I tell that even this is my resolution. Tell me nothing. I regard

Fate as supreme which bringeth all this.' Hearing these words of

Dhritarashtra and concluding that his race was doomed, Vidura in great

sorrow went unto Bhishma with great wisdom."

SECTION XLIX

Janamejaya said,--"O thou foremost of all conversant with the Vedas, how

did that game at dice take place, fraught with such evil to the cousins

and through which my grand-sires, the son of Pandu, were plunged into

such sorrow? What kings also were present in that assembly, and who

amongst them approved of the gambling match and who amongst them forbade

it? O sinless one, O chief of regenerate ones, I desire thee to recite in

detail all about this, which, indeed, was the cause of the destruction of

the world."

Santi said,--"Thus addressed by the king, the disciple of Vyasa, endued

with great energy and conversant with the entire Vedas, narrated

everything that had happened."

Vaisampayana said,--"O best of the Bharatas, O great king, if thou

desirest to hear, then listen to me as I narrate to thee everything again

in detail.

"Ascertaining the opinion of Vidura, Dhritarashtra the son of Amvika,

calling Duryodhana told him again in private--'O son of Gandhari, have

nothing to do with dice. Vidura doth not speak well of it. Possessed of

great wisdom, he will never give me advice that is not for my good. I

also regard what Vidura sayeth as exceedingly beneficial for me. Do that,

O son, for I regard it all as for thy good also. Indeed, Vidura knoweth

with all its mysteries the science (of political morality) that the

illustrious and learned and wise Vrihaspati, the celestial Rishi who is

the spiritual guide of Vasava--had unfolded unto the wise chief of the

immortals. And O son, I always accept what Vidura adviseth. O king, as

the wise Uddhava is ever regarded amongst the Vrishnis, so is Vidura

possessed of great intelligence esteemed as the foremost of the Kurus.

Therefore, O son, have nothing to do with dice. It is evident that dice

soweth dissensions. And dissensions are the ruin of the kingdom.

Therefore, O son, abandon this idea of gambling. O son, thou hast

obtained from us what, it hath been ordained, a father and a mother

should give unto their son, viz., ancestral rank and possessions. Thou

art educated and clever in every branch of knowledge, and hast been

brought up with affection in thy paternal dwelling. Born the eldest among

all thy brothers, living within thy own kingdom, why regardest thou

thyself as unhappy? O thou of mighty arms, thou obtainest food and attire

of the very best kind and which is not obtainable by ordinary men. Why

dost thou grieve yet. O son, O mighty-armed one, ruling thy large

ancestral kingdom swelling with people and wealth, thou shinest as

splendidly as the chief of the celestials in heaven. Thou art possessed

of wisdom. It behoveth thee to tell me what can be the root of this grief

that hath made thee so melancholy.

"Duryodhana replied,--'I am a sinful wretch, O king, because I eat and

dress beholding (the prosperity of the foes). It hath been said that man

is a wretch who is not filled with jealousy at the sight of his enemy's

prosperity. O exalted one, this kind of prosperity of mine doth not

gratify me. Beholding that blazing prosperity of the son of Kunti, I am

very much pained. I tell thee strong must be my vitality, in as much as I

am living even at the sight of the whole earth owning the sway of

Yudhishthira. The Nipas, the Chitrakas, the Kukkuras, the Karaskaras, and

the Lauha-janghas are living in the palace of Yudhishthira like bondsmen.

The Himavat, the ocean, the regions on the sea-shore, and the numberless

other regions that yield jewels and gems, have all acknowledged

superiority of the mansion of Yudhishthira in respect of wealth it

containeth. And, O Monarch, regarding me as the eldest and entitled to

respect, Yudhishthira having received me respectfully, appointed me in

receiving the jewels and gems (that were brought as tribute). O Bharata,

the limit and the like of the excellent and invaluable jewels that were

brought there have not been seen. And O king, my hands were fatigued in

receiving that wealth. And when I was tired, they that brought those

valuable articles from distant regions used to wait till I was able to

resume my labour. Bringing jewels from the lake Vindu, the Asura

architect Maya constructed (for the Pandavas) a lake-like surface made of

crystal. Beholding the (artificial) lotuses with which it was filled, I

mistook it, O king for water. And seeing me draw up my clothes (while

about to cross it), Vrikodara (Bhima) laughed at me, regarding me as

wanting in jewels and having lost my head at the sight of the affluence

of my enemy. If I had the ability, I would, O king, without the loss of a

moment, slay Vrikodara for that. But, O monarch, if we endeavour to slay

Bhima now, without doubt, ours will be the fate of Sisupala. O Bharata,

that insult by the foe burneth me. Once again, O king, beholding a

similar lake that is really full of water but which I mistook for a

crystal surface, I fell into it. At that, Bhima with Arjuna once more

laughed derisively, and Draupadi also accompanied by other females joined

in the laughter. That paineth my heart exceedingly. My apparel having

been wet, the menials at the command of the king gave me other clothes.

