अनुगीता पर्व — अर्जुन के अश्वमेध का आरम्भ

Vaishampayana said Having said these words, Partha started, following the horse which roamed at will. The sacrificial horse then turned towards the road leading to the city of Hastinapur.

Yudhishthira heard from his intelligencebearers that the horse had turned back. And hearing also that Arjuna was hale and hearty, he became filled with joy.

Hearing also the feats, performed by Vijaya in the country of the Gandharas as also in other kingdoms, the king became highly pleased.

In the meantime, seeing that the twelfth day of the lighted fortnight in the month of Magha had come, and marking also that the constellation was favourable, high Yudhirshthira the just summoned all his brothers, viz., Bhima and Nakula and Sahadeva. Gifted with great energy, the king, o you of Kuru's race, that foremost of all persons knowing duties, said these words in proper time, Indeed, that foremost of all speakers, addressing Bhima, the first of all smiters, said,

Your younger brother (Arjuna), O Bhimasena, is returning with the horse. I have learnt this from those men who had followed Arjuna.

The time is come. The sacrificial horse is near. The day of full moon of the month of Magha is also near. The month is about to expire. O Vrikodara.

Let, therefore, learned Brahmanas knowing the Vedas look for a sacrificial spot for the celebration of the Horse-Sacrifice.

Thus addressed, Bhima obeyed the royal command He became very glad upon hearing that Arjuna of curly hair was about to retum.

Then Bhimna went out with a number of men knowing the rules of laying out sacrificial grounds and constructing buildings. And he took with him many Brahmanas well-versed in all the rites of sacrifices.

Bhima selected a beautiful place and caused it to be duły measured out for laying the sacrificial compound. Numberless houses and mansions were constructed on it and high and broad roads also were laid cut.

Soon enough the Kaurava hero filled that ground with hundreds of excellent palaces. The surface was levelled and made smooth with jewels and gems, and adorned with various golden structures.

Columns were raised, ornamented with bright gold an high and wide triumphal arches also were made on that sacrificial compound. All these were made of pure gold.

The righteous-souled prince also caused apartments to be duly constructed for the accommodation of ladies and of the numerous kings who, coming from many kingdoms, were expected to grace the sacrifice with their presence.

The son of Kunti also caused many palaces to be duty erected for Brahmanas who were expected to come from various kingdoms.

Then the mighty-armed Bhimasena, at the command of the king, sent out messengers to the great kings of the Earth.

Those best of kings came to the HorseSacrifice of the Kuru king for doing what was agreeable to him. And they brought many gems with them and many female slaves and horses and weapons.

The sounds which arose from those great kings who lived within those pavilions touched the very heavens and resembled the noise made by the roaring ocean.

King Yudhishthria, the delighter of the Kurus, assigned to the monarchs who thus came to his sacrifice various kinds of food and drink, and beds also of celestial beauty.

The chief of the Bharatas, viz., king Yudhishthria the just, assigned several stables well-filled with different kinds of corn and sugar-cane and milk to the animals.

To that great sacrifice of king Yudhishthira the just who was gifted with high intelligence, there also came a large number of ascetics all of whom were utterers of Brahma.

Indeed, O king, all the foremost ones among the twice born class that were then alive, came to that sacrifice, accompanied by their disciples. The Kuru king received them all.

King Yudhishthira of great energy, renouncing all pride, himself followed all his guests to the pavilions that had been assigned for this residence.

Then all the mechanics and engineers, having completed the arrangements of the sacrifice, informed king Yudhishthira of it.

Hearing that everything was ready, king Yudhishthira the just, full of alertness and attention, became highly pleased along with his brothers all of whom honoured him duly.

Vaishampayana said When the great sacrifice of Yudhishthira began, many eloquent dialecticians started diverse propositions and disputed thereon, desirous of defeating one another.

The (invited) kings saw the excellent preparations of that sacrifice, resembling those of the king himself of the celestials, made, O Bharata, by Bhimasena.

They saw many triumphal arches made of gold, and many beds and seats and other articles of enjoyment and luxury, and crowds of men collected at different parts.

There were also many jars and vessels and cauldrons and jugs and lids and covers. The invited kings saw nothing there that was not made of gold.

Many sacrificial stakes also were set up, made, according to he directions of the scriptures, of wood, and adorned with gold. Gifted with great effulgence, these were duly planted and dedicated (with (with scriptural Mantras).

The kings, again, saw all animals of land and water, collected there on the occasion.

And they also saw many kine and many buffaloes and many old women, and many aquatic animals, many beasts of prey, and many species of birds, and many specimens of viviparous and oviparous creatures, and many that are fifth-born, and many belonging to the vegetable kingdom and many-animals and plants which live or grow on mountains.

Seeing the sacrificial compound thus adorned with animals and kine and corn, the invited kings became filled with wonder.

Large masses of costly sweetmeats were kept ready for both the Brahmanas and the Vaishyas. And when the feeding was over of a hundred thousand Brahmanas, drums and cymbals were beat.

And so large was the number fed that the sounds of drums and cymbals were heard again and again. Indeed, those sounds continued from day to day.

Thus was performed that sacrifice of the intelligent king Yudhishthira. Many hills of food. O king, were dedicated on the occasion. Many large tanks were seen of curds and many lakes of clarified butter.

In that great sacrifice, O monarch, was seen the entire population of Jamvudvipa, with all its kingdoms and provinces, collected together.

Thousands of nations and races were there. A large number of men. O chief of Bharata's race, adorned with garlands and wearing bright ear-rings made of gold, taking numberless vessels in their hands, distributed the food to the twice-born classes by hundreds and thousands.

The attendants of the Pandavas gave away to the Brahmanas various kinds of food and drink which were, besides, so costly as to be worthy of being eaten and drunk by kings themselves. In that great sacrifice, O monarch, was seen the entire population of Jamvudvipa, with all its kingdoms and provinces, collected together.

Thousands of nations and races were there. A large number of men. O chief of Bharata's race, adorned with garlands and wearing bright ear-rings made of gold, taking numberless vessels in their hands, distributed the food to the twice-born classes by hundreds and thousands.

The attendants of the Pandavas gave away to the Brahmanas various kinds of food and drink which were, besides, so costly as to be worthy of being eaten and drunk by kings themselves.