वैशम्पायन उवाच स गत्वा हास्तिनपुरं नकुलः समितिंजयः। भीष्ममामन्त्रयाञ्चक्रे धृतराष्ट्रं च पाण्डवः॥
Vaishampayana said Having gone to Hastinapur the ever victorious son of Pandu Nakula at their head, invited Bhishma and Dhritarashtra.
सत्कृत्यामन्त्रतास्तेन आचार्यप्रमुखास्ततः। प्रययुः प्रीतमनसो यज्ञं ब्रह्मपुरः सराः॥
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.
संश्रुत्य धर्मराजस्य यज्ञं यज्ञविदस्तदा। अन्ये च शतशस्तुष्टैर्मनोभिर्भरतर्षभ॥ द्रष्टकामाः सभां चैव धर्मराजं च पाण्डवम्। दिग्भ्यः सर्वे समापेतुः क्षत्रियास्तत्र भारत॥
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.
समुपादाय रत्नानि विविधानि महान्ति च। धृतराष्ट्रश्च भीष्मश्च विदुरश्च महामतिः॥
They brought with them various costly gems and jewels. The high-minded Bhishma, Dhritarashtra and Vidura,
दुर्योधनपुरोगाश्च भ्रातरः सर्व एव ते। गान्धारराजः सुबलः शकुनिश्च महाबलः॥
All the (Kuru) brothers with Duryodhana at their head, the king of Gandharva Subala, the greatly strong Shakuni.
अचलो वृषकश्चैव कर्णश्च राथिनां वरः। तथा शल्यश्च बलवान् बाह्निकश्च महाबलः॥
Achala, Vrishaka, that best of all carwarriors, Karna, the greatly powerful Shalya, the exceedingly strong Valhika.
सोमदत्तोऽथ कौरव्यो भूरिभूरिश्रवाः शलः। अश्वत्थामा कृपो द्रोणः सैन्धवश्च जयद्रथः॥
Somadatta, Bhuri of the Kuru race, Bhurisrava, Sala, Ashvathama, Kripa, Drona, the king of Sindhu, Jayadratha.
यक्षसेनः सपुत्रश्च शाल्वश्च वसुधाधिपः। प्राग्ज्योतिषश्च नृपतिर्भगदत्तो महारथः॥
Yakshasena with his sons, that lord of the earth Shalva, the great car-warrior, Bhagadatta, the king of Pragjyotisha.
स तु सर्वैः सहम्लेच्छैः सागरानूपवासिभिः। राजानो राजा चैव बृहद्बलः॥ पर्वतीयाच
With all the Mlecchas living in the marshy regions along the sea coast, many mountain kings, king Vrihadvala.
पौण्ड्रको वासुदेवश्च वङ्गः कालिङ्गकस्तथा। आकर्षाः कुन्तलाश्चैव मालवाश्चान्ध्रकास्तथा॥
The king of the Paundrakas, Vasudeva the king of Vanga and Kalinga, Akarsha, Kuntala, the kings of the Malavas and the Andhakas,
द्राविडाः सिंहलाश्चैव राजा काश्मीरकस्तथा। कुन्तिभोजो महातेजाः पार्थिवो गौरवाहनः॥
And of the Dravidas and the Singhalas, the king of Kashmira, the greatly effulgent king Kuntibhoja, the king Gauravahana.
वालिकाश्चापरे शूरा राजानः नः सर्व एव ते। विराटः सह पुत्राभ्यां मावेल्लश्च महाबलः॥
Balhika, and many other heroic kings, Virata with his two sons, the greatly powerful Mavella,
राजानो राजपुत्राश्च नानाजनपदेश्वराः। शिशुपालो महावीर्यः सह पुत्रेण भारत॥ आगच्छत् पाण्डवेयस्य यज्ञं समरदुर्मदः। रामश्चैवानिरुद्धश्च कश्च सहसारण:॥
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.
गदप्रद्युम्नसाम्बाश्च चारुदेष्णश्च वीर्यवान्। उल्मुको निशद्दश्चैव वीरश्चाङ्गावहस्तथा॥
Gada, Pradyumna, Samba, the greatly energetic Charudeshna Ulmuka, Nishatha, the brave Angavaha.
वृष्णयो निखिलाश्चान्ये समाजग्मुर्महारथाः। एते चान्ये च बहवो राजानो मध्यदेशजाः॥
And numerous other Vrishnis, all great car-warriors, came to that sacrifice. These and many other kings of the middle country
आजग्मुः पाण्डुपुत्रस्य राजसूयं महाक्रतुम्। ददुस्तेषामावसथान् धर्मराजस्य शासनात्॥
Came to that great Rajasuya sacrifice of the son of Pandu. At the command of Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira), houses assigned to them all. were
बहुभक्ष्यान्वितान् राजन् दीर्घिकावृक्षशोभितान्। तथा धर्मात्मजः पूजां चक्रे तेषां महात्मनाम्॥
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).
सत्कृताश्च यथोद्दिष्टाञ्जग्मुरावसथान् नृपाः। कैलासशिखर प्रख्यान् मनोज्ञान् द्रव्यभूषितान्॥
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.
सर्वतः संवृतानुच्चैः प्राकारैः सुकृतैः सितैः। सुवर्णजालसंवीतान् मणिकुट्टिमभूषितान्॥
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.
सुखारोहणसोपानान् महासनपरिच्छदान्। स्रग्दामसमवच्छन्नानुत्तमागुरुगन्धिनः॥
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.
हंसेन्दुवर्णसदृशानायोजनसुदर्शनान्। असम्बाधान् समद्वारान् युतानुच्चावचैर्गुणैः॥
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).
बहुधातुनिबद्धाङ्गान् हिमवच्छिखरानिव। विश्रान्तास्ते ततोऽपश्यन् भूमिपा भूरिदक्षिणम्॥ वृतं सदस्यैर्बहुभिर्धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरम्। तत् सदः पार्थिवैः कीर्णं ब्राह्मणैश्च महर्षिभिः। भाजते स्म तट राजन् नाकपृष्ठं यथामरैः॥
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.