वैशम्पायन उवाच ततोऽभिषेचनीयेऽछि ब्राह्मणा राजभिः सह। अन्तर्वेदी प्रविविशुः सत्कारार्हा महर्षयः॥
Vaishampayana said On the last day of the sacrifice when the king (Yudhishthira) was to be sprinkled over with sacred water, the great Brahmana Rishis with (all) the monarchs(present there) entered the inner enclosure (of the sacrificial ground).
नारदप्रमुखास्तस्यामन्तवेद्यां महात्मनः। समासीनाः शुशुभिरे सह राजर्षिभिस्तदा॥ समेता ब्रह्मभवने देवा देवर्षयस्तथा। कर्मान्तरमुपासन्तो जजल्पुरमितौजसः॥
Those illustrious and Mantra-knowing Rishis, with Narada at their head and with the royal sages seated at their ease looked like the celestialss seated in the mansion of Brahma in the company of the celestials Rishis, those Rishis of immeasurable energy, having then obtained leisure, started various topics of conversation.
एवमेतन्न चाप्येवमेवं चैतन्न चान्यथा। इत्यूचुर्बहवस्तत्र वितण्डा वै परस्परम्॥
"This is so," "This is not so." "This is even so," "This cannot be other wise," thus did many of them engage in arguments with one another.
कृशानार्थांस्ततः केचिदकृशांस्तत्र कुर्वते। अकृशांश्च कृशाश्चर्हेतुभिः शास्त्रानिश्चयैः॥
Some amongst the disputants made the weaker arguments to appear stronger, and the stronger ones the weaker by their arguments based on Shastras.
तत्र मेधाविनः केचिदर्थमन्यैरुदीरितम्। टिचिक्षिपुर्यथा धेना नमोगतमिवामिषम्॥
Some greatly intelligent disputants fell upon the position urged by others as hawks dart at meat thrown into the air.
केचिद् धर्मार्थकुशलाः केचित् तत्र महाव्रताः। रेमिरे कथयन्तश्च सर्वभाष्यविदां वरा:॥
Some amongst them, learned in the interpretations of Shastras, and some others of rigid vows, well acquainted with every commentary and gloss, engaged themselves in pleasant conversations.
सा वेदिर्वेदसम्पन्नैवद्विजमहर्षिभिः। आबभासे समाकीर्णा नक्षत्रैद्यौरिवायता॥
That (sacrificial) plate for, crowded with the celestialss, Brahmanas and the great Rishis, all endued with the Vedas, looked as beautiful as the sky studded with the stars.
न तस्यां संनिधौ शूद्रः कश्चिदासीन चाव्रती। अन्तर्वेद्यां तदा राजन् युधिष्ठिरनिवेशने॥
O king, there was no Shudra or any man without vows near the inner (sacrificial) platform of Yudhishthira's palace.
तां तु लक्ष्मीवतो लक्ष्मी तदा यज्ञविधानजाम्। तुतोष नारदः पश्यन् धर्मराजस्य धीमतः॥
Seeing the prosperity of the prosperous and intelligent Dharamraja which was the result of that sacrifice, Narada became exceedingly happy.
अथ चिन्तां समापेदे च मुनिर्मनुजाधिप। नारदस्तु तदा पश्यन् सर्वक्षत्रसमागमम्॥
O ruler of men, seeing the assemblage of all Kshatriyas, (in that sacrifice), the Rishi Narada became thoughtful.
सस्मार च पुरा वृत्तां कथां तां पुरुषर्षभ। अंशावतरणे यासौ ब्रह्मणो भवनेऽभवत्॥
O best of men, he recollected the words he had heard in the abode of Brahma; regarding the Angshavatarana, (incarnations of portions of every deity).
देवानां संगमं तं तु विज्ञाय कुरुनन्दन। नारदः पुण्डरीकाक्षं सस्मार मनसा हरिम्॥
O descendant of Kuru, knowing that assembly was an assembly of the celestialss, Narada thought in his mind the lotus-eyed Hari.
साक्षात् स विबुधारिघ्नः क्षत्रे नारायणो विभुः। प्रतिज्ञां पालयंश्चमां जातः परपुरंजयः॥ संदिदेश पुरायोऽसौ विबुधान् भूतकृत् स्वयम्। अन्योयमभिनिघ्नन्तः पुनर्लोकानवाप्स्यथ॥
He knew that the creator of every object, the exalted god of all gods, Narayana, who had formerly commanded the celestialss saying, “Take your births on earth and kill one another and then come back to heaven," that chastiser of all the enemies of the celestialss, that subjugator of all hostile towns, had taken his birth in the Kshatriya order to fulfil his own purpose.
इति नारायणः शम्भुर्भगवान् भूतभावनः। आदित्यविबुधान् सर्वानजायत यदुक्षये॥
The illustrious lord of the universe, Shambhu, Narayana, having thus commanded all the celestialss, had taken his birth in the race of Yadu.
