SECTION IX
'Narada said--O Yudhishthira, the celestial Sabha of Varuna is
unparalleled in splendour. In dimensions it is similar to that of Yama.
Its walls and arches are all of pure white. It hath been built by
Viswakarma (the celestial architect) within the waters. It is surrounded
on all sides by many celestial trees made of gems and jewels and yielding
excellent fruits and flowers. And many plants with their weight of
blossoms, blue and yellow, and black and darkish, and white and red, that
stand there, or excellent bowers around. Within those bowers hundreds and
thousands of birds of diverse species, beautiful and variegated, always
pour forth their melodies. The atmosphere of that mansion is extremely
delightful, neither cold nor hot. Owned by Varuna, that delightful
assembly house of pure white consists of many rooms and is furnished with
many seats. There sitteth Varuna attired in celestial robe, decked in
celestial ornaments and jewels, with his queen, adorned with celestial
scents and besmeared with paste of celestial fragrance. The Adityas wait
upon and worship the illustrious Varuna, the lord of the waters. And
Vasuki and Takshaka, and the Naga called Airavana; Krishna and Lohita;
Padma and Chitra endued with great energy; the Nagas called Kamvala and
Aswatara; and Dhritarashtra and Valahaka; Matimat and Kundadhara and
Karkotaka and Dhananjaya; Panimat and the mighty Kundaka, O lord of the
Earth; and Prahlada and Mushikada, and Janamejaya,--all having auspicious
marks and mandalas and extended hoods;--these and many other snakes. O
Yudhishthira, without anxiety of any kind, wait upon and worship the
illustrious Varuna. And, O king, Vali the son of Virochana, and Naraka
the subjugator of the whole Earth; Sanghraha and Viprachitti, and those
Danavas called Kalakanja; and Suhanu and Durmukha and Sankha and Sumanas
and also Sumati; and Ghatodara, and Mahaparswa, and Karthana and also
Pithara and Viswarupa, Swarupa and Virupa, Mahasiras; and Dasagriva,
Vali, and Meghavasas and Dasavara; Tittiva, and Vitabhuta, and Sanghrada,
and Indratapana--these Daityas and Danavas, all bedecked with ear-rings
and floral wreaths and crowns, and attired in the celestial robes, all
blessed with boons and possessed of great bravery, and enjoying
immortality, and all well of conduct and of excellent vows, wait upon and
worship in that mansion the illustrious Varuna, the deity bearing the
noose as his weapon. And, O king, there are also the four oceans, the
river Bhagirathee, the Kalindi, the Vidisa, the Venwa, the Narmada of
rapid current; the Vipasa, the Satadu, the Chandrabhaga, the Saraswati;
the Iravati, the Vitasta, the Sindhu, the Devanadi; the Godavari, the
Krishnavenwa and that queen of rivers the Kaveri; the Kimpuna, the
Visalya and the river Vaitarani also; the Tritiya, the Jeshthila, and the
great Sone (Soane); the Charmanwati and the great river Parnasa; the
Sarayu, the Varavatya, and that queen of rivers the Langali, the
Karatoya, the Atreyi, the red Mahanada, the Laghanti, the Gomati, the
Sandhya, and also the Trisrotasi--these and other rivers which are all
sacred and are world-renowned places of pilgrimage, as also other rivers
and sacred waters and lakes and wells and springs, and tanks, large or
small, in their personified form, O Bharata, wait upon and worship the
lord Varuna. The points of the heavens, the Earth, and all the Mountains,
as also every species of aquatic animals, all worship Varuna there. And
various tribes of Gandharvas and Apsaras, devoted to music, both vocal
and instrumental, wait upon Varuna, singing eulogistic hymns unto him.
And all those mountains that are noted for being both delightful and rich
in jewels, wait (in their personified forms) in that Sabha, enjoying
sweet converse with one another. And the chief minister of Varuna,
Sunabha by name, surrounded by his sons and grandsons, also attend upon
his master, along with (the personified form) of a sacred water called
go. These all, in their personified forms, worship the deity. O bull of
the Bharata race, such is the assembly room of Varuna seen by me before,
in the course of my wanderings. Listen now to the account I give of the
assembly room of Kuvera.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 2 : UPA-PARVA 9 ---------------------