That also is my great sorrow. And O king, hear now of another mistake

that I speak of. In attempting to pass through what is exactly of the

shape of a door but through which there was really no passage, I struck

my forehead against stone and injured myself. The twins Nakula and

Sahadeva beholding from a distance that I was so hit at the head came and

supported me in their arms, expressing great concern for me. And Sahadeva

repeatedly told me, as if with a smile,--'This O king, is the door. Go

this way!' And Bhimasena, laughing aloud, addressed me and said,--'O son

of Dhritarashtra, this is the door. And, O king I had not even heard of

the names of those gems that I saw in that mansion. And it is for these

reasons that my heart so acheth."

SECTION L

Duryodhana said,--'Listen now, O Bharata, about all the most costly

articles I saw, belonging unto the sons of Pandu, and brought one after

another by the kings of the earth. Beholding that wealth of the foe, I

lost my reason and scarcely knew myself. And, O Bharata, listen as I

describe that wealth consisting of both manufactures and the produce of

the land. The king of Kamboja gave innumerable skins of the best king,

and blankets made of wool, of the soft fur of rodents and other

burroughers, and of the hair of cats,--all inlaid with threads of gold.

And he also gave three hundred horses of the Titteti and the Kalmasha

species possessing noses like parrots. And he also gave three hundred

camels and an equal number of she-asses, all fattened with the olives and

the Pilusha. And innumerable Brahmanas engaged in rearing cattle and

occupied in low offices for the gratification of the illustrious king

Yudhishthira the just waited at the gate with three hundred millions of

tribute but they were denied admission into the palace. And hundred upon

hundreds of Brahmanas possessing wealth of kine and living upon the lands

that Yudhishthira had given them, came there with their handsome golden

Kamandalus filled with clarified butter. And though they had brought such

tribute, they were refused admission into the palace. And the Sudra kings

that dwelt in the regions on the seacoast, brought with them, O king,

hundred thousands of serving girls of the Karpasika country, all of

beautiful features and slender waist and luxuriant hair and decked in

golden ornaments; and also many skins of the Ranku deer worthy even of

Brahmanas as tribute unto king Yudhishthira. And the tribes Vairamas,

Paradas, Tungas, with the Kitavas who lived upon crops that depended on

water from the sky or of the river and also they who were born in regions

on the sea-shore, in woodlands, or countries on the other side of the

ocean waited at the gate, being refused permission to enter, with goats

and kine and asses and camels and vegetable, honey and blankets and

jewels and gems of various kinds. And that great warrior king Bhagadatta,

the brave ruler of Pragjyotisha and the mighty sovereign of the

mlechchas, at the head of a large number of Yavanas waited at the gate

unable to enter, with a considerable tribute comprising of horses of the

best breed and possessing the speed of the wind. And king Bhagadatta

(beholding the concourse) had to go away from the gate, making over a

number of swords with handles made of the purest ivory and well-adorned

with diamonds and every kind of gems. And many tribes coming from

different regions, of whom some possess two eyes, some three and some had

eyes on their foreheads, and those also called Aushmikas, and Nishadas,

and Romakas, some cannibals and many possessing only one leg. I say, O

king, standing at the gate, being refused permission to enter. And these

diverse rulers brought as tribute ten thousand asses of diverse hues and

black necks and huge bodies and great speed and much docility and

celebrated all over the world. And these asses were all of goodly size

and delightful colour. And they were all bred on the coast of Vankhu. And

there were many kings that gave unto Yudhishthira much gold and silver.

