राजसूय पर्व — आमन्त्रित अतिथियों का आगमन

Vaishampayana said Having gone to Hastinapur the ever victorious son of Pandu Nakula at their head, invited Bhishma and Dhritarashtra.

Having (thus) been invited by due ceremonies, the elders of the Kuru race, with the preceptor at their head and with Brahmanas walking in front came joyfully to sacrifice.

O best of the Bharata race, O descendant of Bharata, having heard of the sacrifice of king Yudhishthira, and wishing to see the son of Pandu Dharamaraja (Yudhishthira) and his Sabha, hundreds of other Yajna-knowing Kshatriyas joyfully came there from various countries.

They brought with them various costly gems and jewels. The high-minded Bhishma, Dhritarashtra and Vidura,

All the (Kuru) brothers with Duryodhana at their head, the king of Gandharva Subala, the greatly strong Shakuni.

Achala, Vrishaka, that best of all carwarriors, Karna, the greatly powerful Shalya, the exceedingly strong Valhika.

Somadatta, Bhuri of the Kuru race, Bhurisrava, Sala, Ashvathama, Kripa, Drona, the king of Sindhu, Jayadratha.

Yakshasena with his sons, that lord of the earth Shalva, the great car-warrior, Bhagadatta, the king of Pragjyotisha.

With all the Mlecchas living in the marshy regions along the sea coast, many mountain kings, king Vrihadvala.

The king of the Paundrakas, Vasudeva the king of Vanga and Kalinga, Akarsha, Kuntala, the kings of the Malavas and the Andhakas,

And of the Dravidas and the Singhalas, the king of Kashmira, the greatly effulgent king Kuntibhoja, the king Gauravahana.

Balhika, and many other heroic kings, Virata with his two sons, the greatly powerful Mavella,

Various other kings and potentates ruling over various countries the greatly effulgent and invincible in battle king Sisupala with his son, o descendant of Bharata, (all these kings) came to the sacrifice of the Pandavas, Rama, Aniruddha, Kanaka, Sarana.

Gada, Pradyumna, Samba, the greatly energetic Charudeshna Ulmuka, Nishatha, the brave Angavaha.

And numerous other Vrishnis, all great car-warriors, came to that sacrifice. These and many other kings of the middle country

Came to that great Rajasuya sacrifice of the son of Pandu. At the command of Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira), houses assigned to them all. were

O king! (these houses) were full of various kinds of eatables; they were adorned with tanks and tall trees. There is those houses the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira) worshipped all those illustrious (monarchs).

Having been duly worshipped by the king, they retired to the houses assigned to them. Those houses were like the cliffs of Kailasa, they were delightful and adorned with every king of furniture.

They were enclosed on all sides with wellbuilt, high and white-washed walls. Their windows were cover with net works of gold and their interior was adorned with strings of pearls.

Their stairs were easy of ascent, and their floors were all covered with costly carpets. They were all adorned with garlands of flowers and perfumed with excellent aloes.

Being white as the snow or the moon, they looked exceedingly beautiful even from the distance of a Yojana. Their doors were all uniformly made, and they were wide enough to admit a crowd of persons (all at once).

Made of many metals, they looked like the peaks of the Himalayas. After resting for a while (in these mansions) all those kings saw the great. Dakshina giving Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, surrounded by numerous Sadasyas. O king, the sacrificial ground, crowded with kings, (Brahmanas and great Rishis, looked as beautiful as heaven crowded with the celestials.