महाभारतम् — सभापर्व

Maya constructs the Maya Sabhā for Yudhiṣṭhira.

Summary AI Maya, the Dānava architect, offers his services to Arjuna after being spared in the forest fire. Arjuna directs him to Kṛṣṇa, who orders the construction of a sabhā for Yudhiṣṭhira. Maya measures ten thousand cubits of land near Indraprastha. After honoring King Yudhiṣṭhira and performing rites with brāhmaṇas, Maya begins work on a celestial structure. He retrieves materials from the mountains and designs the hall to encompass the features of all seasons.

२.२

Kṛṣṇa departs Indraprastha for Dvārakā.

Summary AI Kṛṣṇa departs Khāṇḍavaprastha to visit his father in Dvārakā. He bows to Pṛthā and bids farewell to Subhadrā and Draupadī. After donating gold to brāhmaṇas, he mounts a golden chariot bearing a Tārkṣya emblem. Yudhiṣṭhira takes the reins while Arjuna waves a white cāmara whisk. The other brothers follow on foot until reaching the city limits. Kṛṣṇa embraces the brothers and continues his journey while the Pāṇḍavas watch the chariot disappear.

२.३

Maya retrieves treasures and completes the assembly hall.

Summary AI Maya travels north of Mount Kailāsa to the lake Bindusaras to retrieve ancient treasures. He secures a heavy gadā for Bhīma and the white Devadatta conch for Arjuna. Using gold and gems from a previous hall, he constructs a large sabhā for Yudhiṣṭhira. The structure features golden trees and a pond with crystal steps that deceive onlookers. Eight thousand kiṃkara spirits carry and guard the palace. Maya completes the project in fourteen months.

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Yudhiṣṭhira holds court in the new assembly hall.

Summary AI King Yudhiṣṭhira enters the hall and feeds ten thousand brāhmaṇas with honey and clarified butter. He distributes cows and clothes while wrestlers and bards perform. Sages including Vyāsa and Dhaumya join kings from many regions to populate the court. Vṛṣṇi princes study archery under Arjuna while the gandharva Tumburu leads musicians in song. Surrounded by these guests, the king sits at the center of the assembly like Śakra in heaven.

२.५

Nārada questions Yudhiṣṭhira on the principles of statecraft.

Summary AI Nārada enters the sabhā and questions Yudhiṣṭhira on the governance of the kingdom. He asks if the king balances dharma, artha, and kāma while maintaining a full treasury and fortified strongholds. The dialogue covers the appointment of ministers, the use of spies, and the timely payment of troops. Nārada emphasizes irrigation for farmers and support for the disabled. By listing fourteen royal vices like laziness and anger, he defines the ruler’s duties.

२.६

Nārada offers to describe the divine assembly halls.

Summary AI Yudhiṣṭhira asks Nārada if any earthly or divine sabhā exceeds his own. Nārada reports that while no earthly hall compares to the one built by Maya, superior assemblies exist in the heavenly realms. He offers to describe the courts of Indra, Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera, and Brahmā. Yudhiṣṭhira requests a detailed account of their construction and the specific beings who attend these deities. Nārada agrees to describe each celestial assembly in sequence.

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Nārada describes the celestial assembly of Indra.

Summary AI Indra sits upon a throne within a sun-bright, mobile sabhā alongside Śacī and Lakṣmī. This celestial hall floats through space, free from decay or grief. Sages like Yājñavalkya and Vālmīki gather with the Maruts and sādhyas. Personified forces including Dharma, lightning, and the Vedas attend Indra. While gandharvas and apsarases perform music, others arrive in glowing vimānas. Bṛhaspati and Śukra join the assembly as guests celebrate Indra’s victory over Vṛtra.

२.८

Nārada describes the assembly hall of Yama.

Summary AI Viśvakarman constructed a glowing sabhā for Yama that travels at will. Within this space, hunger, thirst, and fatigue vanish. Yama presides over ancient kings such as Daśaratha Rāma, Yayāti, and Bhagīratha. Personified forces like Kāla and Mṛtyu attend the ruler alongside the pitṛ ancestors and sages like Agastya. Gandharvas and apsarases perform music while truth-speakers and practitioners of tapas sit in radiant bodies. The inhabitants wear bright garments and garlands.

