Section Two

The Mahabharata

Sabha Parva

or Book of the Assembly-Hall

CANTO I

The Building of the Hall

And before Krishna's face to great Urjuun

Maia with clasped hands bending; mild and boon

His voice as gratitude's: "Me the strong ire

Had slain of Krishna or the hungry fire

Consumed: by thee I live, O Kuuntie's son:

What shall I do for thy sake?" And Urjuun,

"Paid is thy debt. Go thou and prosper: love

Repays the lover: this our friendship prove."

"Noble thy word and like thyself;" returned

The Titan, "yet in me a fire has burned

Some deed to do for love's sake. He am I,

The Titan architect and poet high,

The maker: something give me to create."

Urjuun replied, "If from the grasp of Fate

Rescued by me thou pray'st, then is the deed

Sufficient, Titan: I will take no meed.

Yet will I not deny thee: for my friend

Do somewhat and thy debt to me shall end."

Then by the Titan questioned Vaasudave

Pondered a while what boon were best to have.

At length he answered: "Let a hall be raised

Peerless, thou great artificer high-praised, —

If thou wilt needs do somewhat high designed, —

For Yudishthere such hall as may thy mind

Imagine. Wonderful the pile shall be,

No mortal man shall copy although he

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Labour to grasp it, nor on transient earth

Another equal wonder shall have birth.

Vast let it be. Let human and divine

And the Titanic meet in one design."

Joyful the builder took the word and high

The Pandove's hall he made imperially.

But first the heroes to the King repair,

Just Yudishthere, and all their story there

Tell out: the Titan also they present,

Their living proof of great accomplishment.

Nobly he welcomed was by that just King.

There in high ease, befriended, sojourning

The life of elder gods dethroned of old

The Titan to the Pandove princes told.

Short space for rest took the creative mind

And inly planned and mightily designed

A hall imperial for those mighty ones.

With Krishna then consulting and the sons

Of Pritha on a day of sacred light

All fate-appeasing ceremonies right

He ordered and with rice in sugared milk

Sated the priests, silver and herds and silk.

In energy of genius next he chose

Ten thousand cubits, mapped a mighty close,

Region delightful where divinely sweet

The joy of all the seasons seemed to meet.

Four were the sides, ten thousand cubits all.

This was the measure of the Pandove's hall.

But in the Khandav plain abode in ease

Junnardun mid the reverent ministries

Of the great five: their loves his home renew.

But for his father's sight a yearning grew

And drew him thence. He of the monarch just

And Pritha craved departure. In the dust

His head he lowered at her worshipped feet,

He for the whole world's homage only meet.

Him she embraced and kissed his head. Next he

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His sister dear encountered lovingly.

Wet were his eyes as with low words and few

Pregnant and happy, admirably true

He greeted that divine fair girl and heard

Of her sweet eloquence many a tender word

That to her kin should travel; reverent

She bowed her lovely head. And Krishna went

To Draupadie and Dhaum and took of these

Various farewell, — soft words her heart to ease,

But to the priest yielded the man divine

Obeisance just and customary sign.

Thereafter with Urjuun the hero wise

His brothers met and in celestial guise,

Like Indra with the great immortals round,

All rites that to safe journeying redound

Performing, bath and pure ablution made

And worship due with salutation paid,

Garlanded, praying, in rich gems arrayed,

All incenses that breathe beneath the sun

To gods and Brahmans offered. These things done

Departure now was next. Stately he came

Outward and all of venerable name

Who bore the sacred office, had delight

Of fruit and grain yet in the husk and white

Approved curds, much wealth; and last the ground

He trod and traced the gyre of blessing round.

So with a fortunate day and fortunate star

And moment in his chariot built for war,

Golden, swift-rushing, with the Bird for sign

And banner, sword and discus, bow divine

And mace round hung, and horses twin of stride,

Sugreve and Shaibya, went the lotus-eyed.

And in his love the monarch Yudishthere

Mounted, Daaruik, the great charioteer,

Put quite aside. Himself he grasped the rein,

Himself he drove the chariot o'er the plain.

