वैशम्पायन उवाच स प्रविश्य महाबाहुः पाण्डवानां निवेशनम्। पितामहीमभ्यवन्दत् साम्ना परमवल्गुना॥
Entering the palace of the Pandavas the mighty-armed prince saluted his grandmother in soothing and sweet words.
ततश्चित्राङ्गदा देवी कौरव्यम्यात्मजापि च। पृथां कृष्णां च सहिते विनयेनोपजग्मतु॥ सुभद्रां च यथान्यायं याश्चान्याः कुरुयोषितः।
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.
ददौ कुन्ती ततस्ताभ्यां रत्नानि विविधानि च॥ द्रौपदी च सुभद्रा च याश्चाप्यन्याऽददुः स्त्रियः।
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.
ऊषतुस्तत्र ते देव्यौ महार्हशयनासने॥ सु पूजिते स्वयं कुन्त्या पार्थस्य हितकाम्यया।
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.
स च राजा महातेजाः पूजितो बभ्रुवाहनः॥ धृतराष्ट्रं महीपालमुपतस्थे यथाविधि।
King Babhruvahana of great energy, duly honored (by Kunti), then inet Dhritarashtra according to due rites.
युधिष्ठिरं च राजानं भीमादींश्चापि पाण्डवान्॥ उपगम्य महातेजा विनयेनाभ्यवादयत्।
Going then to king Yudhishthira and Bhima and the other Pandavas the mighty prince of Munipura saluted them all with humility.
स तैः प्रेम्या परिष्वक्तः पूजितश्च यथाविधि॥ धनं चास्मै ददुर्भूरि प्रीयमाणा महारथाः।
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.
तथैव च महीपाल: कृष्णं चक्रगदाधरम्॥ प्रद्युम्न इव गोविन्दं विनयेनोपतस्थिवान्। तस्मै कृष्णो ददौ राज्ञे महार्हमतिपूजितम्॥
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.
रथं हेमपरिष्कारं दिव्याश्वयुजमुत्तमम्। धर्मराजश्च भीमश्च फाल्गुनश्च यमौ तथा॥
Then king Yudhishthira the just, and Bhima, and Phalguna, and the twins, each separately honored him and made costly presents to him.
पृथक् पृथक् च ते चैनं मानार्थाभ्यामयोजयन्। ततस्तृतीये दिवसे सत्यवत्यात्मजो मुनिः॥ युधिष्ठिरं समभ्येत्य वाग्मी वचनमब्रवीत्। अद्यप्रभृति कौन्तेय यजस्व समयो हि ते। मुहूर्तो यज्ञियः प्राप्तश्चोदयन्तीह याजकाः॥
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.
अहीनो नाम राजेन्द्र क्रतुस्तेऽयं च कल्पताम्। बहुत्वात् काञ्चनाख्यस्य ख्यातो बहुसुवर्णकः॥
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.
एवमत्र महाराज दक्षिणां त्रिगुणां कुरु। त्रित्वं व्रजतु ते राजन् ब्राह्मणा ह्यत्र कारणम्॥
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.
त्रीनश्चमेधानत्र त्वं सम्प्राप्य बहुदक्षिणान्। ज्ञातिवध्याकृतं पापं प्रहास्यसि नराधिप॥
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.
पवित्रं परमं चैतत् पावनं चैतदुत्तमम्। यदाश्वमेधावभृथं प्राप्स्यसे कुरुनन्दन॥
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
इत्युक्तः स तु तेजस्वी व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना। दीक्षां विवेश धर्मात्मा वाजिमेधाप्तये ततः॥
Thus addressed by Vyasa of incomparable intelligence, the righteous-souled Yudhishthria of great energy underwent the initiation for performance of the Horse-Sacrifice.
ततो यज्ञं महाबाहुर्वाजिमेधं महाक्रतुम्। बह्वन्नदक्षिणं राजा सर्वकामगुणान्वितम्॥
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.
तत्र वेदविदो राजंश्चक्रुः कर्माणि याजकाः। परिक्रमन्तः सर्वज्ञा विधिवत् साधुशिक्षितम्॥
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.
न तेषां स्खलितं किंचिदासीच्चाप्यकृतं तथा। क्रममुक्तं च युक्तं च चक्रुस्तत्र द्विजर्षभाः॥
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.
