नारायणं नमस्कृत्य नरं चैव नरोत्तमम्। देवी सरस्वतीं व्यासं ततो जयमुदीरयेत्॥
Having saluted the Supreme Deity (Narayana) and the highest of all male beings (Nara) and also the Goddess of Learning (Sarasvati), let us cry "success".
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततोऽब्रवीन्मयः पार्थं वासुदेवस्य संनिधौ। : श्लक्ष्णया वाचा पूजयित्वा पुनः पुनः॥
Vaishampayana said Thereupon again and again worshipping Partha before Vasudeva, Maya spoke to him with joined hands and in sweet words.
मय उवाच अस्मात् कृष्णात् सुसंरब्धात् पावकाच्च दिधक्षतः। त्वया बातोऽस्मि कौन्तेय ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते॥
Maya said O son of Kunti, I have been saved by you from this angry Krishna and this Pavaka fire who was desirous of consuming me. Tell me what I shall do for you.
अर्जुन उवाच कृतमेव त्वया सर्वं स्वस्ति गच्छ महासुर। प्रीतिमान् भव मे नित्यं प्रीतिमन्तो वयं च ते॥
Arjuna said O great Asura, every thing has been done by you. Be blessed. Go (wherever you like). Be always well-disposed towards me as we are well-disposed towards you.
मय उवाच युक्तमेतत् त्वयि विभो यथाऽऽत्था पुरुषर्षभ। प्रीतिपूर्वमहं किंचित् कर्तुमिच्छामि भारत॥
Maya said O lord, O best of men, what you have said fully deserves you. O descendant of Bharata, I gladly desire to do something (for you).
अहं हि विश्वकर्मा वै दानवानां महाकविः। सोऽहं वै त्वत्कृते कर्तुं किंचिदिच्छामि पाण्डव॥
I am a great artist, (in fact I am) the Vishvakarma of the Danavas. Therefore, O son of Pandu, I desire to do something for you.
अर्जुन उवाच प्राणकृच्छ्राद् विमुक्तं त्वमात्मानं मन्यसे मया। एवं गते न शक्ष्यामि किंचित् कारयितुं त्वया।॥
Arjuna said O sinless one, you consider that your life has been saved by me from instant death. Such being the case, I cannot make you do anything for me.
न चापि तव संकल्प मोघमिच्छामि दानव। कृष्णस्य क्रियतां किंचित् तथा प्रतिकृतं मयि॥
O Danava, I am not willing to frustrate your intention also. Do something for Krishna; that will be sufficient requital for my services to you.
चोदितो वासुदेवस्तु मयेन भरतर्षभ। मुहूर्तमिव संदध्यौ किमयं चोद्यतामिति॥
Vaishampayana said O best of the Bharata race, thus requested by Maya, Vasudeva (Krishna) reflected for a moment thus, "what should be done for me?"
ततो विचिन्त्य मनसा लोकनाथः प्रजापतिः। चोदयामास तं कृष्णः सभा वै क्रियतामिति॥
Thereupon the lord of the universe the creator of things, Krishna, having reflected (for a moment), thus commanded Maya.
यदि त्वं कर्तुकामोऽसि प्रियं शिल्पवतां वर। धर्मराजस्य दैतेय यादृशीमिह मन्यसे॥
Krishna said O best of artists, O son of Diti, if you desire to do some good to me, build a large assembly-hall for Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira), a hall to your own liking.
यां कृतां नानुकुर्वन्ति मानवाः प्रेक्ष्य विस्मिताः। मनुष्यलोके सकले तादृशीं कुरु वै सभाम्॥
Build such an assembly-hall that persons belonging to this world may not be able to build another like it, though he sits within it and observed it carefully.
यत्र दिव्यानभिप्रायान् पश्येम हि कृतांस्त्वया। आसुरान् मानुषांश्चैव सभां तां कुरु वै मय॥
O Maya, build an assembly-hall in which we may see all the celestials, Asura, and human designs of architecture.
वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रतिगृह्य तु तद्वाक्यं सम्प्रहृष्टो मयस्तदा। विमानप्रतिमां चक्रे पाण्डवस्य शुभां सभाम्॥
Vaishampayana said Having heard these word, Maya became exceedingly glad. He drew up a design of an auspicious palace for the Pandavas.
ततः कृष्णश्च पार्थश्च धर्मराजे युधिष्ठिरे। सर्वमेतत् समावेद्य दर्शयामासतुर्मयम्॥
Then Krishna and Partha, having told every things to Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, introduced Maya to him.
तस्मै युधिष्ठिरः पूजां यथार्हमकरोत् तदा। स तु तां प्रतिजग्राह मय: सत्कृत्य भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, Yudhishthira received himn with all the honour he deserved; and Maya accepted them showing all respects (to Yudhishthira).
स पूर्वदेवचरितं तदा तत्र विशाम्पते। कथयामास दैतेयः पाण्डुपुत्रेषु भारत॥
O king, O descendant of Bharata, then that son of Diti (Maya) narrated before the sons of Pandu the old history of (Vrishaparva).
स कालं कंचिदाश्वस्य विश्वकर्मा विचिन्त्य तु। सभां प्रचक्रमे कर्तुं पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्॥
After resting for time, that Vishvakarina (Maya) commenced after much reflection to build an assembly-hall for the illustrious Pandavas. some
अभिप्रायेण पार्थानां कृष्णस्य च महात्मनः। पुण्येऽहनि महातेजाः कृतकौतुकमङ्गलः॥
According to the wishes of the illustrious sons of Pritha (the Pandavas) and of Krishna, the greatly energetic (Maya) performed on an auspicious day initiatory rites of propitiation.
तर्पयित्वा द्विजश्रेष्ठान् पायसेन सहस्रशः। धनं बहुविधं दत्त्वा तेभ्य एव च वीर्यवान्॥
That greatly powerful (Danava) gratified thousands of excellent Brahmanas with Payasa (sweetened milk and rice) and with presents of various kinds of wealth.
सर्वर्तुगुणसम्पन्नां दिव्यरूपां मनोरमाम्। दशकिष्कुसहस्रां तां मापयामास सर्वतः॥
He then measured out a piece of land five thousand cubits square; it was well suited to the exigencies of every season, season, it was celestials-like and it was delightful.