And great Urjuuna mounted, seized the white

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Wind-bringer with the golden staff and bright

And called with his strong arm the circling wind:

And Bhema and the princes twin behind

Followed, and citizen and holy priest:

With the horizon the procession ceased.

All these with the far-conquering Krishna wend.

As a high Sage whom his disciples tend,

So for a league they journeyed; then no more

He suffered but Yudishthere's will o'erbore

And forced return; then grappled to his breast

Urjuun beloved. Greeting well the rest

Religiously the monarch's feet embraced

Govinda, but the Pandove raised and kissed

The head of Krishna beautiful-eyed. "Go then"

He murmured; yet even so the word was vain

Until reunion promised. Hardly at length

He stayed them with entreaty's utmost strength

From following him on foot; so glad has gone

Like Indra thundering to the immortals' town.

But they stood following with the eyes their light

Until he vanished from the paths of sight.

Ev'n then their hearts, though distance now conceals,

Run yet behind his far invisible wheels.

But the swift chariot takes their joy and pride,

Too swift, alas! from eyes unsatisfied

With that dear vision, and reluctant, slow,

In thoughts that still with Krishna's horsehooves go,

Ceasing at last to their own town again

Silent they wend, the lion lords of men.

So entered the immortal Yudishthere

Girt round with friends his glorious city; here

He left them and in bowers for pleasure made

With Draupadie the godlike hero played.

But Krishna, glad of soul, in whirling car

Came speeding to his noble town afar

With Daaruik and the hero Saatyakie. 

Swift as the great God's winged favourite he

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Entered, and all the Yadove lords renowned

Came honouring him, with one the chief and crowned.

And Krishna stayed his father old to greet

And Ahuik and his glorious mother's feet

And Bullaraam, his brother. His own sons

He next embraced and all their little ones.

Last of his elders leave he took and went

To Rookminnie's fair house in glad content.

In Dwarca he; but the great Titan Mai

Still pondered and imagined cunningly

A jewelled brightness in his thought begun,

An audience-hall supreme for Hades' son.

So with the conqueror unparalleled,

Urjuun, the Titan now this discourse held.

"To the great hill I go and soon return,

Whose northern peaks from Coilas upward burn.

There when the Titans sacrifice of yore

Intended by the water Windusor,

Rich waste of fine material was left,

Wondrous, of stone a variegated weft

That for the mighty audience-hall was stored

Of Vrishapurvun, the truth-speaking lord.

Thither I wend and make, if yet endure

All that divine material bright and pure,

The Pandove's hall, a glory to behold,

Admirable, set with jewelry and gold

Taking the heart to pleasure. These besides

A cruel mace in Windusor abides,

Massive endurance, studded aureate,

Ponderous, a death of foes, commensurate

With many thousand more in murderous will.

There after slaughter huge of foes it still

Lies by a king relinquished. This believe

For Bheme created as for thee Gandeve.

There too the mighty conch Varunian lies:

Thunders God-given swell its Ocean voice.

Expect these from my hand infallibly."

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Thus saying went the Titan hastily

To the north-eastern edge of heaven where high

Soars Mainaac hill into the northward sky

From Coilas. Golden soar its ridges large

And noble gems it stores and bright the marge

Of Windusor. The high conceiving Lord,

King of all creatures and by worlds adored,

Here grandiose offerings gave and sacrifice

By hundreds, and with excellent device,

For beauty not to old tradition, made

Pillars of sacrifice with gems inlaid

And monumental temples massed with gold.

Long here enduring Bhogiruth the bold

Through tedious seasons dwelt, yearning to see

Ganges, his self-named river Bhaagirothie.

Nor these alone but he, the Argus-eyed

Lord of imperial Sachi, to his side

Victory by sacrifice compelled. Creating

World systems, energy irradiating

He sits here whom the awful ghosts attend,

Shiva, who no beginning has nor end.

Nur and Naraian there and Brahma there

And Hades and the Immoveable repair, —

Revolving when a thousand ages wend,

To absolve with sacrifice the cycle's end.

Here now ambitious of religion gave

Long years his mighty offerings Vaasudave,

Devoutly, and bright temples raised their head,

Memorial columns golden-garlanded,

Unnumbered, multitudinous, immense.