२.९

Nārada describes the underwater assembly hall of Varuṇa.

Summary AI Viśvakarman constructed this white sabhā beneath the water. Jeweled trees and multicolored shrubs surround the structure. Varuṇa sits with Varuṇī, attended by the Ādityas and nāga kings including Vāsuki and Takṣaka. Daityas and Dānavas stand nearby wearing golden earrings. Embodied forms of the four oceans, the Bhāgīrathī, and holy rivers gather alongside personified mountains. Gandharvas and apsarases perform music while these beings offer worship to the lord of the waters.

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Nārada describes the floating assembly hall of Kubera.

Summary AI Kubera sits on a throne in a white sabhā floating above Mount Kailāsa. Built through his own tapas, the structure moves through the air supported by guhyaka spirits. Thousands of apsarases like Rambhā and Urvaśī perform to music while fragrant winds blow from the Alakā lake. Yakṣa leaders and the goddess Śrī attend the king. Śiva and Pārvatī also visit the hall, accompanied by their hosts of spirits, while Nārada and other sages look on.

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Nārada urges Yudhiṣṭhira to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice.

Summary AI Nārada describes the sabhā of Brahmā, a self-luminous structure without pillars. Deities, sages, personified Vedas, and elements of time attend the creator. Nārada explains that King Hariścandra resides in Indra's heaven because he performed the Rājasūya sacrifice. Relaying a message from Pāṇḍu, Nārada urges Yudhiṣṭhira to undertake this same ritual. This sacrifice secures a place in the higher realms for a king and his ancestors, despite the challenges it presents.

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Yudhiṣṭhira consults Kṛṣṇa about the Rājasūya sacrifice.

Summary AI Yudhiṣṭhira contemplates the Rājasūya sacrifice after hearing of King Hariścandra’s status. He governs his subjects with care, earning the title Ajātaśatru. His brothers, ministers, and priests, including Dhaumya and Dvaipāyana, urge him to claim the status of samrāṭ. Wary of biased praise, Yudhiṣṭhira seeks a neutral perspective from Kṛṣṇa. He sends a messenger to Dvārakā. Upon Kṛṣṇa’s arrival at Indraprastha, Yudhiṣṭhira asks him to weigh the risks and judge his readiness for the ritual.

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Kṛṣṇa explains the threat of King Jarāsaṃdha.

Summary AI Kṛṣṇa describes the expansion of Jarāsaṃdha’s power across the northern lands. Allied with Śiśupāla, Jarāsaṃdha forced numerous clans, including the Vṛṣṇis, to retreat to the fortress of Dvāravatī. After the deaths of his commanders Haṃsa and Ḍibhaka, the Magadhan ruler remains a threat, holding dozens of kings captive in the caves of Girivraja. Kṛṣṇa declares that no ruler can complete the Rājasūya until Jarāsaṃdha is slain and these prisoners are set free.

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The Pāṇḍavas plan the defeat of Jarāsaṃdha.

Summary AI A plan is formed to defeat Jarāsaṃdha by combining policy, strength, and skill. The Magadhan king holds eighty-six rulers captive, intending to sacrifice one hundred kings to Paśupati. These captives wait like animals for slaughter. Kṛṣṇa recalls five ancient emperors who earned the title of samrāṭ through merit, contrasting them with Jarāsaṃdha’s reliance on raw force and his imprisonment of rival monarchs to achieve imperial status.

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Arjuna encourages Yudhiṣṭhira to authorize the mission.

Summary AI Yudhiṣṭhira hesitates to send Bhīma and Arjuna against Jarāsaṃdha, likening his brothers to his eyes and Janārdana to his mind. Fearing defeat, he considers abandoning the Rājasūya sacrifice. Arjuna responds by championing vīrya over passive safety. He argues that a kṣatriya must act despite risks, as success relies on both effort and fate. Arjuna rejects the path of a forest ascetic, urging the king to authorize the mission to slay their enemy.