And having given much tribute they obtained admission into the palace of

Yudhishthira. The people that came there possessing only one leg gave

unto Yudhishthira many wild horses, some of which were as red as the

cochineal, and some white, and some possessing the hues of the rainbow

and some looking like evening clouds, and some that were of variegated

colour. And they were all endued with the speed of the mind. And they

also gave unto the king enough gold of superior quality. I also saw

numberless Chins and Sakas and Uddras and many barbarous tribes living in

the woods, and many Vrishnis and Harahunas, and dusky tribes of the

Himavat, and many Nipas and people residing in regions on the sea-coast,

waiting at the gate being refused permission to enter. And the people of

Valhika gave unto him as tribute ten thousand asses, of goodly size and

black necks and daily running two hundred miles, And those asses were of

many shapes. And they were well-trained and celebrated all over the

world. And possessed of symmetrical proportion and excellent colour,

their skins were pleasant to the touch. And the Valhikas also presented

numerous blankets of woollen texture manufactured in Chin and numerous

skins of the Ranku deer, and clothes manufactured from jute, and others

woven with the threads spun by insects. And they also gave thousands of

other clothes not made of cotton, possessing the colour of the lotus. And

these were all of smooth texture. And they also gave soft sheep-skins by

thousands. And they also gave many sharp and long swords and scimitars,

and hatchets and fine-edged battle-axes manufactured in the western

countries. And having presented perfumes and jewels and gems of various

kinds by thousands as tribute, they waited at the gate, being refused

admission into the palace. And the Sakas and Tukhatas and Tukharas and

Kankas and Romakas and men with horns bringing with them as tribute

numerous large elephants and ten thousand horses, and hundreds and

hundreds of millions of gold waited at the gate, being refused permission

to enter. And the kings of the eastern countries having presented

numerous valuable articles including many costly carpets and vehicles and

beds, and armours of diverse hues decked with jewels and gold and ivory,

and weapons of various kinds, and cars of various shapes and handsome

make and adorned with gold, with well-trained horses trimmed with tiger

skins, and rich and variegated blankets for caprisoning elephants, and

various kinds of jewels and gems, arrows long and short and various other

kinds of weapons, obtained permission to enter the sacrificial palace of

the illustrious Pandava!'"

SECTION LI

Duryodhana said,--'O sinless one, listen to me as I describe that large

mass of wealth consisting of various kinds of tribute presented unto

Yudhishthira by the kings of the earth. They that dwell by the side of

the river Sailoda flowing between the mountains of Mer and Mandara and

enjoy the delicious shade of topes of the Kichaka bamboo, viz., the

Khashas, Ekasanas, the Arhas, the Pradaras, the Dirghavenus, the Paradas,

the Kulindas, the Tanganas, and the other Tanganas, brought as tribute

heaps of gold measured in dronas (jars) and raised from underneath the

earth by ants and therefore called after these creatures. The mountain

tribes endued with great strength having brought as tribute numerous

Chamaras (long brushes) soft and black and others white as moon-beam and

sweet honey extracted from the flowers growing on the Himavat as also

from the Mishali champaka and garlands of flowers brought from the region

of the northern Kurus, and diverse kinds of plants from the north even

from Kailasa, waited with their heads bent down at the gate of king

Yudhishthira, being refused permission to enter. I also beheld there

numberless chiefs of the Kiratas armed with cruel weapons and ever

engaged in cruel deeds, eating of fruits and roots and attired in skins

and living on the northern slopes of the Himavat and on the mountain from

behind which the sun rises and in the region of Karusha on the sea-coast

and on both sides of the Lohitya mountains. And, O king, having brought

with them as tribute loads upon loads of sandal and aloe as also black

aloe, and heaps upon heaps of valuable skins and gold and perfumes, and

ten thousand serving-girls of their own race, and many beautiful animals

and birds of remote countries, and much gold of great splendour procured

from mountains, the Kiratas waited at the gate, being refused permission

to enter. The Kairatas, the Daradas, the Darvas, the Suras, the

Vaiamakas, the Audumvaras, the Durvibhagas, the Kumaras, the Paradas

along with the Vahlikas, the Kashmiras, the Ghorakas, the Hansakayanas,

the Sivis, the Trigartas, the Yauddheyas, the ruler of Madras and the

Kaikeyas, the Amvashtas, the Kaukuras, the Tarkshyas, the Vastrapas along

with the Palhavas, the Vashatayas, the Mauleyas along with the

Kshudrakas, and the Malavas, the Paundrayas, the Kukkuras, the Sakas, the

Angas, the Vangas, the Punras, the Sanavatyas, and the Gayas--these good

and well-born Kshatriyas distributed into regular clans and trained to

the use of arms, brought tribute unto king Yudhishthira by hundreds and

thousands. And the Vangas, the Kalingas, the Magadhas, the Tamraliptas,

the Supundrakas, the Dauvalikas, the Sagarakas, the Patrornas, the

Saisavas, and innumerable Karnapravaranas, who presented themselves at

the gate, were told by the gate-keepers at the command of the king, that

if they could wait and bring good tribute they could obtain admission.