Thither went Maia and recovered thence

Conch-shell and mace and for the audience-hall

The old Titanic stone marmoreal.

All mighty wealth the servile giants guard,

The Titan genius gathered and prepared

His famous hall unparalleled, divine,

Where all the jewels of the world combine.

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To Bheme he gave that mighty mace, the shell

God-given called, whose cry unutterable

When from the great conch's ocean mouth 'tis hurled

Far borne, trembling of creatures fills the world,

To great Urjuuna. But immense the hall

Ten thousand cubits spread its bulk and all

Its sides ten thousand, upon mighty boles

Columnar elevate: nor either rolls

The sun through heaven, moon nor vast fire so bright.

Slaying the sunshine with superior light

It blazed as if aflame, most luminous, white,

Celestial, large, raised like a cloud to soar

Against the heavens whose lustre it o'erbore.

Nor weariness nor sorrow enter might

That wide and noble palace of delight.

Of fair material was it made, the walls

And arches jewelled were of those rich halls.

Such wonder of creative genius won

The World's Designer to comparison.

For neither Brahma's roof nor Vishnu's high

Might equal this for glorious symmetry.

No, not Sudhurma, Indra's council hall,

With Maia's cunning strove. At Maia's call

Eight thousand Helots of the Giant blood

Upbore the pile and dreadful sentries stood

Travellers on wind, huge-bodied, horrible,

Shell-eared, far-strikers, with bloodshot eyes and fell.

And in the middle a lotus-lake he made

Unparalleled, white lotuses displayed,

And birds innumerable and all the stems

Of that fair blossom were of beauteous gems

And all the leaves were sapphires: through them rolled

Gold tortoises and wondrous fish of gold.

Marble mosaic was the stair: the wave

Translucent ran its edges fine to lave,

Wrinkled with soft cool winds that over it sped.

A rain of pearl drops on the floor was shed.

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And seats from slabs of precious stone combined

The marble banks of that fair water lined.

And all around it ever-flowering trees

Of various race hung dark and huge with ease

Of cool delightful shade, sweet-smelling woods

And quiet waters where the white swan broods

And ducks and waders of the ripples. Sweet

The wind came from them, fragrance in its feet

The lotus gave and lily of the land,

And with its booty the great brothers fanned.

Full fourteen months he laboured: the fifteenth

Saw ready jewelled arch and luminous plinth.

Then only came the Titan and declared

To the just King his mighty hall prepared.

Ceremony of entrance Yudishthere

Then held. Thousands of Brahmins luscious cheer

Of rice with sugared milk enjoyed wherein

Honey was mingled; flesh besides they win

Of boar and stag and all roots eatable

And fruits and sesamum-rice that tastes full well

And grain of offering and pedary,

Yea, meats of many natures variously

Eaten and chewed, of drinks a vast array;

And robes brought newly from the loom that day

Were given, all possible garlands scented sweetly

To Brahmins from all regions gathering, meetly

Presented, and to each a thousand cows.

O then was air all thunder with their vows:

The din of blessing touched the very skies.

With these the notes of instruments arise

Varied, celestial, and sweet fumes untold.

Before the son of Hades mighty-souled

Wrestlers and mimes made show and those who play

With fencing staves and jongleurs. For that day

He who installed the deities, worshipping,

Was greatest of the Kuurus and a king.

He by his brothers hemmed, high worship done,

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With saint and hero for companion,

In that his palace admirably bright,

Like Indra in his heaven, took delight.

CANTO II

The Debated Sacrifice

* * * * * * * * * * But when Yudishthere had heard

The sage's speech, his heart was moved with sighs.

He coveted Imperial Sacrifice.

All bliss went from him. Only to his thought

The majesty of royal saints was brought

By sacrifice exalted, Paradise

Acquired augustly, and before his eyes

He most was luminous who in heaven shone,

Heaven by sacrificial merit won.

He too that offering would absolve; so now

Receiving reverence with a courteous brow,

The assembly broke, to meditate retiring

On that great sacrifice of his desiring.

Frequent the thought and ever all its length

His mind leaned that way. Yet though huge his strength,

His heroism though admired, the King

Forgot not Right, but pondered how this thing

Might touch the peoples, whether well or ill.