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Kṛṣṇa recounts the miraculous birth of Jarāsaṃdha.

Summary AI Arjuna urges a strategic strike against Jarāsaṃdha, citing the certainty of death and the necessity of naya. Kṛṣṇa recounts how King Bṛhadratha receives a blessed mango from the sage Caṇḍakauśika. The king shares the fruit between his two wives, resulting in the birth of two lifeless body halves. The queens discard these fragments at a crossroads, where the rākṣasī Jarā fits them together. The parts fuse into a living infant, whom the demoness restores to the royal family.

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Jarāsaṃdha rises to power in Magadha.

Summary AI The rākṣasī Jarā unites two halves of a child, prompting King Bṛhadratha to name the boy Jarāsaṃdha. The sage Caṇḍakauśika returns to predict the boy’s immunity to weapons and his future dominance over other monarchs. Bṛhadratha crowns his son and retires to the forest. Jarāsaṃdha subdues neighboring kings and forms an alliance with the warriors Haṃsa and Ḍibhaka. The Vṛṣṇi and Andhaka clans avoid direct confrontation with him, choosing strategic caution instead.

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Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma, and Arjuna travel to Magadha.

Summary AI Kṛṣṇa identifies the deaths of Haṃsa and Ḍibhaka as the opportunity to confront Jarāsaṃdha. He proposes a plan where his own nīti guides the strength of Bhīma and Arjuna. Yudhiṣṭhira consents, likening the trio to the three ritual fires. Disguised in the robes of snātaka brāhmaṇas, the three depart for Magadha. They traverse the Kuru-jāṅgala region, crossing the Gaṇḍakī, Śoṇa, and Sarayū rivers before reaching the capital of Magadha.

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The Pāṇḍavas enter Girivraja and confront Jarāsaṃdha.

Summary AI Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma, and Arjuna arrive at the mountain-guarded city of Girivraja. They bypass the main gates to scale the Chaityaka peak, smashing its ancient summit and ceremonial drums. Entering the capital as snātaka brāhmaṇas, they wear flower garlands despite the bowstring scars on their arms. Jarāsaṃdha receives them but questions their unorthodox entry. Kṛṣṇa explains that they enter an enemy’s house through unconventional ways and refuse ritual hospitality from a foe.

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Kṛṣṇa demands the release of the captive kings.

Summary AI Kṛṣṇa reveals his identity and condemns Jarāsaṃdha for holding kings captive as sacrifices to Rudra. He declares this act a violation of kṣatradharma and demands their release. Jarāsaṃdha rejects the demand, asserting his right over those he defeated in battle. He accepts the challenge to a duel, offering to fight his guests individually. Before the combat begins, Jarāsaṃdha anoints his son Sahadeva as king. Kṛṣṇa observes the proceedings, knowing Bhīma will kill the ruler.

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Bhīma and Jarāsaṃdha engage in a wrestling duel.

Summary AI Jarāsaṃdha selects Bhīma for a duel. After a priest performs protective rites, the king removes his crown and binds his hair. They engage in niyuddha, grappling with arms like iron bars and striking with their knees. The contest continues for thirteen days and nights throughout the start of Kārttika. When Jarāsaṃdha shows fatigue on the fourteenth night, Kṛṣṇa signals Bhīma to exploit the king’s exhaustion. Bhīma seizes his opponent with renewed force to conclude the struggle.

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Bhīma kills Jarāsaṃdha and Kṛṣṇa frees the captives.

Summary AI Bhīma spins Jarāsaṃdha a hundred times before breaking his spine. The victors leave the body at the palace gates and seize a divine chariot, summoning the bird Garuḍa to its banner. Kṛṣṇa releases the captive kings, who promise to support Yudhiṣṭhira's Rājasūya sacrifice. After crowning the prince Sahadeva in Magadha, they return to Indraprastha with spoils. Kṛṣṇa eventually departs for Dvārakā, leaving the Pāṇḍavas to prepare for the upcoming imperial rite.