Then the kings of those nations each gave a thousand elephants furnished

with tusks like unto the shafts of ploughs and decked with girdles made

of gold, and covered with fine blankets and therefore, resembling the

lotus in hue. And they were all darkish as rocks and always musty, and

procured from the sides of the Kamyaka lake, and covered with defensive

armour. And they were also exceedingly patient and of the best breed. And

having made these presents, those kings were permitted to enter. O king,

these and many others, coming from various regions, and numberless other

illustrious kings, brought jewels and gems unto this sacrifice. And

Chitraratha, also the king of Gandharvas, the friend of Indra, gave four

hundred horses gifted with the speed of the wind. And the Gandharva

Tumvuru gladly gave a hundred horses of the colour of mango leaf and

decked in gold. And, O thou of the Kuru race, the celebrated king of the

Mlechcha tribe, called the Sukaras, gave many hundreds of excellent

elephants. And Virata, the king of Matsya, gave as tribute two thousand

elephants decked in gold. And king Vasudana from the kingdom of Pansu

presented unto the son of Pandu six and twenty elephants and two thousand

horses. O king, all decked in gold and endued with speed and strength and

in full vigour of youth, and diverse other kinds of wealth. And Yajnasena

presented unto the sons of Pandu for the sacrifice, fourteen thousand

serving-girls and ten thousand serving-men with their wives, many

hundreds of excellent elephants, six and twenty cars with elephants yoked

unto them, and also his whole kingdom. And Vasudeva of the Vrishni race,

in order to enhance the dignity of Arjuna, gave fourteen thousands of

excellent elephants. Indeed, Krishna is the soul of Arjuna and Arjuna is

the soul of Krishna, and whatever Arjuna may say Krishna is certain to

accomplish. And Krishna is capable of abandoning heaven itself for the

sake of Arjuna. and Arjuna also is capable of sacrificing his life for

the sake of Krishna. And the Kings of Chola and Pandya, though they

brought numberless jars of gold filled with fragrant sandal juice from

the hills of Malaya, and loads of sandal and aloe wood from the Dardduras

hills, and many gems of great brilliancy and fine cloths inlaid with

gold, did not obtain permission (to enter). And the king of the Singhalas

gave those best of sea-born gems called the lapis lazuli, and heaps of

pearls also, and hundreds of coverlets for elephants. And numberless

dark-coloured men with the ends of their, eyes red as copper, attired in

clothes decked with gems, waited at the gate with those presents. And

numberless Brahmanas and Kshatriyas who had been vanquished, and Vaisyas

and serving Sudras, from love of Yudhishthira, brought tribute unto the

son of Pandu. And even all the Mlechchas, from love and respect, came

unto Yudhishthira. And all orders of men, good, indifferent and low,

belonging to numberless races, coming from diverse lands made

Yudhishthira's habitation the epitome of the world.

"And beholding the kings of the earth to present unto the foes such

excellent and valuable presents, I wished for death out of grief. And O

king, I will now tell thee of the servants of the Pandavas, people for

whom Yudhishthira supplieth food, both cooked and uncooked. There are a

hundred thousand billions of mounted elephants and cavalry and a hundred

millions of cars and countless foot soldiers. At one place raw provisions

are being measured out; at another they are being cooked; and at another

place the foods are being distributed. And the notes of festivity are

being heard everywhere. And amongst men of all orders I beheld not a

single one in the mansion of Yudhishthira that had not food and drink and

ornaments. And eighty-eight thousands of Snataka Brahmanas leading

domestic lives, all supported by Yudhishthira, with thirty serving-girls

given unto each, gratified by the king, always pray with complacent

hearts for the destruction of his foes. And ten thousands of other

ascetics with vital seed drawn up, daily eat of golden plates in

Yudhishthira's palace. And, O king, Yajnaseni, without having eaten

herself, daily seeth whether everybody, including even the deformed and

the dwarfs, hath eaten or not. And, O Bharata, only two do not pay

tribute unto the son of Kunti, viz., the Panchalas in consequence of

their relationship by marriage, and the Andhakas and Vrishnis in

consequence of their friendship.