For just was Yudishthere and courted still

His people and with vast, impartial mind

Served all, nor ever from this word declined,

"To each his own; nor shall the King disturb

With wrath or violence Right, but these shall curb."

So was all speech of men one grand acclaim;

The nation as a father trusted him:

No hater had he in his whole realm's bound,

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By the sweet name of Enemiless renowned.

And through his gracious government upheld

By Bhema's force and foreign battle quelled

By the two-handed might of great Urjuun;

Sahadave's cultured equity and boon

Necoola's courteous mood to all men shown,

The thriving provinces were void of fear;

Strife was forgotten and each liberal year

The rains were measured to desire; no man

The natural limit of his course outran:

Usury, tillage, rearing, merchandise

Throve with good government and sacrifice

Prospered; rack-renting was not nor unjust

Extortion; from the land was pestilence thrust,

And mad calamity of fire unknown

Became while this just monarch had his own.

Robbers and cheats and royal favourites

Were now not heard of to infringe men's rights

Nor the king's harm nor mutual injury

Intrigue. To yield into his treasury

Their taxes traders came and princes high

On the sixfold pretexts of policy,

Or at Yudishthere's court good grace to win.

Even greedy, passionate, luxurious men

His just rule to the common welfare turned.

He in the glory of all virtues burned,

An all-pervading man, by all adored, —

An emperor and universal lord

Bearing upon his shoulders the whole State.

And from the neatherd to the twice-born great

All in his wide domains that lived and moved,

Him more than father, more than mother loved.

He now his brothers and his ministers

Summoning severally their mind infers

And often with repeated subtle speech

Solicitous questions and re-questions each.

All with one cry unanimous advise

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To institute Imperial Sacrifice.

"O king," they said, "the man by God designed

Who has acquired the Oceanic mind

Of kingship, not with this bounds his pretence,

But hungers for imperial excellence.

In thee it dwells, high Cow-rove; we thy friends

See clear that Fate this sacrifice intends.

To complete heroes it is subject. Men

Who centre chivalry within them, gain

Its sanction when with ancient chants the fires

Are heaped by sages, lords of their desires

Through self-control intense. The serpentine

And all rites other in this one rite twine.

And he who at its end is safely crowned

Is as World Conqueror, is as King renowned.

Puissance is thine, great-armed, and we are thine.

O King, soon then shall Empire crown thy line:

O King, debate no longer; aim thy will

At Sacrifice Imperial." So they still

Advised their King together and apart,

And deep their accents sunk into his heart.

Bold was their speech, rang pleasant to his ear,

Seemed excellent and just, yet Yudishthere

Still pondered though he knew his puissance well.

Again he bade his hardy brothers tell

Their mind and priests high-souled and ministers:

With Dhaumya and Dwypaian too confers,

Wise and deliberate he. "Speak justly, friends,

What happy way my hard desire attends.

Hard is the sacrifice imperial meant

For an imperial mind's accomplishment."

All answered with a seasonable voice:

"Just King, thine is that mind and thou the choice

Of Fate for this high ceremony renowned."

Sweet did the voice of friends and flamens sound:

Yet still he curbed himself and still he thought.

His yearning for the people's welfare wrought

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A noble hesitation. Wise the man

Who often will his power and vantage scan,

Who measures means with the expenditure,

Season with place, then acts; his deeds endure.

"Not with my mere resolve the enterprise

Begins and ends of this great sacrifice."

While thus in a strong grasp his thought he held

His mind to Krishna who all beings excelled

Of mortal breed, for surest surety ran,

Krishna, the strong unmeasurable man

Whom Self-born upon earth conjectured he

Because his deeds measured with deity.

"To Krishna's mind all things are penetrable:

His genius knows not the impossible"

Pondered the son of Hades "nor is there

A weight his mighty mind cannot upbear."

On Krishna as on sage and guide his mind

(Who is indeed the guide of all mankind)

He fixed and sent his messenger afar

To Yadove land in a swift-rolling car.

Then sped the rushing wheels with small delay

And reached the gated city Dwaraca,

The gated city where Junnardun dwelt.