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Arjuna begins his northern military campaign.

Summary AI Arjuna takes his divine bow and inexhaustible quivers to collect tribute for Yudhiṣṭhira’s treasury. He travels north while his brothers depart for the other three cardinal directions. After subduing several tribes, Arjuna reaches Prāgjyotiṣa. He fights King Bhagadatta, who leads a force of Kirātas and Cīnas. Following eight days of conflict, Bhagadatta acknowledges Arjuna’s strength. Out of respect for Pāṇḍu, the king agrees to pay tribute and accept Yudhiṣṭhira’s authority.

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Arjuna subdues northern kingdoms and mountain tribes.

Summary AI Arjuna leads his fourfold army into the northern mountains, shaking the earth with the sound of drums. He defeats King Bṛhanta of Kulūta and seizes wealth before subduing the rulers of Modāpura and Devaprastha. Moving through the Himālayan ridges, he overcomes the Paurava king, forest tribes, and the warriors of Kāśmīra and Bāhlīka. After a fierce battle with the Ṛṣikas, he secures prized horses with parrot-like hues. He concludes his campaign by camping on the Śvetaparvata.

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Arjuna collects tribute from the northern Harivarṣa.

Summary AI Arjuna crosses the Śveta mountains to subdue the Kimpuruṣas and Guhyakas. Near Lake Mānasa, he defeats the Gandharvas, collecting a tribute of spotted horses. Upon reaching the northern Harivarṣa, guardians warn him that the territory of the Uttarakuravaḥ cannot be entered by mortals. Arjuna requests tribute for Yudhiṣṭhira’s sovereignty, receiving celestial silks and mokājina skins. He returns to Śakraprastha with these treasures, having defeated various kings and bandits.

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Bhīma conquers eastern kingdoms for the sacrifice.

Summary AI Bhīmasena marches east with his army to collect tribute for the Rājasūya. After visiting the Pañcālas, he subdues the Videhas and enters Daśārṇa. He fights King Sudharman in an unarmed duel and appoints him as a military leader. He defeats Rocamāna and the Pulinda kings before reaching the Cedi capital. Śiśupāla welcomes him and the two exchange news. Śiśupāla acknowledges Yudhiṣṭhira’s authority and hosts Bhīmasena for thirty nights before the campaign proceeds further east.

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Bhīma defeats eastern kings and secures tribute.

Summary AI Bhīma marches east with a fourfold army, subjugating kingdoms across the Gangetic plain and Himalayan foothills. He defeats the rulers of Kosala, Ayodhyā, and Kāśī, eventually reaching the borders of Videha. Moving further east, he secures tribute from the son of Jarāsaṃdha and overcomes Karṇa in combat. After defeating the kings of Vaṅga and Puṇḍra and extracting wealth from coastal tribes, he returns to Indraprastha with gold, gems, and sandalwood.

२.२८

Sahadeva conquers southern kingdoms for the sacrifice.

Summary AI Sahadeva marches south, defeating kings of the Matsya and Niṣāda lands. At Māhiṣmatī, the god Agni protects King Nīla by encircling the Pāṇḍava troops with fire. Sahadeva offers prayers to the flames, prompting Agni to grant him passage and tribute. The expedition continues through the Daṇḍaka forest and the western coast. Envoys reach Vibhīṣaṇa in Laṅkā, who sends sandalwood and gems. After securing wealth from southern tribes and islands, Sahadeva returns home.

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Nakula subdues western regions and tribes.

Summary AI Nakula departs Khāṇḍavaprastha for the western quarter. He overcomes the Mattamayūraka warriors at Rohitaka and seizes the grain-rich lands of Bahudhānyaka. Following the Sarasvatī, he subjugates the Mālavas and forest tribes. In Śākala, he secures the alliance of his uncle Śalya through diplomacy before conquering the Pahlavas and Barbaras by the sea. He returns to Indraprastha with ten thousand camels carrying the wealth of the western kingdoms to King Yudhiṣṭhira.

