02.006
Library: Yudhisthira enquires about various assemblies.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
sampūjyāthābhyanujñāto maharṣervacanātparam। pratyuvācānupūrvyeṇa dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥2-6-1॥
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)
bhagavannyāyyamāhaitaṃ yathāvat dharmaniścayam। yathāśakti yathānyāyaṃ kriyate'yaṃ vidhirmayā ॥2-6-2॥
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)
rājabhir yadyathā kāryaṃ purā tat tan na saṃśayaḥ। yathā-nyāya-upanīta-arthaṃ kṛtaṃ hetumad arthavat ॥2-6-3॥
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)
vayaṃ tu satpathaṃ teṣāṃ yātumicchāmahe prabho। na tu śakyaṃ tathā gantuṃ yathā tairniyatātmabhiḥ ॥2-6-4॥
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)
evam-uktvā sa dharmātmā vākyaṃ tad-abhipūjya ca | muhūrtāt-prāptakālaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā lokacaraṃ munim ॥2-6-5॥
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)
nāradaṃ svastham-āsīnam-upāsīno yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। apṛcchat-pāṇḍavas-tatra rājamadhye mahāmatiḥ ॥2-6-6॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, the wise son of Pāṇḍu, approached the well-seated sage Nārada and asked him in the assembly of kings. (2-6-6)
bhavān sañcarate lokān sadā nānāvidhān bahūn। brahmaṇā nirmitān pūrvaṃ prekṣamāṇo manojavaḥ ॥2-6-7॥
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)
īdṛśī bhavatā kācid dṛṣṭapūrvā sabhā kvacit। ito vā śreyasī brahmaṃs tan mamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ ॥2-6-8॥
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)
tacchrutvā nāradas tasya dharmarājasya bhāṣitam। pāṇḍavaṃ pratyuvācedaṃ smayan madhurayā girā ॥2-6-9॥
Having heard that speech of Dharmarāja, Nārada, smiling, replied to Pāṇḍava with sweet words. (2-6-9)
mānuṣeṣu na me tāta dṛṣṭapūrvā na ca śrutā। sabhā maṇimayī rājanyatheyaṃ tava bhārata ॥2-6-10॥
O Bhārata, O king, I have neither seen nor heard among men an assembly made of jewels like this of yours. (2-6-10)
sabhāṃ tu pitṛrājasya varuṇasya ca dhīmataḥ। kathayiṣye tatha indrasya kailāsa-nilayasya ca ॥2-6-11॥
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)
brahmaṇaś ca sabhāṃ divyāṃ kathayiṣye gataklamām। yadi te śravaṇe buddhir vartate bharatarṣabha ॥2-6-12॥
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)
nāradenaivamuktastu dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। prāñjalirbhṛātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṃ taiśca sarvairnṛpairvṛtaḥ ॥2-6-13॥
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)
nāradaṃ pratyuvācedaṃ dharmarājo mahāmanāḥ। sabhāḥ kathaya tāḥ sarvāḥ śrotumicchāmahe vayam ॥2-6-14॥
The great-minded Dharmarāja replied to Nārada, "Please describe all those assemblies; we wish to hear about them." (2-6-14)
kiṁ dravyāstāḥ sabhā brahman kiṁ vistārāḥ kimāyatāḥ। pitāmahaṁ ca ke tasyāṁ sabhāyāṁ paryupāsate ॥2-6-15॥
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)
vāsavaṃ devarājaṃ ca yamaṃ vaivasvataṃ ca ke। varuṇaṃ ca kuberaṃ ca sabhāyāṃ paryupāsate ॥2-6-16॥
Indra, the king of gods, Yama the son of Vivasvat, Varuṇa, and Kubera, and others attend upon him in the assembly. (2-6-16)
etatsarvaṃ yathātattvaṃ devarṣe vadatastava। śrotumicchāma sahitāḥ paraṃ kautūhalaṃ hi naḥ ॥2-6-17॥
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)
evam-uktaḥ pāṇḍavena nāradaḥ pratyuvāca tam। krameṇa rājan divyāstāḥ śrūyantām iha naḥ sabhāḥ ॥2-6-18॥
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)