Krishna to Yudishthere's desire felt

Answering desire and went with Indrosane

Passing through many lands to Indra-Plain,

Fierily passing with impetuous hooves

To Indraprustha and the men he loves.

With filial soul his brothers Yudishthere

And Bheme received the man without compeer:

But Krishna to his father's sister went

And greeted her with joyous love; then bent

His heart to pleasure with his heart's own friend,

All reverently the courteous twins attend.

But after rest in those bright halls renowned

Yudishthere sought the immortal man and found

At leisure sitting and revealed his need.

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"King's Sacrifice I covet, but indeed

Thou knowest not practicable by will alone

Like other rites is this imperial one,

But he in whom all kingly things combine,

He whom all men, all lands to honour join,

A king above all kings, he finds alone

Empire. And now though all my friends are one

To bid me forward, yet do I attend

From thy voice only certainty, O friend.

Some from affection lovingly suppress

Their friend's worst fault and some from selfishness,

Speaking what most will please. Others conceal

Their own good with the name of commonweal.

Such counsel in his need a monarch hath.

But thou art pure of selfish purpose; wrath

And passion know thee not; and thou wilt tell

What shall be solely and supremely well."

Krishna made answer: "All thy virtues, all

Thy gifts make thee the man imperial.

Thou dost deserve this Sacrifice. Yet well

Though thou mayst know it, one thing will I tell.

When Raama, Jemadugny's son, had slain

The chivalry of earth, those who were fain

To flee, left later issue to inherit

The name of Kshettriya and the regal spirit.

Of these the rule by compact of the clan

Approved thou knowest, and each highborn man

Whate'er and all the kingly multitude

Name themselves subjects of great Ila's brood

And the Ixvaacuu house. Now by increase

The Ixvaacuu Kings and Ilian count no less

Than are a hundred clans. Of all most huge

Yayaaty of the Bhojas, a deluge

Upon the earth in multitude and gift.

To these all chivalry their eyes uplift,

These and their mighty fortunes serve. But now

King Jerasundha lifts his diademed brow

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And Ila and Ixvaacuu pale their fires,

O'erwhelmed. He over kings and nations towers;

This way and that way with impetuous hands

Assailing overbears; the middle lands

Inhabits and by division rules the world

Since he in whose sole hand the earth is furled,

Who is first monarch and supreme, may claim,

He and he only, the imperial name.

And him the mighty hero Shishupaal

Owns singly nor disdains his lord to call

But leads his warfare, and, of captains best,

The puissant man and subtle strategist,

Vuccar, the Koruush king, and those two famed

Grew to his side, Hunsa and Dimbhuc named,

Brave men and high of heart; and Corrusus,

Duntvuccar, Meghovaahon, Corobhus,

Great kings; and the wide-ruler of the west,

The Yovun lord upon whose gleaming crest

Burns the strange jewel wonderful, whose might

Is like the boundless Ocean's infinite,

Whose rule Norac obeys and Muruland.

King Bhogadutt owns Jerasundh's command,

Thy father's ancient friend, and more with hand

Serves him than word. He only of the west

And southern end of earth who is possessed,

The hero Kuuntiewurdhun Puurujit

Feels for thee as a tender father might.

Chained by affection to thee is his heart

And by affection in thy weal has part.

To Jerasundh he whom I did not slay

Is gathered, he who must forsooth display

My signs, gives himself out god humanized

And man ideal, and for such is prized

Now in the world, a madman soiled of soul,

The tyrant of the Chedies, whose control

Poundra and Keerat own, a mighty lord,

King of Bengal and by the name adored

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Of Poundrian Vaasudave. The Bhoja strong

To whom wide lands, one fourth of all, belong,

Called friend of Indra — he made tameable

Pandya and Cruth and Koyshic by his skill

And science, and his brother Aacritie

Is very Purshuraam in prowess — he,

Even Bheeshmuc, even this high, far-conquering king

To Jerasundh is vowed. We worshipping,

We who implore his favour, we his kin

Are utterly rejected, all our pain

Of benefaction met with sharp contempt,

Benefit with harm returned or evil attempt.

He has forgot his birth, his pride, his name;

Blinded by Jerasundha's burning fame

To him is gone. To him high fortune yields;

Great nations leave their old ancestral fields.