SECTION LII

Duryodhana said,--"Those king that are revered over all the world, who

are devoted to truth and who are pledged to the observance of rigid vows,

who are possessed of great learning and eloquence, who are fully

conversant with the Vedas and their branches as also with sacrifices, who

have piety and modesty, whose souls are devoted to virtue, who possess

fame, and who have enjoyed the grand rites of coronation, all wait upon

and worship Yudhishthira. And, O king, I beheld there many thousands of

wild kine with as many vessels of white copper for milking them, brought

thither by the kings of the earth as sacrificial presents to be given

away by Yudhishthira unto the Brahmana. And, O Bharata, for bathing

Yudhishthira at the conclusion of the sacrifice, many kings with the

greatest alacrity, themselves brought there in a state of purity many

excellent jars (containing water). And king Vahlika brought there a car

decked with pure gold. And king Sudakshina himself yoked thereto four

white horses of Kamboja breed, and Sunitha of great might fitted the

lower pole and the ruler of Chedi with his own hands took up and fitted

the flag-staff. And the king of the Southern country stood ready with the

coat of mail; the ruler of Magadha, with garlands of flowers and the

head-gear; the great warrior Vasudana with a sixty years old elephant,

the king of Matsya, with the side-fittings of the car, all encased in

gold; king Ekalavya, with the shoes; the king of Avanti, with diverse

kinds of water for the final bath; king Chekitana, with the quiver; the

king of Kasi, with the bow; and Salya; with a sword whose hilt and straps

were adorned with gold. Then Dhaumya and Vyasa, of great ascetic merit,

with Narada and Asita's son Devala, standing before performed the

ceremony of sprinkling the sacred water over the king. And the great

Rishis with cheerful hearts sat where the sprinkling ceremony was

performed. And other illustrious Rishis conversant with the Vedas, with

Jamadagni's son among them, approached Yudhishthira, the giver of large

sacrificial presents, uttering mantras all the while, like the seven

Rishis, approaching the great India in heaven. And Satyaki of unbaffled

prowess held the umbrella (over the king's head). And Dhananjaya and

Bhima were engaged in tanning the king; while the twins held a couple of

chamaras in their hands. And the Ocean himself brought in a sling that

big conch of Varuna which the celestial artificer Viswakarman had

constructed with a thousand Nishkas of gold, and which Prajapati had in a

former Kalpa, presented unto India. It was with that conch that Krishna

bathed Yudhishthira after the conclusion of the sacrifice, and beholding

it, I swooned away. People go to the Eastern or the Western seas and also

to the Southern one. But, O father, none except birds can ever go to the

Northern sea. But the Pandavas have spread their dominion even there, for

I heard hundreds of conches that had been brought thence blown (in the

sacrificial mansion) indicative of auspicious rejoicing. And while those

conches blew simultaneously, my hair stood on end. And those among the

kings, who were weak in strength fell down. And Dhrishtadyumna and

Satyaki and the sons of Pandu and Kesava,--those eight, endued with

strength and prowess and handsome in person, beholding the kings deprived

of consciousness and myself in that plight, laughed outright. Then

Vibhatsu (Arjuna) with a cheerful heart gave, O Bharata, unto the

principal Brahmanas five hundred bullocks with horns plated with gold.

And king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, having completed the Rajasuya

sacrifice, obtained like the exalted Harishchandra such prosperity that

neither Rantideva nor Nabhaga, nor Jauvanaswa, nor Manu, nor king Prithu

the son of Vena, nor Bhagiratha, Yayati, nor Nahusha, had obtained its

like. And beholding, O exalted one, such prosperity, in the son of Pritha

which is even like that which Harishchandra had, I do not see the least

good in continuing to live, O Bharata! O ruler of men, a yoke that is

tied (to the bullock's shoulders) by a blind man becomes loosened. Even

such is the case with us. The younger ones are growing while the elder

ones are decaying. And beholding all this, O chief of the Kurus, I cannot

enjoy peace even with the aid of reflection. And it is for this, O king,

that I am plunged into grief and becoming pale and emaciated."