Sabhakriya Parva — The construction of the assembly-hall

Vaishampayana said Then Maya spoke thus to the son of Pritha, Arjuna, the foremost of all victorious warriors, "I shall now go away with your permission, but shall soon come back.

When the Danavas were engaged in a sacrifice on the banks of the Bindu lake, in the north of the Kailasa near the Mainaka mountains I gathered charming and variegated Bhanda (mass of rough stones) of jewels and gems. I kept it in the house of Vrishaparva.

O descendant of Bharata, if it still exists there, I shall come back with it. I shall then build a renowned, delightful and beautiful a assembly-hall for the Pandavas, which will be adorned with all gems gems and jewels. O descendant of Kuru, there is also a club in the Bindu lake.

Kept there by the king (of the Danavas) who killed with it all his foes in battle. It is hard and strong and variegated with golden knobs, it is capable of standing great weight.

It can kill all focs, and it is equal in strength to one hundred thousand clubs. It is a fit weapon for Bhima as the Gandiva (bow) is yours.

(There is also in that lake) a large conchshell of loud sound, named Devadatta which was produced by Varuna (Ocean). There is no doubt I shall give all these to you."

Having said this to Partha, that Asura (Maya) went away in a north-eastern direction. On the north of the Kailasa near the Mainaka mountains.

There is a great peak full of many gems and jewels, called Hiranya Shringa. (There is) a charming lake named Bindusara where (once dwelt) king Bhagiratha.

He lived there for a long period with the desire of seeing the Ganges which is called Bhagirathi (after him). Here the illustrious lord of all creatures.

O best of the Bharata race, performed one hundred great sacrifices. There were placed at this spot for beauty, many sacrificial stakes made of gems, and many sacrificial ultras made of gold though not according to the ordinance. Here after performing those sacrifices the deity of one thousand eyes, the husband of Sachi, acquired Siddhi (final success).

Here the greatly effulgent lord of spirits (Shiva), the eternal lord of all creatures lived after creating all the worlds and here he was worshipped by all the sprites.

Here Nara and Narayana, Brahma, Yama and the fifth Sthanu performed sacrifices after the expiration of one thousand Yugas.

Here for the establishment of virtue and religion Vasudeva with with pious devotion performed his sacrifices with extended for many long years.

Where Keshava placed thousands and tens of thousands of sacrificial stakes adorned with garlands of gold and innumerable (sacrificial) altars of great splendour.

O descendant of Bharata, going there he (Maya) brought the club, the conch shall and the various articles of crystal which belonged to Vrishaparva, (the Danava king).

Going there thereat Asura, Maya, took all the great wealth which was guarded by the Takshas and Rakshasas and Kinkaras.

Bringing them away, the Asura (Maya) built with them a matchless assembly-hall. It was celebrated throughout the three worlds, it was beautiful, it was celestials, and it was full of gems and jewels.

He gave to Bhimasena that best of clubs (that was in the lake) he also gave to Arjuna that excellent and the best conch.

The sound of that conch used to make all creatures tremble in feat. O great king, the assembly-hall that Maya built, stood on golden pillars, and it occupied an area of five thousand cubits square, possessing an most beautiful form. It (the liall) shone in great splendour like the fire, the sun or the moon. By its great effulgence it seemed to darken even the rays of the sun.

With its effulgence which was the mixture of both celestials and terrestrial light, it appeared as if it was on fire. Like a mass of new clouds rising in the sky, it filled the whole of the view. It was spacious large, charming, soothing, full of celestials effulgence, and filled with all sorts of excellent things, it was adorned with jeweled walls and gates, with many pictures and much wealth. It appeared like the work of Vishvakarma himself.

The Sudharma (the assembly-hall) of the Dasharhas (Vrishnis)-nay even the abode of Brahma was not so grand and endued with so much beauty as this assembly-hall built by the intelligent Maya.

Being appointed by Maya, eight thousand Rakshasas, named Kinkaras, guarded and supported this assembly-hall.

They were capable of ranging the sky, they were fearful, huge-bodied, and greatly strong; they had blood-like red and coppery eyes and arrowy-ears, they were all well-armed.

In that assembly-hall Maya built a matchless tank, and in that tank were lilies with leaves made of dark-coloured gems and with stalks made of brilliant gems; there were also other aquatic flowers of golden leaves. Various kinds of water-fowls played in its water; it was adorned with full-blossomed lotuses; its water was transparent; and golden-coloured tortoises and fishes played in its bottom which was without mud. A flight of crystal steps rose from the edge of the water to the banks,

The gentle breeze shook the flowers that sudden its waters; its banks were adorned with costly marble slabs set with pearls.

Seeing that tank thus adorned with jewels and precious stones, many kings that came there mistook it for land, and they fell into it with their eyes open.

The assembly-hall was adorned with many charming, large and ever blossoming trees with green foliage and cool-shade.

And with many gardens, emitting a delicious fragrance. There was many tanks adorned with swans, Karandavas and Chakravakas. The breezes carried the fragrance of lotuses that grew in the waters and flowers that grew in the land and ministered to the pleasures of the Pandavas.

O king, having built such an assembly-hall in fourteen months, Maya informed Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) that it had been completed.