अनुगीता पर्व — बभ्रुवाहन, चित्रांगदा और उलूपी का आगमन

Entering the palace of the Pandavas the mighty-armed prince saluted his grandmother in soothing and sweet words.

Then queen Chitrangada, and (Ulupi) the daughter of (the snake) Kauravya, together humbly approached Pritha and Krishna. They then met Subhadra and the other ladies of the Kuru race with due formalities.

Kunti gave them many gems and costly things. Draupadi and Subha 'ra and the other ladies of Kuru's race all made presents to them.

The two ladies took up their residence there, using costly beds and seats, treated with affection and honor by Kunti herself from desire of doing what was agreeable to Partha.

King Babhruvahana of great energy, duly honored (by Kunti), then inet Dhritarashtra according to due rites.

Going then to king Yudhishthira and Bhima and the other Pandavas the mighty prince of Munipura saluted them all with humility.

They all embraced him with great love and honored him duly. And those powerful carwarrior highly pleased with him, made large gifted of wealth to him.

The king of Manipura then humbly approached Krishna, that hero armed with the discus and the mace, like a second Pradyumna approaching his father. Krishna gave to the king a very costly and excellent car adorned with gold and to which were yoked excellent horses.

Then king Yudhishthira the just, and Bhima, and Phalguna, and the twins, each separately honored him and made costly presents to him.

On the third day, the sage Vyasa the son of Satyavati, that foremost of eloquent men, approaching Yudhishthira, said, From this day, O son of Kunti, do you begin your sacrifice. The time for it has come! The moment for undertaking the rite is at hand. The priests are urging you.

Let the sacrifice be performed in such a way that no limb may become defective. On account of the very large quantity of gold that is required for this sacrifice, it has come to be called the sacrifice of profuse gold.

Do you also, O great king, make the Dakshina of this sacrifice three times of what is enjoined. Let the merit of your sacrifice increase threefold. The Brahimanas competent for the purpose.

Acquiring the merits then of three HorseSacrifices, each with profuse presents, you shall be freed, O king, from the sin of having killed your kinsmen.

The bath which one performs upon completion of the Horse-Sacrifice, O king, is highly powerful and productive of the highest merit. That merit will be yours, O king of Kuru's race. are

Thus addressed by Vyasa of incomparable intelligence, the righteous-souled Yudhishthria of great energy underwent the initiation for performance of the Horse-Sacrifice.

The mighty-armed king then performed the great Horse-Sacrifice characterised by gifts of food and presents in profusion and capable of fructifying every desire and producing cvery merit.

The priests, well-conversant with the Vedas, did every rite, duly, moving about in all directions. They were all well-trained, and possessed of omniscience.

In nothing was there any deviation from the ordinances, and nothing was done improperly. Those foremost of twice-born persons followed the procedure as laid down as it should be followed in those points about which no directions are given.

Thosc best of twice-born ones, having first performed the rite called Pravargya otherwise called Dharma, then duly performed the rite of Abhishva, O king.

Those foremost of Soma-Drinkers, O monarch, extracting the juice of the Soma, then performed the Savana rite, following the injunctions of the scriptures.

Among those who came to that sacrifice none could be seen who was cheerless, none who was poor, none who was hungry, none who was plunged into grief, and none that seemed to be vulgar.

Bhimasena of great energy, at the command of the king, caused food to be ceaselessly distributed among those who desired to eat.

Following the injunctions of the scriptures, priests, well-versed in sacrificial rites of every kind, performed every day all the acts necessary to complete the great sacrifice.

Amongst the Sadasyas of king Yudhishthira of great intelligence there was none who was not a master of the six branches of (Vedic) learning. There was none among them who was not an otserver of vows, none who was not an Upadhaya; none, who was not wellversed in dialectical disputations.

When the time came for erccting the sacrificial stake, O chief of Bharata's race, six stakes were set up which were made of Bilva, six which were made of Khadira, and six which were made of Sarvavarnin.

Two stakes were set up by the priest which were made of Devadaru in that sacrifice of the Kuru king, and one which was made of Shleshmataka.

At the bchest of the king, Bhima caused some other stakes to be set up, for the sake of beauty only which were made of goid.

Adorned with fine cloths supplied by the royal sage, those stakes shone there like Indra and the deities with the seven celestial Rishis standing around them in Heaven.

A number of golden bricks were made for making therewith a Chayana. The Chayana made resembled in beauty that which had been made for Daksha, the lord of creatures.

The Chayana measured eight and ten cubits and had four stories or lairs. A golden bird, of the shape of Garuda, was then made, having three angles.

Following the injunctions of the scriptures, the priests endued with great learning then duly tied to the stakes both animals and birds, assigning each to its particular deity.

Bulls, possessed of such marks as are mentioned in the scriptures, and aquatic animals were properly tied to the stakes after the rites of the sacrificial fire had been performed.

In that sacrifice of the great son of Kunti, three hundred animals were tied to the stakes set up, including that foremost of horses.

That sacrifice looked greatly beautiful as if adorned with the celestial Rishis, with the Gandharvas singing in chorus and the various tribes of Apsaras dancing in merriment.

It teemed, besides, with Kimpurushas and was adorned with Kinnaras. All around it were houses of Brahinanas crowned with ascetic success.

There were daily seen the disciples of Vyasa, those foremost of twice-born ones, who are compilers of all branches of learning, and well conversant with sacrificial rites.

There was Narada, and there was Tunburu of great splendour. There were Vishvavasu and Chitrasena and others, all of whom were proficient in music.

At intervals of the sacrificial rites, those Gandharvas skilled in music and well-versed in dancing, used to please the Brahmanas who were engaged in the sacrifice.