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Yudhiṣṭhira prepares for the Rājasūya sacrifice.

Summary AI Under Yudhiṣṭhira’s rule, rains fall regularly and granaries overflow. He resolves to perform the Rājasūya sacrifice as tribute from kings fills his treasury. Kṛṣṇa arrives at the city with an army to assist. Sahadeva gathers ritual supplies while the sage Vyāsa organizes the ṛtvij priests, including Yājñavalkya and Paila. Artisans construct jeweled residences for invited kings and brāhmaṇas. Yudhiṣṭhira distributes gold and cows before sending Nakula to invite the elders from Hastināpura.

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Kings arrive at Indraprastha for the imperial rite.

Summary AI Nakula travels to Hastināpura to invite Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Bhīṣma to the Rājasūya sacrifice. Kings from many lands arrive at Indraprastha bringing tributes. The guests, including the Kauravas and Vṛṣṇis, move into white mansions decorated with gold lattice. These residences feature gem-studded floors and wide staircases, resembling the peaks of Himavat. After resting, the monarchs gather in the sabhā to find Yudhiṣṭhira seated among priests and counselors, ready to begin the ritual.

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Yudhiṣṭhira assigns duties to his kinsmen.

Summary AI Yudhiṣṭhira initiates the sacrifice by assigning duties. Duḥśāsana manages the food while Aśvatthāman receives the attending brāhmaṇas. Bhīṣma and Droṇa oversee the proceedings, and Kṛpa distributes the dakṣiṇā. Vidura manages the expenses as Duryodhana and Sañjaya receive visiting kings. Guests fill the assembly grounds, bringing jewels and wealth. The sacrifice proceeds with offerings to the six fires, satisfying the deities and participants through abundant food and ritual gifts.

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Yudhiṣṭhira honors Kṛṣṇa with the first offering.

Summary AI Brahmins and kings gather at the antarvedi for the abhiṣecanīya ceremony. Sages debate logic while Nārada identifies Kṛṣṇa as the earthly form of Nārāyaṇa. Following Bhīṣma’s advice, Yudhiṣṭhira selects Kṛṣṇa to receive the first arghya offering. Bhīṣma compares Kṛṣṇa to the sun among stars. Sahadeva presents the ritual water, which Kṛṣṇa accepts according to tradition. Seeing this, Śiśupāla stands and insults the Kuru elders and Kṛṣṇa before the entire assembly.

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Śiśupāla objects to Kṛṣṇa receiving the arghya.

Summary AI Śiśupāla interrupts the ritual to reject the choice of Kṛṣṇa for the first honor. He argues that Kṛṣṇa is neither a ruling king nor the eldest present, pointing to elders like Droṇa, Dvaipāyana, and Bhīṣma as more deserving. He compares Kṛṣṇa’s acceptance of the arghya to a dog licking spilled clarified butter. After denouncing Yudhiṣṭhira and Bhīṣma, the King of Cedi exits the hall, followed by a group of dissatisfied monarchs.

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Bhīṣma defends the decision to honor Kṛṣṇa.

Summary AI Yudhiṣṭhira attempts to pacify Śiśupāla, but Bhīṣma intervenes to justify Kṛṣṇa’s priority. He identifies Kṛṣṇa as the origin and end of the universe, containing the sun, moon, and five elements. Bhīṣma argues that Kṛṣṇa surpasses others through both ritual knowledge and martial strength. He characterizes the guest of honor as the foundation of all existence. Ultimately, Bhīṣma dismisses Śiśupāla’s protest as the ignorance of a child who fails to recognize Kṛṣṇa’s identity.

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Sahadeva challenges the kings who oppose Kṛṣṇa.

Summary AI Sahadeva challenges the kings who object to the worship of Kṛṣṇa. He declares his intent by placing his foot upon the heads of all rivals. While the assembly remains silent, flowers fall from the sky and the sage Nārada validates Kṛṣṇa’s status. Despite these omens, Sunītha and his allies grow enraged, resembling lions deprived of their prey. They gather their forces to disrupt the sacrifice, prompting Kṛṣṇa to observe their movements as they prepare for battle.