कृत्वा प्रवर्ये धर्माख्यं यथावद् द्विजसत्तमाः। चक्रुस्ते विधिवद् राजंस्तथेवाभिषवं द्विजाः॥
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.
अभिषूय ततो राजन् सोमं सोमपसत्तमाः। सवनान्यानुपूर्येण चक्रुः शास्त्रानुसारिणः॥
Those foremost of Soma-Drinkers, O monarch, extracting the juice of the Soma, then performed the Savana rite, following the injunctions of the scriptures.
न तत्र कृपणः कश्चिन्न दरिद्रो बभूव ह। क्षुधितो दुःखितो वापि प्राकृतो वापि मानवः॥
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.
भोजनं भोजनार्थिभ्यो दापयामास शत्रुहा। भीमसनो महातेजाः सततं राजशासनात्॥
Bhimasena of great energy, at the command of the king, caused food to be ceaselessly distributed among those who desired to eat.
संस्तरे कुशलाश्चापि सर्वकार्याणि याजकाः। दिवसे दिवसे चक्रुर्यथाशास्त्रानुदर्शनात्॥
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.
नाषडङ्गविदत्रासीत् सदस्यस्तस्य धीमतः। नाव्रतो नानुपाध्यायो न च वादाविचक्षणः॥
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.
ततो यूपोच्छ्ये प्राप्ते घड् बैल्वान् भरतर्षभ। खादिरान् बिल्वसमितांस्तावतः सर्ववर्णिनः॥
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.
देवदारुमयौ द्वौ तु यूपौ कुरुपतेर्मखे। श्लेष्मातकमयं चैकं याजका: समकल्पयन्॥
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.
शोभार्थं चापरान यूपान् काञ्चनान् भरतर्षभ। स भीमः कारयामास धर्मराजस्य शासनात्॥
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.
ते व्यराजन्त राजर्षेर्वासोभिरुपशोभिताः। महेन्द्रानुगता देवा यथा सप्तर्षिभिर्दिवि।॥
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.
इष्टका: काञ्चनीश्चात्र चयनार्थं कृताऽभवन्। शुशुभे चयनं तच्च दक्षस्येव प्रजापतेः॥
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.
चतुश्चित्यश्च तस्यासीदष्टादशकरात्मकः। स रुक्मपक्षो निचितस्त्रिकोणो गरुडाकृतिः॥
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.
ततो नियुक्ताः पशवो यथाशास्त्रं मनीषिभिः। तं तं देवं समुद्दिश्य पक्षिणः पशवश्च ये॥
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.
ऋषभाः शास्त्रपठितास्तथा जलचराश्च ये। सर्वोस्तानभ्ययुजस्ते तत्राग्निचयकर्मणि॥
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.
यूपेषु नियता चासीत् पशूनां त्रिशती तथा। अश्वरत्नोत्तरा यज्ञे कौन्तेयस्य महात्मनः॥
In that sacrifice of the great son of Kunti, three hundred animals were tied to the stakes set up, including that foremost of horses.
स यज्ञः शुशुभे तस्य साक्षाद् देवर्षिसंकुलः। गन्धर्वगणसंगीतः प्रवृत्तोप्सरसां गणैः॥
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.
स किंपुरुषसंकीर्णः किंनरैश्चोपशोभितः। सिद्धविप्रनिवासैश्च समन्तादभिसंवृतः॥
It teemed, besides, with Kimpurushas and was adorned with Kinnaras. All around it were houses of Brahinanas crowned with ascetic success.
तस्मिन् सदसि नित्यास्तु व्यासशिष्या द्विजर्षभाः। सर्वशास्त्रप्रणेतारः कुशला यज्ञसंस्तरे॥
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.
नारदश्च बभूवात्र तुम्बुरश्च महाद्युतिः। विश्वावसुश्चित्रसेनस्तथान्ये गीतकोविदाः॥
There was Narada, and there was Tunburu of great splendour. There were Vishvavasu and Chitrasena and others, all of whom were proficient in music.
गन्धर्वा गीतकुशला नृत्येषु च विशारदाः। रमयन्ति स्म तान् विप्रान् यज्ञकर्मान्तरेषु वै॥
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.