The Bhojas of the North to western plain

Their eighteen clans transplanted, Surasegn,

Shalwa, Petucchur, Kuuntie, Bhudrocar,

Suisthull, Kulind, Sucuitta. All that are

Of the Shalwaian Kings brother or friend,

Are with their leaders gone, nor yet an end:

The Southern Punchaals and in Kuuntie-land

The Eastern Coshalas. Their native north

Abandoning the Mutsyas have gone forth

And from their fear take southern sanctuary:

With them the clan Sunnyustopaad. Lastly

The warrior great Punchaalas terrified

Have left their kingdoms and to every side

Are scattering before Jerasundha's name.

On us the universal tempest came,

When Kunsa furiously crushed of old

The Yadoves: for to Kunsa bad and bold

The son of Brihodruth his daughters gave

Born younger feminine to male Sahadave,

Ustie and Praapthie. In this tie made strong

His royal kin he overpowered; nor long,

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Being supreme, ruled prudently, but grew

A tyrant and a fool. Whereupon drew

The Bhoja lords together, those whom tired

His cruelties, and these with me conspired

Seeking a national deliverer.

Therefore I rose and Ahuik's daughter, her

The sweet and slender, gave to Ocroor, — then

Made free from tyranny my countrymen.

With me was Raam, the plougher of the foe;

Our swords laid Kunsa and Sunaaman low.

Scarce was this inbred peril crossed and we

Safe, Jerasundh arose. Then laid their plans

By vast majority the eighteen clans,

That though we fought for ever, though we slew

With mighty blows infallible, o'erthrew

Foe upon foe, three centuries might take wing

Nor yet be slain the armies of the King.

For him and his two men like gods made strong,

Unslayable where the weapons thickest throng;

Hunsa and Dimbhuc styled. These two uniting,

Heroes, and Jerasundh heroic fighting

Might battle with assembled worlds and win;

Such was my thought, nor mine alone has been,

But all the kings this counsel entertain,

O wisest Yudishthere. Now there was slain

By Raam in eight days' battle duelling

One Hunsa truly named, a mighty King.

Hunsa is slain!' said one to Dimbhuc. Him

Hearing the Jumna's waters overwhelm

Devoted. Without Hunsa here alone

He had not heart to linger, so is gone

His way to death. Of Dimbhuc's death when knew

Hunsa, sacker of cities, he too drew

To the same waves that closed above his friend.

There were they joined in one o'erwhelming end.

This hearing Jerasundha discontent

With empty heart to his own city went.

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The King being gone we in all joy again

In Mothura dwelt and our ancestral plain.

But she, the royal princess lotus-eyed,

Went to her father mourning; she, the pride

Of Jerasundh and Kunsa's wife, and cried,

Spurring the mighty Maagudh, weeping: Kill

My husband's murderer, O my father,' and still:

Kill him!' But we minding the old thought planned

With heavy hearts out from our native land,

Son, friend and kinsman, all in fear must flee.

Our endless riches' loose prolixity

Unportable by division we compressed

And with it fared sadly into the west.

The lovely city, fair Cuishusthaly,

With mountains beautiful, our colony

We made, the Ryevut mountains; and up-piled

Ramparts which even the gods in battle wild

Could hardly scale, ramparts which women weak

Might hold — of Vrishny's swords what call to speak?

Five are the leagues our dwelling place extends,

Three are the mountain-shoulders and each ends

An equal space: hundred-gated the town.

Each gate with heroism and renown

Is bolted and has eighteen keys close-bound,

Eighteen strong bows in whom the trumpet's sound

Wakes headlong lust of war. Thousands as many

Our race. Ahuik has hundred sons nor any

Less than a god. And Charudeshna, he

With his dear brother, hero Saatyakie,

Chucrodave, I, the son of Rohinnie,

And Samba and Prodyoumna, seven are we,

Seven strong men; nor other seven more weak,

Cunca and Shuncou, Kuuntie and Someque,

Anadhrishty, Somitinjoy, Critovurm;

Undhuc's two sons besides and the old King: firm

As adamant they, heroes energical.

These are the Vrishny men who lead there, all

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