Vaisampayana said,--"At the conclusion of Narada's words, king
Yudhishthira the just worshipped him duly; and commanded by him the
monarch began to reply succinctly to the questions the Rishi had asked.
"Yudhishthira said--'O holy one, the truths of religion and morality
thou hast indicated one after another, are just and proper. As regards
myself, I duly observe those ordinances to the best of my power.
Indeed, the acts that were properly performed by monarchs of yore are,
without doubt, to be regarded as bearing proper fruit, and undertaken
from solid reasons for the attainment of proper objects. O master, we
desire to walk in the virtuous path of those rulers that had, besides,
their souls under complete control.'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, possessed of
great glory, having received with reverence the words of Narada and
having also answered the Rishi thus, reflected for a moment. And
perceiving a proper opportunity, the monarch, seated beside the Rishi,
asked Narada sitting at his ease and capable of going into every world
at will, in the presence of that assembly of kings, saying,--'Possessed
of the speed of mind, thou wanderest over various and many worlds
created in days of yore by Brahma, beholding everything. Tell me, I ask
thee, if thou hast, O Brahmana, ever beheld before anywhere an assembly
room like this of mine or superior to it!' Hearing these words of
Yudhishthira the just, Narada smilingly answered the son of Pandu in
these sweet accents,--
"Narada said,--'O child, O king I did neither see nor hear of ever
before amongst men, any assembly room built of gems and precious stones
like this of thine, O Bharata. I shall, however, describe unto thee the
rooms of the king of the departed (Yama), of Varuna (Neptune) of great
intelligence, of Indra, the King of Gods and also of him who hath his
home in Kailasha (Kuvera). I shall also describe unto thee the
celestial Sabha of Brahma that dispelleth every kind of uneasiness. All
these assembly rooms exhibit in their structure both celestial and
human designs and present every kind of form that exists in the
universe. And they are ever worshipped by the gods and the Pitris, the
Sadhyas, (under-deities called Gana), by ascetics offering sacrifices,
with souls under complete command, by peaceful Munis engaged without
intermission in Vedic sacrifices with presents to Brahmanas. I shall
describe all these to you if, O bull of the Bharata race, thou hast any
inclinations to listen to me!'"
Vaisampayana continued,--"Thus addressed by Narada, the high-souled
king Yudhishthira the just, with his brothers and all those foremost of
Brahmanas (seated around him), joined his hands (in entreaty). And the
monarch then asked Narada, saying,--'Describe unto us all those
assembly rooms. We desire to listen to thee. O Brahmana, what are the
articles with which each of the Sabhas are made of? What is the area of
each, and what is the length and breadth of each? Who wait upon the
Grandsire in that assembly room? And who also upon Vasava, the Lord of
the celestials and upon Yama, the son of Vivaswana? Who wait upon
Varuna and upon Kuvera in their respective assembly rooms. O Brahmana
Rishi, tell us all about these. We all together desire to hear thee
describe them. Indeed, our curiosity is great.'" Thus addressed by the
son of Pandu, Narada replied, saying,--"O monarch, hear ye all about
those celestial assembly rooms one after another."