SECTION LI
Duryodhana said,--'O sinless one, listen to me as I describe that large
mass of wealth consisting of various kinds of tribute presented unto
Yudhishthira by the kings of the earth. They that dwell by the side of
the river Sailoda flowing between the mountains of Mer and Mandara and
enjoy the delicious shade of topes of the Kichaka bamboo, viz., the
Khashas, Ekasanas, the Arhas, the Pradaras, the Dirghavenus, the Paradas,
the Kulindas, the Tanganas, and the other Tanganas, brought as tribute
heaps of gold measured in dronas (jars) and raised from underneath the
earth by ants and therefore called after these creatures. The mountain
tribes endued with great strength having brought as tribute numerous
Chamaras (long brushes) soft and black and others white as moon-beam and
sweet honey extracted from the flowers growing on the Himavat as also
from the Mishali champaka and garlands of flowers brought from the region
of the northern Kurus, and diverse kinds of plants from the north even
from Kailasa, waited with their heads bent down at the gate of king
Yudhishthira, being refused permission to enter. I also beheld there
numberless chiefs of the Kiratas armed with cruel weapons and ever
engaged in cruel deeds, eating of fruits and roots and attired in skins
and living on the northern slopes of the Himavat and on the mountain from
behind which the sun rises and in the region of Karusha on the sea-coast
and on both sides of the Lohitya mountains. And, O king, having brought
with them as tribute loads upon loads of sandal and aloe as also black
aloe, and heaps upon heaps of valuable skins and gold and perfumes, and
ten thousand serving-girls of their own race, and many beautiful animals
and birds of remote countries, and much gold of great splendour procured
from mountains, the Kiratas waited at the gate, being refused permission
to enter. The Kairatas, the Daradas, the Darvas, the Suras, the
Vaiamakas, the Audumvaras, the Durvibhagas, the Kumaras, the Paradas
along with the Vahlikas, the Kashmiras, the Ghorakas, the Hansakayanas,
the Sivis, the Trigartas, the Yauddheyas, the ruler of Madras and the
Kaikeyas, the Amvashtas, the Kaukuras, the Tarkshyas, the Vastrapas along
with the Palhavas, the Vashatayas, the Mauleyas along with the
Kshudrakas, and the Malavas, the Paundrayas, the Kukkuras, the Sakas, the
Angas, the Vangas, the Punras, the Sanavatyas, and the Gayas--these good
and well-born Kshatriyas distributed into regular clans and trained to
the use of arms, brought tribute unto king Yudhishthira by hundreds and
thousands. And the Vangas, the Kalingas, the Magadhas, the Tamraliptas,
the Supundrakas, the Dauvalikas, the Sagarakas, the Patrornas, the
Saisavas, and innumerable Karnapravaranas, who presented themselves at
the gate, were told by the gate-keepers at the command of the king, that
if they could wait and bring good tribute they could obtain admission.
Then the kings of those nations each gave a thousand elephants furnished
with tusks like unto the shafts of ploughs and decked with girdles made
of gold, and covered with fine blankets and therefore, resembling the
lotus in hue. And they were all darkish as rocks and always musty, and
procured from the sides of the Kamyaka lake, and covered with defensive
armour. And they were also exceedingly patient and of the best breed. And
having made these presents, those kings were permitted to enter. O king,
these and many others, coming from various regions, and numberless other
illustrious kings, brought jewels and gems unto this sacrifice. And
Chitraratha, also the king of Gandharvas, the friend of Indra, gave four
hundred horses gifted with the speed of the wind. And the Gandharva
Tumvuru gladly gave a hundred horses of the colour of mango leaf and
decked in gold. And, O you of the Kuru race, the celebrated king of the
Mlechcha tribe, called the Sukaras, gave many hundreds of excellent
elephants. And Virata, the king of Matsya, gave as tribute two thousand
elephants decked in gold. And king Vasudana from the kingdom of Pansu
presented unto the son of Pandu six and twenty elephants and two thousand
horses. O king, all decked in gold and endued with speed and strength and
in full vigour of youth, and diverse other kinds of wealth. And Yajnasena
presented unto the sons of Pandu for the sacrifice, fourteen thousand
serving-girls and ten thousand serving-men with their wives, many
hundreds of excellent elephants, six and twenty cars with elephants yoked
unto them, and also his whole kingdom. And Vasudeva of the Vrishni race,
in order to enhance the dignity of Arjuna, gave fourteen thousands of
excellent elephants. Indeed, Krishna is the soul of Arjuna and Arjuna is
the soul of Krishna, and whatever Arjuna may say Krishna is certain to
accomplish. And Krishna is capable of abandoning heaven itself for the
sake of Arjuna. and Arjuna also is capable of sacrificing his life for
the sake of Krishna. And the Kings of Chola and Pandya, though they
brought numberless jars of gold filled with fragrant sandal juice from
the hills of Malaya, and loads of sandal and aloe wood from the Dardduras
hills, and many gems of great brilliancy and fine cloths inlaid with
gold, did not obtain permission (to enter). And the king of the Singhalas
gave those best of sea-born gems called the lapis lazuli, and heaps of
pearls also, and hundreds of coverlets for elephants. And numberless
dark-coloured men with the ends of their, eyes red as copper, attired in
clothes decked with gems, waited at the gate with those presents. And
numberless Brahmanas and Kshatriyas who had been vanquished, and Vaisyas
and serving Sudras, from love of Yudhishthira, brought tribute unto the
son of Pandu. And even all the Mlechchas, from love and respect, came
unto Yudhishthira. And all orders of men, good, indifferent and low,
belonging to numberless races, coming from diverse lands made
Yudhishthira's habitation the epitome of the world.
"And beholding the kings of the earth to present unto the foes such
excellent and valuable presents, I wished for death out of grief. And O
king, I will now tell you of the servants of the Pandavas, people for
whom Yudhishthira supplieth food, both cooked and uncooked. There are a
hundred thousand billions of mounted elephants and cavalry and a hundred
millions of cars and countless foot soldiers. At one place raw provisions
are being measured out; at another they are being cooked; and at another
place the foods are being distributed. And the notes of festivity are
being heard everywhere. And amongst men of all orders I beheld not a
single one in the mansion of Yudhishthira that had not food and drink and
ornaments. And eighty-eight thousands of Snataka Brahmanas leading
domestic lives, all supported by Yudhishthira, with thirty serving-girls
given unto each, gratified by the king, always pray with complacent
hearts for the destruction of his foes. And ten thousands of other
ascetics with vital seed drawn up, daily eat of golden plates in
Yudhishthira's palace. And, O king, Yajnaseni, without having eaten
herself, daily seeth whether everybody, including even the deformed and
the dwarfs, hath eaten or not. And, O Bharata, only two do not pay
tribute unto the son of Kunti, viz., the Panchalas in consequence of
their relationship by marriage, and the Andhakas and Vrishnis in
consequence of their friendship.
--------------------END OF PARVA 2 : UPA-PARVA 51 ---------------------