क्षितावन्धकवृष्णीनां वंशे वंशभूतां वरः। परया शुशुभे लक्ष्या नक्षत्राणामिवोडुराट्॥
Having been born in the Andhaka Vrishni race on earth, that foremost of all perpetuator of races was graced with great good fortune and was shinning like the moon among the stars.
यस्य बाहुबलं सेन्द्राः सुराः सर्व उपासते। सोऽयं मानुषवन्नाम हरिरास्तेऽरिमर्दनः॥
He whose prowess of arms was adored by the celestialss with Indra, that Hari, that chastiser of foes, was then living in the world of men in a human form.
अहो बत महद्भूतं स्वयंभूर्यदिदं स्वयम्। आदास्यति पुनः क्षत्रमेवं बलसमन्वितम्॥
"Oh! what could be greater wonder than that the self-creates himself will take away (from earth) all these Kshatriyas endued with great strength.
इत्येतां नारदश्चिन्तां चिन्तयामास सर्ववित्। हरि नारायणं ध्यात्वा यज्ञैरीज्यन्तमीश्वरम्॥
Thus reflected the omniscient Narada who knew that Hari, Narayana, (Krishna) was no other than the Supreme Being, whom every body worships with sacrifices.
तस्मिन् धर्मविदां श्रेष्ठो धर्मराजस्य धीमतः। महाध्वरे महाबुद्धिस्तस्थौ स बहुमानतः॥
That foremost of all men, learned in the precepts of virtue, that greatly intelligent man (Narada), (thinking of all this), sat in the sacrifice of the intelligent Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) with feelings of awe.
ततो भीष्मोऽब्रवीद् राजन् धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरम्। क्रियतामहणं राज्ञां यथाहमिति भारत॥
O king, Bhishma then thus spoke to Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, “O descendant of Bharata, now offer Arghyas to the kings as each deserves".
आचार्यमृत्विजं चैव संयुजं च युधिष्ठिर। स्नातकं च प्रियं प्राहुः षडार्हान् नृपं तथा॥ एतानानभिगतानाहुः संवत्सरोषितान्। त इमे कालपूगस्य महतोऽस्मानुपागताः॥
O Yudhishthira, hear, the preceptor, the sacrificial priest, the relative,, the Snataka, the friend and the king, these are the six (classes of persons) who deserve to get the Arghya. The wise men have said that when any of there live with one for a full one year, he deserves to be worshipped with the presentation of Arghya. These kings have been staying with us for a very long time,
एषामेकैकशो राजन्नय॑मानीयतामिति। अथ चैषां वरिष्ठाय समायोपनीयताम्॥
Therefore, O king, bring Arghya for each of them; and let the Arghya be first presented to him who is the foremost of all of them.
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कस्मै भवान् मन्यतेऽर्घ्यमेकस्मै कुरुनन्दन। उपनीयमानं युक्तं च तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhishthira said O descendant of Kuru, O grandsire, whom do you consider to be the foremost of these (men present here), and to whom should the Arghya be presented first. Tell me this.
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो भीष्मः शान्तनवो बुद्ध्याद् निश्चित्य वीर्यवान्। अमन्यत तदा कृष्णमहणीयतमं भुवि॥
Vaishampayana said O Descendant of Bharata, the son of Shantanu, Bhishma, settled it by his great intelligence that Krishna was the foremost of all on earth.
भीष्म उवाच एष ह्येषां समस्तानां तेजोवलपराक्रमः। मध्ये तपन्निवाभाति ज्योतिषामिव भास्करः॥
Bhishma said As sun shines among all luminous objects, so shines this (Krishna) among all (these kings and potentates) by his effulgence, strength and prowess.
असूर्यमिव सूर्येण निर्वातमिव वायुना। भासितं ह्लादितं चैव कृष्णेनेदं सदो हि नः॥
This sacrificial ground is illuminated and gladdened by Krishna like a sunless region by the sun and a airless region by the air.
तस्मै भीष्माभ्यनुज्ञातः सहदेवः प्रतापवान्। उपजह्वेऽथ विधिवद् वार्ष्णेयायार्घ्यमुत्तमम्॥
Vaishampayana said Then commanded by Bhishma, the powerful Sahadeva proceeded to present in due form the excellent Arghya to the prince of the Vrishni race, (Krishna).
प्रतिजग्राह तत् कृष्णः शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा। शिशुपालस्तु तां पूजां वासुदेवे न चक्षमे॥
Krishna also (agreed to) accept that worship according to the forms of the ordinance. But Shishupala could not bear that worship (proposed to be) offered to Vasudeva (Krishna),
स उपालभ्य भीष्मं च धर्मराजं च संसदि। अपाक्षिपद् वासुदेवं चेदिराजो महाबलः॥
The greatly powerful Chedi-king (Shishupala), after reproving Bhishma and Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) in the presence of that assembly, began to censure Vasudeva (Krishna).