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Bhīṣma describes Kṛṣṇa’s divinity to the assembly.

Summary AI Yudhiṣṭhira observes the gathered kings riled with anger and asks Bhīṣma how to protect the yajña from disruption. Bhīṣma compares the shouting monarchs to dogs barking at a sleeping lion, identifying Śiśupāla as a fool leading others toward death. He explains that Kṛṣṇa, the vṛṣṇisiṃha, is the source and end of all beings and intends to reclaim the tejas currently residing in the king of Cedi. Śiśupāla interrupts with harsh words directed at the elder.

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Śiśupāla mocks Bhīṣma and Kṛṣṇa’s childhood feats.

Summary AI Śiśupāla mocks Bhīṣma for honoring Kṛṣṇa and dismisses the slaying of Pūtanā and the lifting of Govardhana hill as trivial feats. He attacks Bhīṣma’s history, citing the abduction of Ambā and his lack of offspring as evidence of a failed life. Recounting the parable of a hypocritical haṃsa that secretly ate the eggs of birds it claimed to protect, Śiśupāla compares Bhīṣma to a predatory fraud. He warns the assembly that Bhīṣma warrants a violent death.

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Bhīṣma restrains Bhīma from attacking Śiśupāla.

Summary AI Śiśupāla denounces the killing of Jarāsaṃdha as a deceitful act and mocks the Pāṇḍavas for following Bhīṣma's advice. Hearing these insults, Bhīmasena rises in fury, his brow furrowing into three lines like the tripathagā river. He gnashes his teeth as his eyes turn red with rage, but Bhīṣma physically restrains him from attacking. Undeterred, Śiśupāla ridicules Bhīma as a moth flying into a flame, urging Bhīṣma to release him to face the gathered kings.

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Kṛṣṇa recounts the birth and prophecy of Śiśupāla.

Summary AI Śiśupāla enters the world with four arms, three eyes, and a cry like a braying donkey. A celestial voice stops his parents from abandoning him, prophesying that his killer is the one in whose lap his extra limbs will fall. After many kings fail the test, Kṛṣṇa holds the infant, causing the extra arms to drop and the third eye to vanish. Kṛṣṇa grants his aunt a boon, promising to endure one hundred offenses (aparādha-śatam) before slaying the youth.

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Bhīṣma challenges the kings to face Kṛṣṇa.

Summary AI Śiśupāla mocks Bhīṣma for acting like a court bard while praising Kṛṣṇa. Comparing Bhīṣma to a bhūliṅga bird that picks meat from a lion's teeth, the king of Cedi claims Bhīṣma survives only by the mercy of others. Bhīṣma dismisses the assembled kings as blades of straw. He places his foot upon their heads and challenges anyone seeking death to face Kṛṣṇa and his śārṅga bow in battle. He asserts Kṛṣṇa's superiority over all monarchs present.

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Kṛṣṇa kills Śiśupāla with the Sudarśana Cakra.

Summary AI Śiśupāla challenges Kṛṣṇa and denounces the first offering. Kṛṣṇa enumerates Śiśupāla’s offenses, including the burning of Dvārakā and the seizure of Bhadrā. When the king of Cedi offers a final insult, Kṛṣṇa severs his head with his cakra. A light called tejas rises from the body and merges into Kṛṣṇa. Yudhiṣṭhira completes the Rājasūya sacrifice and installs Śiśupāla’s son as king. Kṛṣṇa departs for Dvārakā while Duryodhana and Śakuni remain in the sabhā.

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Duryodhana is humiliated in the Maya Sabhā.

Summary AI Duryodhana walks through the assembly hall and mistakes a crystal floor for water, lifting his garment. Later, he steps into a pool believing it is solid ground and hits his head against a transparent door. Bhīmasena and his brothers laugh at these blunders. Stung by their ridicule and the sight of Yudhiṣṭhira’s wealth during the Rājasūya, Duryodhana leaves for Hastināpura. He confesses to Śakuni that the prosperity of the Pāṇḍavas burns him like fire.

