02.006
Library: Yudhisthira enquires about various assemblies.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
सम्पूज्याथाभ्यनुज्ञातो महर्षेर्वचनात्परम्। प्रत्युवाचानुपूर्व्येण धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः ॥२-६-१॥
After duly honoring and being permitted by the great sage, Yudhishthira, the king of dharma, replied in due order after the sage's words. (2-6-1)
भगवन्न्याय्यमाहैतं यथावद्धर्मनिश्चयम्। यथाशक्ति यथान्यायं क्रियतेऽयं विधिर्मया ॥२-६-२॥
O Lord, I have stated this just determination of dharma as it is; this procedure has been performed by me according to my ability and in accordance with justice. (2-6-2)
राजभिर्यद्यथा कार्यं पुरा तत्तन्न संशयः। यथान्यायोपनीतार्थं कृतं हेतुमदर्थवत् ॥२-६-३॥
Whatever actions were performed by kings in the past should not be doubted, as they were done with reason and meaning, and in accordance with justice. (2-6-3)
वयं तु सत्पथं तेषां यातुमिच्छामहे प्रभो। न तु शक्यं तथा गन्तुं यथा तैर्नियतात्मभिः ॥२-६-४॥
O Lord, we wish to follow the righteous path of those people, but it is not possible for us to proceed in the same way as those with controlled minds. (2-6-4)
एवमुक्त्वा स धर्मात्मा वाक्यं तदभिपूज्य च। मुहूर्तात्प्राप्तकालं च दृष्ट्वा लोकचरं मुनिम् ॥२-६-५॥
Having thus spoken, the righteous-souled one, after duly honoring that speech and seeing that the proper time had arrived, beheld the sage who moves among people. (2-6-5)
नारदं स्वस्थमासीनमुपासीनो युधिष्ठिरः। अपृच्छत्पाण्डवस्तत्र राजमध्ये महामतिः ॥२-६-६॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, the wise son of Pāṇḍu, approached the well-seated sage Nārada and asked him in the assembly of kings. (2-6-6)
भवान्सञ्चरते लोकान्सदा नानाविधान्बहून्। ब्रह्मणा निर्मितान्पूर्वं प्रेक्षमाणो मनोजवः ॥२-६-७॥
You always travel through many different worlds, observing those that were created long ago by Brahmā, moving with the speed of thought. (2-6-7)
ईदृशी भवता काचिद्दृष्टपूर्वा सभा क्वचित्। इतो वा श्रेयसी ब्रह्मंस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः ॥२-६-८॥
O Brahmin, have you ever seen any assembly like this anywhere before? Or is there any assembly better than this? If so, please tell me, as I am asking. (2-6-8)
तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदस्तस्य धर्मराजस्य भाषितम्। पाण्डवं प्रत्युवाचेदं स्मयन्मधुरया गिरा ॥२-६-९॥
Having heard that speech of Dharmarāja, Nārada, smiling, replied to Pāṇḍava with sweet words. (2-6-9)
मानुषेषु न मे तात दृष्टपूर्वा न च श्रुता। सभा मणिमयी राजन्यथेयं तव भारत ॥२-६-१०॥
O Bhārata, O king, I have neither seen nor heard among men an assembly made of jewels like this of yours. (2-6-10)
सभां तु पितृराजस्य वरुणस्य च धीमतः। कथयिष्ये तथेन्द्रस्य कैलासनिलयस्य च ॥२-६-११॥
But I shall describe the assembly of the king of the ancestors, of Varuṇa, and of the wise; also that of Indra and of the one dwelling on Kailāsa. (2-6-11)
ब्रह्मणश्च सभां दिव्यां कथयिष्ये गतक्लमाम्। यदि ते श्रवणे बुद्धिर्वर्तते भरतर्षभ ॥२-६-१२॥
O best of the Bharatas, if your mind is attentive to listening, I shall describe to you the divine assembly of Brahmā, which is free from fatigue. (2-6-12)
नारदेनैवमुक्तस्तु धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। प्राञ्जलिर्भ्रातृभिः सार्धं तैश्च सर्वैर्नृपैर्वृतः ॥२-६-१३॥
Thus addressed by Nārada, Yudhiṣṭhira, the king of dharma, with joined palms, together with his brothers and surrounded by all the kings, responded. (2-6-13)
नारदं प्रत्युवाचेदं धर्मराजो महामनाः। सभाः कथय ताः सर्वाः श्रोतुमिच्छामहे वयम् ॥२-६-१४॥
The great-minded Dharmarāja replied to Nārada, "Please describe all those assemblies; we wish to hear about them." (2-6-14)
किंद्रव्यास्ताः सभा ब्रह्मन्किंविस्ताराः किमायताः। पितामहं च के तस्यां सभायां पर्युपासते ॥२-६-१५॥
O Brahman, what are the substances of those assemblies? What is their extent and what are their dimensions? Who, along with the grandsire, attend upon him in that assembly? (2-6-15)
वासवं देवराजं च यमं वैवस्वतं च के। वरुणं च कुबेरं च सभायां पर्युपासते ॥२-६-१६॥
Indra, the king of gods, Yama the son of Vivasvat, Varuṇa, and Kubera, and others attend upon him in the assembly. (2-6-16)
एतत्सर्वं यथातत्त्वं देवर्षे वदतस्तव। श्रोतुमिच्छाम सहिताः परं कौतूहलं हि नः ॥२-६-१७॥
O sage among the gods, we all wish to hear from you the truth of all this, for we are all filled with great curiosity. (2-6-17)
एवमुक्तः पाण्डवेन नारदः प्रत्युवाच तम्। क्रमेण राजन्दिव्यास्ताः श्रूयन्तामिह नः सभाः ॥२-६-१८॥
When the son of Pāṇḍu had thus spoken, Nārada replied to him: 'O king, let us now hear, in order, about those divine assemblies here.' (2-6-18)
