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Editorial comment: Part 1 of THE MAHABHARATA OF KRISHNA-DWAIPAYANA
VYASA can be found in the Project Gutenberg EBook#7864.
This E-text was prepared by John B. Hare, David King, Juliet
Sutherland, Charles Franks, and the Online Distributed Proofreading
Team. Scanned at sacred-texts.com, 2003. Redaction at Distributed
Proofing, Juliet Sutherland, Project Manager. Additional proofing and
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The Mahabharata of
Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
BOOK 2
SABHA PARVA
Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text
by
Kisari Mohan Ganguli
[1883-1896]
SECTION I
(Sabhakriya Parva)
Om! After having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara, the most exalted
male being, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word Jaya be
uttered.
Vaisampayana said,--"Then, in the presence of Vasudeva, Maya Danava,
having worshipped Arjuna, repeatedly spoke unto him with joined hands
and in amiable words,--'O son of Kunti, saved have I been by thee from
this Krishna in spate and from Pavaka (fire) desirous of consuming me.
Tell me what I have to do for thee.'
"Arjuna said,--'O great Asura, everything hath already been done by
thee (even by this offer of thine). Blest be thou. Go whithersoever
thou likest. Be kind and well-disposed towards me, as we are even kind
to and well-pleased with thee!'
"Maya said,--'O bull amongst men, what thou hast said is worthy of
thee, O exalted one. But O Bharata, I desire to do something for thee
cheerfully. I am a great artist, a Viswakarma among the Danavas. O son
of Pandu, being what I am, I desire to do something for thee.'
"Arjuna said,--'O sinless one, thou regardest thyself as saved (by me)
from imminent death. Even if it hath been so, I cannot make thee do
anything for me. At the same time, O Danava, I do not wish to frustrate
thy intentions. Do thou something for Krishna. That will be a
sufficient requital for my services to thee.'"
Vaisampayana said,--"Then, O bull of the Bharata race, urged by Maya,
Vasudeva reflected for a moment as to what he should ask Maya to
accomplish. Krishna, the Lord of the universe and the Creator of every
object, having reflected in his mind, thus commanded Maya,--'Let a
palatial sabha (meeting hall) as thou choosest, be built (by thee), if
thou, O son of Diti, who art the foremost of all artists, desirest to
do good to Yudhishthira the just. Indeed, build thou such a palace that
persons belonging to the world of men may not be able to imitate it
even after examining it with care, while seated within. And, O Maya,
build thou a mansion in which we may behold a combination of godly,
asuric and human designs.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Having heard those words, Maya became
exceedingly glad. And he forthwith built a magnificent palace for the
son of Pandu like unto the palace of the celestials themselves. Then
Krishna and Partha (Arjuna) after having narrated everything unto king
Yudhishthira the just, introduced Maya unto him. Yudhishthira received
Maya with respect, offering him the honour he deserved. And, O Bharata,
Maya accepted that honour thinking highly of it. O monarch of the
Bharata race, that great son of Diti then recited unto the sons of
Pandu the history of the Danava Vrisha-parva, and that foremost of
artists then, having rested awhile, set himself after much thoughtful
planning to build a palace for the illustrious sons of Pandu. Agreeably
to the wishes of both Krishna and the sons of Pritha, the illustrious
Danava of great prowess, having performed on an auspicious day the
initial propitiatory rites of foundation and having also gratified
thousands of well-versed Brahmanas with sweetened milk and rice and
with rich presents of various kinds, measured out a plot of land five
thousand cubits square, which was delightful and exceedingly handsome
to behold and which was favourable for construction of a building
well-suited to the exigencies of every season."