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Śakuni proposes a dice game to win the kingdom.

Summary AI Śakuni lists the Pāṇḍavas' acquisitions, including Arjuna’s gāṇḍīva and the sabhā built by Maya. He acknowledges their military strength and the support of Vāsudeva. Since they cannot be defeated in battle, Śakuni proposes a game of dyūta. He highlights Yudhiṣṭhira’s love for gambling despite his lack of skill. Śakuni offers to win the kingdom using his expertise with dice. Duryodhana requests that Śakuni personally describe this strategy to Dhṛtarāṣṭra.

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Dhṛtarāṣṭra orders the construction of a gambling hall.

Summary AI Duryodhana returns from the Rājasūya pale and thin with envy. He describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the gold and gems offered to Yudhiṣṭhira. Śakuni proposes a game of dyūta to seize this wealth, claiming mastery over the dice. Fearing his son’s despair, the king orders the construction of a thousand-pillared sabhā. Though Vidura warns that gambling will invite destruction, Dhṛtarāṣṭra yields to his son’s demand and attributes the decision to the power of fate.

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Duryodhana recounts his humiliations at Indraprastha.

Summary AI Dhṛtarāṣṭra warns against the dangers of dyūta, but Duryodhana describes his humiliation at the sabhā in Indraprastha. He recounts how kings brought tribute to Yudhiṣṭhira during the Rājasūya. Inside the Maya sabhā, Duryodhana mistakes a crystal floor for a pond and later falls into water, drawing laughter from Vṛkodara and Draupadī. He strikes his forehead against a wall disguised as a doorway. Consumed by these memories, he insists on the gambling match despite his father's advice.

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Duryodhana describes the tributes brought to Yudhiṣṭhira.

Summary AI Duryodhana recounts the many tributes arriving for the Rājasūya. Kings and tribes from across the earth wait at the gates with offerings. The Kāmboja people bring woolens, horses, and camels. Thousands of slave girls arrive from Bharukaccha alongside Gāndhāra stallions. Tribes from the mountains and coasts offer gold, ivory-handled swords, honey, and silks. These envoys present blankets, gems, and weapons, filling the palace with wealth from the Hūṇa, Cīna, and Śaka lands.

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Kings from all directions bring tribute for the sacrifice.

Summary AI Kings gather at the palace gates to offer tribute for the sacrifice. They bring heaps of pipīlika gold, cāmara whisks, and Himalayan honey. Tribes from distant mountains and coasts deliver sandalwood, fine dukūla silks, and thousands of elephants adorned with gold. While the Pañcālas and Vṛṣṇis remain exempt, others wait with pearls and gems. Inside, thousands of snātaka householders dine from golden vessels as Yajñasenī supervises the distribution of food.

२.४९

Duryodhana laments the prosperity of the Pāṇḍavas.

Summary AI Kings serve Yudhiṣṭhira during his Rājasūya, offering a golden chariot, horses, and elephants. Sages including Vyāsa and Nārada perform the abhiṣeka as Kṛṣṇa pours water from Varuṇa’s conch. While Arjuna and Bhīma wave fans and Sātyaki holds the umbrella, the sound of conchs fills the air. Duryodhana observes this prosperity with distress, describing his physical wasting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. He compares Yudhiṣṭhira’s status to King Hariścandra, lamenting the reversal of fortune that favors his cousins.

२.५०

Duryodhana rejects his father's advice for peace.

Summary AI Dhṛtarāṣṭra urges Duryodhana to abandon his enmity toward the Pāṇḍavas, advising him to seek happiness through his own dharma. He defines a king’s strength as the protection of his property. Duryodhana rejects this, citing Bṛhaspati to argue that dissatisfaction drives royal success. He views Yudhiṣṭhira’s prosperity as a growing disease and invokes Indra’s victory over Namuci to justify seizing a rival’s wealth. He vows to take the Pāṇḍava fortune or perish in battle.

Other texts to read

रामायणम् वाल्मीकिः

किरातार्जुनीयम् भारविः

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