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2024-04-27, 5:16 AM |
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Chapter 75: Concluding the Râjasûya
and Duryodhana Laughed at
(1-2)
The honorable king said: 'All the human
divinity, o brahmin, that assembled at the Râjasûya
sacrifice of Ajâtas'atru [he whose enemy was never born, or
Yudhishthhira], were delighted with the great festiveness they saw: the
kings, the sages and the godly, thus I heard my lord, except for
Duryodhana; please enlighten us on the reason for that.'
(3) The son of Vyâsa said: 'At the
Râjasûya sacrifice of the great soul of your grandfather
were the family members who were bound in divine love, engaged in humbly serving him. (4-7) Bhîma was in charge of the kitchen,
Duryodhana supervised the finances, Sahadeva did the reception and
Nakula procured the needed items. Arjuna served the preceptors, Krishna
washed the feet, the daughter of Drupada served the food and the
magnanimous Karna handed out the gifts. Yuyudhâna, Vikarna,
Hârdikya, Vidura and others like the sons of Bâhlîka
headed by Bhûris'ravâ and Santardana, were, eager to please
the king, willing to engage in the diversity of duties at the time of
the elaborate sacrifice, o best of kings. (8)
The priests, the prominent officials, the highly learned and all the
best well-wishers, being well honored with pleasing words, auspicious
offerings and gifts of gratitude, executed, after the king of Cedi had
entered the feet of the master of the Sâtvatas, the avabhritha
bathing in the river of heaven [the Yamunâ]. (9) To begin with the avabhritha
celebration sounded the music of a variety of gomukha horns,
kettledrums, large drums, mridangas, smaller drums and
conchshells. (10) Women dancers danced and singers sang
joyfully in groups as the loud sound of their vînâs,
flutes and hand cymbals touched the heavens. (11) The kings with necklaces of gold took off
[to the Yamunâ] with footsoldiers, flags and banners of different
colors, excellent majestic elephants, chariots and horses that were
finely caparisoned. (12) The Yadus,
Sriñjayas, Kâmbojas, Kurus, Kekayas and Kos'alas with
their armies, headed by [the king,] the performer of the sacrifice,
made the earth tremble. (13)
The ones officiating, the priests and the brahmins of excellence loudly
vibrated the vedic mantras, while the gods and sages, the forefathers
and singers of heaven recited praises and rained down flowers. (14) Men and women nicely adorned with sandalwood
paste, garlands, jewelry and clothes, smeared and sprinkled each other
playing with various liquids. (15)
The courtesans were by the men playfully smeared with yogurt and
perfumed water with plenty of turmeric and vermilion powder, and so
smeared they in return [*]. (16) The queens guarded by soldiers went, just as
did the wives of the gods in their celestial chariots in the sky, out
to witness this firsthand and as they by their cousins and friends were
sprinkled, was it a beautiful sight to see their faces blossoming with
shy smiles. (17) They, their brothers-in-law, their friends
and so on, all squirted with syringes to which their arms, breasts,
thighs and waists due to the excitement became visible with their
dresses drenched and loosened, and the braids of small flowers in their
hair slipped; and so did they in the process of their charming play
agitate the ones impure of mind. (18)
He, the emperor mounted his chariot with excellent horses and shone,
hung with gold, forth with his wives as the king of sacrifices, the
Râjasûya with all its rituals, in person. (19) After having executed the patnî-samyâja-
[**]
and avabhritha ceremonies, made the priests him perform the âcamana
of sipping water for purification, and bathe in the Ganges together
with Draupadî. (20) The
kettledrums of the gods resounded together with those of the human
beings while the godly, the sages, the forefathers and the humans
created a rain of flowers. (21)
After this bathed all humans of all classes and orders in that place
where even the greatest sinner can instantly be freed from all
contamination. (22) The king next
putting on a new set of silken garments, nicely ornamented honored the
priests, the ones officiating and the brahmins with jewelry and
clothing. (23) In diverse ways went the king, devoted to
Nârâyana, at lengths in proving his respects to the kings,
his friends, well-wishers, direct family, more distant relatives as
also to others. (24) All the men,
jeweled with earrings, wearing flowers and turbans, jackets and silks
as well as the most precious pearl necklaces, shone like the demigods;
just as did the women who with the beauty of their faces adorned with
pairs of earrings and locks of hair wearing golden belts, radiated
brilliantly. (25-26) Then, with
his permission, did the priests highly respected, the officials, the
vedic experts, the brahmins, the kshatriyas, vais'yas, s'ûdras
and the kings who had come and, o king, along with their followers, the
local rulers, the spirits, the forefathers and demigods had been
worshiped, go back to their own abodes. (27)
Like mortal men drinking the amrita had they never enough of
glorifying the great celebration of the Râjasûya sacrifice
of the saintly king, the servant of Lord Krishna. (28) In pain because of being separated from
Krishna had king Yudhishthhira as said [in 10.74:
48] in his love for his
family members and relatives difficulty letting them go. (29) My dear, in order to please him stayed the
Supreme Lord there. The Yadu heroes who for that purpose were headed by
Sâmba he sent off to Dvârakâ. (30) This way was the king, the son of Dharma
[Yamarâja or Dharma, the lord of the duties] successfully
crossing over the so difficult to overcome ocean of his desires, by
Krishna freed from the fever [see also 10.63:
23].
(31) Duryodhana was pained when he saw within the
palace the opulence of the Râjasûya and the greatness of
him [Yudhishthhira] whose very soul was Acyuta. (32) In it were brought together all the
different opulences of the kings of men, the kings of demons and the
kings of the godly. Being provided by the cosmic architect [Maya
Dânava], served that wealth the daughter of king Drupada with her
husbands [the Pândavas]. Himself also attracted to her lamented
the heart of the Kuru-prince. (33)
The thousands of queens of the lord of Mathurâ were at the time
there present, most attractive with their waists and heavy hips, moving
around slowly with their feet charmingly tinkling, with their pearl
necklaces reddened by the kunkuma from their breasts and with their
beautiful faces richly adorned with earrings and locks of hair. (34-35) In the assembly hall constructed by Maya it
so happened that the son of Dharma, the emperor in person, accompanied
by his attendants, his family and also Krishna, his Very Eye, was
seated on a throne of gold as if he, with the opulences of supreme
rulership, was Indra, joined and being praised by the court poets. (36) There, o King, then entered Duryodhana
surrounded by his brothers. Proud as a peacock wearing a crown and
necklace, had he constantly his hand on his sword while angrily
insulting [the doorkeepers]. (37)
Bewildered by the magic of Maya taking the solid floor he saw for
water, held he the end of his garment high, but further up fell he in
water which he took for a solid floor. (38)
Bhîma seeing it laughed out loadly as also did the women, the
kings and the rest, who, my dear, even though they were checked by the
king, had the approval of Krishna. (39)
He [Duryodhana], burning with anger, embarrassed holding his face low,
went hurt inside off to Hastinâpura. When that happened rose from
the truthfull a very noisy 'Alas alas!' Ajâtas'atru [the king]
felt somewhat disheartened while the Supreme Lord, from whose glance
the bewilderment rose, kept silent, being prepared to remove the burden
from the earth [see also 1.15: 25-26, 10.2: 38 and 10.63:
27].
(40) I've now spoken about what you've asked me, o
King, regarding the depravity of Duryodhana during the great
Râjasûya sacrifice.'
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